Quicktime/FCP no longer play MPEG-2

[Appleruinedme]

I've searched this problem on google and haven't found any solutions. For some reason Quicktime and FCP now refuse to recognize MPEG2 files.

My camera records to a harddrive that is MPEG and I have used them for years. Now suddenly it rejects it. It opens fine in VLC but I'm trying to get back to it working the first time in FCP.

QuicktimeX won't open and Quicktime7 results in this error

I'm running Snow Leopard and never had a problem... what gives?!

 

[MacTech68]

I don't have a solution for you, but rather, some information.

According to Apple, Mpeg2 playback is included with Lion and QuickTimeX

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS3961

The only thing I can suggest is that the new "built in" Mpeg2 decoder doesn't recognize the container. What is the file extension of the file? Note the extensions "supported" in the above article.

EDIT: whoops... OP running SnowLeopard NOT Lion

 

[Appleruinedme]

It is MOV.


My coworker has an identical system and it still plays on his machine

 

[spacepower7]

I'm pretty sure FCP 3 and earlier required Quicktime 7. The MPEG-2 playback component for Quicktime 7 was installed when installing FCP. You can use QuicktimeX and Quicktime 7 on the same system without problems. You are probably missing that component or did not install Quicktime 7, or both.

 

[Appleruinedme]

I'm pretty sure FCP 3 and earlier required Quicktime 7. The MPEG-2 playback component for Quicktime 7 was installed when installing FCP. You can use QuicktimeX and Quicktime 7 on the same system without problems. You are probably missing that component or did not install Quicktime 7, or both.

I installed 7 and got this error

 

[MacTech68]

My bad. You state you're running Snow Leopard NOT Lion.

If you've upgraded from Leopard to Snow Leopard, it seems some of the Snow Leopard Upgrade disks wipe out additional Quicktime Components from:

/System/Library/Quicktime/

If you have a backup, restore the "QuickTimeMPEG2.component" to that directory, or re-install the QuickTimeMpeg2 component from your FinalCutPro install discs.

If you already upgraded to Snow Leopard

You have to reinstall or restore your MPEG-2 Playback Component.

If you have a Time Machine backup of your System folder, then open the /System/Library/QuickTime folder, enter Time Machine and go back in time until you see the QuickTimeMPEG2.component file; select that file and then click Restore.

If you purchased the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the Apple Online Store, then you probably still have the DMG file that contains the installer. Use Spotlight to search for "QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg": if you find a file with that name, double-click it and then in the disk image, double-click the installer package for Intel Macs.

If you purchased the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the Apple Online Store but you can't find the QuickTimeMPEG2.dmg file, you can download the file again from the Apple Online Store if you remember the Apple ID used when you originally purchased it (if you forgot your Apple ID then go to Apple iforgot). Visit the Apple Online Store, click on "Account" in the store menu, then click "Downloadable Software Purchases," enter your Apple ID and password, and click the link to the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component to download it again.

If you obtained the MPEG-2 Playback Component from the installation of Final Cut Studio, then you can reinstall it again from the Final Cut Studio DVD. Insert the DVD and use the Finder's Go menu > Go To Folder... command to get to the /Volumes/Final Cut Studio/Installer/Packages/ folder inside the DVD. Locate the QuickTimeMPEG2.pkg or the QuickTimeMPEG2Pro.pkg installer: double-click it to reinstall the MPEG-2 component.

Source: http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html

 

[Appleruinedme]

My bad. You state you're running Snow Leopard NOT Lion.

If you've upgraded from Leopard to Snow Leopard, it seems some of the Snow Leopard Upgrade disks wipe out additional Quicktime Components from:

/System/Library/Quicktime/

If you have a backup, restore the "QuickTimeMPEG2.component" to that directory, or re-install the QuickTimeMpeg2 component from your FinalCutPro install discs.



Source: http://www.squared5.com/svideo/mpeg-streamclip-mac.html

I uninstalled and reinstalled FCP before I wrote this thread... unfortunately that did not work.

In that directory there is no file of that name, there is none on my coworkers mac either.


Seeing threads that had similar problems like.. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/387973/ makes me start to think this is a hopeless situation.

 

[MacTech68]

I uninstalled and reinstalled FCP before I wrote this thread... unfortunately that did not work.

