Play .flv video through QuickTime

yeeeha · Apr 18th, 2009, 07:22 PM

I use the trick in Safari to download YouTube videos that I want to save for later viewing. I have Perian installed on my machine and QuickTime plays most of these .flv videos.

For the videos that won't play in QuickTime, I get a dialogue box saying that I am missing a QuickTime component. When I click on the "Continue" button on the dialogue box, I get to an Apple webpage where I can download various QuickTime components. The trouble is that I don't know which codec I need.

I have also tried playing the .flv videos that won't play in QuickTime with VLC Player. Some of these videos would crash the VLC Player.

An as example, after I downloaded this YouTube video it wouldn't play in QuickTime even with Perian installed.

Toca Loca Nation · Apr 19th, 2009, 11:59 AM

it works on quicktime, but i have the pro version - maybe that makes a difference?

i can watch it on vlc, but can't use the search function without making it unstable.

sorry - not much help here.

EvanPitts · Apr 19th, 2009, 12:24 PM

Just use something like iSquint/Visual Hub or Handbrake to convert said videos from FLV to M4P - then they will run on any player, including QuickTime or iTunes.

If the file is not converting or displaying properly, it is because the file is incomplete, and something that Safari is prone to do at times is to chop off downloads for some unknown reason without complaining or giving a warning. Another problem is that some FLV files do not render correctly unless you have the lastest Flash update...

Thom · Apr 19th, 2009, 12:28 PM

I use flvThing. Works great.

Download flvThing for Mac - A stand-alone player for downloaded Macromedia Flash Video files. MacUpdate Mac Video Software Downloads

gordguide · Apr 19th, 2009, 01:03 PM

" ... The trouble is that I don't know which codec I need. ..."

Open the video in QuickTime. Go to:
Window: Show Movie Inspector
... which will describe the audio and video codec used.
You can then Google the codec and see what you learn.

The QuickTime Codec page is not useful, usually, for finding a codec to play a video that won't. Generally it shows codecs only of interest to video professionals, not consumers who want to view something found on YouTube.

... alternately, you can Go to:
Window: Show Movie Properties
... where you will find the format listed. This might be a QuickTime Pro only feature; not sure about that as I've always used QTPro.

That is not quite the same as the actual Codec but useful if you find you can't download the codec needed; it will give you clues as to what applications you might have that can view the video instead of your first choice. You can also export the video, audio or just one of the two to another format.

A proper video viewing arsenal should include mPlayer, VLC, QuickTime, and one of :SWF & FLV Viewer; FLVThing or the standalone FlashPlayer from Adobe.

With the Perian codec package and Flip4Mac, QuickTime is as versatile a player as any you are likely to find. You should be careful to read the documentation available at Perian's site or with the download, as there are incompatible codecs that should not be installed if Perian is.

With those two, you are loaded with codecs and anything you cannot play probably isn't going to play, even if you knew the codec.

Some prefer mPlayer or VLC as the default player.

However there are cases where videos are improperly made, and trying them on a few other universal players sometimes gets results, as they all have varying error handling abilities, and one or the other may be able to handle a broken video.

QuickTime can play any FLV app that uses a reasonable codec, but you have to realize that almost no consumer actually understands computer video in the least, and they may choose inappropriate codecs that are, for example, paid downloads, or only work on one platform or only if a commercial player with a retail price is installed. Some video software for Windows are best described as scams that consumers fall for, and create videos that no-one can open.

The best thing you can do about these is to simply forget about them. Because there are literally hundreds of codecs available, it's inevitable that you will sooner or later run across one that won't play; everyone on every platform does.

Half the time the video is broken somehow and won't play even if you can find (or worse, buy) the obscure codec, so just delete the video and move on. If the idea was to get viewers, they have failed.

fjnmusic · Apr 19th, 2009, 03:53 PM

There's a widget called MyTube available from the Apple site that works well for converting anything from YouTube to an iTunes MP4 file.

Apple - Downloads - Dashboard Widgets - MyTube

yeeeha · Apr 20th, 2009, 10:47 AM

I have QT Pro but It won't play that particular YouTube .flv video.

VLC Player never manages to play the entire clip. It always crashes a little more than halfway through the video. I have VLC 0.99a. But VLC gives the best video quality.

SWF & FLV Player plays the entire video, but the video quality is not as good: the picture is pixelated.

FlvThing also plays the whole clip, with less pixelation than SWF & FLV Player. But FlvThing seems to demand a lot of resource. The fans in my MBP spins up not even halfway through the video.

