[PD] GEM OSX video codec ?

[tim]

I have to make a patch that basically plays back some video with some 
extras.
Fairly simple, were it not that the video has to be in the highest 
possible resolution.
I've been trying out many export settings from iMovie.

At first, some codecs loaded properly but were played back very slowly 
or made pd hang.
One low resolution file played back fine.
Now for some reason, all *.mov files I try to load in pd give the same 
error:
"couldn't open the movie file: 1_lkj.mov (-2020)
GEM: pix_film: Loaded file .... with 0 frames (0x0)"
I tried [pix_movie] as well as [pix_film] (is there a difference?).
they play back fine in QuickTime Player.

It  may have been discussed before, but I couldn't find an answer on the 
list:

-Wich codec do I use for playing back high quality video in OSX / pd / Gem ?
-how come all video files are rejected, even the ones that worked before ?

The platform is OSX (version 10.4.7) on a macbook pro (intel core duo) , 
pd version 0.38.4-extended-RC8.
The patch should also be able to run on a G4 iMac afterwards.

thanks!
Tim