mplayer demuxer does not recognize the file likewise with -demuxer lavf requires -demuxer lavf -lavfdopts format=mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 ffmpeg also requires demuxer to be specified. [cami:~/desktop/nzb] compn% ffmpeg -f mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2 -i /Volumes/E\$/1burned/1clips/square_pegs.mov FFmpeg version SVN-r12620, Copyright (c) 2000-2008 Fabrice Bellard, et al. configuration: --extra-cflags=-I/usr/local/include/SDL --extra-ldflags=-L/usr/local/lib libavutil version: 49.6.0 libavcodec version: 51.53.0 libavformat version: 52.12.0 libavdevice version: 52.0.0 built on Mar 28 2008 09:41:33, gcc: 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1809) Input #0, mov,mp4,m4a,3gp,3g2,mj2, from '/Volumes/E$/1burned/1clips/square_pegs.mov': Duration: 00:02:40.2, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 321 kb/s Stream #0.0(eng): Video: mjpeg, yuvj420p, 160x120, 30.00 tb(r) Stream #0.1(eng): Audio: pcm_u8, 11127 Hz, mono, 89 kb/s Must supply at least one output file [cami:~/desktop/nzb] compn% ffmpeg -i /Volumes/E\$/1burned/1clips/square_pegs.mov FFmpeg version SVN-r12620, Copyright (c) 2000-2008 Fabrice Bellard, et al. configuration: --extra-cflags=-I/usr/local/include/SDL --extra-ldflags=-L/usr/local/lib libavutil version: 49.6.0 libavcodec version: 51.53.0 libavformat version: 52.12.0 libavdevice version: 52.0.0 built on Mar 28 2008 09:41:33, gcc: 3.3 20030304 (Apple Computer, Inc. build 1809) Input #0, ac3, from '/Volumes/E$/1burned/1clips/square_pegs.mov': Duration: 00:42:52.3, bitrate: 20 kb/s Stream #0.0: Audio: 0x0000, 12000 Hz, stereo, 20 kb/s Must supply at least one output file