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CHAPTER 6: IMPORTING, EXPORTING, AND DIGITAL CUT ■
There are some codecs that come with QuickTime when you install it (see Figure
6.17). Other codecs can be added as you need them. These third-party codecs, includ-
ing Avid codecs, allow you to create media in different styles as needed.
Figure 6.17 Codecs in my QuickTime library
Which codec is best? It usually depends on how you’ll use the file. There are
codecs that work on older and slower computers, codecs that demand high-performance
new computers, and so on. If you use a high-performance codec and play back the
movie on an old system, the results can be catastrophic.
When you select a codec for export, you’re given several options on how the
codec will write the file, including the quality level that you want the file to be. The
best idea when using codecs is to test them on the same type of computer that they are
targeted for.
Using and Copying Codecs
The most common QuickTime Export error is the lack of similar codecs on the target
computer. Both the export and target computer need the same codec to work properly.
If you’re running Xpress Pro on Windows XP, your codecs are located in the
folder
[drive name]:Windows/System32/. Normally, these files are hidden in the folder,
but you can get Windows XP to reveal them. If you’re running Xpress Pro on Macin-
tosh (OS X), the codecs are located in the folder
Macintosh HD/Library/QuickTime. The
Avid QuickTime Codecs are for Meridien Uncompressed, Meridien Compressed, the
Avid DV Codec and another QT codec for ABVB and Nuvista Avid media. All these
codecs cover the gamut for exporting to every Avid system ever made.
The type of codecs available for your computer will vary, depending on whether
you’re running a PC or Mac. In other words, some codecs are created exclusively for
only one platform. That’s rare these days, but there are still issues with some codec files.
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