# How do I convert a .tivo file to QT on a Mac?



## Mix It Up! (Sep 6, 2005)

I've done this before, but can't remember how it was done and/or I no longer have the necessary software.

I downloaded a 30 min. program from our Tivo to my Mac. I only need one minute of the clip. I can't edit it until I can open it in QuickTime player. 

I used Tivo Decoder to change the file to .mpg. However, it won't open in QT. I have to use MPlayer or VLC to play the file. Unfortunately, neither app will allow me to edit the file. 

Most of the other player apps I have tried require what I believe is the QT Playback Component CODEC. Do I need to buy that in order to play the file in QT Player? If so, I'll buy it. But don't want to and then find out that doesn't work either.

I also tried several conversions with Visual Hub and none of them work. The video was screwed up.


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## wjlyerly (Sep 21, 2003)

The mpeg file you've created is in mpeg2 format. To load that in QuickTime Player, you need to purchase the MPEG2 component for QuickTime from Apple. Then the file will open in any QuickTime based app and you can do whatever with it.

http://www.apple.com/quicktime/mpeg2/


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## bedelman (Feb 26, 2001)

In the past, I've found that MPEG-2 files that come from the TiVo don't get along well with the QuickTime MPEG-2 support (and I'm up-to-date there) -- at least for watching the MPEG-2 files. I've had to use VLC to have something that was actually watchable.


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## taugust04 (Jul 25, 2008)

Hi

Try installing Perian, which uses many of the open source libraries that VLC or MPlayer uses, but instead packages them into a QuickTime plug-in.

Once you can read them in QuickTime, you should be able to export to the format/codec of your liking.


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