Another Luddite Inquiry

ProfMagoo(ret)

ProfMagoo(ret)

Homburg, Belicoso and Cane
Benefactor
Life Member
Multi-Factor Enabled
Joined
Dec 23, 2016
Messages
8,216
Location
Vance County NC
Rating - 100%
4   0   0
I've started to receive image files with an .HEIC extension. When I attempt to open these, I get a "the HEVC Video Extension is required to display this file" message.

So for those of us still using a stylus and wax tablets (stone knives and bearskins), is this a legit download? Will this download the Covid vaccine into my keyboard like a contact poison?

Ok, maybe I'm being overly dramatic, but I did want to ask before I clicked that "download and install" link.
 
you can always call the person who sent it and ask if they meant to send it
otherwise it's a codec issue. Are you computaring from a phone? real computar? what? might be as easy as installing a legit program that recognizes the format and takes over.
 
DrScaryGuy said:
you can always call the person who sent it and ask if they meant to send it
otherwise it's a codec issue. Are you computaring from a phone? real computar? what? might be as easy as installing a legit program that recognizes the format and takes over.
Click to expand...

The senders are legit, I guess. Students and my mom. I get the message quoted in the OP when I try to open (or download and open) the image file (via my PC).

I suppose I was merely asking whether that download link - presumably prompted by the OS - was going to, I don't know, turn over my 401(A) to Bill Gates or such.
 
Last edited:
GreatGazoo said:
The senders are legit, I guess. Students and my mom. I get the message quoted in the OP when I try to open (or download and open) the image file (via my PC).

I suppose I was merely asking whether that download link - presumably prompted by the OS - was going to, I don't know, turn over my 401(A) to Bill Gates or such.
Click to expand...
Just because you recognize the person in the "from" field doesn't make it legit. If the email doesn't look like something they would send judging by the text or lack of text, treat it as very suspect. As suggested, a quick call/text/note to the person asking if they sent an attachment is probably in order.
 
Pack72 had an answer in that link.
Try this link too
www.howtogeek.com

How to Open HEIC Files on Windows (or Convert Them to JPEG)

Apple’s iPhone and iPad take photos in the HEIF image format by default. These photos have the HEIC file extension. Windows 10 or Windows 11 can view HEIC files in just a few clicks—or you can convert them to standard JPEGs and view them anywhere.
www.howtogeek.com www.howtogeek.com

Also, check out VLC (VideoLan)

VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS! - VideoLAN

www.videolan.org www.videolan.org
It's a good simple video player that doesn't require phoning home to the MS mothership
 
I run apple phones and desktop, and sometimes my images are in that format. Who knows why.
 
DrScaryGuy said:
Try this link too
www.howtogeek.com

How to Open HEIC Files on Windows (or Convert Them to JPEG)

Apple’s iPhone and iPad take photos in the HEIF image format by default. These photos have the HEIC file extension. Windows 10 or Windows 11 can view HEIC files in just a few clicks—or you can convert them to standard JPEGs and view them anywhere.
www.howtogeek.com www.howtogeek.com
Click to expand...

Ok, that seems to suggest that the download link is legit ... well, assuming one can trust the source (like the DOJ trying to reassure me about anything).
 
Is this just video files or still image files as well? Had my wife take a picture using her iPhone and send it to my gmail and it comes in as img.jpg.
 
jimmyjames8 said:
Is this just video files or still image files as well? Had my wife take a picture using her iPhone and send it to my gmail and it comes in as img.jpg.
Click to expand...
It's tied to the settings of the iPhone. On the phone if you go to Settings > Camera > Formats, if the user has High Efficiency selected the phone stores the photos as .HEIC, if they pick Most Compatible it stores as JPEG.
HEIC supposedly takes less space, but I don't want to convert my photos so I switch to most compatible.
I think Apple sets the default to High Efficiency.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom