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Though I work primarily on Windows computers, I also have several Macs. Here are the Mac video Apps I use on them and other Mac tools you should consider.
Contents
Free or Almost Free
MediaInfo ($0.99)
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Description: MediaInfo is an essential tool that displays technical and tag data for video and audio files. Free and cross-platform, this tool helps check file formats, bitrates, and codecs. There is a free version you can download here, though it uses an older-style interface. I recommend the $0.99 version from the App Store. This is the one tool I have on every computer I own.
MP4 Bitrate Viewer ($6.99)
Platform: Mac Only
Description: MP4 Bitrate Viewer for macOS is a specialized tool for analyzing video bitrates in encoded files. Leveraging Apple’s AVFoundation, it generates a bitrate graph within seconds, allowing users to quickly assess bitrate variability without long processing times. In addition to bitrate visualization, the app provides MediaInfo data, including codec, resolution, frame rate, and other technical details of the video. This combination of quick bitrate analysis and detailed media information makes it a convenient tool for macOS users working with modern codecs.
Sounds great, but the fact that it doesn’t support drag and drop makes it a real pain to work with. Still, it’s one of the few inexpensive tools that lets you visually assess bitrate data on the Mac.
FFmpeg (Free)
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Description: FFmpeg is a cross-platform tool essential for video transcoding, format conversion, and file editing. I use it for everything from testing encodes to container conversion and basic video manipulation.
Link: FFmpeg
HandBrake (Free)
Platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux
Description: HandBrake is a powerful, open-source video transcoder that allows users to convert videos to a wide variety of formats. Known for its flexibility and ease of use, HandBrake supports numerous input sources, including DVDs and nearly any type of video file, enabling users to customize output parameters such as codec, resolution, bitrate, and frame rate.
HandBrake also offers presets for various devices, making it easy to optimize videos for playback on smartphones, tablets, and more. Additionally, it supports advanced features like batch processing, subtitle integration, and chapter markers, making it ideal for both beginners and experienced users looking for detailed control over video encoding.
If you’re not adept with FFmpeg and just need some quick encodes, HandBrake is a great tool for this.
Link: HandBrake
Compressor ($49.99)
Platforms: macOS
Description: Compressor is Apple’s encoding tool for professional workflows, designed to integrate seamlessly with Final Cut Pro and support HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) outputs, making it useful for adaptive bitrate streaming. Users can customize codec settings, bitrate, resolution, and frame rate, allowing for high-quality exports tailored to specific needs. Perfect for Final Cut Pro users requiring precise control over ABR streaming and optimized outputs, Compressor is a versatile solution for advanced video encoding tasks.
Link: Compressor
Paid Tools for Deeper Analysis
Telestream Switch Pro ($1059)
Platform: Mac, Windows
Description: Switch Pro is a professional-grade, cross-platform media player and inspection tool designed for macOS and Windows. It supports a wide array of web and professional media formats, enabling users to play, inspect, and adjust file properties with precision. Key features include frame-accurate playback, detailed metadata inspection, and support for embedded captions and subtitles. Switch Pro also offers advanced functionalities such as loudness monitoring, timeline viewing of GOP structures, and the ability to compare multiple media files side by side.
You can also transcode files into various formats, including Apple ProRes and iTunes Store packages. This makes Switch Pro an essential tool for media professionals seeking comprehensive quality control and file management solutions. Note that you’ll need the Pro version to get the feature shown below. It’s a hefty price tag, particularly if you don’t need the core feature set, which revolves more around production than streaming analysis.
Link: Telestream Switch Pro
Moscow State University Video Quality Measurement Tool (MSU VQMT, $999)
Platform: Windows GUI, Linux/Mac Command Line
Description: While the full GUI version is Windows-only, MSU VQMT offers command-line support on Mac and Linux. This tool is popular for calculating VMAF, PSNR, and SSIM for objective video quality assessments.
Sure, you can do all this in FFmpeg, but you don’t get all the details that you see in Figure 3. In particular, the minimum value is a great predictor of transient quality issues, and the standard deviation a convenient way to gauge file variability, which can degrade QoE as much as overall quality.
Note that the free version of this tool on Windows delivers a ton of value; you get the GUI, which is fabulous, but you don’t get the command-line capabilities.
Link: MSU VQMT
Zond 265 ($1,390)
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Description: Zond 265 is a professional video analyzer developed by Solveig Multimedia, available for macOS, Windows, and Linux platforms. It offers in-depth analysis of various video codecs, including HEVC/H.265, AVC/H.264, AV1, EVC, and MPEG-2. The macOS version provides features such as frame-by-frame navigation, visualization of coding units, and detailed bitstream analysis. It supports multiple file formats, including elementary streams, MPEG transport streams, MP4, and fragmented MP4 files. Additionally, the macOS version includes support for AV1 codec analysis, enhancing its versatility for video professionals
Link: Zond 265
Elecard StreamEye (Contact for Pricing)
Platform: Mac, Windows, Linux
Description: Elecard StreamEye is a comprehensive video analysis tool available for macOS, Windows, and Linux platforms. It enables in-depth examination of encoded video sequences, supporting a wide range of formats including AV1, VVC/H.266, AVS3, and UHD content. Key features include detailed analysis from stream structure down to macroblock levels, calculation of video quality metrics such as PSNR and SSIM, and standard compliance verification. The software also offers a command-line interface for automation and batch processing, making it suitable for both professionals and novices in video compression and analysis.
Link: Elecard StreamEye
Figure 7. Elecard StreamEye is another excellent video analysis tool available on the Mac.
That’s all I have. Let me know what I missed (and why) at [email protected].
