WARNING: QT 7.3 Bug

[Robert Lane]

If after updating to Quicktime 7.3 you get an error that says: "Invalid public movie atom" when trying to access a previously OK clip, it's a known bug with the QT update.

I just spoke with Apple and formally put in trouble ticket which is being escalated to engineering. Unfortunately, until a bug-fix is released the only way to recover from this problem is to do a wipe and clean-install of the OS and to *manually* update only to QT 7.2 as there is no way to uninstall or revert back to old versions of QT.

The forums are ripe with complaints about QT 7.3 and, Imagine Products has also released a warning saying that files converted with HDLog or P2 Log Pro with 7.3 will most likely be corrupted.

Hopefully this issue will be resolved quickly but if you're in the middle of a project and need to get back to work, don't wait around for Apple to fix it, just wipe your OS drive and do a clean install. DO NOT do an "archive & install" as this will transfer the 7.3 codecs over to the OS all over again.

[Tim Dashwood]

I can't open one of my HDV 6.0.1 projects since the upgrade! The auto backups won't even work.
I've repaired permissions twice and trashed prefs.

I get this error:

[Robert Lane]

Tim,

Exactly which upgrade are you referring to? the QT 7.3 upgrade or did you just upgrade your version of FCS?

[Robert Lane]

Although time consuming, a clean install of OSX 10.4.10, QT 7.2 and all the FCS2 apps have solved the issues created by QT 7.3 and everything is back to normal.

*Do not* install QT 7.3 UNTIL Apple releases the bug-fix/update. There is no other alternative to removing the QT 7.3 components currently other than a clean install.

You will need to *manually* locate and download QT 7.2 from the Apple downloads page since Software Update will by default only look for and give you the 7.3 version.

[Tim Dashwood]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

Tim,

Exactly which upgrade are you referring to? the QT 7.3 upgrade or did you just upgrade your version of FCS?

QT7.3

I've been running FCS2 flawlessly since May.

Luckily the one project that won't open anymore did have an auto-save from previous to the update that will open. Unfortunately it is missing the latest cut revisions, but it won't be a huge deal to redo.

[Dino Leone]

Originally Posted by Robert Lane

Although time consuming, a clean install of OSX 10.4.10, QT 7.2 and all the FCS2 apps have solved the issues created by QT 7.3 and everything is back to normal.

*Do not* install QT 7.3 UNTIL Apple releases the bug-fix/update. There is no other alternative to removing the QT 7.3 components currently other than a clean install.

You will need to *manually* locate and download QT 7.2 from the Apple downloads page since Software Update will by default only look for and give you the 7.3 version.

Robert, I just tried to install the new FCS updates released today (FCP 6.0.2 and all the other associated updates). Problem is, the ProAppsUpdate2007-02 requires QuickTime 7.3 to be present. And all the individual installers require the ProAppsUpdate to be run first... do you know if that QT bug has been addressed in the meantime? It looks like we're stuck/forced to install QT7.3 if we want to get the new FCS updates.

[Robert Lane]

We just tested this last night; No, the problem is still not solved with the ".2" updates.

The problem seems to be specific to P2 MXF files that were previously converted with either Log & Transfer or third-party apps such as HD Log with earlier versions of QT (7.2 or before) which QT 7.3 can't read for some reason.

Now the situation has gotten even buggier:

Let's say you've updated to QT 7.3, had problems, wiped the system and done a complete re-install of the OS and apps so you can get back to work using QT 7.2... Now you can no longer get the ".1" updates for FCS, only ".2" which requires QT 7.3!!!

That means for now, you'd be stuck on FCP6.0 until Apple clears this bug. But that also means you'll be missing certain updates and filters that were only available in the ".1" update such as the DeFocus filter.

There's only one other solution - and one that's not easy to swallow: Assuming you have all the original source media you can simply re-convert those clips using Log & Transfer with the newer versionsof QT and FCS.

