Dec 16

Here is a neat trick that I am sure could be expanded to include even more file types, as submitted by reader Frantz. Thanks, Frantz!

I’ve found a trick allowing me to display Matroska video files in Quicklook without the need of a plugin :

1 / First you need Perian for mkv support in Quicktime : http://perian.org/

2 / Then you need to add a Uniform Type Identifier in Quicktime Player :
– Edit QuickTime Player.app’s /Contents/info.plist
– Add the following code just before the last 2 tags </dict></plist> :
<key>UTExportedTypeDeclarations</key>
<array>
<dict>
<key>UTTypeConformsTo</key>
<array>
<string>public.movie</string>
</array>
<key>UTTypeDescription</key>
<string>Matroska Video File</string>
<key>UTTypeIconName</key>
<string>generic</string>
<key>UTTypeIdentifier</key>
<string>com.apple.quicktime.mkv</string>
<key>UTTypeReferenceURL</key>
<string>http://www.matroska.org/</string>
<key>UTTypeTagSpecification</key>
<dict>
<key>public.filename-extension</key>
<array>
<string>mkv</string>
</array>
</dict>
</dict>
</array>

3 / In Terminal.app
touch /Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app

Et voila that’s all:

image5qe2.png

40 Responses to “mkv: Matroska video files”

  1. Quick Look Plugin sites | Techitorial Gadget Reviews and Tech Updates Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  2. BlogTrage » Quick Look Plugin sites Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  3. intodimensions.com » Quick Look Plugin sites Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  4. sushiboy Says:

    this is pretty cool… does anyone know how to display thumbnails for mkv files? is there a tutorial anywhere that shows this?

  5. feed me apple snacks » Quick Look Plugin sites Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  6. Naf Says:

    I don’t get step 3? Could you explain it for a newbie?

  7. MrPants Says:

    In order for the OS to update Quicktime based off of the changes you made, “touching” the file will force it to update to the latest changes you made to it.

  8. Quick Look Plugin sites teasered @ Feed UP !! Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  9. iPhone Updates - Apple iPhone Software, iPhone Hardware, iPhone cables, iPhone cases, iPhone News Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  10. iPhone Software » Blog Archive » Quick Look Plugin sites Says:

    […] some good stuff not on the other so it’s worth keeping an eye on both. Highlights include a neat trick for expanding video format support to mkv (Matroska video) files (and in principle others) and a […]

  11. MarkOh Says:

    Hi, nice workaround, but i dont get any sound and there is no thumbnail in finder. Any idea?

    Thanks

  12. Tarik Says:

    I did exactly what the tip said and the video works but the sound is deafening screech. How can I fix this please?

  13. Orri Says:

    Minor tweaks result in this working for wmv files, too (assuming you have Flip4Mac installed to allow playing them in the first place):

    UTTypeConformsTo

    public.movie

    UTTypeDescription
    Windows Media Player File
    UTTypeIconName
    generic
    UTTypeIdentifier
    com.apple.quicktime.wmv
    UTTypeReferenceURL
    http://www.flip4mac.com/wmv.htm
    UTTypeTagSpecification

    public.filename-extension

    wmv

  14. Orri Says:

    Oops, didn’t escape any of the characters. Let’s try again:

    <array>
    <dict>
    <key>UTTypeConformsTo</key>
    <array>
    <string>public.movie</string>
    </array>
    <key>UTTypeDescription</key>
    <string>Windows Media Player File</string>
    <key>UTTypeIconName</key>
    <string>generic</string>
    <key>UTTypeIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.quicktime.wmv</string>
    <key>UTTypeReferenceURL</key>
    <string>http://www.google.com</string&gt;
    <key>UTTypeTagSpecification</key>
    <dict>
    <key>public.filename-extension</key>
    <array>
    <string>wmv</string>
    </array>
    </dict>
    </dict>
    </array>

  15. Joseph Says:

    This seems to work for ogg vorbis files.

