ok thanks. So the files I’m trying to look at are all recorded on my iPhone. I’ll see if I can convert one to MP4 and see if that loads
If you have iOS 11 or higher, then the videos that your iPhone records are most likely in HEVC codec (aka H265), which is NOT supported by the Steinberg video engine. It’s another “gift” that Apple has quickly forced on users, once again throwing a wrench into the workflow of many people with little notice. HEVC has not been natively supported by many third-party tools until more recently… and Steinberg will NOT likely support it for a while IMO. iPhones used to record natively in H264, which WAS supported. So unless the files have already been transcoded (re-encoded) into H264, depending on how you have exported them, then you will have to manually re-encode them into H264, either as an H264 MOV file or a H264 MP4 file. Hope that helps!
Once you wrap your mind around the various issues of codecs, which can be a big pain in the neck, you’ll get the hang of this, and you’ll know when you need to re-encode something. Bottom line is that for the Steinberg video engine you need to confirm that the file you are using has been encoded in a codec that is supported.
Again, for easy reference for those just reading:
Exactly. MOV is just a container. The codec inside the MOV file could be one of many. Steinberg will only play back MOV files that contain a codec it recognizes, which is a small subset of all the available codecs.
Like I mentioned to mkok, if your MOV file came from a recent iPhone, then it most likely is encoded in HEVC/H265, which is NOT currently supported by Steinberg. So then you would indeed have to re-encode it into something else, such as MP4/H264 or MOV/H264 in order for it to work in Cubase.
Thanks guys. It really is pain. I did a conversion to what I thought was H264 but it still wouldn’t load. Will try something different in VLC. It was the top option of MP3 inside MP4 H264. Will have to try until I find one that works. Very poor implementation to the point it’s almost useless.
Out of curiosity (and this is not about Cubase), if I get rid of QuickTime on my computer, what happens when I want to play the video types that QT used to run for me? Windows Media Player (I’m on Windows 7) has a limited vocabulary.
Has anyone used vlc to convert video and if so what settings did you use so cubase recognises the format? I’m going by the help table but still seem to be struggling to get in a format from my iPhone to one cubase will open. Cheers
Right… unless there is some really compelling reason for you to keep QuickTime on your Windows machine, and you are willing to accept the risk factors (which are actually more serious than some people want to admit to themselves!), then I’d suggest you seriously consider removing QT from your Windows machine. There are several options for other media players out there for general playback, etc. Personally, I use VLC media player 3 – http://www.videolan.org/ – it supports an excellent number of codecs and doesn’t mess around with your computer in my experience. It can also be used by Reaper, BTW, in case you ever try that DAW out. (Not that I’m suggesting you try Reaper at all… I’m personally not a fan, but I’m just mentioning it as a point of reference that VLC is solid enough to be used as the actual video engine for another DAW.)
I don’t use VLC for video conversion – wish I could help you with personal experience on that issue. I use Adobe Premiere Pro CC or Adobe Media Encoder CC for conversions. I used to use Vegas Pro for conversions. And for someone who might be willing to experiment, DaVinci Resolve 15 has a free version that might help you out, but that’s probably also overkill for this task. I know there are numerous smaller utilities out there that will do something similar for conversion purposes. I just can’t personally vouch for them so I’ll defer to other folks’ experience on good third-party conversion tools besides Adobe or full-featured video editing programs.
Thanks. So vlc looks to be out. Anyone know of a simple feee converter for video files so I can get my iPhone videos into Cubase?
Come to think of it, I remember seeing something mentioned over in the Nuendo forum:
Here’s the link:
I’ve never used it, but some Nuendo users seem to like it.
Thanks I’ll take a look
Well that worked 
must look at throttling back the cpu useage though as it runs all my cores at full 100% and gets very warm. I’m happy for it to take longer and run a bit cooler.
So now I can get the videos into cubase and process the audio. I take it since a Cubase strips the audio from the video I can’t save it back into the video and will have to use another program to re-combine them? Think it’s time to read the manual again now I can get the videos working in cubase.
Cheers for the link. Nice and simple just as I asked 
Glad to hear that worked! Haven’t had a chance to check it out myself, but seems like a great utility. Cheers!
No. That same program will do the audio/video merge for you, as well.! Scroll down the page at that link, and watch the ‘Show and Tell’ video demo to see it in action. It is quick and easy. 
Cheers.
Also let’s you throttle back cpu useage which is good
So basically Cubase can extract the audio so I can process it and that is all? It can’t even save it to the video I just stripped it from? I read the few pages in the manual and they are inadequate to say the least.
Correct. At least as of now, with the new video engine as of Cubase 9.0.30. Steinberg has promised that kind of functionality will return with a future update, but has not given any idea when that might happen. Hopefully within the Cubase 10 lifespan, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it takes them another year or more.
So you have to use some other tool to merge/encode/replace/render your new audio with the video file.
My workflow uses Premiere Pro CC, but some utility like the one listed above seems to be able to do the job too.
Thanks uarte
And thanks to all who contributed. I’m up and running now converting my old iOS videos I captured with an iPhone 4 and 4s using a foastex adapter that allowed line in and microphones.
So I’m converting in audiospot, stripping audio in cubase and mastering it. I then combine audio and video with audiospot. Next step is learning how to use video editing software. All good fun 
Terrific; great to read this - progress is being made…!!! 
Struggled with this issue also (nothing happening when adding or importing video), turns out that the Video track was hidden in the Visibility pane in the project file I was using. Didn’t realize it and also assumed that it would un-hide it upon video being added or imported. Also didn’t realize that with the track hidden the video won’t display in the Video Player either apparently. (Cubase Pro 10.5)