QuickTime 5.0.2 and MIDI problems

The problem Several users have reported difficulty playing MIDI files after updating to QuickTime 5.0.2.

MacFixIt staffer Lee Marconi writes: "In my case, I've isolated an extension conflict: the SanDisk USB drivers. Details are in this MacFixIt Forums thread (MacOS 9.1 and QuickTime 5.0.2)." See also this Apple Discussions thread (Midi files sound horrible now!).

Scott Nourse found that MIDI files played garbled and out of sync.

R. Wayne McGee writes: "I just upgraded my PM7600 (Mac OS 9.1 with a PowerForce G3). Everything looked good until I tried a MIDI file from any browser or just the player."

QuickTime Music extension is the culprit? Joseph Kriz adds: "I have been reading about problems some people are having with the new QuickTime 5.0.2, mainly not being able to play midi's on the computer or over the Internet with any browser. I too had this problem (on an iMac but not on my 8600). After checking out to see what files had actually changed from version 5.0.1, I narrowed it down to the 'QuickTime Music' extension. I replaced this extension with version 5.0.1 and I could play Midi files again, even from the Internet. You can download the standalone version of QT 5.0.1 from here, if you don't already have it.

Update: Paul Tetreault did not have any problems playing Midi files via QuickTime 5.0.2 (try this web page as a test). However, he also found that his QuickTime Music file was still at 5.0.1, even after updating to QuickTime 5.0.2. We found the same thing. We are looking into this.

Background info Another reader sent is this background on how the new version handles MIDI files:

"The MIDI playback of QuickTime 5.x has enhancements for specific kinds of MIDI authoring, and these changes cause QT to use a more clock cycles to process a MIDI file. QT 5 definitely places a greater demand on the processor, so much greater that my MP3's don't lag on a Performa 6300, but MIDI files do. Also, QuickTime 5.0 and 5.0.1 could crash with MIDI files because of a memory leak. This leak apparently is fixed by 5.0.2, but there is still a risk of crash when processing MIDI right after processing another media type. (MP3 followed by MIDI without a pause, such as in my case with a SoundApp play list)."