Compressor produced m2v file "kind" is strange...

I don't know if this is new, but I've never noticed it before.
All of my compressor .m2v file "kind" fields look like this:
MPEG-2 File <!DO... (and them some Japanese or Chinese characters)>
If I "get info" on the file, the information following the "MPEG-2 File" looks like a plist:
MPEG-2 File <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC"-//Apple COmputer//DTD
PLIST 1.0/EN"http//
and so on.
It doesn't appear to cause any problems, though the default application is "Droplet" and I'm pretty sure it used to be Quicktime.
I've recently updated everything to all the latest stuff.
Had anyone else seen this and can anyone explain what's going on?
Ed

Edward:
I remembered the next thread:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=3167681&#3167681
where the OP linked to a capture with the kind of Japanese or Chinese (sorry guys for my ignorance about those languages!) characters. The link to the capture is not working now, but believe me that was the problem.
Check in the solution that Links posetd there works for you.

Similar Messages

Compressor now creating unusable .m2v files - on two different systems

Hi all,
This week I was in Sydney attempting to show a friend how to use compressor.
I showed him the way I use it and all was fine until the file was encoded. The resulting audio file was fine, but the video file with a m2v extension ended up with an icon that looked more like a document that a video-related one that compressor normally makes.
DVD Studio would crash when I attempted to import it.
I thought there was a problem with his system and recommended he reinstall compressor, amongst other things.
Now today I am at home and attempting to encode and guess what? My computer is now doing EXACTLY the same thing. Creating unusable .m2v video component files with a document-looking icon.
Am I doing something wrong here and missing it?
Thanks in advance.

This may be an old problem (.m2v file kind) for which I've posted the fix several times (seems like nearly ever week someone posts a report like yours).
The following procedure may solve your problem (however, you may have to change your Finder view to Icons or Lists in order to access the problematic .m2v files):
Select one of the .m2v files that is giving you a problem and then do a control-click (or right click) to show the Finder's contextual menu, then go to the Open With item and select Other... and click the Always Open With checkbox and then navigate to your QuickTime Player and select it as the application to open. This will change the file association for the .m2v file kind and it should fix the problem. You may want to do a system reboot after you do the above fix.
Summary: control-click or right click on the problem .m2v file then:
Open With -> Other... -> (select "Always Open With" checkbox) -> Open (choose) QuickTime Player.

Finder relaunches when viewing M2V file info ...

I'm not sure if this is the right forum for this question, but I imagine I'm most likely to find an answer here. So, here it goes:
As the topic states, the Finder relaunches itself whenever I try to view the file info of a M2V file. This happens when I'm attempting to "Get Info" or simply scrolling the window to the right. More specifically, this occurs when I reach the "Kind" column (removing "Kind" from the window disables the problem). While I wouldn't mind simply excluding "Kind" from my windows, I am still unable to "Get Info" on any M2V files. Any ideas why this may be occuring?
The Files:
- compressed with Compressor 2.0.1, via Final Cut Pro 5.0.2 (source media uses "Animation" codec)
- MPEG-2 compression
- 1-pass, 7.5 Mbs CBR, 29.97fps progressive, 720x 480
The System:
- Dual 1.8GHz PowerPC G5
- 2.5 GB RAM
- 372.62 GB SATA RAID (96.11 GB available)
- OS 10.3.9 (all "Software Updates" installed)
Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
take care & God bless,
Steve Cole

I suspect you are seeing a variation of the problem discussed in the following link:
Waymen, "quicktime 7.0.2. and m2v" #4, 11:35pm Sep 8, 2005 CDT
However, since you experience a crash in the Finder when you try to access the Get Info you will have to use a different technique to reset the file association. Select one of the .m2v files that is giving you a problem and then do a control-click (or right click) to show the Finder's contextual menu, then go to the Open With item and select Other... and click the Always Open With checkbox and then navigate to your QuickTime Player and select it as the application to open. This will change the file association for the .m2v file kind and it should fix the problem. You may want to do a system reboot after you do the above fix.
Summary: control-click or right click on the problem .m2v file then:
Open With -> Other... -> (select "Always Open With" checkbox) -> Open (choose) QuickTime Player.
If this suggestion helps in any way, a confirmation or acknowledgment would be appreciated, since that would also help others who may be having the same difficulty. Do for others as you would have them help you.

