MP4ify

MP4ify is a utility to convert QuickTime MPEG-4/H.264 .mov files into the more standard .mp4 container format.

Although the MP4 container format is actually based on the QuickTime file format, there are small, technical differences. Converting to the MP4 format makes video files more widely usable, especially on non-Apple systems. To quote Wikipedia: "MP4, being an international standard, has more support. This is especially true on hardware devices, such as the Sony PSP and various DVD players. On the software side, most DirectShow and Video for Windows codec packs include an MP4 parser, but not one for MOV."

Usage

MP4ify is an AppleScript droplet. Simply drop .mov files onto it, and it will convert them to MP4 using either FFmpeg (if installed) or QuickTime Player 7. In either case, "passthrough" options are used to re-export the raw video and audio data, unchanged, simply repackaged into the .mp4 container format. No re-encoding occurs, so the conversion is fast. The original .mov file is then deleted, leaving only the new .mp4 file.

Download

MP4ify-2.1.zip
ZIP file, 11 Mar 2016, 55 KB

System Requirements

Requires an Intel-based Mac running OS X 10.4 or later, and either the FFmpeg command-line utility to be installed (typically in /usr/local/bin) or a QuickTime Pro license (US$29 at the Apple online store) and QuickTime Player 7 to be installed (optional install on OS X 10.6+, or use the above link).

Common Problems

If you're having trouble using MPEG-4/H.264 video files on a particular device even after converting them to .mp4 with this utility, chances are it has nothing to do with the .mp4 container format. Most likely it's the raw video data itself which is the problem. The MP4ify utility does not change the raw video or audio data.

Many devices can only play a subset of the full H.264 format, and only up to a certain resolution and bitrate, so you'll need to look into re-encoding your video files to use only the resolution, bitrate and features supported on your particular device. You may want to try using HandBrake, which provides safe, good-quality presets for a variety of popular devices. Naturally, re-encoding the video will be much slower, and there will also be some loss of quality (just like opening and re-saving a JPEG image, an MP3 audio file, or any other lossy format).

No Technical Support

No technical support is available for this software. It is provided strictly on an "as is" basis. If you have a question or problem using this software, no help can be offered. There are simply too many users, with too many different use cases, to reasonably support you all at no cost, sorry.

Open Source

THIS IS OPEN SOURCE CODE DUAL-LICENSED UNDER THE MPL AND THE LGPL.

The basic intent is that:

You may combine either open or closed source code with this code, and the result may be sold commercially if you wish.
If you make any changes or additions to this source code you must publish them, typically by sending them back to the original author or project to be integrated into the main public distribution.
You must acknowledge that your software uses this code by displaying a suitable notice somewhere, typically in an "about" dialog box, command-line version flag output, manual or other documentation.

If you are unsure whether this licensing fits your particular situation, please contact the author or copyright holder for clarification.

DUAL-LICENSING DETAILS
This software is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public License Version 2.0 (the "MPL"). You may obtain a copy of the MPL from www.mozilla.org/MPL. Alternatively, this software may be used under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License Version 2.1 (the "LGPL"), in which case the provisions of the LGPL are applicable instead of those of the MPL. You may obtain a copy of the LGPL from www.gnu.org/licenses. If you wish to allow use of your version of this software only under the terms of the LGPL, and not to allow others to use your version of this software under the MPL, indicate your decision by deleting the provisions above and replacing them with the notice and other provisions required by the LGPL. If you do not delete the provisions above, a recipient may use your version of this software under either the MPL or the LGPL.

NO WARRANTY
This software is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, however software distributed under either the MPL or the LGPL is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either expressed or implied; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the MPL and the LGPL for details.