Flip4Mac
reviewed by Ted Bade
Telestream,
Inc, 848 Gold Flat Road, Suite 1 http://www.flip4mac.com/flip4mac_home.htm Download Site: http://www.flip4mac.com/download.htm Released: March 2006. Basic player only: Free; additional features for $29, $49, $99, and $179 USD. System Requirements: Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later; QuickTime Pro Versions 6.5.1 or 7.0; Safari Version 2 Experience needed: Minimum to use an install this utility but you will need quite advanced Audio/Video abilities to use all its features. Strengths: Use of this program is easy and transparent to the user. It let’s you play Window’s Media files including most of those that currently won’t work with Windows Media Player for Mac OS X. Weaknesses: No support for files protected with Windows Digital Rights Management. |
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Flip4Mac is a nifty utility that brings more recent Windows Media file codecs to MacOS X. This means you will be able to play just about any WMV or WMA (Video or Audio) file on your Mac. Once installed, you just use familiar programs such as QuickTime or iMovie to work with these files. If you have the need, Flip4Mac offers various levels of capture and editing of these files as well. This program is a must have for any Internet video junkie as well as any person seriously into working with video.
You might have noticed that there are more and more Windows Media files that won’t play on or even crash Windows Media Player for Mac OS X. This situation will become worse as Microsoft continues to evolve Windows Media Player for Windows but not for Mac OS X. Don’t look to Microsoft for help, the current version of the Mac OS X player might be the last from them.
Why is this, you ask? In my opinion, it has a lot to do with Apple’s success with the iPod and the iTunes Music Store. One way to get back at Apple is by ending free services to Mac owners. Which means that Windows Media files become exclusive to users of Windows. Sure it’s petty, but hey, we are talking about Microsoft here.
To our rescue comes a company called Telestream. They managed to get a license to bring WM codecs to MacOS X users. Download and install Flip4Mac. Start with the free player, just to see how easy and useful it is. After installation, when you download or click on a link to use a Windows Media file, you will notice that QuickTime opens and runs the file. Its that easy to use this program: install, then play.
Flip4Mac, automatically modifies the Windows Media files you download to work with QuickTime. If there are WMA or WMV files already stored on your Mac, they need to be modified before they work in QuickTime. The Flip4Mac download includes an application called WMV Player. Simply drop a WM file onto it and the file is converted, then sent to QuickTime. You will notice that the WMV file icon changes from that for Windows Media Player to that of QuickTime, although the extension is still WMV.
Flip4Mac also helps with playing WM files within your browser. After it is installed, Safari uses the QuickTime plugin to play WM files. This means, you get all the controls QuickTime offers, (including those offered by QuickTime Pro, if you paid for the license), such as saving a copy of the movie file. An option in the Flip4Mac System Preference panel lets you choose to force showing the movie controller when viewing a movie within a browser. A nice feature.
With the free player version you get the ability to play WMV files of all Window’s Media formats 7,8,9 in standard and high definition. You also get the ability to play WM audio files in these formats, including professional and loss-less versions. If you need more advanced features, such as editing and saving files in WM formats, you will need to consider one of the four paid versions of Flip4Mac.
At the “Import” level of $29 you get the ability to import WM files. This level lets you import a WM file, and use it in an application such as QuickTime Player, Final Cut Pro or iMovie. If you own the QuickTime Pro license, you can use its abilities to edit the file as well. Once you are finished working with the file, this level also gives you the license to save the file in whatever format using QuickTime Pro or another application such as Cleaner 6 or Sorenson Squeeze (v4.1).
The next three levels of Flip4Mac are all about exporting a file back into the Window’s Media realm. At the Studio level ($49), you can export using a set of exporting profiles provided by Telestream. At the StudioPro level ($99) you can create your own standard definition export profiles and at the StudioPro HD ($179) you can do this for both standard and High Definition video. This level also lets you work with higher end audio as well letting you export 5.1 audio, professional and loss-less audio, and take advantage of up to 96KHz sampling rates.
To access profiles for saving a file in a
variety of WM formats, you just choose to export (from within whatever program
you are working in) the file you are working with and then select a Windows
Media format. You will discover several new options for saving the file in WM
formats. Depending upon the level of the program you have, you will either see
standard profiles created by Telestream or a series of option panes for
creating your own export profile. Again, it all depends upon what you want to
use the program for
Of course each level has it price. Most home users will be satisfied with the Free player level, although you might want to consider the import version to bring your favorite Windows media files into the Mac Domain! I found these features very useful. By converting the files I enjoy to QuickTime, I ensure that I will be able to easily use and share them with my Mac OS X friends. This is also great when you get one of those email from a Windows person, you can now watch them or even convert them and pass the results along to your Mac pals in QT format.
People who are working with video should seriously consider the higher levels. For instance if you maintain a web site that offers a demo video, you could use Flip4Mac to convert your QuickTime file into a WMV files for those customers who don’t have QuickTime. Video or audio professionals will find a multitude of ways to apply the Flip4Mac features to their materials.
The best thing about Flip4Mac is that it is transparent to the user. You just install it and suddenly the world of Windows Media files is open to you! The files you once had to deal with become files that you can apply your favorite Mac OS X applications to.
One feature lacking in this package is that of dealing with Microsoft’s Digital Rights Management protected files. (aka DRM files). This isn’t an oversight by Telestream, but a lack of license. Microsoft just won’t sell the licensing to them. I spoke with a company representative who indicated that they would be happy to offer this feature as well, if they could get the licensing from Microsoft. I say, let’s all send Microsoft a nice email and tell them they should work with Telestream and allow Mac OS X users to access DRM files. ;-)
If you read my monthly column in macCompanion, you will know I have been lamenting the fact that Window’s DRM files exclude Mac users making a variety of services and files unavailable for Mac users. I hope that enough people will complain and something can be done about it. A company like Telestream is in the right position to make this service available.
The people at Telestream are working on upgrading and adding features to Flip4Mac. As a dabbler of computer video, I found more tools in this product than I need. However, there is always room for improvement and Windows Media codecs aren’t static. As I was working on this review, Flip4Mac was updated to version 2.02. I expect we will continue to see upgrades with this product as they add features and implement features added to Windows Media files.
The Flip4Mac package is a real “Must Have” for any Mac user who is interested in using any WM files. While most casual users will be happy with the “free” version. Slightly more then casual users will find a lot of value in the $30 price point. (If you bought the QT Pro license, you are one of these people). And the higher levels of this program can be useful for people who really work with video or audio. Really, get on Safari now and get this program!
