Video Codec Required? (Mac to PC)

[Joey Colebatch]

Hi there,
I've encountered a problem with a big bunch of footage which I have recently gotten off a friend. The footage was captured on a Mac (in Adobe Premiere) and now I have it on a laptop (not a Mac) and the file format is not recognised on my computer. I can view the footage through quick time and various other video players but the file does not seem to be branded as anything (eg, like you might see avi or mpeg). It cannot be opened in my video editing software (Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0).

Is there anybody who knows what type of files I might have here (I cannot access the Mac again to check as it was a school computer and I have since left), and if so, What I will need to do to get the footage onto Premiere so that I can edit etc. Thanks.

[senu]

what file extension does it have?
ie *.xxx

[Joey Colebatch]

That is indeed one of the problems I face. The file type is listed merely as 'file', there is no listed file type even when you right click to find its properties. There is no specific program icon next to the file, whenever I try and open it I am asked to select a program with which to do it with.

The only information I can really give which might help is that a 7 min clip is just over 1.5 Gigabytes... I don't really know if that's any help in determining what file it is.

[senu]

7 min for 1.5Gb sounds like a DV AVI
Can you rename it as *.avi
If your file name extensions are hidden , unhide them
You may know how , if you dont

In a windows explorer window go to the menu bar and chose tools
Select folder options
Open the tab View
In the "Advanced settings box"
Under hidden files and folders
Uncheck the "Hide extensions for known file types" box
and then apply: This should make it possible to see any extension or at any rate rename it with one

As it originated from a mac it may not have had the "windows" naming convention but still be readable by Quicktime ( a mac software)
Good luck

[Wilf]

Have you tried window/view movie properties in QuickTime

I'd also try and open in VirtualDub then file/properties

cheers

[Joey Colebatch]

Senu, I tried what you suggested and still found that the file did not have an extended name that was hidden. It didn't work when I gave it an extension of .avi or .mpg, but Premiere has managed to read it when it is in the .mov format. So thankyou for your help I now have it working .

When I looked under the Quick Time file format it was named 'Apple DV' which I think is what you said it might have been before.
Thanks for your help guys.