Flip Video camera & problems with QT 7.4.5

Question

If you are having problems with QT 7.4.5 and Flip Video, here is the Flip Video email response on 27 May 2008:
Hello,
Thank you for your response.
We are not authorized to support third party applications, which is why we do not provide specific instructions regarding iMovie or any other third party application. We only support the Flip and the Flip program, while offering suggestions regarding other programs.
The Apple website also offers Perian as a workaround regarding audio on the Tiger operating system with the latest QuickTime. The latest QuickTime upgrade didn’t allow for audio playback of AVI files, which is why Perian is now offered as a work around by us and by Apple.
It seems as though you are able to playback your videos, as well as use them in outside applications. If this is not the case, and you are having issues using your Flip video or your Flip video program, feel free to contact us further.
Thank you,
Consumer Support
Pure Digital Technologies, Inc.
Here is my email to Flip Video on 26 May 2008:
My MAC Updater downloaded the new QT 7.4.5 on 5 Apr 2008. I have been making movies in iMovie, and then posting them to YouTube. In the beginning I uploaded the movies as MOV files but soon discovered AVI files (larger file and longer time to upload) had more clarity when viewed on YouTube. Once the new QT 7.4.5 downloaded all my AVI files had picture, but no sound! I downloaded the Perian component as posted in QT discussions. The sound returned to the AVI files. However, when I Exported an AVI movie from iMovie the picture quality was worse than the MOV movie. There is something wrong with the new QT 7.4.5 when working with AVI, my AVI movies look terrible. These AVI files were all downloaded from my Ultra Flip Video camera with Flip’s codec 3vix. Flip is aware of this problem and acknowledged it last Friday. Flip says Apple is aware of the problem.
My MAC PowerPc G4 has performed well in the past two months when working with the Flip Video camera. So, at Flip Video’s suggestion I upgraded the operating system to OS 10.5 from OS 10.4.11. Flip Video says their camera works with OS 10.5. Once OS 10.5 was uploaded I soon discovered that iMovie 08 would not operate on my PowerPc G4, 1.86 MHz. The speed requirement for iMovie 08 is 1.9 GHz.
At this point of “spinning my wheels for nearly a month” with this Flip Video camera, I decided to purchase a new iMac. On May 2, 2008, I walked out of the Apple Store in Walnut Creek with the new iMac 20-inch: 2.66GHz. Now the Flip video camera should work and all my video problems solved. However, this was not to be.
When I attempted to Import Flip Video AVI and MOV files into iMovie 08 the files were “grayed out” and would not Import. None of my previous Flip Video files would Import. I tried making new Flip Video movies, they also would not Import into iMovie 08.
At another Apple Store, the tech suggested I download the previous version of iMovie HD. I did this and with hours of working through the different Export options I was able to create movies to post again on youTube. However, the picture quality of the newer iMovies has never approached the quality of my last post before QT 7.4.5 downloaded. Remember my problems started with QT 7.4.5. Well, my new iMac came with QT 7.4.1, I have not Uploaded QT 7.4.5 and won’t until Flip Video fixes this problem.
Examples of my Flip Video movies can be viewed on youTube at: sffoggydays. The last video with excellent picture quality was posted 6 Apr 2008 titled “A Day at the San Francisco Zoo, Chapter Nine, L-Taravel Ride to BART.” This video was made in iMovie and Exported before QT 7.4.5 downloaded. All the youTube Flip Videos made after 6 Apr 2008 have poor picture quality.
It is time for Flip Video camera to stop “passing the buck” to Apple. When manufactures of operating system such as Apple and Microsoft create newer and upgraded systems, it is the responsibility of the manufactures of applications to redo their programs for operating on the new systems. Here is where Flip Video is not accepting this responsibility to Mac users of their camera. The Flip Video application/codex/drivers need to be updated in order to fix the following problems:
- No sound on AVI files in QT 7.4.5
- No Import of AVI and MOV files in iMovie 08
- Poor picture quality for youTube in Export of iMovie HD
I like my Flip Video camera, want to continue making movies for youTube, and recommending the camera to others. The Flip Video camera people need to fix these problems for Mac users.

Answer 1

Flip video ( I just bought one) makes AVI files (AVI is a container like QT is one) using 3ivX. All you need is the free Perian codec and you can playback, edit etc. Export the to a MOV container which doesn't reencode them and you should have usable files.
They have a valid point - they supply software and they have no obligation to make their camera work in iMovie. Reviews I have read say it works OK in IM6 vs. the iLife 08 version. Note that QT doesn't work natively with DivX, WMV and you don't see Apple saying they are obligated to fix Quicktime. They like their codecs and they don't care about others any more than Flip does.
You can always open in MPEG Streamclip and export them to a non lossy codec like Animation and use those new QT files as well. Or DV as another format option.