Most Shutterstock videos are .MOV and use Apple's Quicktime codec, which Apple no longer supports on Windows machines.

Your best bet is to use a free converter like Handbrake, VLC or VirtualDub2 to convert the clips into a non-Quicktime format MP4, or to install the free QT Lite codec as descibed in this post so that PD can work with them directly.

Quote Most Shutterstock videos are .MOV and use Apple's Quicktime codec, which Apple no longer supports on Windows machines.

Your best bet is to use a free converter like Handbrake, VLC or VirtualDub2 to convert the clips into a non-Quicktime format MP4, or to install the free QT Lite codec as descibed in this post so that PD can work with them directly.

Thank you for the quick response. However, the file in question is an mp4 file, specifically 3868352.mp4. Windows Media Player would open the file but there was nothing to play. I used Handbrake to convert this mp4(?) file to a proper mp4 file and now it plays fine. So I think something else must be broken.

No. MP4 files can be encoded in Quicktime, which is what CL's own ScreenRecorder app does.

I can't download the clip to check based on its file nam and I'd need to know what it looks like to search for it using the PD browser. If you open the original clip in the VLC player (Videolan.org) you can use Ctrl+I to see the codec info. You can also download the free MediaInfo app, which is where I got the details shown in the linked post.

Quote No. MP4 files can be encoded in Quicktime, which is what CL's own ScreenRecorder app does.

I can't download the clip to check based on its file nam and I'd need to know what it looks like to search for it using the PD browser. If you open the original clip in the VLC player (Videolan.org) you can use Ctrl+I to see the codec info. You can also download the free MediaInfo app, which is where I got the details shown in the linked post.

To find this clip, open the ShutterStock download app within PowerDirector and search for "black background." The file is highlighted in the attached pic. But a couple of things: 1) I tried to download the file again just now and it worked. But it is in the m4v format. Windows can play it but PowerDirector doesn't see it when importing media, and 2) several of the files I downloaded were in the .mov format, and PowerDirector has no problem importing these and using them.

Quote No. MP4 files can be encoded in Quicktime, which is what CL's own ScreenRecorder app does.

I can't download the clip to check based on its file nam and I'd need to know what it looks like to search for it using the PD browser. If you open the original clip in the VLC player (Videolan.org) you can use Ctrl+I to see the codec info. You can also download the free MediaInfo app, which is where I got the details shown in the linked post.

PS - I have the bad file, but it is too large to append to this message. Is there another way to get it to you?

Quote PS - I have the bad file, but it is too large to append to this message. Is there another way to get it to you?

The max attachment size is only 5MB so you'd have to upload to a shared cloud folder like OneDive or Google Drive and post the link here.

However your screenshot allowed me to easily track down that clip (thanks for doing that!) I get the same error as soon as the clip finished downloading, even though my system has no trouble with QT clips:



I checked the clip with MediaInfo and it isn't encoded with QT at all. In fact I don't see anything in the details that should be a problem for PD other than maybe a variable bitrate, and yet it won't import. I've attached the details in a .txt file.

I was able to open the clip in PD14, but there was no content at all when I played it back (not even empty black), so there is clearly something specific about this clip.

Every now and then something like this pops up, and usually CL will issue a patch once they're notified of the issue. In the meantime, converting the clip seems to be the best way to deal with this until PD19/365 can be updated, so I'm very glad you got that part taken care of 👍

I converted the clip in Handbrake to progressive, contant bitrate from the original interlaced, variable bitrate and PD365 is able to work with it. Here's a copy if anyone needs it.

I've also reported the issue to CL on ticket CS002227243

Quote I converted the clip in Handbrake to progressive, contant bitrate from the original interlaced, variable bitrate and PD365 is able to work with it. Here's a copy if anyone needs it.

I've also reported the issue to CL on ticket CS002227243

Thanks!

CL tech support just confirmed that there is an issue even when the appropriate Quicktime support is installed on the target systems. I expect that a patch will be released in the near future.

Their recommended workaround for anyone else having trouble is to convert the clip as described in my earlier post