I tried to use Handbrake to convert the video to another format. Handbrake fails to open the video. I then launched the video in QT Pro and opened the Inspector. There was no information on which codec the video used.

I guess there is no perfect player out there when there is a myriad of codecs.

John Clay · Apr 20th, 2009, 12:05 PM

Perian (Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime components) should play the FLV files just fine through QuickTime.

EvanPitts · Apr 20th, 2009, 12:27 PM

^^^
Or when the video was created incorrectly or is corrupted in some manner.

I would try downloading again, perhaps with one of the suggested downloading assistants since they will do a better job of downloading a video clip than the simple (and non-error correcting) HTTPGet protocol that your browser will be using.

If Handbrake can't open it - it is most probably corrupted, or in some wierd format...

yeeeha · Apr 20th, 2009, 01:52 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by EvanPitts
	I would try downloading again, perhaps with one of the suggested downloading assistants since they will do a better job of downloading a video clip than the simple (and non-error correcting) HTTPGet protocol that your browser will be using. If Handbrake can't open it - it is most probably corrupted, or in some wierd format...

That particular YouTube video must be using a weird codec. I downloaded it again with one of these assistants, and got the same result as before: QT Pro didn't play, VLC Player crashed part way through the video, SWF & FLV Player played the whole clip, and Handbrake failed to open it.

Thanks for all your help.

Apr 18th, 2009, 07:22 PM	#1
yeeeha Full Citizen Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 137	Play .flv video through QuickTime I use the trick in Safari to download YouTube videos that I want to save for later viewing. I have Perian installed on my machine and QuickTime plays most of these .flv videos. For the videos that won't play in QuickTime, I get a dialogue box saying that I am missing a QuickTime component. When I click on the "Continue" button on the dialogue box, I get to an Apple webpage where I can download various QuickTime components. The trouble is that I don't know which codec I need. I have also tried playing the .flv videos that won't play in QuickTime with VLC Player. Some of these videos would crash the VLC Player. An as example, after I downloaded this YouTube video it wouldn't play in QuickTime even with Perian installed.

Apr 19th, 2009, 11:59 AM	#2
Toca Loca Nation Full Citizen Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Toronto Posts: 309	it works on quicktime, but i have the pro version - maybe that makes a difference? i can watch it on vlc, but can't use the search function without making it unstable. sorry - not much help here. __________________ Support True Cost Economics!

Apr 19th, 2009, 12:24 PM	#3
EvanPitts Honourable Citizen Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON Posts: 6,821	Just use something like iSquint/Visual Hub or Handbrake to convert said videos from FLV to M4P - then they will run on any player, including QuickTime or iTunes. If the file is not converting or displaying properly, it is because the file is incomplete, and something that Safari is prone to do at times is to chop off downloads for some unknown reason without complaining or giving a warning. Another problem is that some FLV files do not render correctly unless you have the lastest Flash update... __________________ The scotsburn.ftn network is Karmic Koala powered! It's like a construction site...

Apr 19th, 2009, 12:28 PM	#4
Thom Full Citizen Join Date: May 2005 Location: Toronto Posts: 494	I use flvThing. Works great. Download flvThing for Mac - A stand-alone player for downloaded Macromedia Flash Video files. MacUpdate Mac Video Software Downloads __________________ http://www.cmhf.ca

