QTIndexSwapper 2

It has been quite some time since I have updated anything on the QTIndexSwapper AIR application. I figured the release of AIR 2.0 and Flex 4 would be a good reason to give it a face lift. I added the ability to point to a specific folder to process a bunch of files at once. Future updates would be to let the user set a watch folder and output folder then it could just swap ATOM’s on any h264 file that shows up in the watch folder.


What is QTIndexSwapper?

With the release of the Flash Player 9 Update that supports H.264, we can now play a subset of H.264 movie files. The problem is most of the H.264 files have the index at the end of the file which for progressive download means you have to download the whole file before you can start watching any of the video.

In the notes from Tinic Uro, Adobe engineer working on the changes, there is mention of a C application that helps with rearrange the inards of a movie to put the index at the beginning. Thus help with the progressive download issue. To this end I have create an AIR application which does the index swapping for you.

Its called “QT Index Swapper” and if that isn’t enough I have also made the source available inside the AIR application. The AIR application does not have the source files include any more but the source files are available as a Flex 4 project (.fxp).

The application can be download here.

  • http://renaun.com/blog/2008/08/qtindexswapper-v142-update/ Renaun’s thoughts on QTIndexSwapper v1.4.2 update

    [...] UPDATE: Get the latest here! [...]

  • http://renaun.com/blog/2008/01/qtindexswapper-v132/ Renaun’s thoughts on QTIndexSwapper v1.3.2

    [...] UPDATE: Get the latest here! [...]

  • http://topsy.com/renaun.com/blog/2010/06/qtindexswapper-2/?utm_source=pingback&utm_campaign=L2 Tweets that mention Renaun’s thoughts on QTIndexSwapper 2 — Topsy.com

    [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Terence Carroll, Renaun Erickson. Renaun Erickson said: QTIndexSwapper 2, Updated to AIR 2.0 Flex 4 and added feature to process whole folder http://bit.ly/9V5DBH #flex [...]

  • http://gfsis.org Temur

    Please, explain how to run this application – QTIndexSwapper.air

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    Just double click the file and it should ask you to install the Adobe AIR runtime.

  • http://blog.clock.co.uk/2010/06/29/mooving-the-atom-and-h-264-video-codec/ Clock Blogs » Blog Archive » Mooving the Atom & H.264 Video Codec – Blogs from the employees of Clock

    [...] QTIndexSwapper – An Adobe Air application that does the same thing. It seems to be a very popular tool that is still in development, however for the files I was using I found it did not work and errored: “ERROR: The MOOV atom is not located at the end of the file, the file is ready for progressive download or it is a invalid file” http://renaun.com/blog/2010/06/qtindexswapper-2/TQ [...]

  • http://JasonRAyers.com Jason R. Ayers

    Thank you so much for creating this application. I spent a lot of time trying to figure out why my H.264 files would not start as quickly as my FLV files.

  • http://www.mountainbikerides.co.uk Mad Pierre

    A great little app but it still doesn’t seem to work with large files? E.g. I just tried it on a 800Mb file.

    Also I’m afraid to say the new version doesn’t give any error or let you know what it’s doing when this happens unlike the old one…. it just stops with the loading progress bar at whatever percentage it gets to.

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    What happens when you click on the details button? The information should be there with more details.

  • Ed H.

    I processed an .mov file through this app (I just loaded the file in, then hit “process”.), then embedded the new file on my site, and now there’s no sound. What gives?

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    Can you provide a link to the original video for me to test with?

  • deepak

    Your application is good as i read. but it not working with my mp4 video please help me ….

    http://www.showprojects.net/projects/demo/C_019.mp4

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    Your C_019.mp4 file is already progressive ready. The moov atom is located before the mdat atom.

  • deepak

    Hi Renaun Erickson,
    thanks for quick response …
    Actually i am playing this mp4 file in JWplayer 5 .it play after downloading ..
    then i read same issues at Longtail.com (they developed JWplayer) most of user talking about your application even longtail also recommend.
    …….
    now you said my mp4 file if good to run but it still downloading before playing …

    is there any problem? or do i need something else like streaming server and all that….

