Watching Movies on a Mac..

[just_mills]

So, I am primarily a Windows user, and as most of you will know if you happened to [STRIKE]download[/STRIKE] buy* a movie from the internet, you'd need to (first of at somepoint) get a Codec Pack .exe file, in order for you to be able to hear and see the movies..

Say I am using the mac, and I happen (again) to [STRIKE]download[/STRIKE] buy* a movie from the internet, would it play fine, straight away within Quicktime, or would I need to get some Quicktime Codecs?
Or even use a different Media Player in order to play these [strike]downloaded[/strike] bought* .avi move files?



All help is appreciated; Thanks guys

 

[swerve]

Hey Mills...

I'm not the smartest guy when it comes to computers...

BUT...

I just bought a Macbook Pro -- and the APPLE guy told me to download a plug in called FlipFlop...

He said it would convert WMP movies automatically to Quicktime...

I'm not sure what AVI means...

Best of luck with your [STRIKE]downloaded[/STRIKE] bought movies!!!

 

[winslayer]

lol @ flipflop...

You need to get two programs. First you need to get Flip4Mac. This will allow you to natively watch Microsoft WMV files in QuickTime. Just click that link, click the "NEW! Flip4Mac 2.2! Celebrating 10 million downloads" image, and then click the DOWNLOAD NOW button. Install this, and you will be good to go with WMV.

Secondly, get Perian. This will enable you to play pretty much every other file that you will buy/download in QuickTime. This should pretty much cover you. The only files you won't be able to play after installing these two programs will be files that were encoded in an ancient format. I'm not saying they won't exist, but they are few and far between.

 

[swerve]

Thanks winslayer...

I KNEW I wasn't the best one to answer...

I've only had the Mac for 1 1/2 days now!!!



Thanks ALSO for the information on Perian...

And THANKS MILLS for ASKING the question -- you've helped ME OUT TOO!!!

 

[just_mills]

Thanks for the flip4mac information; I knew a little about it beforehand, but wasn't quite sure about it, really..
How do I use F4M then? Just install the software, and then any WMV file I receive it will automatically convert/play fine through Quicktime?

One of my friends just mentioned getting Perian; "The Swiss-army knife of Quicktime", lol.. He said it's helped him with everything.
Thank you for mentioning it also.

When the mac is up-and-running I'll be sure to get both applications!
Thanks for the help (and no worries Gentry )

!

 

[winslayer]

Perian will not play WMV files... it will play pretty much everything else. And yeah, once you install F4M, it will import the WMV files directly into QuickTime. Since you are used to Windows, just think of these as your codec's for Windows Media Player. F4M for WMV files, Perian for everything else (virtually).

And welcome to the Mac side... it's way more fun over here.

 

[just_mills]

Okay thanks, that's cleared a lot of concern up!!
I'll install those two applications ASAP.



Oh, I'll still be happily using my Windows desktop too; Don't worry

 

[andysayshi]

Just a note - Flip4Mac has to build a temporary file of decoded WMVs before playing in QuickTime. So, when you're playing a full length film, for example, it could take a minute or two to begin playing after you click, while Flip4Mac parses the file.

 

[just_mills]

Just a note - Flip4Mac has to build a temporary file of decoded WMVs before playing in QuickTime. So, when you're playing a full length film, for example, it could take a minute or two to begin playing after you click, while Flip4Mac parses the file.

Well, that's rather disappointing, to say the least !!

 

[andysayshi]

It's pretty painless. The faster your machine, the shorter the pause.

 

[michaelarchangel]

If you download VLC player from http://www.videolan.org/ you will be able to play the majority of all video files. Excluding those windows media player DRM 10 and up protected files. Quicktime, Realplayer, Fip4mac, and VLC should cover your needs.