Apr 19th, 2009, 01:03 PM	#5
gordguide Honourable Citizen Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Saskatoon Posts: 5,202	" ... The trouble is that I don't know which codec I need. ..." Open the video in QuickTime. Go to: Window: Show Movie Inspector ... which will describe the audio and video codec used. You can then Google the codec and see what you learn. The QuickTime Codec page is not useful, usually, for finding a codec to play a video that won't. Generally it shows codecs only of interest to video professionals, not consumers who want to view something found on YouTube. ... alternately, you can Go to: Window: Show Movie Properties ... where you will find the format listed. This might be a QuickTime Pro only feature; not sure about that as I've always used QTPro. That is not quite the same as the actual Codec but useful if you find you can't download the codec needed; it will give you clues as to what applications you might have that can view the video instead of your first choice. You can also export the video, audio or just one of the two to another format. A proper video viewing arsenal should include mPlayer, VLC, QuickTime, and one of :SWF & FLV Viewer; FLVThing or the standalone FlashPlayer from Adobe. With the Perian codec package and Flip4Mac, QuickTime is as versatile a player as any you are likely to find. You should be careful to read the documentation available at Perian's site or with the download, as there are incompatible codecs that should not be installed if Perian is. With those two, you are loaded with codecs and anything you cannot play probably isn't going to play, even if you knew the codec. Some prefer mPlayer or VLC as the default player. However there are cases where videos are improperly made, and trying them on a few other universal players sometimes gets results, as they all have varying error handling abilities, and one or the other may be able to handle a broken video. QuickTime can play any FLV app that uses a reasonable codec, but you have to realize that almost no consumer actually understands computer video in the least, and they may choose inappropriate codecs that are, for example, paid downloads, or only work on one platform or only if a commercial player with a retail price is installed. Some video software for Windows are best described as scams that consumers fall for, and create videos that no-one can open. The best thing you can do about these is to simply forget about them. Because there are literally hundreds of codecs available, it's inevitable that you will sooner or later run across one that won't play; everyone on every platform does. Half the time the video is broken somehow and won't play even if you can find (or worse, buy) the obscure codec, so just delete the video and move on. If the idea was to get viewers, they have failed. __________________ "Being an artist doesn't take much, just everything you got. Which means, of course, that as the process is giving you life, it is also bringing you closer to death. But it's no big deal. They are one and the same and cannot be avoided or denied. So when I totally embrace this process, this life/death, and abandon myself to it, I transcend all this gibberish and hang out with the gods. It seems to me that that is worth the price of admission." —Hubert Selby, Jr.

Apr 19th, 2009, 03:53 PM	#6
fjnmusic Honourable Citizen Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Sherwood Park, AB Posts: 2,915	There's a widget called MyTube available from the Apple site that works well for converting anything from YouTube to an iTunes MP4 file. Apple - Downloads - Dashboard Widgets - MyTube __________________ "We've got a long way to go and a short time to get there." - Jerry Reed / "Eastbound and Down" / Smokey and the Bandit His: Intel iMac 20" 2.16 / Macbook 2.1 GHz / 8GB iPod Nano / 2GB iPod Nano / iPod Touch / iPhone 3GS Hers: Macbook 2.1 GHz / 4GB iPod Nano Kid 1: iMac G3 500 MHz / 4GB iPod Nano / iPad 16WiFi Kid 2: Clamshell iBook G3 366 MHz / 4GB iPod Nano/ iPad 16WiFi Family: iPod Touch / Apple Extreme Router 802.11n / Two Apple Express's w/Airtunes /Two Apple TV's 40GB

Apr 20th, 2009, 10:47 AM	#7
yeeeha Full Citizen Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Toronto, Ontario Posts: 137	I have QT Pro but It won't play that particular YouTube .flv video. VLC Player never manages to play the entire clip. It always crashes a little more than halfway through the video. I have VLC 0.99a. But VLC gives the best video quality. SWF & FLV Player plays the entire video, but the video quality is not as good: the picture is pixelated. FlvThing also plays the whole clip, with less pixelation than SWF & FLV Player. But FlvThing seems to demand a lot of resource. The fans in my MBP spins up not even halfway through the video. I tried to use Handbrake to convert the video to another format. Handbrake fails to open the video. I then launched the video in QT Pro and opened the Inspector. There was no information on which codec the video used. I guess there is no perfect player out there when there is a myriad of codecs.

Apr 20th, 2009, 12:05 PM	#8
John Clay Get off my lawn! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 2,720	Perian (Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime components) should play the FLV files just fine through QuickTime. __________________ iMac 27" 2.8Ghz Core i7, 8GB RAM, 1TB + 1TB • Samsung 24" LCD • APC Smart-UPS 1000VA UPS MacBook Pro 13" 2.26Ghz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, 500GB iPhone 4 32GB Mac mini 1.66Ghz Core Duo, 2GB RAM, 8TB, as PBX/file/web/mail server • ViewSonic 19" LCD • APC 750VA UPS SpeedTouch 516 • Linksys WRT54GL • NETGEAR GS108 switch TekSavvy DSL • Voip.ms VoIP

Apr 20th, 2009, 12:27 PM	#9
EvanPitts Honourable Citizen Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Hamilton, ON Posts: 6,821	^^^ Or when the video was created incorrectly or is corrupted in some manner. I would try downloading again, perhaps with one of the suggested downloading assistants since they will do a better job of downloading a video clip than the simple (and non-error correcting) HTTPGet protocol that your browser will be using. If Handbrake can't open it - it is most probably corrupted, or in some wierd format... __________________ The scotsburn.ftn network is Karmic Koala powered! It's like a construction site...

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