Importing a Google Earth Pro created video

Buergmhe wrote on 7/28/2017, 11:40 AM

Hello all! I have created and recorded a tour in Google Earth pro for my current project and exported it with the movie maker function. Now I would like to import this video to MEP. Unfortunately MEP crashes when I use the H.264 (.m4v) format file . And when I use MP4, I get a message that "Quicktime is not installed" - why would I need quicktime (MP4 file plays just fine in windows player)? If anyone has a tip regarding the best format to use or what to do to get around the quicktime message (really don't want to get that old software), It will be much appreciated.

Details:
Computer: Win 10 64bit, intel i5-2500 @3.3GHz, Nvidia GeForce GTX 560 Ti
Magix Movie Edit Pro Premium 16.0.4.98 (UDP)
MPEG-4 codec Main Concept activated

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 7/28/2017, 12:47 PM

m4v and MP4 are container file formats, not video file formats, they can contain a wiede range of internal codecs and it is this internal video codec that is causing the issue.

As MEP is saying you need Quicktime, then the video contents of the container file are in a format that is recognised as requiring Quicktime.

Use MediaInfo to analyse the mp4 file and post the results back from the Text view.
If you do not want to install Quicktime then you will have to either:

Record the Google Earth tour again selecting a different output format - GE can export to AVI, however this will give very large files sizes compared to mp4

or
use a video converter to convert the video to a standard mp4 that MEP can import.

. . . . Magix Movie Edit Pro Premium 16.0.4.98 (UDP) . . . .

You are missing a patch the current version is 16.0.4.102

HTH

John EB

Buergmhe wrote on 7/28/2017, 3:36 PM

OK, thanks for the input. Here the MediaInfo:

General
Complete name : E:\Helmut\MAGIX\Movie Edit Pro Premium\Velotour 2017 Projekt\2017-07-27 Velotour video\Google Earth Meiringen Interlaken.mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt 0000.02 (qt )
File size : 817 MiB
Duration : 46 s 50 ms
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 149 Mb/s
Writing application : Lavf57.56.101

Video
ID : 1
Format : JPEG
Codec ID : jpeg
Duration : 46 s 50 ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 149 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 60.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Compression mode : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 1.195
Stream size : 817 MiB (100%)
Language : English

However, what I don't understand is, if the file already plays on windows player or e.g. vlc, doesn't that mean that the codec is already installed? Why does MEP need quicktime installed but other players don't? Quiktime itself gives the following info on its download page;

Important: QuickTime 7 for Windows is no longer supported by Apple. New versions of Windows since 2009 have included support for the key media formats, such as H.264 and AAC, that QuickTime 7 enabled. All current Windows web browsers support video without the need for browser plug-ins. If you no longer need QuickTime 7 on your PC, follow the instructions for uninstalling QuickTime 7 for Windows.

I do not seem have an .avi option in GE. In addition to the two formats above there are three .webm formats, .asf and JPG and PNG picture stacks.

Buergmhe wrote on 7/28/2017, 3:42 PM

And this is the .m4v file

Complete name : E:\Helmut\MAGIX\Movie Edit Pro Premium\Velotour 2017 Projekt\2017-07-27 Velotour video\Google Earth Meiringen Interlaken.m4v
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size : 406 MiB
Duration : 46 s 50 ms
Overall bit rate : 73.9 Mb/s
Writing application : Lavf57.56.101

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L4.2
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, RefFrames : 1 frame
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=12
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 46 s 50 ms
Bit rate : 73.9 Mb/s
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 60.000 FPS
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.594
Stream size : 406 MiB (100%)

johnebaker wrote on 7/28/2017, 5:58 PM

Thanks for the data.

MP4

This confirms what I suspected, the internal codec is identified as Quicktime as shown on these 2 lines

Format profile : QuickTime
Codec ID : qt 0000.02 (qt )

M4V

This format is not supported by Movie Edit Pro.

Windows Media Player will download and install the appropriate codec, if available, for playing a video, however it does not share the codec with other applications.

VLC can lay almost any video format - it has its own codec libraries and is not dependant on Windows supplying them.

To set Google Earth Pro to export as AVI

When you select "Movie Maker" to open the "Movie Maker" window.
Put a check mark by "Advanced" and then click "Record to AVI format."
Click the drop-down arrow under "Resolution" and select a video resolution.

HTH

John EB

Buergmhe wrote on 7/29/2017, 12:06 AM

Ah, I see - I always thought Codecs were installed to the system. Unfortunately GE (should be the newest, Google Earth Pro 7.3.0.3830 (32-bit)) does not have any advanced check mark in the movie maker window:

I have seen instructions similar to yours when I googled for this, probably this was in an older version?

Anyway, since that didn't seem to work I decided to give in and installed Quicktime, and now the MEPP import works.

I googled the .m4v container format and noticed it's also an Apple format. Why is google earth so besotted with Apple's video formats? 😤

Thanks again for your great help!

(I also installed the latest MEPP update by the way, thanks)