video doesn't work, but audio does

[sofrustratedarg]

I just bought a MacBook Pro in order to start doing some video editing and am so frustrated that none of my HDV 1080i videos from my Canon XH A1 HD Camcorder are working.

My DP digitized the files to an external hard drive and are saved as quicktime files (I'm new to a mac and for some reason can't see file extensions, only the fact that it says: "Kind: QuickTime Movie", so I assume it's a QT file).

More information about the files are: Codecs: HDV 1080i60 Integer (Little Endian), Timecode.

I can preview the file and open the file in all of the following: QT, iTunes, Final Cut Express and it does the same in all of them - you can hear the audio, but the screen is black for video.

I purchased QT Pro because I read in one forum that it had the codec necessary to show video... but that didn't work.

Can anyone help? I'm so incredibly frustrated with this right now!
Thanks in advance.:mad:

[sofrustratedarg]

Someone suggested:
You won't get ribbed here unless you ask how to convert VOB files to DV format. ( The answer is MPEGStreamclip )

I downloaded MPEG Streamclip and tried to export a couple files as QT, DV, AVI, and MPEG. None of which made the video appear. The "convert files to" options were not highlighted, so I'm not sure if there's a codec or another version I should try to download.

I didn't think they were VOB files and can't find anywhere if they say VOB or not, since files here don't have extensions for whatever reason.

Any additional help would be greatly appreciated. :D

[LethalWolfe]

What software did your DP use to capture the tapes? If he used Final Cut Pro then they are most likely in a codec which you can only get w/FCP (Apple HDV, ProRes, etc.,).


Lethal

[huntercr]

Someone suggested:
You won't get ribbed here unless you ask how to convert VOB files to DV format. ( The answer is MPEGStreamclip )

I downloaded MPEG Streamclip and tried to export a couple files as QT, DV, AVI, and MPEG. None of which made the video appear. The "convert files to" options were not highlighted, so I'm not sure if there's a codec or another version I should try to download.

I didn't think they were VOB files and can't find anywhere if they say VOB or not, since files here don't have extensions for whatever reason.

Any additional help would be greatly appreciated. :D

I am the person who said the "getting ribbed" quote. I was talking about you double posting and not knowing how to delete the other post. I actually never saw the content of this post until just now. I wasn't advising you to use MPEGStreamclip, I was saying that that is the number one question asked in this forum that is annoying.

Don't use MPEGstreamclip ( for the time being ) for this problem. You need to find out what the codec is ... you should follow LethalWolfe's advice.

You should be able to get the codec from Command-J in quicktime since you own pro. ( I think you select the video track after that and it should tell you... but I'm doing this from work and can't verify for sure )

[-DH]

I downloaded MPEG Streamclip and tried to export a couple files as QT, DV, AVI, and MPEG. None of which made the video appear. The "convert files to" options were not highlighted, so I'm not sure if there's a codec or another version I should try to download.

That may be due to the fact you need Apple's "MPEG-2 Playback Component" in order for MPEG Streamclip to work with muxed MPEG-2 files. You can find it here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/D2187Z/A?fnode=home/shop_mac/software/apple&mco=MTA4MDE0 NOTE: If you have FCP, Compressor or DVD-SP installed, you'll already have the MPEG-2 Playback Component installed on your system.


I didn't think they were VOB files and can't find anywhere if they say VOB or not, since files here don't have extensions for whatever reason.

Set your Mac's view preferences to show all file extensions.

-DH

[sofrustratedarg]

I am the person who said the "getting ribbed" quote. I was talking about you double posting and not knowing how to delete the other post. I actually never saw the content of this post until just now. I wasn't advising you to use MPEGStreamclip, I was saying that that is the number one question asked in this forum that is annoying.

Don't use MPEGstreamclip ( for the time being ) for this problem. You need to find out what the codec is ... you should follow LethalWolfe's advice.

You should be able to get the codec from Command-J in quicktime since you own pro. ( I think you select the video track after that and it should tell you... but I'm doing this from work and can't verify for sure )

ha. oooooohhhhh.... swear to god i'm not a complete we-todd. Thanks for clarifying and for the additional tips!

[sofrustratedarg]

That may be due to the fact you need Apple's "MPEG-2 Playback Component" in order for MPEG Streamclip to work with muxed MPEG-2 files. You can find it here: http://store.apple.com/us/product/D2187Z/A?fnode=home/shop_mac/software/apple&mco=MTA4MDE0 NOTE: If you have FCP, Compressor or DVD-SP installed, you'll already have the MPEG-2 Playback Component installed on your system.




Set your Mac's view preferences to show all file extensions.

-DH

Thanks for showing me how to show all file extensions! Going from a PC to a Mac is like trying to learn chinese. okay, maybe not that bad, but close.

Anyway, I downloaded that playback component and nope, that doesn't work either :(

[LethalWolfe]

Thanks for showing me how to show all file extensions! Going from a PC to a Mac is like trying to learn chinese. okay, maybe not that bad, but close.

Anyway, I downloaded that playback component and nope, that doesn't work either :(
Again what software did the DP use to capture the footage? If he used Final Cut Pro then you must also use FCP because, AFAIK, 1. that's the only way to get the Apple HDV codec and 2. FCE and iMovie don't edit HDV natively (they use the Apple Intermediate Codec).


Lethal

[killr_b]

Again what software did the DP use to capture the footage? If he used Final Cut Pro then you must also use FCP because, AFAIK, 1. that's the only way to get the Apple HDV codec and 2. FCE and iMovie don't edit HDV natively (they use the Apple Intermediate Codec).


Lethal

Lethal,
You are correct. The only way to have the HDV and ProRes codecs for Quicktime is to have FCP installed. Verified by Creative Cow and Apple forums.

sofrustratedarg,
You're going to need to install Final Cut Pro/ Studio. Express don't gots it. :rolleyes:

[sofrustratedarg]

Thanks to everyone who has helped so far.... I installed Final Cut Pro on my Mac and still does not work. In fact, I created a new movie in iMovie and can open it in in QT Pro, Final Cut Express, but not FCP.

The original FCP project my DP sent me does not open and says, "General Error (41)" and doesn't open the file at all. It does different things at different times. Another time it said out of memory or something like that. When trying to open a file in FCP it said, "Codec not found you may be using a compression type without the corresponding hardware card."

I have a brand spankin new MacBook Pro v 10.5.4, Final Cut Pro 5.0.4 - is there a newer version?

I wish I could just drag one of you macpros over here to help me figure this out!

[LethalWolfe]

I have a brand spankin new MacBook Pro v 10.5.4, Final Cut Pro 5.0.4 - is there a newer version?

5.0.4 is old. So old it's PPC native which means you are running it under Rosette which can't be good. You need to upgrade to Final Cut Studio 2 which has FCP 6.0 and then run all the updaters so your software is up to date.


Lethal

[-DH]

I have a brand spankin new MacBook Pro v 10.5.4, Final Cut Pro 5.0.4 - is there a newer version?

Now we're getting somewhere! LethalWolfe is correct. FCP 5.0.4 was written for PPC Macs only. It is NOT compatible with IntelMacs. I'm surprised you even got it to install correctly on an IntelMac.

-DH