Urgent!! Problems muxing .m2v files and audio!! MPEG Streamclip/Compressor

Hello!
I am under an urgent deadline to upload a short 6 min documentary clip for a client to review for screening this week. The footage was shot in 1080/60i HDV.
Usually, I find the best quality and fastest way to do this is to export directly from my FCP sequence using the '150 min Best Quality' DVD settings in compressor to get an .m2v video file and .ac3 audio file. Then I open the .m2v files in MPEG Streamclip which links it with my .ac3 file, then do 'Export MPEG with MP-2 audio". This gives me a single, muxed file that I can then upload to YouTube or Vimeo.
However, with this project, when I open up my .m2v file in MPEG Streamclip, it's recognizing the .ac3 file and I can see the info for it in the MPEG Streamclip window, but when I play the file in MPEG Streamclip or mux it, I don't hear any audio. Furthermore, after about 5 seconds into the clip, the playhead will continue moving, but the video will freeze, then maybe pick up again later. The .m2v video will play back smoothly in VLC player or Quicktime player, but not in MPEG Streamclip.
I've tried exporting different little sections of the timeline to see if maybe I had some corrupted footage or whatnot. I even exported a small clip from an older HDV project to test. But no matter where I export from, I am running into the same problem. I can bring the .m2v file and .ac3 file into DVD Studio Pro and burn a DVD with no problem, but I can't mux them. If I build the DVD file in DVD SP and try to open the .VOB file with MPEG Streamclip, I get the same problem. I even tried using a different software to mux (ffmpegX) but to no avail. When I try with ffmpegX, it either tells me I'm dropping frames, or if it works and it muxes it, when I open the MPEG file, it'll stutter at about 5 seconds in as well and I can't hear any audio, even though there is supposed to be audio in the muxed file.
I think I might have updated my Quicktime a few days ago with the system update, and maybe updated a few other things, so I don't know if this has any bearing on the problems I'm running into. But I was able just a few days ago to export HDV 1080/60i using this workflow without any problems.
I realize I have other export options, but this always seems to me to be the best quality and fastest way of doing it vs. encoding an H.264 which, on my machine is RIDICULOUSLY slow...I need to be uploading multiple versions of the cut to the client, and really need help! Thanks so much in advance!
J

what you want is an m2v program file. Export a reference copy from FCP (uncheck Make Movie Self Contained") That's very fast. Bring it into Compressor. In the settings panel find the MPEG-2 settings folder. Select Program Stream. Adjust to your liking and run. The audio and video will already be "muxed" when it's done and using compressor 3 you can set it to upload to YouTube, Mobile or similar sites.

M2v files from compressor will not play in QT or DVD Studio Pro

I have 2 hours of HD footage that I am trying to put on a DVD. I tried exporting the entire thing (twice) to an mpeg2 but the resulting file would not open and froze quicktime. I then tried exporting the chapters individually. Even though I tried this twice, only the first clip worked. I then copied each chapter into a new sequence in FCP and exported each sequence to Compressor. This time, I could only open one of the 15 or so files in QT, but I could not even import that into DVD Studio Pro (it said it was an invalid file type). I have been using all the same settings, so I am not sure why chapter 1 works fine everywhere, chapter 2 works in QT but not DVD Studio Pro and the remaining chapters do not work anywhere. Anyone got any ideas as to what to do/try next?

I know that it will take a while, but after two tries exporting the whole thing and the result not working, I broke it up into smaller, 10 minute sections hoping that the computer would be able to handle them better and if one is bad, it is easier to fix than re-doing the entire thing.
The Compressor settings I am using: DVD Best Quality 150 minutes with all the default settings except that I put stream usage at HD DVD. I have also tried using Fastest Encode 150 minutes, also changing the stream usage.
I exported 20 minutes with Fastest Encode and changed the file format to 'H.264 for DVD Studio Pro' and it worked, but it is a mov file that is much bigger than the mpeg2 (m2v) file.
I started the compressor to work on the remaining hour at night and then left it until the next afternoon, but when I came back, it said there were 60+ hours remaining, but FCP was counting off the frames. I left it for another couple hours, hoping that compressor was simply estimating wrong, but when I came back, it said there were 93 hours remaining until it would be done. I canceled it and restarted the computer.

