For some reason lately I cannot seem to open .avi files and I don't know why.

I'm running OS X 10.3.9, Quicktime 7.2 (Full Version), and Final Cut Express 2.0.2.

I use to be able to open these files, using the same software, but then I had an issue with my OS and had to format my hard disk and re-install everything. After doing that - no .AVI, not even files that used to work before the re-install. So I'm pretty sure that it is a plug-in or maybe an upgrade issue, but I can't seem to locate it. And now I have a client that has sent me a file that I need to use, and of course, it's .AVI.

Any thoughts?

Well, I tracked down one part of the problem. The video that I need to open is an AVI file, but it uses the IV50 CODEC. Any ideas on converting this? I know IV50 is a PC only CODEC, so am I out of luck?

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=60366

Thanks for the link.

I followed those instructions and was able to open the file in the old version of Quicktime on my Mac. The issue I have now is that I have no way to export the file and save it in a format that Final Cut Express will recognize.

Any ideas?

I have called and talked to Apple Care Support and they think that I may be able to export in a different file format if I had the Pro version of the old version of Quicktime (version 6). But they don't sell the product key for version 6 anymore.

Anybody have one they want to sell me?

Any other ideas?

I was able to get my client to re-encode the video on his PC. He sent me a MPEG file that my system won't recognize. Every time I try to open it I get a message of "Wrong File Type"

I found a player that is cross platform, VLC Player. I can open the MPEG file with this program, but again there doesn't seem to be an option to export it into another format.

Any help at all would be great... I'm dyin' here...

Have you tried ffmpegX (http://www.ffmpegx.com/)? That's what I use to transcode MPEG output from my MythTV PVR (and other sources), so it may work for your footage as well.

Install Perian. It's a Quicktime component that allows you to play many formats. You should be able to open almost anything up in the latest version of Quicktime. If all else fails, try MPEG Streamclip to convert the file to whatever format you want. There's rarely a file MPEG Streamclip can't handle.

Perian
http://www.perian.org

MPEG Streamclip
http://www.squared5.com/

Thanks for the replies.

I started with trying Perian - no go, it is only for OS 10.4+ (still using 10.3.9)

Then I tried Stream clip. Which didn't work, but an error message said that I needed to install the MPEG2 component for quicktime to open the file. $20 later I was up and running with just Quicktime.

Not exactly opening up the .AVI and exporting it into a file that FCE would read, but thanks to my client sending me a new file, and the help on this board, I'm up and running again. I just wish it hadn't taken me so long to find out a solution.

Thank you all for your help.

Kevin

I have another question also. I'm trying to ad my friends video to a Final Cut Pro session, but he only has a AVI of his video. I've already did his interview and have that placed in FCP, but now I need to add his music video at the end of my program. But it's in AVI, how can I convert this or get it into FCP? Thank you.

Sean, if it's a DV AVI, you should be able to use it in Final Cut Pro without any conversion. If it's anything else though, you can use MPEG Streamclip, and convert it to a DV Quicktime File.

Thanks Chris, Hmmmm.... the file extention just says AVI movie. So I don't know if it's DV AVI or not. I'll have to ask him or the person who created it. Hmmm.... I tried importing it in MPEG Streamclip and it will not see it.

Sean, even if Quicktime won't play the file you can open it in Quicktime and then click on "Window" on the menu bar and then click "Show Movie Properties" (or just control-J for the shortcut). This will bring up another window with a chart at the top and under "Format" it will give you the CODEC involved, which will say if its DV or something else.

HTH...

Kevin