Invalid public movie atom found in the movie.

A client asked for some updated to an old project. I found the files, Quicktime .mov files but can't open them in FCP 7 or FCP X. When I try and play in QT 7 I get the following message : INVALID PUBLIC MOVIE ATOM FOUND IN THE MOVE. When I try QT v10.1 I get the following message: XXX.MOV COULD NOT BE OPENED. THIS MEDIA MAY BE DAMAGED. None of these files can be opened by any Adobe application (Premier, AE) The only application that can play these files is VLC Player. I checked the Apple support forums, but nobody seems least of all APPLE seem to have any workable solutions. Can anyone help?

.mov doesn't mean much. You need to give some hard information on the file. Maybe from info in the VLC player or even from Get Info in the Finder. I assume it doesn't open in the QT player. The error message might indicate the file is damaged or is missing part of the file. It wasn't stored on a DOS formatted drive, was it?

Hi Tom.
The files were recorded on my Focus DR-HD100 recorder using the Quicktime recording option. These are MPEG-2 files, which I then convert to ProRes 422 using MPEGstream. I've read a lot of mentions that all this is due to a recent security upgrade of iTunes 10 by Apple. I'm on iTunes 10.5.3 and can't open any of these files in iTunes.

No, you can't open MPEG-2 in iTunes. Never could. Nothing to do with updates or iTunes. Can you open the file in MPEG Streamclip? If so, you'll have to convert it.

There's a long thread in the Apple forum about HDV media and the Focus drive.

Hi Tom
I've tried every application I've got and none of them will open these files. No joy with MPEGstream. I've just read a post on another forum and the suggestion is to use VLC, which does play these files, and use it's re-encode option. I had a play using the Advanced Open File and then re-encode it, and I did have some success, but the playback look jerky. I'll experiment a bit more and see what happens. I'll post the results when I have some thing.

Be sure you're transcoding it to ProRes 422, and not another Long-GOP format.

This is a pretty long topic in the google world. I've read through quite a bit in hopes of finding an answer for you but haven't located any forum post that had a definitive answer. Needless to say, there are issues posted with QT HDV files recorded on DR-HD100 and not playing back in QT in both Snow Leopard and Lion OS.
I recently helped a colleague successfully log and capture some Sony HDV footage by using the Apple Intermediate Codec. I realize this is a different flavor of camera (and perhaps HDV) but it might be something to tinker with if you haven't already.

QT Repair may help with this. Definitely worth a try:
www.digitalrebellion.com/promaintenance

(note: I am the developer of this app)

Oh wait, are you talking about the FireStore DR-HD100? I did independent training for Focus Enhancements, and some support. Yes, the FireStore units have a QT issue. I believe there is a firmware update for them. If it's a FireStore unit, FS HDV does in FACT have an issue. Focus didn't update the QT codecs at one point when it was necessary. The "Atom" warning means that an important part of the QT file's wrapper metadata is missing or not coded correctly. Man, it's been so long since I've dealt with FireStore products.

If this is an FS unit, you'll need to get the firmware update from them. They're owned by another company now, but I'll email my contact there and ask him were you can get it from.

I have the firmware update and a Word doc on how to use it. This quote directly from their response.

"Currently, this fix will not work with Final Cut Pro X. This app will only work on Quicktime (.mov) HDV clips that were shot on your recorder and have not been altered at all. Also, converted clips will not play in Quicktime Player version 10.1, otherwise they should work in a Mac with Final Cut Pro installed. If you are running version 10.1 of the Quicktime player, the VLC player ( www.videolan.org/vlc/ ) should play your clips."

The following was sent by a customer who has Final Cut Pro X, it may be a workaround for you for now:

“I should say at the outset that my operating system is Lion (10.7.2). Naturally I have QuickTime 10.1 installed and, as you know, 10.1 will not play the "fixed" .mov file. However, I have also installed QuickTime Player 7.6.6. This installation is possible by placing QuickTime 7.6.6 in the Utilities folder inside the Applications folder. For convenience I then drag QT 7.6.6 to the dock adjacent to QT 10.7.2. Although QT 10.1 will not play the fixed file, QT 7.6.6 will play it without difficulty. Now - the procedure if you wish to import the fixed file, as I wish to do, into FinalCut Pro X: Open the fixed file with QT 7.6.6. Then save the file (you don't have to play it; you don't have to do a "save as," just save. The file can now both be played by QT 10.2 and, more importantly, can be imported into FinalCut Pro X.”

Hi Jon

Thanks for your response. I downloaded a trail copy of QT Repair, but sadly the repaired files failed to open. I tried both the repair and rebuild options, but no luck alas.

Time for Plan B

I want to begin by thanks BenB for his efforts. It is most appreciated as are everyone's replies.
I downloaded and installed QT7.6.6 and tried to open the file, but no luck. I think it's time for Plan C. I'll report back when I come up with something.

Did you ever figure this problem out? I've just run into the same with a 3 1/2hr XDCAM imported via XDCAM Browser project which likewise plays back fine in VLC but nothing else.

I have rendered an effect over the whole thing and does not seemed to have helped only other "fix" i can think of is copying the project to another project file and re rendering everything again...

Will be very welcome for anyones thought's as deadlines are getting pushed big time now.