How tp run MPEG files on a Mac?

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

I create (on a PC) an annual photography essay as an mpeg. I would really like to make this available to my Mac friends but the gap seems impassible.

Here is what I tried. I created an MPEG movie using a PC product called ProShow Gold. This runs very, very well on my PC in several media viewers including Msoft and RealOne. Ir runs badly in QTime ... it beocme pixelated and the aspect is changed from 4X# to wise screen.

When I try running this mpegs on a mac some files (the smaller versions) run (very badly) in QT. Others will not run at all even though they all run, even in QT, on my PC.

I even tried writng the disk in the older CD format .. that did not help.

Any suggestions?
--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[Leo Salais]

Microsoft make Windows Media Player for Mac. Have you tried them on that player on a Mac?

 

[lg]

You might try VLC Media Player on the Mac for your mpegs:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/14738
hth

Liz

I create (on a PC) an annual photography essay as an mpeg. I would
really like to make this available to my Mac friends but the gap
seems impassible.

Here is what I tried. I created an MPEG movie using a PC product
called ProShow Gold. This runs very, very well on my PC in several
media viewers including Msoft and RealOne. Ir runs badly in QTime
... it beocme pixelated and the aspect is changed from 4X# to wise
screen.

When I try running this mpegs on a mac some files (the smaller
versions) run (very badly) in QT. Others will not run at all even
though they all run, even in QT, on my PC.

I even tried writng the disk in the older CD format .. that did not
help.

Any suggestions?
--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[SteveMattan]

Stephen Schwartz wrote:
...

Any suggestions?

...

I came across this while surfing today and it might be worth a look.

http://www.koingosw.com/products/slideshow_magic.shtml

The site says for both PC and Mac, although there doesn't seem to be any PC documentation on the site. I've no experience using it.

Good luck.

--
Steve Mattan
http://www.stevem.smugmug.com
English is my first language and I still screw it up!

 

[dprevlogin]

one reason for compatibility problems with mpeg (and other movie formats) is that there is no single way that mpeg files are encoded, there are lots

so you can make a movie that'll run on macs but not on the average windows system and vice versa

if you want both pc and mac users to be able to view the same movie then you need to use encoding settings that will work well for both platforms

i only ever made a couple of mpegs and i'm not sure what settings would be best, you could try searching with google and look for info on windows-mac mpeg encoding compatability

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

I yhave included the Mac SW on the distribution disk. But isn;t there a probelm with the Mac in opening files in different apps?

Microsoft make Windows Media Player for Mac. Have you tried them
on that player on a Mac?

--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

So can I include this on my dist disk and have the Macuser install it?

Liz

I create (on a PC) an annual photography essay as an mpeg. I would
really like to make this available to my Mac friends but the gap
seems impassible.

Here is what I tried. I created an MPEG movie using a PC product
called ProShow Gold. This runs very, very well on my PC in several
media viewers including Msoft and RealOne. Ir runs badly in QTime
... it beocme pixelated and the aspect is changed from 4X# to wise
screen.

When I try running this mpegs on a mac some files (the smaller
versions) run (very badly) in QT. Others will not run at all even
though they all run, even in QT, on my PC.

I even tried writng the disk in the older CD format .. that did not
help.

Any suggestions?
--
Stephen M Schwartz

--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

I will try it but at a quick look it does not seem to generate a fgile that can be viewed on the PC.

Any suggestions?

...

I came across this while surfing today and it might be worth a look.

http://www.koingosw.com/products/slideshow_magic.shtml

The site says for both PC and Mac, although there doesn't seem to
be any PC documentation on the site. I've no experience using it.

Good luck.

--
Steve Mattan
http://www.stevem.smugmug.com
English is my first language and I still screw it up!

--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

This is EXACTLY what the Mac Store told me. Hiw frustrating ... in the biggger world, PC, there is no comaptibility problem.

 

[dprevlogin]

This is EXACTLY what the Mac Store told me. Hiw frustrating ... in
the biggger world, PC, there is no comaptibility problem.

"no compatibility problem" in pc world, rotflmfao, thanks man, i've started the year laughing, heh heh

 

[lg]

Check at the developer's site for licensing issues for distribution of VLC, I do not know. It is a free download however at Versiontracker and your Mac friends can easily download it themselves.

The Proshow Gold PC app you are using also creates vcd's I believe. That format is readable on a mac and can be viewed on most set top dvd players on tv as well so you have some options.

