What is QuickTime 3 (CD)?

From Wikipedia:

QuickTime 3.0 added support for graphics importer components that could read images from GIF, JPEG, TIFF and other file formats, and video output components which served primarily to export movie data via FireWire. Apple also licensed several third-party technologies for inclusion in QuickTime 3.0, including the Sorenson Video codec for advanced video compression, the QDesign Music codec for substantial audio compression, and the complete Roland Sound Canvas instrument set and GS Format extensions for improved playback of MIDI music files. It also added video effects which programmers could apply in real-time to video tracks. Some of these effects would even respond to mouse clicks by the user, as part of the new movie interaction support (known as wired movies).

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QuickTime 3.0, the latest incarnation of Apple’s industry-standard media software, has major new goodies with its outstanding mix of features. However, Apple has ended the free movie ride we’ve been enjoying since QuickTime arrived in 1991.

There are two flavors of QuickTime 3: a free version you can get from Apple or elsewhere, and a Pro version you can unlock from the standard version with a $30 key, purchased from Apple, that you enter in the QuickTime control panel. Sure, you can coast with the freeware, but you’ll miss most of QuickTime’s new functionality — as well as some features that were in version 2.5 — if you don’t pony up for QuickTime 3 Pro.

Perhaps the most important reason to move to either version of QuickTime 3 is support for additional file formats. You can import Windows AVI movies and MPEG files, among others. We were able to open an AVI file directly in MoviePlayer and use it in another movie without any further alteration.

Any format that QuickTime 3 supports is recognized by QuickTime-aware applications — we successfully imported a JPEG image into Adobe After Effects, which does not come with a JPEG import plug-in. After Effects read the file as a one-frame movie. With QuickTime 3 Pro, you also can export movies in these formats and generate streaming video for fast playback on the Web.

The new Sorenson Video compression, which Apple licensed from Sorenson Vision, is another reason QuickTime 3 is a hit. Meant to replace Cinepak, the dominant codec used on the Web and CD-ROMs, Sorenson claims superior image quality, playback, and file-size compression. You can expect smoother-looking movies that compress in less time.

The big difference between QuickTime 3 Standard and Pro is obvious in MoviePlayer 3.0. Apple has deactivated all the editing and exporting features available in MoviePlayer 2.5.1 with Goodies and Authoring Extras installed, and you can’t get them back or access MoviePlayer 3.0’s cool new features without that $30 key.

What exactly do you get with QuickTime 3 Pro? The new exporting features, for one. MoviePlayer 3 exports to the aforementioned file types, plus a bunch of other Windows formats such as WAV (for sound) and BMP (for images). It also can export a new QuickTime movie with different compression settings and codecs, doing away with the necessity of using another program such as Terran Interactive’s MediaCleaner Pro to recompress a movie.

QuickTime 3 is a worthwhile upgrade for any Mac user. And we definitely recommend the Pro version if only to get that stupid movie off your desktop.

Anzovin, Raf. (July 1998). QuickTime 3.0. MacAddict. (pg. 50).

Download QuickTime 3 (CD) for Mac

Architecture

68K + PPC (FAT)

System Requirements

From Mac OS 7.0 up to Mac OS 9.2

Compatibility notes

Architecture: 68K (68020 or newer) + PPC (FAT)

At least 8MB of RAM

Mac OS 7.x - Mac OS 9.2.2

Note: If you want to emulate QuickTime with SheepShaver, you need QuickTime 4.

Emulating this? It could probably run under: Basilisk II