MPEG StreamClip Won’t Work For Much Longer For Mac Users

For many years, Mac users have been relying on the free app MPEG Streamclip to create or convert video files to the preferred video file format for Pro Tools, which is Avid DNxHD. However, with the upcoming release of macOS 10.15, this method will no longer be available to Mac users.

The main issue is that MPEG Streamclip has not been updated since 2012 and is not compatible with 64-bit operating systems. As a result, it will not be supported in macOS 10.15, which marks the end of support for 32-bit applications.

In addition, Apple's decision to restrict codec support to a handful of known safe and speedy codecs means that MPEG Streamclip will no longer be able to use Avid DNxHD codecs, amongst others. This is because QuickTime player will still be available, but it will not allow the addition of new codecs like Avid Codec packs.

What does this mean for Pro Tools users? Individual applications will need to support any codecs that Apple doesn't, and this will include Pro Tools. Unfortunately, this means that Mac users will no longer be able to use MPEG Streamclip to convert video files to the preferred DNxHD format.

Instead, the recommendation is to convert incoming video files to Avid's DNxHD format to put the minimum load on the host computer. This is also in line with the advice given when the new Avid Video Engine was introduced with Pro Tools 11 - not to use heavily compressed video files using codecs like H264, which can cause sync and reliability issues.

It's clear that Mac users will need to find alternative methods for converting video files to DNxHD format. With the upcoming release of macOS 10.15, it's essential to be prepared and explore other options to ensure a smooth transition.

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