QT YUY2

Action Plan: Quicktime File Format - QT YUY2

Last Updated 12/05/2013

Description:  A multimedia container file which can contain audio, video, effects and subtitles. A propriatary Apple, Inc. format with specifications avalible here, it is made up "atoms," the basic unit of data comprising a quicktime file. QTFF is the basis for the MPEG-4 format.

Codec: The YUY2 (yuv2) Video codec is a popular encoding used often in the editing and post production stages of video production.

Software:  Apple Quicktime Pro is used for saving or converting individual QTFF files. .Mov files can be played with VLC media player , iTunes , Windows Media Player and many others. MediaInfo is useful for identification of codecs and file characteristics.

Long Term Preservation Plan: The Quicktime File File Format is a propratary non-open source format. While widely used, it has since been eclipsed in popularity by file-types such as its direct successor MPEG-4. Apple has been moving away from .mov and its long-term future is uncertain. Yet the format remains popular and every major browser can support it. Migration is not at present recommended, however there have been reports of some .Mov files using the codec failing to play in QuickTime. Some may require older versions of QuickTime to play. Check the mediainfo report to determine what version was used initially to create it as a guide.