QuickTime has the ability to play back MPEG-2 content via the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component. It is available as an add-on to QuickTime 6 or QuickTime 7 for $19.99 in the Apple Store online.

Support for MPEG-2

The QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component provides QuickTime users with the ability to import and play back MPEG-2 content, including both multiplexed (a.k.a. muxed, where the audio and video tracks are interleaved together into one track) and non-multiplexed (a.k.a. elementary) streams. It is perfectly suited for professional and semi-professional content creators with projects such as:

Professional content production

Throughout the professional content production process, many approvals and progress checks are necessary. With QuickTime Player and the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component, your clients and reviewers can view your MPEG-2 streams and provide feedback. This eliminates the need for frequent transcodes and allows your clients and reviewers to play back your work on any Macintosh or PC.

Transcoding video content

Your MPEG-2 video content can be imported into QuickTime and exported to other formats such as MPEG-4, the new international standard for Internet media, QuickTime Movie or DV Stream, to name a few. The QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component allows the transcode of MPEG-2 video from both multiplexed and elementary video streams(1). By converting your MPEG-2 video content into other formats, it can be used in new forums, such as on the web, on CD-ROM or on DV tape.

MPEG Comparison

MPEG-1

  • MPEG-1
  • Approved November 1991
  • VHS-quality
  • Enabled Video CD
  • Enabled CD-ROM
  • Enabled mp3 audio
 

MPEG-2

  • Approved November 1994
  • DVD-quality
  • Enabled Digital TV set-top boxes
  • Enabled Digital Versatile Disk (DVD)
 

MPEG-4

  • Approved October 1998
  • Scalable quality
  • Based on QuickTime File Format
  • Scalable delivery — from cell phones to satellite TV.

(1) Note that the QuickTime MPEG-2 Playback Component will not demux audio and video, nor will it enable audio transcoding.

(2) Only VOB files containing MPEG audio layers I and II are supported.