Alternative to Adobe Media Encoder for legacy Qt video files

[mike233]

There are some quickltime files that wont load in AE, Premiere. or AME. I think it is because these QT files are using Legacy codes or something like 24-bit. So how does one go about converting these files? These old codecs are UNAVOIDABLE, since a lot of companies have been using these for years. For example, one of our clients is furniture retailer and the brand product videos they get from manufacturers go back 5-7 years so they are in these formats, and are unusable. We need a away to convert them but there are no Adobe products that can open them. So what should we use?

[Jeff Bugbee]

What codecs are being used? You can open them in something like MediaInfo to find out.

Mpeg Streamclip is a popular one that can open and transcode a lot of files.

Squared 5 - MPEG Streamclip video converter for Mac and Windows

[mike233 · Accepted solution]

They are using Quicktime H.264 codecs according the QT's inspector. Just checked in MediaInfo it says MPEG-4 Quitcktime.

Thanks we will try the Mpeg Stream Clip

[Jeff Bugbee]

If you can upload one of these files, I can take a look and see if there's anything strange about them.

[mike233]

They work fine in non adobe related programs like iMovie and Quicktime. And they work in After Effects 15.0 and AME 12.0 which is  before the April update, so there isnt anything wrong with the files. Nothings changed about them, it was since we updated in April that they no longer work. So that is why it is most likely related to the depreciation of legacy QT codes.

[Jeff Bugbee]

To my knowledge, Adobe has not removed any codecs or functionality.

[mike233]

In After effect sand AME it no longer renders H.264 quicktim. It is in thier release notes for both:
New features summary | April 2018 release of After Effects CC
New features summary for the 2018 and 2017 releases of Adobe Media Encoder CC

I made some post about it here:
Output options for After Effects

[Jeff Bugbee]

Good find. Looks like your solution will be to install a previous version that still supports legacy QT encoding/decoding.

[mike233]

That's what we've been doing but it seems counter intuitive to stay on old software. Eventually after effects will reach a new version and files with be incompatible. Also AME has to stay updated to render from newer versions of AE and Premiere, so that is only a short term solution. Using MPEG stream clip is the best option mentioned. Thanks.