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Flip4Mac plays and edits WMV files in QuickTime

by David Chartier Nov 13th 2005 at 1:00PM

Flip4Mac logoLaurie reported on Flip4Mac WMV back in April, but since it's such a handy app and it's having another go around the news channels, I figured it was worth a refresher here: Flip4Mac WMV is a series of media tools that allow you to play and/or edit Windows Media files (including high definition) in QuickTime and QuickTime-based apps. There are four tools in the set, and prices start at $10 for the basic player, while the tools to edit Windows Media files in QuickTime or other apps like Final Cut Pro start at $99.

Macworld has a review of the player and some of the options it offers, such as how to handle WMV files embedded in a web page, and the fact that you can jog (frame-by-frame) through WMV files using QuickTime's controls - even on movies embedded in a site. It's a pretty nice overview, and I'll echo one of their recommendations: definitely download and try this out before buying, as the player can act a little funny in browsers other than Safari. Also: I'm not sure if DRM'd Windows Media files will work. My first guess is no, since I didn't see anything specific on the site boasting it, but I've been wrong before.

On OS X compatibility, Flip4Mac's site states their apps are fully Tiger, QuickTime 7 and Compressor 2 friendly. The one catch I wish they could get around, however, is Windows Media 10 format support. Right now, Flip4Mac WMV can only handle versions 7, 8 and 9 of Windows Media files. Oh well, when it comes to supporting crummy Microsoft media formats I guess you can't have it all.
 

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Laurie reported on Flip4Mac WMV back in April, but since it's such a handy app and it's having another go around the news channels, I...
 

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totoro

Does it play WMV3 files? Or those odd .avi files that are in a WMV3 wrapper?

November 14 2005 at 1:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Brady J. Frey

Anyone know if it saves WMV files out as quicktime files? I STILL haven't found a quality translator -- any guidance would be appreciated (hate WMV files, but every now and then I get a quality video I'd like to turn into quicktime).

November 14 2005 at 12:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
David Chartier

kg: other people have reported that problems like yours get fixed once permissions are repaired, possibly followed by a log out/back in or a restart. Might help do the trick.

November 14 2005 at 8:00 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Gabriel Radic

Does this mean that WMV files can now be played directly in iTunes, like OGG files?

November 14 2005 at 4:03 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
kg

I wanted to do a couple of quick WMV to MOV conversions. No editing, nothing fancy. Here's what they don't tell you: The trial version of WMV Player will let you open the first half of a WMV file in QuickTime Player. If you have QT Pro, you can then use Export successfully. Very cool! I'll gladly pay 10 bucks to do the entire video! But after you pay, attempting to Export results in an error: 'Failed (-2126)' Nice one. Ya suckered me out of 10 bucks. I guess I'll be looking into that refund now.

November 14 2005 at 12:52 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
St3phen

#3, the secret there is to get the preference pane, Default Apps (see VT), and go through it and set the things you want WiMP to play back to WiMP.

November 13 2005 at 9:00 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Jim Gardner

Yeah. Let's all pay $99 because Microsoft can't write a Mac version of WMP properly.

November 13 2005 at 8:32 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Matthew Huie

The program is extremely flaky, it doesn't always play embedded videos in Safari and is extremely laggy playing large WMV files through QT player. There is also a lag when trying to seek. Sorry, I'll stick to WMP on my PC, thanks.

November 13 2005 at 7:20 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
oxjox

I downloaded the trial a few days ago only to find it didn't do squat. I posted a question on the forum and it was answered quickly. All I had to do was repair permissions and this lil app works great!

November 13 2005 at 6:02 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Fer

There's actually no Windows Media 10 format. The last fomat available (even for Windows) is the WMV version 9, and 9.1 for audio. You have surely mistaken this for the Windows Media DRM version 10 and for the Windows Media Player 10.

November 13 2005 at 4:31 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
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