Reviews for QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component for Mac OS X

Video will now play, but no audio.
Video with audio plays fine using alternative player VLC media player (free).
Looks like this Codec needs some more work, sadly in my case £15 wasted.

Sorry Apple, the video section works but I get no sound from my Sony camcorder mpeg2 files. That was not what I expected from your spec. Back to Windows I fear...

I have just purchased this and it does work, contrary to what some reviewers say. However it is a bit galling to be having to pay extra for this when it should just work "out of the box", a phrase commonly used when referring to Apple products. But all I am concerned with is being able to use my mpeg files and get the footage off of my camcorder in a usable format, and it does exactly that.

Frankly I cannot understand all the one starrers out there.

There seem to be a lot of people having problems with audio. If, for example, you're wanting to extract the contents of a DVD so you can edit them in say Final Cut, you'll need to use MPEG Streamclip to convert the VOB files ripped from the DVD to a codec that editing packages understand. Without the QT MP2 Playback installed (at the time of writing, Feb09, onto QT Player 7.6) this isn't possible.

In your editing package you may need to render the clips you export from MPEG Streamclip in order to be able to hear the audio, though in iMovie '08 I don't even think that's necessary.

The thing couldn't possibly be simpler or cleaner to use!

DOWNLOAD: the download tab is right there on your receipt when you buy the thing. It's the word highlighted in blue in your order summary and it reads, cryptically enough I admit, "Download" with a little downward pointing blue arrow next to it.

It's tip top, don't diss it.

I had problems with iMovie 08 recognising my Sony HDRSR12E Hard disc video camera. The genius bar showed me how to use MPEG Streamclip to convert the video to DV format.
Unfortunately I had to purchase the playback component, but once installed it worked just fine. One point worth mentioning though is that when reviewing the converted footage in Quicktime, you can't hear the audio. However once you've imported it into iMovie 08 it's all there.
It only gets 4 stars because of the cost. I think it should be an integral part of Quicktime.

Now I can use all my old VideoStudio HDV MPEG-2 media.

I discovered that imovie could not import a dvd from my camcorder. The help file suggested 3rd party software. I quickly found mpeg streamclip and easily downloaded it for free from the apple store. When I started it up it asked for the mpeg 2 playback plug in for quicktime and informed me I could purchase this from apple for about £15. I decided to do this and downloaded the plug in. It installed effortlessly and mpeg streamclip now produces great mp4 that I can edit in imovie. Total time 20mins - hardly a challenge!

I bought this so I could 'see' the .MOD files that the Panasonic SDR-H20 camera uses... .MOD is an mpeg 2 variant. However, once this plug was installed... QuickTime opened the file... GREAT PICTURE, NO SOUND! So... if you have .MOD files, drop them into TOAST TITANIUM and choose 'Disc/Export Video'... shame I didn't work that out before wasting my hard earned cash! I love Apple... but why am I increasingly having to use third party alternatives... what's going on Steve?

Unlike some reviewers, had no problem downloading or installing. But disappointed that there is no sound with my digital camcorder files in QT7 that are recorded in this format so mandating the plug-in. Also not impressed by the £15 UK price v. $19.99 US price!

Works flawlessly - using to play back .rec files with MPEG Streamclip. But inadequate instructions, once you have paid, leave many customers intensely frustrated, and in the dark about where to find download. “The download button” it says – but where? No sign of such a button on the final page. Maybe on an email? No email arrives. Apple customer service say many people have complained (see also comments in other reviews) but they are seemingly helpless to do anything. Perhaps a clueless customer can help where salaried Apple staff seem powerless.

Use the "your account" tab to login and download away. May seem absurdly obvious, but the tabs are generally so useless on this site and the structure so labyrinthine, that the “your account” concept can easily end up invisible here, unlike on, say, Amazon where its clearly signposted at every turn. Ho-hum. I love Apple but this site conspicuously has potential for improvement