In that directory there is no file of that name, there is none on my coworkers mac either.

Seeing threads that had similar problems like.. https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/387973/ makes me start to think this is a hopeless situation.

There are two other locations where 'QuickTime Components' may be installed (although the default is the location previously mentioned).

Check (on your coworker's machine) in:

/Library/QuickTime

and

/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Library/QuickTime

compare these to yours.

It's possible that the FCP installer (which runs a group of smaller installers on the DVD) decided not to run the QuickTimeMPEG2 installer. Manually running it by navigating to the folder on the DVD as noted in the quoted text above may force it to install.

Otherwise, I'm stumped.

 

[MacAddict1978]

For clarity, is it just ONE PARTICULAR file you have not been able to open, or is it every mpeg-2?

Did install Quick Time 7 and try to open it with Quick Time (not just FCP) to make sure the file isn't corrupted somehow? Or try to export it back out?

Yeah, this seems obvious and unlikely to work, but it's usually the obvious

 

[Appleruinedme]

There are two other locations where 'QuickTime Components' may be installed (although the default is the location previously mentioned).

Check (on your coworker's machine) in:

/Library/QuickTime

and

/Users/YOUR_USERNAME/Library/QuickTime

compare these to yours.

It's possible that the FCP installer (which runs a group of smaller installers on the DVD) decided not to run the QuickTimeMPEG2 installer. Manually running it by navigating to the folder on the DVD as noted in the quoted text above may force it to install.

Otherwise, I'm stumped.

I have the same ones he has and more

----------

For clarity, is it just ONE PARTICULAR file you have not been able to open, or is it every mpeg-2?

Did install Quick Time 7 and try to open it with Quick Time (not just FCP) to make sure the file isn't corrupted somehow? Or try to export it back out?

Yeah, this seems obvious and unlikely to work, but it's usually the obvious

I don't have any other files that are mpeg-2 in mov containers except files off my camera HD.

When i open them in Quicktime7 I get the atom error.. the files aren't corrupted, they still work on my coworkers computer and it stopped working with all my old mpeg-2 mov files... over 50 files. I had already edited them/used them but can't anymore.

I'm going to try to work with my hard drive to see if different settings will make it workable again... thanks for those that tried to help.

 

[MacTech68]

I have the same ones he has and more

I don't have any other files that are mpeg-2 in mov containers except files off my camera HD.

When i open them in Quicktime7 I get the atom error.. the files aren't corrupted, they still work on my coworkers computer and it stopped working with all my old mpeg-2 mov files... over 50 files. I had already edited them/used them but can't anymore.

I'm going to try to work with my hard drive to see if different settings will make it workable again... thanks for those that tried to help.

I don't get how your coworker's machine can play back these same MPEG2 Mov files without the QuickTimeMPEG2.component.

To be clear, the "AppleMPEG2Codec.component" is installed by iMovie v7 and later and only works with iMovie.

The "QuickTimeMPEG2.component" which apparently must reside in /System/Library/QuickTime/ is Apple's commercial (paid) version which works with any QuickTime aware application. It also ships with Apple's "Pro" software (except QuickTime Pro - go figure).

As far as I know, there is no other component available that allows QuickTime Player to play back MPEG2 codecs in ANY container.

Like I said, I'm kinda stumped. Which leads me to ask: You are using the exact same MOV file on your co-worker's machine, correct?

AND... what is the make & model of the video camera?

 

[Appleruinedme]

I don't get how your coworker's machine can play back these same MPEG2 Mov files without the QuickTimeMPEG2.component.

To be clear, the "AppleMPEG2Codec.component" is installed by iMovie v7 and later and only works with iMovie.

The "QuickTimeMPEG2.component" which apparently must reside in /System/Library/QuickTime/ is Apple's commercial (paid) version which works with any QuickTime aware application. It also ships with Apple's "Pro" software (except QuickTime Pro - go figure).

As far as I know, there is no other component available that allows QuickTime Player to play back MPEG2 codecs in ANY container.

Like I said, I'm kinda stumped. Which leads me to ask: You are using the exact same MOV file on your co-worker's machine, correct?

AND... what is the make & model of the video camera?