If you want to invest another $30 in Quicktime Pro you can encode your stuff to Sorenson which both platforms can view on the computer through QT 5 or above.

hth
Liz

Liz

I create (on a PC) an annual photography essay as an mpeg. I would
really like to make this available to my Mac friends but the gap
seems impassible.

Here is what I tried. I created an MPEG movie using a PC product
called ProShow Gold. This runs very, very well on my PC in several
media viewers including Msoft and RealOne. Ir runs badly in QTime
... it beocme pixelated and the aspect is changed from 4X# to wise
screen.

When I try running this mpegs on a mac some files (the smaller
versions) run (very badly) in QT. Others will not run at all even
though they all run, even in QT, on my PC.

I even tried writng the disk in the older CD format .. that did not
help.

Any suggestions?
--
Stephen M Schwartz

--
Stephen M Schwartz

--
Liz

 

[MR Dapeel]

Since things are a bit slow on the Mac and works fine on the PC i would suggest that you would lower the bit rate for the MPEG file.
MPEG files comes in three mayor different versions:
MPEG-1 for VCD and smaller bit rate clips.
MPEG-2 is the DVD format with a high bit rate.

MPEG-4 is the new transport format for video and Audio, you can encode files between 32 kbit/s to 2000 kbit/s.

Since ProShow Gold does not support options for choosing bit rates i suggest that you try using another software. Use a editing software such as Premiere and then export the slideshow as a MPEG-4 movie. Alternative you can Export the slideshow as Uncompressed and then encode it in a software that is specially designed for creating as good encodeing as possible.

The best for encoding for PC is Discreets Cleaner 5 (www.discreet.com) and the best for Mac is the Compression Master 2.x (www.popwire.com).

J

 

[Mark Smith145430]

This is EXACTLY what the Mac Store told me. Hiw frustrating ... in
the biggger world, PC, there is no comaptibility problem.

strange Stephen
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=7085241
Pro show gold is a poor program in my opinion.

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

I DID upgrade to QT pro. A TOTAL ripoff!

QT itself is a lousy viewer for mpegs .. it converts the format to widescreen w/o asking and badly degrades the image.

I have looked, so far unsuccessfully, for an mpeg mov converter.

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

PSG has been very highly rated here and it is the best I have used so far!

This is EXACTLY what the Mac Store told me. Hiw frustrating ... in
the biggger world, PC, there is no comaptibility problem.

strange Stephen
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1004&message=7085241
Pro show gold is a poor program in my opinion.

--
Stephen M Schwartz

 

[Stephen Schwartz115733]

Cleaner XL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[lg]

I DID upgrade to QT pro. A TOTAL ripoff!
QT itself is a lousy viewer for mpegs .. it converts the format to
widescreen w/o asking and badly degrades the image.

You are referring no doubt to the aspect ratio. Now that you have QTPro you can resize the video to 640x480 (click on options in the export box to find size) in order to view the movie correctly. That should solve that problem. If you are experienceing problems please ask for help before trashing the program, you are just unfamiliar with video and it's incumbent problems when trying to achieve crossplatform compatibility.

It would be helpful to know more info on your master video from which you are encoding, what program was it made in? Format?
Encoding already compressed video does not produce good results.

Quicktime Pro can be a very useful and fun tool if you know how to use it but it may not be what you are looking for - it is a cheaper way, though, to encode video than the more expensive Cleaner.

I have looked, so far unsuccessfully, for an mpeg mov converter.

If VLC does not work for viewing your mpegs on the Mac then you may be better off making VCD's as I suggested earlier or learning the QTPro.
--
Liz

 

[Ian Eisenberg]

Actually the degradation is entirely dependant on the codec used.
Quicktime is not the culprit here.

I use QT for professional media and editing and it is in most cases far superior to it's Windows counterparts.

I DID upgrade to QT pro. A TOTAL ripoff!

QT itself is a lousy viewer for mpegs .. it converts the format to
widescreen w/o asking and badly degrades the image.

I have looked, so far unsuccessfully, for an mpeg mov converter.

 

[Ian Eisenberg]

Of course not... you are using MS proprietary formats. How could there be a problem?

The header should read Fortress Windows.

This is EXACTLY what the Mac Store told me. Hiw frustrating ... in
the biggger world, PC, there is no comaptibility problem.

 

[MR Dapeel]

Cleaner is a pro app/software and is a bit overprized, however it is the top of the line software for encoding (on PC).

I agree with Liz that the QuickTime pro is a great software. It does take a little while to get to know.

If you are using the latest version of QT (6.5) then try to export 'Movie as MPEG-4' movie, then you will get some guiding in the principles of encoding.

Cleaner XL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!