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

I had been trying to import footage from a Sony MiniDVD Handicam (#405) into my Macbook, but found that it was incompatible. After calling Sony multiple times, they finally told me to download this product. It definitely works. This, combined with the MPEG Streamclip 1.8, allows you to import video and audio from your Sony camera and change it to a Quicktime .mov format, which you can then easily import into Final Cut, iMovie, etc. I agree with the other users who say that all this hassle is ridiculous, but spending $20 on this product sure beats paying $80+ for an external DVD drive (don't listen to Radio Shack!). Maybe someday everything will be universally compatible.....

90 of 107 people found this useful

This playback component works well. One of the lower comments says that to use your digital media in Quicktime and iMovie you would only need to get Streamclip 1.8 but the problem is that you do have to buy this product for Streamclip to work! Buy it if you want to edit your films or burn a dvd but if you are just wanting to watch your film on a bigger screen then just hook it up to a tv!

84 of 116 people found this useful

It has worked for what I am doing: taking shows off my comcast DVR and putting them on my computer as .m2t files then converting them using MPEG Streamclip to any file I want. I can then use quicktime pro also to convert to any type file. I am still playing around with all these programs. I am having a harder time getting iDVD to burn the file and be playable in my home stereo DVD. I think it will work but I'm still tinkering with it. I did get sound and everything from the shows that I converted from .m2t while using MPEG streamclip. hope that helps someone.

70 of 96 people found this useful

Last night I spent hours trying to figure out how I can view and listen to my videos made on my Sony handycam. I finally came to the conclusion that I would need to purchase the codec-2 add-on for quicktime. It kind of sucks spending all this money for a computer and video camera and then having to buy something else.

So to make a long story short, after you buy this add-on you will have to download Mpeg streamclip in order to hear the audio. Now that I have everything bought and downloaded, it all works fine.

It would have been nice if mac would have supported the mpeg-2 format without all the trouble. It would also be nice if Sony would cater to other operating systems besides windows. Under no circumstances do I want to have to return to windows, I love my mac.

3318 of 3678 people found this useful

In reply to the following review: "It works, but shouldn't be necessary."
Written by DK from Edwards on 17 April 2007:
The "QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback" is required before you get the "MPEG Streamclip 1.8". I tried downloading Streamclip on it's own but you do need the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback. I haven't had much chance to try all these together and see how my .mpg movies work with iMovie. If it works I would say that it is worthwhile to spend the $30 Canadian. I would also agree with most others that I did not think when I bought my Mac that I would have to pay extra for compatibility.

69 of 91 people found this useful

Does not work properly in several apps - no sound. Works brilliantly with MPEg streamclip.
Impossible to upgrade it to new version when it says you need to upgrade. This was triggered by my upgrading to the newest version of quick time which also told me to upgrade. Apple apparently do not know what to do when contacted! Only option seems to be to repurchase the component again.
I wonder if there is a solution for a pc?

43 of 81 people found this useful

I bought a Sony Handycam and ran into the same problem as everyone here: no sound on playback. That's how I got to this site.

Here's my take on it..

For those just reading this, your problem is not your camera, it's the format it records with (MPEG-2). This is a PC movie format. To view your movies with a mac, you will have to change the movie format to a format readable with quicktime or download the above software. Now read on for further info...


Yes, this software will get you viewing your MPEG-2, but without sounds! Who wants to do that? MPEG Streamclip Converter 1.8 (you can download this free at www.squared5.com) will convert your MPEG-2 to QuickTime format so that it can be used in iMovie and QuickTime, all with sound.

I had already purchased QuickTime MPEG-2 playback, so I'm not sure if you can use Streamclip 1.8 without it, my guess is that you can.

All said, you shouldn't have to download extra software to do this sort of stuff. Apple continues to mock PC's for thier superior media versatility - this is far from versatile; it's nothing but a pain in my butt and elicits flashbacks of using a PC. "Let me calculate the time it took me to figure all this out so I could make movies on iMovie with my Handycam?" Back at'cha Apple. Better fix this blunder fast.

117 of 140 people found this useful

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

313 of 503 people found this useful

There are a few reviews here that seem to think that mpeg2 problems are the fault of Apple. They aren't. If I remember correctly, Apple can't include mpeg2 codecs with quicktime because of some complicated licensing thing. If they had put it in with quicktime pro, it would have increased the cost from $30 to $50, for an outdated codec that few people need. Now, for me personally, and my JVC hard disc camcorder, using this (MPEG-2 Playback) and MPEG Streamclip, all my .MOD files playback and convert to other formats perfectly fine. AUDIO INCLUDED! If you don't know where to find Streamclip, it's free and can be found along with almost every other piece of Mac software at versiontracker

42 of 57 people found this useful

This thing works fine with my Sony DVD handycam, I do get audio as well, all you need to do is change the settings, to tell the softwere not to read just the .vob(which is video only) but include both the audio and the video files while it reads it.

28 of 37 people found this useful