This would be a non-issue if P2 MXF was native to the timeline but after over a year Apple is still behind the curve on that one; every other professional editing application has native support for this codec. What's up Apple?

[David Scattergood]

I've just noticed something over the past few days which may or may not be related to this (it's late so I haven't had chance to fully search the mac forums for help). This started a couple of days back with You Tube videos - whereby they'd pause every few seconds as though buffering (has never occurred before) or poor performance issues. Today I've conformed some HDV SD50p footage to 25p for slow motion - on playback in QT they pause midway or stutter/miss out frames (again this was working fine over the past few weeks).

I'm still running tiger and FCS pro 1 and other footage (HD trailers, FCP HD clips as examples) seem ok...possible link?

[Eric Brown]

Wow..talk about dodging the bullet. I was so close to installing 7.3 last night and for some inexplicable reason decided against it. Something creeping in the back of my brain told me not to do it. I have, without question or thought, always upgraded to the latest version of Quicktime over the last several years except this once. Yikes....

[David Scattergood]

I downloaded a mac/intel software update last night...fortunately QT (and internet vids etc) appear to be running fine again...worries me when my mac starts acting like a PC (which is extremely rare!).
So for now QT 7.3 seems back on track...

[Dino Leone]

As Roberto points out above, the problem seems to be specifc for the P2 MXF format (that's panasonic and sony formats, right?).

Anyway, some of the bugfixes and new features in the FCS updates were too tempting for me, so I decided to give it a try (After having made full mirror backup using SuperDuper) and installed QT 7.3 and all the FCS updates. I'm using HDV (Canon XH A1) and everything is working fine so far. No problems at all.
Best,

[David Knaggs]

I've been checking the Software Update almost daily to see if there is a QT 7.3.1 release, but it doesn't look likely.

I really want the new FCS features (the latest updates) but I know they won't appear on the Software Update until I take the plunge and finally install QT 7.3.

So I just wanted to check whether anyone else has been unable to open their FCP projects immediately after upgrading to QT 7.3. That is my number one concern.

Thanks for any current info (good or bad).

[Gary Williams]

Originally Posted by David Knaggs

I've been checking the Software Update almost daily to see if there is a QT 7.3.1 release, but it doesn't look likely.

I really want the new FCS features (the latest updates) but I know they won't appear on the Software Update until I take the plunge and finally install QT 7.3.

So I just wanted to check whether anyone else has been unable to open their FCP projects immediately after upgrading to QT 7.3. That is my number one concern.

Thanks for any current info (good or bad).

I did the install a week ago, I bought my apple system and FCSP-2 a month ago I had several projects in FC before I upgraded and have not noticed any problems yet! but I only edit in HDV and only use a small portion of the system, I dont edit over a wide variety of formats so I dont know if this is going to be of much help to you but again I have not had any serious problems since my upgrade. I will say if I had known in advance about these problems I would not have upgraded my system as I do not use any of the additional benifits at this time. Gary

[Ron Priest]

I just ordered my first ever Mac this week and expect it to be delivered the middle of next week. So, excuse me if this question sounds elementary however, I have to ask. Is this something that I as a new user with Leopard preinstalled should be concerned about once I get my system and install FCS and QT?

Thanks.

[Gary Williams]

Originally Posted by Ron Priest

I just ordered my first ever Mac this week and expect it to be delivered the middle of next week. So, excuse me if this question sounds elementary however, I have to ask. Is this something that I as a new user with Leopard preinstalled should be concerned about once I get my system and install FCS and QT?

Thanks.

If I were you I would instal the final cut that you get, the most current and would not worry about the updates at this time ( wait a while) if the benifites they offer are not something that you need right now, why bother most people who are getting the updates want to edit at 60fields with their HD200 ect... of course their are more benifites than that but if the final cut you get dose the things you need it to do then why bother with the updates at this time, wait a while I would have had I known.