Well I must have had the correct codec as these files used to work fine for 2 years which is why I'm confused as well.

Yes he has copies of all the same projects and uses the drives as well. No issues for him, yet I can no longer use the drives and all previous archived files are no longer recognizable on my machine. Except I can open and watch them via VLC.

The camera is Canon AHX1 which connects via firewire to a FS-CV hard drive. I can capture the tapes still but obviously this is more time/space consuming.

I've searched around and others seemed to have this issue as well with no solutions. I did find [http://www.lafcpug.org/phorum/read.php?1,273996,273996] and [https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3273077?start=0&tstart=0] however and apparently the last OS update is doing this to a lot of people.

and i did recently update itunes after months of not updating it. I'm going to see if any of their ideas work for my problem, my coworker said he never updates. Wise advice. lol Where is my "restore back to date" option like PC! ahH!


Definitely making me crazy. Might just reformat/try to reinstall OS and never update ever again. Christ.

 

[Appleruinedme]

And just for clarification

is the components i have


Also my coworker has updated, it automatically did - he now can't run the files either. However! lol I have another mac, smaller screen with leopard on it and it works.

This has been a nightmare.. apple really needs to fix their last update or at least allow us to revert it.

----------

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!

I copied the codecs from both library/quicktime and system/library/quicktime from the old un-updated system, pasted them over the ones on the updated system. All it did was rewrite over the files. Works perfect now.

Won't be updating again, thanks to those who tried to help!

 

[MacTech68]

PROBLEM SOLVED!!!!

I copied the codecs from both library/quicktime and system/library/quicktime from the old un-updated system, pasted them over the ones on the updated system. All it did was rewrite over the files. Works perfect now.

Won't be updating again, thanks to those who tried to help!

I was just about to post suggesting this, but I see you've got there. Seems many of the QuickTime 7.6.6 Components were updated in Security Update 2011-006.

One of them will have been causing this problem. Still, you've got there, but it would be nice to know which component is the culprit. Since the MPEG2 component itself doesn't appear to be part of the update, I suspect the QuickTimeMPEG.component since it seems to have a routine to call upon the MPEG2 component if it is installed and/or the QuickTimeImporters.component. Both in /System/Library/QuickTime/.

Perhaps you could drag these one at a time to your co-worker's machine to see which it is, though I imagine by now, you're pretty much glad to see the end of the problem.

And well done finding a solution.

 

[Appleruinedme]

He copied them all over soon after I did... however we now have a new problem...

Anytime we try to burn DVDs the screen is completely green. If we burn on an non-updated machine it is fine.. I'm guessing another file is corrupt somewhere.. but who knows which one..

Total nightmare!! I checked other threads on this issue and have not seen any solutions. :[

 

[MacTech68]

He copied them all over soon after I did... however we now have a new problem...

Anytime we try to burn DVDs the screen is completely green. If we burn on an non-updated machine it is fine.. I'm guessing another file is corrupt somewhere.. but who knows which one..

Total nightmare!! I checked other threads on this issue and have not seen any solutions. :[

Clarification required:

Are you running 10.6.4 ? If not, which version of 10.6 ?

Also, if you are running 10.6.x, did you drag the Quicktime components from 10.5.x. If so, what version?

 

[Appleruinedme]

Clarification required:

Are you running 10.6.4 ? If not, which version of 10.6 ?

Also, if you are running 10.6.x, did you drag the Quicktime components from 10.5.x. If so, what version?

I'm on 10.6.8 and dragged QT components from a 10.6 OS

Found out "make image sequence" for Quicktime no longer works either....just a black screen. Also have video from a P&S that used to work, now whenever I capture it, it has all kinds of artifacts in it. Capture it to a different computer and transfer - no problem. Apple really needs to get it together, should never release such bad updates. No fixes from them, I've pretty much given up. Might reformat if I can acquire all my software keys and after I can clear a big project.

In my updates it says "ProApps QT codecs 1.0" - I wonder if that caused the problem or is a solution to current problems. Too scared to try it. lol

 

[Appleruinedme]

Problem came back, I just reinstalled the OS without reformatting and all problems solved.. didn't realize you could reinstall OS that way. Sweet!

Updating this post for others searching for solutions... otherwise it can be closed.