Quicktime Alternative Question

[mubs]

If a piece of software says "Quicktime is required to use/process MPEG-4 and H.264", can I use Quicktime alternative instead and still have the same functionality? Said software is Adobe's Premiere Elements 2. I'm sorta surprised it didn't install it by itself, but instead told me to go get it from Apple. Amazingly good behaviour, but poor decision for having chosen it in the first place.

On a related note, newer Canon Digicams that can make videos say Quicktime is required to view them. Actually the MJPEG codec is required, and it is not in Nero 6.6 or any of the "alternative" (Real/Quicktime) programs. Apparently there is no free variant of the codec, so one is limited to three choices:
a) Quicktime
b) Pay up
c) use a codec pack (like K-Lite) that has "borrowed" the codec

Anybody care comment or help out? Thanks.

 

[CityK]

If a piece of software says "Quicktime is required ... can I use Quicktime alternative instead and still have the same functionality?

The answer is both yes and no.

Quicktime refers to both a file format/container and a media player.

Directshow is an MS api for media content. Many popular media players in windows land (like widows media player, MPC, zoomplayer etc etc....) are dshow based. ds based media players require the appropriate ds filters to play back the media files.

Quicktime, the media player, has nothing to do with dshow (not surprising as it hails from Mac land)...it handles media files in its own fashion...(some other examples of media players in windows which are not ds based are VLC, mplayer).

A full blown installion of QT Pro is essentially comprised of
- the QT media player
- editing capabilities built into the player which allow you to create QT files (i.e allow you to place media into a QT container)
- and a set of ds filters that allow you to play QT files in ds based media players.
- some browser plugins

Quicktime Alternative is essentially someone (illegally) taking the
- the dshow filters required to play quicktime files in a dshow based media player
- the browser pluggins
and packaging them into an install routine.

a piece of software says "Quicktime is required to use/process MPEG-4 and H.264"

this is an erroneous/ambiguious statement ...I figure you are were just trying to paraphrase so I won't bother addressing this ... too tired anyways.

a piece of software says "Quicktime is required...Said software is Adobe's Premiere Elements 2

The context here is using premiere to create or edit QT files. So, no, QT Alternative will not work.

On a related note, newer Canon Digicams that can make videos say Quicktime is required to view them. Actually the MJPEG codec is required,

It sounds like the Canon Digicams use a MJPEG codec to capture and pack the content into the QT file format/container. In this case, you would be able to use QT Alternative to playback those files within a ds based media player....provided you can get a ds MJPEG codec

MJPEG codec is required, and it is not in Nero 6.6 or any of the "alternative" (Real/Quicktime) programs. Apparently there is no free variant of the codec

I just looked at FFMpeg, and it supports MJPEG, so you can count on support for it being contained within ffdshow....try a recent build from here

 

[mubs]

Thanks, CityK, you rule!

I did paraphrase what the Premiere install routine said at the end, but I think that was a pretty accurate paraphrase. I should have written it down, but I didn't. The impression I got was that the free version of QT was required, not the Pro version. When I get a chance I'll try to mess with Premiere and see if I get a proper message.

The Canons actually create two files, a .AVI and a .THM, both with the same primary name. The .THM is always pretty small, something like 11KB. I renamed it to .THMxx, and the .AVI audio/video played fine. A qucik search shows that THM is a Digicam thumbnail.

That FFMpeg page confuses me mightily! I downloaded the files created in December 2005 and later, and it is this set of files:

ffdshow_gcc.sh
ffdshow_output_20_feb_2006_gcc-4.0.2.txt
ffdshow_output_20_feb_2006_gcc-4.1.0.20060219.txt
ffdshow-20051208_drevil_xxl.exe
ffdshow-20051208-gcc4.0.2-sse2-x264.nl.exe
ffdshow-20051208-msvc7.1-x264.nl.exe
ffdshow-20060123_clsid.exe
ffdshow-20060413-gcc4.0.3-sse2-x264.nl.exe

The text files look like it's the log file from a compiler. I wouldn't know which exe to use.

 

[CityK]

That FFMpeg page confuses me mightily!

That page is not related to FFmpeg. That page is from a repository site that a Doom9 forum member, boobar, created to hold different builds of various video codecs and software. That page in particular has a gazillion different builds of ffdshow.

You can read here about ]FFmpeg. The main component of interest is libavcodec ... which is what ffdshow will largely draw upon for codecs.

BTW, if you're ever in need of answers related to A/V codecs and such, Wikipedia is an awesome resource.

I downloaded the files created in December 2005 and later...I wouldn't know which exe to use.

All you need is the latest - ffdshow-20060413-gcc4.0.3-sse2-x264.nl.exe Just run that to install ffdshow. After installed, set up the codecs in the directshow decoder configuration.

The text files look like it's the log file from a compiler.

yep, gcc be the looks of it (gcc is the standard compiler under *nix)

 

[CityK]

oops, chopped the first part off by mistake. Anyways:

The Canons actually create two files, a .AVI and a .THM, both with the same primary name. The .THM is always pretty small, something like 11KB. I renamed it to .THMxx, and the .AVI audio/video played fine. A qucik search shows that THM is a Digicam thumbnail.

Ahh, I see. Sounds like the QT install includes a MJPEG codec -- probably just a dshow version-- and that is why Canon advised it....there's nothing like advising you install bloat

Of interest, I believe virtualdub, which is a video for windows app (vfw ... vfw is an older MS api, that dshow was supposed to replace, but vfw remains popular) includes an internal MJPEG decoder, so you should be able to edit the files within it. If not, ffdshow likely has a vfw version of MJPEG (check the vfw codec settings configuration), so you should still be able to edit in vdub.

I have no experience with MJPEG whatsoever.

 

[mubs]

Thanks, CityK. You're a swell guy.

 

[Sol]

For a short time Apples stand alone QT distro (The one without iTunes) was also called Quckitime alternative. It didn't seem to install any other crap along with itself, and indeed it behaved much like the original QTAlt, albeit without mediaplayer classic. I'm not sure what the current version is like or whether Apple have reinstated the incredibly average Quicktime player, but it's probably worth having a look at the Quicktime Standalone page even if you just uninstall it imediately.