Import .m2v file into Compressor.

Hi,
Is it possible to Import a .m2v file into Compressor?
If so, How?
Thanks in advance.
Mac Pro
Intel Xeon
Final Cut Studio 3

Try again.
Yes.
Just a reminder that the m2v is an elementary stream – video only. If you need it muxed with audio, it can be done in DVD SP or in MPEG Streamclip.
Russ

Compressor presets making m2v file too big

I am on fresh install of tiger fcp suite, all up to date. I use DVD best quality 120 min preset and it spits out a 5 gig m2v. I try to set my own custom setting with exact bitrate to maximize quality and use up disc space, never exceeding safe levels. and it creates file smuch bigger than compressor 1.2.1 did with same settings.

I've just completed my third attempt to encode a 1h57min video using the following settings, based on the DVD Best Quality 4:3 factory presets.
- Avg Bit Rate: 4.6 | Max Bitrate 7.5
Result: M2V file too large (> 5gb!)
- Avg Bit Rate 4.6 | Max Bitrate 7.0
Result: M2V slightly smaller, but still too large (> 4.8gb!)
- Avg Bit Rate 4.0 | Max Bitrate 7.0
Result: M2V file still too large, at 4.72gb!
*Again, these file sizes are the M2V files BY THEMSELVES!*
BTW, I used a trusted bitrate calculator to get the 4.6 avg bitrate reading for a 120min video. I've also used that bitrate without issue in Compressor 1.
The source is an 8-bit Uncompressed video timeline from FCP 5.0.2. There are no cuts in the timeline, as it was digitized directly from the source and placed on the timeline to be encoded with chapter markers in place. The only image transformation within Compressor set to occur is the cropping of the bottom 2 video fields to comform the 486 lines to 480.
This has wasted THREE days of my time. And in all cases, the estimated file sizes reported by Compressor 2 has been grossly inaccurate.
How am I supposed to work around this without churning out video that looks like utter crud???
I've already had to drop my Avg and Max Bitrates from 5.0mbps to 4.0mpbs, even though Apple's preset for 120 minutes Best Quality lists 5.0mpbs with a max bitrate 7.5mbps. If the Apple presets aren't even working at this, clearly there is something wrong here.

Compressor 3 sometime creates corrupt m2v files

I have FCS 2 installed. Usually i export my project from FC to Compressor, i use standard 90 min dvd template (everything in PAL cos i live in PAL zone). Import generated m2v and ac3 files in DVD SP and so on.
My big problem is that sometimes Compressor will generate a corrupt m2v that when i try to import in DVDSP will cause the program to quit immediately. When this happens, i try a different compression setting and it works, but on the last occasion I had a very tight deadline and had a 40 min project to export.... There was no way i could manage to get DVD SP to import that m2v file... So i exported the project in 2 separate files ( Day 1 of the event and Day 2 ... initially i had put a chapter marker).
Now Day1.m2v was ok, but Day2.m2v kept crashing SP while importing the asset.
At the end i had to export a mov file from FCP and let DVDSP do the encoding.
At first I thought it was a problem with DVDSP , but then i noticed i can't open the Day2.m2v file with Quicktime player because it will hang the program... so i guess the problem lies within Compressor.
This is a completely random thing... On another project where i had the same problem, i removed a 10 sec clip from FC timeline, exported with compressor and had no problem at all......
And this is happening on 2 separate identical machines (one at home and one at the office).
Any ideas ?

