Perian - v1.1 is out now!
Perian is one of those projects that just should always have been. For those who don't know its an open source QuickTime Component that provides extensive video format support. If you don't have it you should, if you do have it you should check that your auto update is checked or if you're the cautious type click that "Update Perian" button now because there's some sweet update goodness in store for you...
[From Perian - The swiss-army knife of QuickTime® components ]
To quote the website Perian aims to provide a single package for all your playback needs. It is a large collection of QuickTime components incorporating several libraries and therefore lots of video file formats. So all you movie buffs out there that like to rip your DVDs to your hard disk in obscure file formats this is the stuff your looking for.
Version 1.1 brings some very nice and heft features for something tagged as a .1 upgrade. The skinny according to the update notice is:
- Major performance improvements
- TrueAudio, MP1, and DTS audio support
- Slice-based multithreaded decoding for MPEG-1/2/H.264
- Apple H.264 now handles AVCHD/interlaced video
- Compatibility fixes for QuickTime 7.4 and Leopard
- Objective-C GC compatibility
- Fixed a crash in Toast
- Better subtitle rendering
- Subtitles play during MKV loading
- Snow support
- Miscellaneous bug fixes
For me personally the best thing about Perian (apart from the huge range of video formats) is the simple implementation for users. You download Perian, open the DMG and then double click on the Perian preference pane. This causes your Mac to open your System Preferences window and ask you if you want to install the Perian software - click yes and you're done.
Un-install you say? What about Un-installing? To which "Why?" would be my answer!
However, nothing simpler, no digging through obscure Library Folders in strange parts of the Mac that you'll never get dear old Gran to look at. Just open your System Preferences window, click on the Perian icon and click the "Remove Perian" button under the General tab.
Oh and if you find it to be as good as it is, how about giving the folks at perian.org a hand.