    <key>UTExportedTypeDeclarations</key>
    <array>
    <dict>
    <key>UTTypeConformsTo</key>
    <array>
    <string>public.audio</string>
    </array>
    <key>UTTypeDescription</key>
    <string>Ogg Vorbis Audio File</string>
    <key>UTTypeIconName</key>
    <string>generic</string>
    <key>UTTypeIdentifier</key>
    <string>com.apple.quicktime.ogg</string>
    <key>UTTypeReferenceURL</key>
    <string>http://www.vorbis.org/</string&gt;
    <key>UTTypeTagSpecification</key>
    <dict>
    <key>public.filename-extension</key>
    <array>
    <string>ogg</string>
    </array>
    </dict>
    </dict>
    </array>

  16. ???? Says:

    Hi All,

    Orri I thought you missed the first line too.

    The correct lines are:

    UTExportedTypeDeclarations

    UTTypeConformsTo

    public.movie

    UTTypeDescription
    Windows Media Player File
    UTTypeIconName
    generic
    UTTypeIdentifier
    com.apple.quicktime.wmv
    UTTypeReferenceURL
    http://www.google.com
    UTTypeTagSpecification

    public.filename-extension

    wmv

    Regards,

    Steaf

  17. Keith Says:

    Hmm. Is there another way to add a UTI entry _without_ modifying the original Quicktime Player app’s contents? Where are entries of this kinds usually stored in the system? I’m completely up-to-date with the latest rev of the QT app, so I can’t (or too lazy to) check if this info.plist mod will survive a QT rev update.

    As for the sound troubles, it’s likely that the Perian sound prefs are not being honored into the Quicklook Quicktime daemon. The screeching is likely an AC3 soundtrack not being passed through or something like that. That’s my best guess, in any event.

    It’d be nice to build a Quicklook module which uses the mplayer module to preview more esoteric movie (container) formats. I’ll take up programming now, and get back to it in a year.

  18. ankit Says:

    hey.. it has stopped working in 10.5.2 and QT 7.4.5.
    i realized it just a few days back. any chance we can see a separate plug-in like for the other files??
    i think this work around would break every time there is an update. or atleast is likely to.

  19. ankit Says:

    edit : it still works. my plist editor was acting up.
    it still works.
    yay!

  20. Philip Says:

    I’m new to Macs and I’m having a little trouble with this. I think I found the info.plist but I’m not sure. Is it in systems/library/quicktime/quicktimecomponents.component/contents/info.plist ? That’s where I added the identifier. Also, I typed in Terminal, “touch /Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app” (without quotes) and it told me no such file or directory. What is this newbie doing wrong?

  21. luke Says:

    I tried to get ogm files working with this: (sadly only audio plays back, video is white, does anyone know why?)

    UTExportedTypeDeclarations

    UTTypeConformsTo

    public.movie

    UTTypeDescription
    Ogg Vorbis Movie File
    UTTypeIconName
    generic
    UTTypeIdentifier
    com.apple.quicktime.ogm
    UTTypeReferenceURL
    http://www.vorbis.org/
    UTTypeTagSpecification

    public.filename-extension

    ogm

  22. LEo Says:

    Thanks ALLOT – been looking for something like this for AGES! Can confirm that it works for MKV and WMA and OOG (audio) …

    PS: Also lack thumbs but its no biggie.

  23. The Boar’s Head Tavern » OS X Video Says:

    […] QuickLook is actually very cool, and can be made better with QuickLook plugins. I even found a tweak online to make QuickLook handle .MKV files. […]

  24. chris Says:

    QT 7.5.5 — video=theora, audio=vorbs — .ogv file extension: fully working:
    [code]
    UTExportedTypeDeclarations

    UTTypeConformsTo

    public.movie

    UTTypeDescription
    Theora Video File
    UTTypeIconName
    generic
    UTTypeIdentifier
    com.apple.quicktime.ogv
    UTTypeReferenceURL
    http://www.theora.org/
    UTTypeTagSpecification

    public.filename-extension

    ogv

    [/code]

  25. Manual de Autoayuda » Previsualizar archivos Matroska (mkv) con Quicklook Says:

    […] | QuicklookPlugins Comentarios: […]

  26. silverfx Says:

    Ahhh thanks so much! Worked like a charm!