Sorry for the 'me too' post but....
I am experiencing the exact same thing.
I have a 2 hour Full HD project which I export from FCP via Compressor using the 120Min DVD preset.
Sometimes the file it creates works perfectly in DVDSP, sometimes it just causes DVDSP to hang and/or crash.
If I then export the file again, sometimes it'll work and sometimes it wont.
This is all on a 24" iMac with Leopard and all the latest updates.
Whether the file works or doesn't work, there is no indication from Compressor that it has not processed the file correctly, and the ones that don't work are the same size as the ones that do!
Message was edited by: Kenny Millar

DVDSP 3 Crashes importing m2v files

Hi, I´ve been trying to finish a project on DVDSP3 for 5 days now. Always the same problem. I´ve encoded a FCP rendered sequence to m2v file using compressor. The process was sucessful!. The thing is when I try to import the file into DVDSP using Palette crashes automatically. I started trying other ways of importing and the same thing over and over again. I´ve tried to open the file on Quicktime and works perfectly, the preview works fine on finder. Everything seems to be in order. But when dragging the file into the timeline the program crashes. Sometimes also crashes when I open the program. I´ve repaired the disk permissions, downloaded the proapp update and installed it again.... nothing. Tried also re-installing the DVDSP and nothing. I tried importing the m2v file as an asset and the file appears on the list but when dragging it to the timeline, guess what?: crashes again. Finally I took the FCP project and compressed it again, thought maybe the other file was corrupted. Everything was fine until I tried dragging the file to the timeline when DVDSP crashed again... sorry but i´m f@*ing tired of this. CAN ANYONE HELP!!!!!!!...
Like i said before it´s been my 5th day in a row and nothing seems to work... Any help will be great!
Sorry for the long text but I tried to explain my process in detail so proper help can be found...
Thanks in advance...
PS: have noticed that every topic with this kind of problem never got an answer...
very dissapointed with DVDSP... will not recommend to no-one...
Sorry for the bad english
Bye!
G5 Quad Core Mac OS X (10.4.4) 4 x 2.5 GHz PowerPC G5, 2.5 GB DDR2 SDRAM

Hi Sebakd, welcome to the discussions.
Download and install the proapplication support file from Apple...
http://www.apple.com/support/downloads/proapplicationsupport31macosx104.html
If that doesn't fix it, come back and let us know - there will be a simple reason for the issue.
In 9/10 cases the proapp support file fixes the problem, and in the vast majority of the posts citing this issue that fix is recommended in the replies for all to see.

DVD Studio Pro saying m2v files are incompatible

I have a ProRes 422 QT file that I have compressed using the DVD presets (Best Quality 90 Min) in Compressor. I have used the same preset with no problems on other similar files, but now DVDSP refuses to import the file claiming it is an incompatible format.
Using DVDSP v4.2.1
compressor v3.0.5

Thanks for the help Drew13,
I figured it out.
The file would play fine in QT which was made it so confusing to me.
Here's what I think the problem was. The original ProRes 422 .mov files were saved with a strange start time (was showing up in the Compressor inspector as"-20:-8:-57:-36")
I edited the timecode to start at 01:00:00:00, and that appears to have solved the problem.
Apparently that timecode was corrupting the m2v file and DVDSP didn't like it.
Very strange.

M2v file causes Spinning Beach Ball of Death? How do you use Video???

I used FCP to mark a silent video and sent it to Compressor. I was going to use Soundtrack Pro to add some sound to the track for DVD. Every time I try to drag an m2v file over, I just get a spinning beach ball and if it loads at all, it takes about a minute or two before I regain control over the program. The m2v file is 500 megs. The problem now is if I try to scrub the video, every time I do, I get the spinning ball again. I've had to force quit a few times.
I've got over 5 megs of RAM, but I'm on a G5 dual processor 2.5 ghz, not an intel.
I'm wondering if I am trying to do something in a way I should not, or if there is a problem with StPro. I have the latest updates to the Studio. I'm on Tiger 10.4.11
Also, I cannot see the markers from the compressor file, while they are visible in DVD Pro.
Thanks in advance,
Jeff

I am referring specifically to the type of compression used in the .mov file. MPEG-2, Sorenson, H.264, DV, etc., are all types of codecs used to compress the picture in a QuickTime movie.
Some are easier to work with than others.
I'm not sure how you produced the .m2v file, that is usually a format with MPEG-2 video. Could it be you just got it from a DVD?
When you export the picture from FCP choose a different output format. Make a QuickTime movie and choose a hi-quality intermediate codec like DV.

Generic Icon for M2V File Droplet?