    Please help me out…

    Thanks in advance ….

  • http://www.artvideo.cc Dariusz

    Thanks a lot !!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Is working perfectly on win 7 ultimate 64, f4v created with Ultra Video Joiner.

    Thank you very very much.

  • http://pesenzon.ru Alexander

    Hello!

    Mad Pierre says:
    3:17 AM – 07/13/10
    Reply A great little app but it still doesn’t seem to work with large files? E.g. I just tried it on a 800Mb file.

    Also I’m afraid to say the new version doesn’t give any error or let you know what it’s doing when this happens unlike the old one…. it just stops with the loading progress bar at whatever percentage it gets to.

    Renaun Erickson says:
    5:39 AM – 07/13/10
    Reply What happens when you click on the details button? The information should be there with more details.

    I have the same hang-on situation when files bigger than 360mb, loading progress stops at some percentage, when click details button – details field is empty.
    It works good for the files under 260 mb.
    Once for 300mb file first time didn’t work with same hanging on, for the second try program have prosessed the file.
    Where is the problem for bigger files, in program or computer setups?

  • http://www.renaun.com Renaun Erickson

    The large file issue was fixed since release v2.1.0. Please update and let me know if that worked.

  • Dougp

    I’m trying to install QTIndex swapper on my windows 7 box. I’ve downloaded the original and the 2nd version. Both come back with the installer file is damaged. I even downloaded and installed adobe Air thinking that might help, but no luck. Any ideas what the problem is?

  • http://twitter.com/jkafkaris J.Kafkaris

    Very handy app! Thanks Renaun!

  • Anonymous

    Did you get the .air file from renaun.com or somewhere else?

  • Xt3xm

    Hello, Ranaun.

    Could you tell me how to use this app on/for my site to get MP4 files to play from the beginning?

    For some reason, I cannot open the app (I dl’d from here, your blog) and I’ve no idea what to do with it, as there’s no instructions.

    Thank you.

  • Anonymous

    It requires Adobe AIR, if you do not have it installed it should promote you to download it. Once installed you just open the mp4 files you want to swap the ATOM indexes of.

  • Xt3xm

    It didn’t prompt me to dl AIR, but I can do that.

    Is it difficult to figure out how to swap ATOM indexes? I’ve no idea how to do that.

    Also, does your program just open with AIR or does it actually install anything?

    I just install AIR, open your program, import MP4 and there’s some option to swap indexes than just export?
    I do really appreciate your help.

  • Anonymous

    The app use AIR to run, like Java uses a JVM. With the app you load mp4 that need to have the ATOM index rearranged and it does that part for you (or tells you it is done already).

  • René

    Would be interesting to know what tool to use in a Linux environment.

  • Anonymous

    ffmpeg or the original qtindexswapper.c app (you’ll have to compile it yourself).

  • Catalina

    GRACIAS!!
    I was so sad cause I spent all day fixing my videos to mp4 and when I got to the JW Player they didn’t load even one of only 11MB… but now they do! I’m so so happy.. this app is like a miracle for me today : )
    Tks

  • Szelma

    Hi, I used the app (very user-friendly). It renamed the mp4 file with “qtp” – seemed to work as it should, but still the video won’t run in JW Player. Is there also perhaps a setting that needs attention in the admin of the player? Thanks!

  • Anonymous

    I do not know about the JW Player

  • http://www.facebook.com/shahrukh1514 Sharukh Khan

    Thankx dude… It worked finally….

  • Mark

    Looks as though the app might have problems with large files. Selecting my 4.2GB MP4 file results in a “Loading 0%” progress bar – never changes.

    Pressing Porcess results in an error, which I guess is to be expected, as it hasn’t loaded.

  • Anonymous

    That might be hitting the 32bit limit. But a file that large seems counterproductive to stream as a file anyway.

  • Jared

    I have spent countless hours, days, and even weeks trying to get my MP4′s to play on my computer without a “delay”. Longtail pointed me to this site and your quick fix has saved me from throwing my computer out the window. Thanks for making this available!

  • Simon Donaldson

    Awesome work. Thanks!