    … now if only I could get the thumbnail to display

  27. julian Says:

    Almost all DVB applications and sat-receivers save video in TS format. Is there a workaround to display TS files in QuickLook?
    Thanks.

  28. Fr33dan Says:

    Thanks this guide worked great. Also, awesome use of Dexter in a tutorial.

  29. amigO Says:

    can someone please upload the tinkered / modified info.plist or at least upload a screenshot where to put the code. (it might be my system setup or whatever, but i can´t get it to work)

    thanks in advance

  30. Matroska mkv video file Quicklook’s preview « willygroup's blog Says:

    […] mkv video file Quicklook’s preview mkv: Matroska video files Blogged with the Flock Browser settembre 30th, 2009 | Tag: mkv, osx, quicklook | Categoria: […]

  31. QuickLook에서 한글 자막 ‘잘’ 보이게 하기 (mkv 포맷 등 포함) | A Non-Standard Deviation Says:

    […] QuickLook에서 mkv 미리 보기 팁 […]

  32. Psycho Says:

    How I disable this mkv quicklook?
    After I try it, I look at CPU usage @_@. Also it is not really fast just like .mov or avi. I know perian is still got some difficulty for handling mkv.
    FYI, I already replace modified Quicktime 7 with original one, killall Finder and qlmanage -r. But it still load mkv for quicklook.

    Any solution?

  33. Nopstnz8 Says:

    Thanks! Been looking for something like this for a while.

  34. MrEmperor Says:

    This still works in Lion. You just need to go to terminal and type:

    sudo nano /Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app/Contents/Info.plist
    Authorize it and then find the UTExportedTypeDeclarations
    After the first then paste in the code from the advice starting after it’s first tag and skipping the last tag.

    Then sudo touch /Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app to get it to work again.

  35. Supercharge Quick Look on Your Mac with These Plugins, Terminal Commands, and Shortcuts | Got2.Me Says:

    […] If you have Perian installed to add .mkv support to Quicktime, you can leverage Perian in Quick Look with this quick hack. […]

  36. Supercharge Quick Look on Your Mac with These Plugins, Terminal Commands, and Shortcuts | New Geek Media - Media Design, Web Design, Identity Design, Social Media design, Media Management, Chester. Says:

    […] If you have Perian installed to add .mkv support to Quicktime, you can leverage Perian in Quick Look with this quick hack. […]

  37. CharlesPC Says:

    Hi, thank you for the last comment, but could you please be more precise ?

    What i’m supposed to paste and where exactly ?
    Thanks in advance !

  38. jokons Says:

    first of all when I try to edit info.plist it says it needs duplication because it cannot edit the original file.and then in Terminal it returns the message
    touch: /Applications/QuickTime Player.app: Permission denied
    do I do anything wrong?

  39. Theo Says:

    Jokons,
    Just type sudo touch /Applications/QuickTime\ Player.app to get it to work again.

  40. 3371-Alpha Says:

    Here’s the version for mka:

    UTExportedTypeDeclarations

    UTTypeConformsTo

    public.audio

    UTTypeDescription
    Matroska Audio File
    UTTypeIconName
    generic
    UTTypeIdentifier
    com.apple.quicktime.mka
    UTTypeReferenceURL
    http://www.matroska.org/
    UTTypeTagSpecification

    public.filename-extension

    mka

    Also consider installing xiph as well: https://xiph.org/quicktime/
    it has some codecs Perian lacks.