Struggling to play Xvid files on Mac!

[tommy11a]

I've just downloaded a torrent file which is dvd rip xvid file...
It took ages and when i tried to open any of the files they wouldn't work. Ive tried downloading perian and other codec stuff but they still aren't working. Have attemped to use Mac Video Converter but it says it's a bad source....On the finder the icons are just blank pieces of paper and i've no idea how to open them!

Any ideas?

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

I wouldn't mention torrents on here too much. FYI.

But for what Perian won't, then try VLC Player or MplayerOSX.

 

[kajitox]

I wouldn't mention torrents on here too much. FYI.

But for what Perian won't, then try VLC Player or MplayerOSX.

Seriously, though, going for VLC is going to be your best bet.

 

[kolax]

+1 for VLC Player.

It'll play pretty much anything.

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

I still use VLC - but I now favor Mplayer - because I can run true 5.1 surround, and it is MUCH more powerful - just it has a very steep learning curve. (command line stuff). So for "out of the box" functionality - VLC - but if you want to get into HD, 6-channel upmixing/downmixing - I'd opt for Mplayer.

 

[kolax]

I still use VLC - but I now favor Mplayer - because I can run true 5.1 surround

VLC can't output 5.1?

 

[Big-TDI-Guy]

It "says" it can - but I've never been able to get it working. Not once, and believe me, I put in a lot of effort trying.

As for mplayer - once I dumped in the correct "settings" - it does 5.1 on everything that has a 5.1 audio track.

FYI - I'm talking about using the encoded optical digital output of an iMac - going to a 5.1 receiver, it "might" work on a different Mac with the multiple line-outs.

 

[Sun Baked]

You may end up with a codec that cannot be played on the Mac in any case, if you have something that lists the codec it uses it can help tracking something down.

At times I've had to use a conversion routine just to get it to play.

Still a bunch of Windows codecs that don't pay on OS X, might get video no audio, audio no video, etc.

 

[timestoby]

you could use plex,that wot i use for hd mkvs

 

[Catch Them]

you can install Xvid codec (Here: http://www.xvidmovies.com/mac/), i did when i was running tiger, but since i migrated everything to Leopard, I just use VLC as a one size fits all.

the sound output through my optical is fine with surround and stereo output.


though i still have Flip4Mac and Perian(?) installed for quicktime related stuff.

 

[Sun Baked]

Just remember, even the xvid players on the Mac side won't play all the individual video and audio codecs somebody might use to compress the xvid file.