# Why can't Quicktime play .avi files?!



## julguribye (Dec 23, 2001)

Why can't Quicktime play .avi files?!  They send people to the moon and QuickTime can't even play avi movies!!! Why is this? None of my avi's will play in quicktime or with the quicktimeplugin in explorer!

Try this link: http://www.firsteye.dk/animations/vfx_explo.avi

Quicktime is missing necceseary software blah blah blah!

I know this has been debated before, but I want this clear! And I DON'T want to use Microsuck Windows Media Player!


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## konrad (Dec 23, 2001)

this avi requires the "IV50" codec which probably is intel video 5.0 and is not available for mac. im sorry but you´ll _have_ to use the windows media player...


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## julguribye (Dec 23, 2001)

But WHY can't Apple implement this into their flagship product?!


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## ablack6596 (Dec 23, 2001)

Becasue whoever owns that codec in this case Intel I guess will not alow Apple to put it in Quicktime it is the same reason why you can't play files for RealPlayer in Quicktime.


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## JohnnyV (Dec 23, 2001)

if you search around a bit you can find AVI to Mov converts. I don't have one, but have seen them on carracho, and somewhere on the web. Sorry i don't have a web address. Good Luck AND WHATEVER YOU DO DON'T USE WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER!!!!! IT BLOWS OUT THE ARSE!!


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## wdw_ (Dec 23, 2001)

Those AVI to MOV apps can be found at download.com, but none of them work!


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## simX (Dec 23, 2001)

It can't play them because they are proprietary formats.  I would LOVE it if the QT player could play WMP files, RealPlayer Files, as well as all of the .avi files.  Then it would really be a godsend.  Unfortunately, ass companies like Real and Microsoft and Intel won't allow their proprietary formats be used in any other player other than theirs.  Really annoying, I agree.

Many of the Avi2mov converters can be found at www.versiontracker.com .  Just search for the term "divx".  The best one I've found is "divX for OS X", at version 1.1.7.  Pretty good all around player, and directly interfaces into the QT player so you can open .avi files in the QT player with the extra QT component.  It won't work on all .avi files, though.  It's probably always good to have a few different options though -- I personally have three different decoders that are QT components (/Library/Quicktime).  All of them can be found at www.versiontracker.com if you search for the term "divx".  Now if only someone would make a WMP or RealPlayer file component for QT Player.  That would rock.

Good luck -- hope this helps.

Oh, by the way -- does anybody else notice that the Quicktime pane of System Preferences places QT for OS X at version 5.0.5, but the QT player places both the player and QT at version 5.0.2.  Anyone know which is correct?

UPDATE:  You guys might want to check some of the third-party add-ons that can be downloaded via the QT updater -- just go to the QuickTime pane of the System Preferences, go to the Update tab, select "Install new 3rd-party QuickTime software", and then press the "Update Now..." button.  If the QT updater says all of your components are up-to-date, click the "Custom" button, and you'll see some third-party add-ons you might as well install for better support.  Select one and you'll see a description, and you can also check them to download and install them.


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## The Madhatter (Dec 23, 2001)

I opened the link and played the movie just fine (no sound though, is there supposed to be sound?)!! I have lots of miscellaneous codecs installed. I'll try to find which one played it.


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## The Madhatter (Dec 23, 2001)

You won't be able to watch it in Windows Media Player will you?  I heard it only plays .asf, .asx, and the like.  No support for anything but those microsoft media formats.

Yep, I can play it fine in Quicktime.  I saved the file and everything.

Here is a link to the movie ya'll couldn't watch.  I converted it to an .mpg movie and posted it here:

http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/6795/

The codec is there now too.  Have at it.


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## ablack6596 (Dec 24, 2001)

That link doesn't work


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## The Madhatter (Dec 24, 2001)

Go here for the codec:

http://www.geocities.com/Augusta/6795 (same address as above)


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## HECTORdaBIZATCH (Dec 24, 2001)

Ya know, Apple also doesn't let people watch QuickTime movies in RealPlayer or Windows Media Player, either...

I really don't like all three of these formats (QT, Real, WMF) because they are proprietary. (Although QuickTime is a better format by far than the other two)... I would much rather be using mpg or something for my use. The problem is that I can't find a decent mpg encoder for free. It is way easier to make QT movies.

