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

Not Happy - after install, I can only see not hear the video. Not able to find support to assist. They have my money and I don't have a product that really works. Very bummed.

It has taken me weeks to find the right information to know that I even needed to buy MPEG 2. The technical support of the store where I bought both my iMac and Sony Cybershot DSC-H7 had no answers for me on why I couldn't make my MPEGMovie compatible with iMovie. Finally after a lot searching I found MPEG Streamclip (freeware) that will do the conversions as long as I have the MPEG-2 Playback. I call this poor planning on the part of both Sony and iMac. Sony and other PC compatible cameras seem to think they can push an iMac or Apple user over to a PC. What they don't accept is that Apple computers are the best in the world. It disappoints me that Apple doesn't work with the camera industry,no matter who, to create an interface software specifically for iMacs/Apples that would guarantee a seamless operation with all cameras. Maybe in the future. I love my iMac and I love my Sony. I just don't like having my time wasted.

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

It is totally unexpected and disappointing to have to figure out how to view standard video formats, namely MPEG files on a Mac. I should simply be able to import mpeg videos from my camera without having to worry, or wonder what's the technical stuff about formats, and certainly I should not have to buy anything. Macs are supposed to focus on a simplified user experience and this is too technical for me. Is the file from my Sony Handycam MPEG-2, or 4 or what? Isn't MPEG a video standard, i.e. something compatible between all vendors who follow the standard? How should I know, and why should I care about this? I hope this is going to change. For now I am stuck... Thanks for helping with a free and simple solution...

Yes, it's ridiculous you need to buy this product in the first place, but that's beside the point.
It's true that this product does not provide audio for your MPEG-2 clips, but once you download MPEG Streamclip video converter it works perfectly fine!

I have spent the last 5 hours trying to figure out how to import the stupid .mod files from my JVC hard drive camcorder into iMovie. The aforementioned steps worked like a charm. Download the MPEG-2 software from Apple, ($20 might I add...don't get me started on this) and the free MPEG software add-on and you are good to go. 5 hours of my life Ill never get back, oh well. At least it works now.

unbelievable : Apple spend millions boasting that their products are the best for multimedia, yet dont include functionality to play back one of the most popular multimedia formats ever. Even more depressingly gobsmacking that the expensive solution they offer to fix a problem (that shouldnt exist in the first place) doesnt even work...lack of audio support in this 'product' renders it useless for many mpeg2 files. Perhaps Apple believe we should pay for the privilege of them returning us to the age of silent movies?

I purchased this software to review and run MPEG 2 files in my Final Cut Express Editing program and I am finding that the converted files look junky and overly interlaced. My cursor (pointer arrow) also flickers and goes crazy when the MPEG2 file are playing in the browser window. I do not recommend this software and think Apple needs to get on board with the Universal Video format platform instead of nickel and dimeing mac users for additional codec and and converting software to make macs more versatile in the video format world. We already pay enough to own and work on Macs!!!

After downloading this product I played a MPEG-2 video but the sound did not work. I went to an apple store to figure out what the problem was. I told a genius and he said, "Oh yeah, that strips all the sound." That would have been nice to know. So don't expect to get sound out of this. It is only a viewer.

Now I can see the video from my Sony Handycam, but can hear nothing!