I've noticed that since upgrading to V2 of Compressor everything works fine...but that it is outputting an M2V file that has a blank page with a dogear Icon.
When I go to Get info it says "Open with Droplet"...this is a new one for me. When I select the Droplet Pull down menu and choose QuickTime it reverts to a QT file icon.
Thing is...it works fine either way when I port it into DVDSP. On the other hand...it's bugging me because clearly something has changed in this version (or I have some strange error going on). Anybody help me with understanding this droplet business?
MS

I've also noticed this, and have changed the icons as you have.
I also just replicated a disc with these files without issue.
Don't know what to tell you.

Desktop preview is de-interlacing or down-resing and fc hates m2v files

So, I'm new to FC. I've been using Avid and compositing packages for my video over the last few years.
I have a second monitor hooked up to my DVI port on my mac book pro. I have its resolution set to a reasonable 1280x800.
I want to set it to be a full screen preview monitor, so I have the "Digital Cinema Desktop Preview - Full Screen" option selected. I have it set to "Mirror" and I have it set to "All Frames" as per the various posts on this forum suggest.
I have the following problems:
If my source file is a m2v (mpeg2) the Viewer and the external monitor lock together. Both scrubbing and playing display each frame identically and in sync with one another (exactly what I want). The only problem, is that FC seems to hate m2v files. Opening a project with over 100 m2v files prompts a 15 minute delay while FC does something with the m2v files. I've tried futzing with the tumbnail cache as other posts on the forum suggest, with no success. Importing m2v files individually prompt a delay of 10 - 20 seconds each (that mov files of the same content do not). That delay appears to be duplicated en-mass when opening a project with m2v sources. So I've given in to transcoding off of m2v and moved on.
If my source file is a mp4 file or mov file (converted from the m2v, using either mpeg stream clip or compressor), the image on the external display appears to be downres'd, or possibly de-interlaced (and therefore, line doubled, a kind of downres). The viewer however, displays the image at full res. If I make sure to adjust the clip in FC to a field dominance of "none" then cutting the clip into a progressive timeline results in a perfectly fine image. It considers it progressive when it renders to the timeline's codec (btw, leaving the field dominance as something that implies interlacing results in a deinterlace at render, and therefore a loss of resolution). I am however, left with the problem that I even though FC clearly understands that the footage is progressive due to its proper render, the preview on the external monitor will dinterlace it no matter what I do. If I change it to "raw" rather than "full screen" it does infact display it without deinterlacing or downres'ing. However, its small and centered as the source footage in this case is SD in size.
Beyond the deinerlace/downres issue, when using a mov or mp4 source, the viewer and external monitor do no lock even though I have "mirror" selected and both the viewer and the canvas are set to "Fit to Window" as many posts in this forum have suggested. What I get, is a split of behavior. Playing a source clip plays it on the external monitor but the viewer stays frozen. Scrubbing moves the viewer but the external monitor plays catchup (only updating once a second or so).
I have tried a bazillion codecs, from h264 to pixlet to photojpeg. They all behave the same with regard to deinterlacing and syncing.
So, can anyone comment on the behaviors I'm seeing here? They're driving me nuts. All I want is to have a nice fullscreen output on my external display thats the same as on my viewer. Clearly its possible, as the m2v files do it. But as stated, m2vs can't be used for other reasons.
HELP!?!?!
-brad

I can tell the difference between SD footage that has been blown up vs SD footage that has been downres'd and then blown up. This is a case of the latter. The change from full screen to raw very clearly changes the decoded image prior to a scale to the monitor (or in the case of a raw, no scale for the monitor). Its different decoding behavior.
Again, the image quality and behavior on the m2v files is different and correct. Same source material. Same resolution. Different wrapper format and codec. But for reasons stated prior, not usable due to a FC slowdown with that wrapper format (unless someone knows of a way to overcome that).
Yes I have opened the manuals. I would not be posting here if the manuals had answered my question. And yes, I've searched the forums for similar issues, and have made note of the solutions and suggestions I've tried. I'm trying to be a good forum citizen here but the tone and caliber or responses are troubling and patronizing.
Your suggestion is noted but I will turn to other solutions before buying the thousands (if not tens of thousands) of dollars worth of storage required to keep all this footage as DV. That being said, I have transcoded a test clip to DV to check it out and it behaved no differently than the codecs listed prior. I did however, discover some new behavior that may be useful in figuring this out.
When I make sure to set the footage to "none" for field dominance, and put it in the timeline, as stated, it renders correctly, without a downres. However, when I double click the clip in the timeline, bringing it back into the source viewer window, it starts acting correctly. It is full res, blown up to full screen in the external monitor. It operates in lock step between the viewer and the external monitor. This problem only shows itself when viewing a source clip from a bin that has not been in the timeline yet. I can even drag the clip back into the bin, making a subclip, and the subclip acts correctly. Though, the new sourceclip does have an emtpy filter stack and a inactive motion tab on it now, perhaps indicating why its acting differently.
I have a functioning xml importer script so I'll take a look and see if there is an element I can add to a clip in a bin that will result in the same "fix" without having to subclip. However, if anyone has any other ideas as to why the viewer and desktop preview is acting so very different playing a directly imported file versus a subclipped but otherwise unaffected file, specifically with regard to resolution or interlacing, I'd be interested to hear them.