What would be really cool is if Apple opened up QT a little more to make it less proprietary and more universal? Probably won't happen-- but it would be cool.


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## simX (Dec 24, 2001)

Does the Indeo Video codec only work for Mac OS 9?  It seems like it, because it doesn't have an OS X icon and it looks like an extension.  Would it work if I dropped it in the /Library/Quicktime folder?


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## The Madhatter (Dec 24, 2001)

I am pretty sure it'll only work as a system extension in 9.  But hey, go ahead and try it in X and see if it works.  I think you'd put it in Library/Quicktime or something like that.

Merry Christmas!  Hello Movie House! Hello Emporium!  (haha)


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## Tapp_darden (Dec 24, 2001)

first divx is not a AVI file. I know that Divx files have .AVI on the file names but they are really MPEG-4 files. Why they decided to put .AVI on DivX movies I don't know.

The proplem with the most common AVI movie codecs is that they are made for the Intel Pentium CPU to take advantage of the Pentium in such a way they can not be ported over to other types of CPUs(like RISC.) Although some of my friends who buy Wintels say they have trouble with AVI files also.

So even WMP for mac cant play AVI files. It sucks I know. But, it got to the point where I just don't dl AVI files anymore. Divx on the other hand I do dl.

If You want to play Divx on macos 9 or older you can use divx player. let me find a link for anyone who wants it...

http://www.mac.st/

Took me a few min. but I found it. But you may need a old version of WMP. 

So, to sum  it up. Macs cant play most AVI files because most movies are encoded usign a codec that needs the Pentium CPU. Which is why nobody can creat a codec to play them on the mac.

I beleave I read this somewhere on the Intel website...


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## simX (Dec 25, 2001)

I don't know about you, but any software that needs an OUTDATED version of WINDOWS MEDIA PLAYER -- suffice it to say, it totally sucks.  If it was a REAL piece of software, it wouldn't need any other software, especially Microsoft's.  Gimme a break!


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## The Madhatter (Dec 26, 2001)

Tapp said that Macs can't play most .avi files...I don't agree with him.  I have been able to play all the ones I have encountered, with only one or two exceptions.  If you search around and have gotten codecs from Hotline or Carracho you'll be able to play most every single .avi file out there.

I have a lot of codecs if anyone wants them.  Just email me at madhatter979@yahoo.com and I'll send em to you.

Here are most of the ones I have (in the pic).


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## chevy (Dec 26, 2001)

I see you are still running OS 9. Is it related to some compatibility reason ?


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## The Madhatter (Dec 27, 2001)

I just like 9 because it is so much faster, I can play my games with ease, and I don't have to worry about compatibility problems much.  X is too slow for me, even on my G4 867 with 896 RAM, but I do like playing around with login screens and stuff, and love to use Interface Builder when I have time.

I haven't spent too much time in X, although I see an enormously bright future for it once they optimize to make it about the speed of 9.  And besides, I haven't had any really bad probs with 9 crashing, although it does infinitely more times than X (X has never crashed on me, divide by 0).

When X is a little better, no doubt I'll switch over permanantly.  I love Sputnix, by the way, and Sno desktop, and Fuzzy clock, and the desktop calendar stuff.  It adds a nice dimension to X.

I haven't encountered many .avi files in X yet, so I don't know they aren't just as playable as 9.  DivX work fine for me though, I just play the .mov file DivX Player created in 9, or use AVI2MOV.


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## edX (Dec 27, 2001)

I know this has nothing to do with the serious discussion here but it is making me laugh everytime i glance at the titile of this thread and it looks like "why can't quicktime play with me?" I keep getting this image of this little quicktime guy who can't come out to play because he is grounded. 

poor little quicktime 

of course the general theme of this thread seems to be "why can't you kids just play together and have a good time? i'm too busy to have to run all around the neighborhood and find you one by one."

I always wonder, when windoze users have to download quicktime for windoze, do they complain like we do about M$?


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## chevy (Dec 27, 2001)

Ed,

you have the right point: they are several ways to describe information and not all are equal: this is freedom !

we will never have a system that does it all, until no new format appears for years. then we will say that computer industry has reached maturity. and it will use only 1 OS in several flavors. this will be time for Big Brother. i hope this time will never come. all OS are equal... and some are more equal then others !

the one who encodes the information has the freedom to choose the format, either high end (QT) or broader acceptance (MPG)... or other.


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