Client can’t view the QT movies

[Ed Dooley]

DVCPro50 codec isn’t native to PC. You can buy one from Matrox (and others, I think).
Ed

[Lars Wikstrom]

So it isn’t a part of QT then? Where can I downlod the software decompression codecs. I have a client that took 4 DVD Data discs back home to San Fransico with the QT clips on them converted right from the camera to FCP. He wants to view them on his PC to make notes. The decompression codec must be some where to download.

-Lars

[Noah Kadner]

Not neccesarily. But the best way for him to check if there is some support would be to download the very latest version of QuickTime for Windows. If that doesn’t work you’ll need to provide him with the clips converted to a codec that is supported by windows.

Noah

[Ed Dooley]

Matrox supports DVCPro50 on PCs. You might check there for a codec download.
Ed

[Lars Wikstrom]

I looked at the Matrox site and did’nt see anything. what I don’t usderstand is why would I find a decompression codec at a site like Matrox when I should be able to get it from the people who created it, Panasonic.

If it is come copy protection thing I would think they would at least create the decompression so people can view the footage and not encode in that format. Digital Anarchy has Microcosm codec. If you don;t buy it you can still use it to decompress and see the clip but you can’t encode with it.

I hope Jan reads this an can direct me to the Codec.

Thanks,

-Lars

[Noah Kadner]

It’s not a codec thing, it’s a cross platform thing. If you hadn’t noticed Microsoft doesn’t exactly go out of it’s way to support Apple users and vice versa. If the user is on a PC you need to tailor your Mac output for them not the other way around.

Noah

[Mark Burton]

The issue here is that Apple have refused to make ALL their Mac Quicktime codecs cross platform. The Apple DV50 codec is only available for OS X. If they were to port this to Quicktime on Windows along with their DVCPRO HD and other production codecs, this sort of issue would not arise. This has nothing to do with Microsoft.

Why do Apple even make Quicktime for Windows at all then? Its there to let Windows users play and make Quicktime files, so why not let it play all Quicktime files? Its their codec but you can’t play it on their media platform; they added this ridiculous limitation, its they who should rectify it.

For the record, Avid do have cross platform DV50 and DVCPRO HD Quicktime codecs which are freely available for anyone to put on their non Avid machines, but they won’t play the Apple formatted codecs.

[Ed Dooley]

https://www.matrox.com/video/support/ds/software/codec/home.cfm

Matsushita owns the DVCPro50 codec. They license it to Apple.
Avid has a DVCPro50 codec too (I’m assuming it’s licensed as well), but I don’t think it works with Apple’s codec, not sure though:
https://www.avid.com/onlineSupport/supportcontent.asp?productID=92&contentID=3555&typeID=2

The Ace Megacodec pack includes the Matrox DVCPro50 codec (and hundreds more):
https://www.divx-digest.com/software/acemega_codec.html
Ed

[Noah Kadner] “It’s not a codec thing, it’s a cross platform thing. If you hadn’t noticed Microsoft doesn’t exactly go out of it’s way to support Apple users and vice versa. If the user is on a PC you need to tailor your Mac output for them not the other way around.”

[Mitch Ives]

I don’t buy into that argument. Microsoft doesn’t provide the necessary access and info to implement many things. Ask Flip4Mac. They’ve been waiting 6 months for MS to give them the info to fix the 2-pass WMV codec. MS is dragging their feet as usual. Remember, Bill’s the one that said “bug fixes are the worst excuse I’ve ever heard for a program update”.

Now to the real issue at hand…

He never should have provided those files to that client in the first place. You have a professional working in a professional environment providing working files to a non-professional (less technical) person. Why would anyone ever want to do that? Does a surgeon send a patient home with scalpels to play with?

As someone who goes down this road daily, I’ve been trying out all the alternatives… QT files, DVD’s, etc. You know what we’ve finally settled on. The Russian approach… low tech. We’ve gone back to window dub VHS and it’s working better than everything else we tried. It’s quicker and it costs less. Of course, the fact that there are NO incompatibility issues is handy as well. Haven’t had a single “your tape won’t play in our player” call.

The Kona we use down converts in realtime to SD for our dub rack. Basically, it’s just a realtime playback of the clips on the timeline. We’re saving a lot of time and money with this approach. We’re using it for “in-between” approval copies as well. The added benefit? Clients prefer to come by and look at the HD version, which is as it should have been all along. In short, we’re providing the necessary dis-incentive to invent several unneeded layers of review materials that seem to be getting out of control.

In conclusion:
1) sometimes a hammer is faster and more efficient than a pnuematic nailer
2) we’ve regained control of the production process

Both of which are the real issues here.

Mitch Ives
Insight Productions Corp.
mitch@insightproductions.com

Apple Certified Trainer: Final Cut Pro 5

[Noah Kadner]

Exactly- sure you can *buy* codecs for the client and spend hours on the phone as the fumble through the install or you can do what Mitch suggests and get on with your life. 🙂

Noah