DVD Movie is "lighter" than the M2v File - ?????

Hello Board,
I need help . . . . again!
I used the NTSC monitor to color and export the my short film and it looked FINE. Many of the scenes were dimmed (darkened Intentionally) intentionally to create and omnious effect.
I had to take the monitor back but everything seemed fine. I exported the project via Compressor - Best - 90 minute setting.
I watched the M2V on the computer and it looked great, so I imported the M2V into DVD pro and created a very basic DVD.
I burned the DVD pro project to DVD using Toast Titanium 6.
Now here's the twist. When I watched the DVD on TV, the images were significally ligter than in the M2V file and the DVD SP viewer.
I said ok, let me put the DVD into the computer and see if it looks different on the computer LCD and it did not, it was still lighter.
I then did a side by side comparison - with the M2V screen up on the left and the Mac DVD player screen up on the right. I went to the same frame in both and behold, the DVD version is noticable ligher. Things that are concealed by Shadow in the M2V can be seen in the DVD version.
Is it possible that something in the burn process did this. Or could it be that I saved the file a certain way in DVD SP and that did it?
I don't think it's an issue with Compressor, because why didn;t the M2V file look light on the computer.
Any insight would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Lin

It's probably not a problem with Toast or DVD SP. It's the same old display and TV calibration issue that many complain about. Try this with Apple's DVD Player -- switch to an NTSC display profile and see what the DVD looks like then. However, the latter is not a "fix," just an example of how display gamma and calibration can affect results.
I'd suggest that Lin review the following tutorials on color and brightness adjustments:
http://www.signvideo.com/dv-black-levels-dvd-authoring-mpeg-2-part-1.htm
http://www.kenstone.net/fcphomepage/video_levelsnattress.html
You might also find some useful information in the following thread:
Waymen, "DVDSP 3 adds ten pounds of brightness on formatting!!!" #16, 03:08pm Sep 13, 2005 CDT<small><hr width="75%"><small>If this suggestion helps in any way, a confirmation or acknowledgment would be appreciated, since that would also help others who may be having the same difficulty. Do for others as you would have them help you.<center>Thanks for sharing, Waymen.</center></small>

Trying to compress the m2v file

I have a two hour seq exported from fcp into compressor, and compressed at best quality 4:3 2 hr. The file size when finised was over 5 gig. I want to author a dvd using dvd stuio pro 4, but the file size of my m2v is two big.
What should be my next step. I need to make the file no bigger then 4 gigs. I have mpeg streamclip, but can't figure how that will help. Any suggestion. Thankyou.
I could export from compresser at fastest quality 4:3 2 hrs. The first time I compressed it took around 5 hrs.

thanks. thats whats i did. double click the settings of my compression, and then it alowed me to change teh "Mbps and the bit rate". it also tells me how much time it allow me to have my video content.
If I have a M2V file thats 5 or 6 gigs (took me me 5 hrs to compress), and I authored a dvd with a total a litel over 6 gigs. Is there a way to build the dvd and create video_ts files, and then I can take it to a program like dvd2to1. Or do I have to compress the original all over again. It just took 5 hrs, and since I already have the file, I don't want to compress it using compressor again. Thankyou. e.

Compressor produced m2v file "kind" is strange...

Similar Messages

Maybe you are looking for