Identify Quicktime decoder

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koffiejunkie

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I was wondering if it is possible to identify which decoder Quicktime is using (or trying to use) to decode a particular file?

After installing a bunch of stuff I've downloaded Quicktime will no longer open any movie files. On DivX/XviD it just maxes the CPU and sits there, and with other MPEG files it gives an error saying it can't open it.

Alternatively, if someone with a reasonably fresh install, or just a working install of OSX 10.4 on PPC can send me the content of their

/Library/Quicktime directory I'd be most grateful.

Thanks
 
+I in quicktime should show you the codec.

My advice is download perian - http://perian.org/ - and remove all of the codecs it suggests removing.
 
Thanks Bwana. I've actually downloaded Perian before, but never got around to install it and in the end forgot what it was. Tried it and it solved my DivX/XviD issue.

But I'm still unable to play mpeg. The mpeg in question is VHS tapes I captured with mencoder, and I took great care to have the format right for PAL DVD. When I play it with MPlayer (commandine), this is what it shows:

MPEG-PS file format detected.
VIDEO: MPEG2 720x576 (aspect 2) 25.000 fps 9800.0 kbps (1225.0 kbyte/s)
==========================================================================
Opening audio decoder: [liba52] AC3 decoding with liba52
Using AltiVec optimized IMDCT transform
AC3: 2.0 (stereo) 48000 Hz 192.0 kbit/s
Checking for AltiVec resampler : 0x00000002, 2
Using AltiVec optimized resampler
AUDIO: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, s16be, 192.0 kbit/12.50% (ratio: 24000->192000)
Selected audio codec: [a52] afm: liba52 (AC3-liba52)
==========================================================================
==========================================================================
Opening video decoder: [mpegpes] MPEG 1/2 Video passthrough
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Mpeg PES)
Could not find matching colorspace - retrying with -vf scale...
Opening video filter: [scale]
The selected video_out device is incompatible with this codec.
Also try adding the scale filter, e.g. -vf spp,scale instead of -vf spp.
VDecoder init failed :(
Opening video decoder: [libmpeg2] MPEG 1/2 Video decoder libmpeg2-v0.4.0b
Selected video codec: [mpeg12] vfm: libmpeg2 (MPEG-1 or 2 (libmpeg2))
==========================================================================
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16be -> 0Hz/0ch/s8...
AO: [macosx] 48000Hz 2ch s16be (2 bytes per sample)
Building audio filter chain for 48000Hz/2ch/s16be -> 48000Hz/2ch/s16be...
Starting playback...
VDec: vo config request - 720 x 576 (preferred colorspace: Planar YV12)
VDec: using Planar YV12 as output csp (no 0)
Movie-Aspect is 1.33:1 - prescaling to correct movie aspect.
VO: [quartz] 720x576 => 768x576 Planar YV12
A: 11.2 V: 11.2 A-V: -0.002 ct: 0.061 275/275 35% 22% 2.9% 26 0
 
I used to have problems with AC3. Try changing the audio to a different codec and see if that does the trick.

iirc D-Vision will quickly redo the audio for you.
 
I'll give it a go tonight. I am surprised though that it might have trouble with AC3, as this is what it puts out in the end.
 
koffiejunkie said:
I'll give it a go tonight. I am surprised though that it might have trouble with AC3, as this is what it puts out in the end.
Click to expand...
Have you tried playing it with VLC?
 
No, VLC is a bit screwed on my box. It defaults to some Asian language, and I can't get it out, even if I delete the preferences files for it.
Anyway, MPlayer-OSX plays it fine, so I know the file is alright (and my linux based DVD authoring software reads it fine). The problem is Quicktime not understanding it. I don't think Quicktime can't read the streams (I have AVI files that have AC3 audio) but it seems to fail at reading the container.
I'll try copying the streams into an AVI container and try with that. Will have to wait until tonight though.
 
Thanks, I'll give the second option a try. I have figured out where in the preferences to set the language back to English, but the interface becomes a mixture of English and this eastern language. Looks more like an interface bug to me.
 
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