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Participant
July 1, 2022
Question

Unable to view exported video

  • July 1, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 2203 views

Hi there, I recently started using Premiere Pro for my job, and am having some issues exporting videos. I'm using a Mac btw.

 

When I click on H.264 as the format (I've been told this is the correct format) it exports as an mp4 file, but I'm unable to open the file. It gives me the message "the document could not be opened" and says that the file isn't compatible with Quicktime. 

 

I tried uploading the video to HandBrake but it doesn't seem to be able to read it either.

 

Any advice?

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

Inspiring
July 3, 2022

If your exported H.264 (MP4) files won't playback in QuickTime player (or another player) something has gone wrong with your export.

More details (as Ann requests) would be useful for others to respond and perhaps figure out what is going wrong in your situation.

But in the short term try this as a workaround.

Export from Premiere Pro using (say) Prores - in the export panel you want to choose Format - QuickTime, Preset - Apple Prores 422. 

Once that file has been fully exported open it in QuickTime player or import it back into Premiere Pro to test it is all plays OK. If it plays fine open Media Encoder drop the Prores file there and select H.264 from the format list and then choose your preset (say) 'Match source, High bitrate' or the 'Youtube 1080p Full HD' as examples. Render. Do you now have a working H.264 (MP4) file?

Post back with further issues.

 

QuickTime player *will* play H.264 (MP4) files. While there are some issues in various situations playing H.264 on Macs that I won't go into here - not playing H.264 'at all' is not one of them. VLC is a fine option if you do have issues with QuickTime Player and something any Mac user should have installed as a secondary playback option.

 

Ann Bens
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 1, 2022

Post screenshot export settings.

Jqke
Legend
July 1, 2022

Yeah, H.264 isn't compatible with the QuickTime player. If you guys all use Macs, you probably have a way to view them threw another video player. Anyways,  you can download a free video player application like VLC (very well known and easy to use) https://www.videolan.org/vlc/

 

Then you just open your video files through VLC and you are good to go!

If you have a team of people that all use Macs with H.264, and nobody else has this issue, ask around. See if people use other video player apps. Because they can't be using QuickTime.

 

If you don't feel like installing VLC or if your company instructs you not to, exporting in QuickTime or ProRes will be a better option if you are able to do that.

 

Furthermore, an ACP will know more about this, but hopefully, this helps!

 

 

~Jake
Inspiring
July 3, 2022

H.264 will play in QuickTime Player. There are some playback issues in certain circumstances (slow response or sync issues with very long clips etc.).

What problems have you been having?

Jqke
Legend
July 3, 2022

I apologize, I had some issue with it on a different work station awhile ago 😅

 

You are correct, Steve, something is probably wrong with the export settings.

~Jake