Video supported by quicktime 3.0 on 68k mac

[agent_js03]

I know this sounds crazy.

I want to be able to convert mp4/flv videos to an old codec/format that is supported by quicktime 3.0 on a 68k macintosh. It doesn't have to run super smoothly, I just want semi-not-choppy video and sound.

In order to get some idea, I have opened a video made during the 90s with a really old codec in VLC and see the following under the codec information:

Video

Codec: Cinepak Video (cvid)

Resolution 320x236

Frame rate: 24

Decoded format: 24 bits RGB

Audio

Codec: PCM U8 (raw)

Language: English

Channels: Mono

Sample rate: 22320 Hz

Bits per sample: 8

I tried to convert an mp4 to this format in VLC but there is no encoder for cinepak.

Sooo I am asking for either one of two things.

Either 1. Can someone tell me how to replicate this video format/codec? Preferably using a linux tool... but I am flexible.

Or 2. Can someone tell me another combination of video format/codec that works in quicktime for 68k other than the one listed above? Has anyone had success converting videos for these really old machines? How did you do it?

Thanks!

 

[blitter]

Cinepak is considered a "legacy" codec by this time so it's normally hidden from the export options in QuickTime, but in macOS you can re-enable it with some Terminal magic:

qtdefaults write LegacyCodecsEnabled yes

With that, Cinepak should appear in the list of video compression options in QuickTime's standard Export dialog. Again, this is all in macOS.

I don't know of any Linux tools that can export Cinepak-- it was non-free (patented) until at least 2013. Cinepak's fourCC is 'cvid' though (Compact Video) so that might help you when searching for encoding tools.

 

[IPalindromeI]

ffmpeg probably could.

 

[rsolberg]

Did you try that old video on 68k hardware to ensure satisfactory playback? 320x240(ish) at 24fps and 24-bit colour may be pushing it. If you look at videos included with 68k educational software of the day, (Carmen San Diego, multimedia encyclopaedia, etc) it's often at a lower colour bit depth and/or framerate.

It looks like ffmpeg is decode-only, but it appears possible to use the appropriate Windows libraries with mencoder to encode Cinepak. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/333037-Cinepak-encoder?s=cceb8f4b6f54c77cdf0eaa97f612b51f#post2065258

 

[agent_js03]

Did you try that old video on 68k hardware to ensure satisfactory playback? 320x240(ish) at 24fps and 24-bit colour may be pushing it. If you look at videos included with 68k educational software of the day, (Carmen San Diego, multimedia encyclopaedia, etc) it's often at a lower colour bit depth and/or framerate.

It looks like ffmpeg is decode-only, but it appears possible to use the appropriate Windows libraries with mencoder to encode Cinepak. https://forum.videohelp.com/threads/333037-Cinepak-encoder?s=cceb8f4b6f54c77cdf0eaa97f612b51f#post2065258

cool, maybe I can find a sample somewhere. I was thinking 320 sounds a bit big too anyway. I remember the quicktime videos I streamed from Apple's website back in 1998/99 online were much smaller and grainier than that.