Convert old MOV files to MP4

Question

Convert old MOV files to MP4

I found a couple of MOV files that I created nearly 20 years ago. I've not had any luck trying to convert them to MP4s with VLC (error message: cannot process dvau), iMovie (see image with greyed-out MOV files),

or QuickTime 10 (Catalina). I believe they were originally viewable in QuickTime 7, but that's a thing of the past. BTW, I can still see all of the media clips separately in the MEDIA folder; I need to find a way of integrating them into a viewable video. Any suggestions on how to convert?

[Edited by Moderator]

MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15

Posted on Sep 6, 2025 4:23 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Matti Haveri

Level 6

19,598 points

Sep 6, 2025 10:10 PM in response to Edward Weintraut

VLC error message: cannot process dvau hints that it is an old tiny iMovie v1-6 or iDVD reference movie.

You might try use MPEG Streamclip in Mojave and earlier to export such project to a movie. Or grab the original media files and re-create the movie in some app like Final Cut Pro etc (...and take care to properly deinterlace the clips and scale & crop rectangular pixels to square...).

Playing Quicktime 7 movie in Catalina - Apple Community

Help with old DV MOVs (QT) that need to b… - Apple Community

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Answer 2

Sep 6, 2025 5:10 PM in response to Edward Weintraut

Here's a copy of the GET INFO for the original MOV file:

[Edited by Moderator]

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