Home > List of recommended codecs


In the dark about codecs and formats ?

SimpleMovieX alone cannot do much for you.

It needs codecs to be able to understand multimedia data contained in movies.


SimpleMovieX leverages QuickTime infrastructure, so any codec that you install for QuickTime will automatically be available for SimpleMovieX.


The locations in your system disk where codecs can be installed are...

/System/Library/QuickTime/

Contains the codecs supplied by operating system installation.

/Library/QuickTime/

Preferred place to install a codec. Will be available to all users in your computer.

/Users/my-name/Library/QuickTime

where /Users/my-name/ is your home folder

Codecs installed here will only be available to you, not to other users.


By moving a codec out of the folder, you can deactivate it.

Note that SimpleMovieX, QuickTime or any application using codecs, will lock them when it launches. It means that installing, deactiving or uninstalling codecs while the application is running will have no effect until you relaunch it.


Usually the codecs are available on the Internet and come with a double-clickable installer.


Pre-installed codecs

Your operating system installation comes with a number of codecs stored in /System/Library/QuickTime folder.

SimpleMovieX and QuickTime Player will be able to read a big number of movie files "out-of-the box".

You can check the list of codecs at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/player/specs.html


Recommended codecs (not installed by default)

If you install those codecs, you should be able to see and edit 99% of the movie files.


Perian

A promising open source codec still under development, that can substitute all the DivX family. Free.

http://perian.org

MPEG-2 Playback component

Apple's component will enable MPEG-2 playback and editing in SimpleMovieX. It costs around 20$. Check also the limitations at Apple website.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/

DivX

Decoder is free download, Encoder costs around 20$. Not necessary if Perian is installed.

http://www.divx.com

3ivx

Free download. Not necessary if Perian is installed.

http://www.3ivx.com

XVID

Not necessary if Perian is installed


AC3 audio

Not necessary if Perian is installed


Flip4Mac

Codec to read wmv files. Free download, includes trial encoder limited to 30 seconds. 

http://www.flip4mac.com/