Converting unprotected DVDs
Q : Over the past 18 month , I ’ve taken about 15 hours of video of my child . I loaded the videos into Apple ’s iMovie and then burned DVDs in iDVD . ( I did n’t have the arduous - drive outer space to keep the videos on my Mac . ) Now I want to make a highlights video — but when I load the DVD , I ca n’t find the original Indian file . What do you suggest?—Carrie Roberts
A : The data you demand is hold in each DVD ’s Video_TS folder . However , iMovie ca n’t read or redact the VOB ( video object ) file within , which hold your precious picture . You need a unlike lotion to turn those files into something editable .
For this line of work , strain Squared 5 ’s ready to hand and always gratis MPEG Streamclip 1.8 . With the help of Apple ’s $ 20 QuickTimeMPEG-2 Playback Component , it can convince those VOB files into something you could edit in iMovie ( see “ Extract Unprotected Video ” ) . I advocate opening MPEG Streamclip , choose File : exportation To DV , and then selecting NTSC , 720 x 480 , 29.97fps from the Standard pop - up menu . The resulting filing cabinet is huge , but it maintains the quality of the original footage .
If you ’re willing to drop some money for greater ease of use , you ’ll want to ascertain out two programme . The first is DVDxDV ’s $ 25 DVDxDV 1 ( ) . With it , you’re able to extract movies from a Video_TS folder or individual VOB files and save them in any QuickTime - support formatting .
too , Miraizon ’s $ 60 Cinematize 2 ( ) allow you export data file in a variety of data format from a Video_TS folder , though it ca n’t extract information from individual VOB files . In addition , it breaks motion picture files into “ tantrum , ” defined by areas of total darkness in your movies . Neither utility requires that you have the MPEG-2 Playback Component set up .
Diagnosing the Apple TV
Q : I’m not sure my Apple TV is working properly . It ’s slow to answer to bid , and sometimes it ca n’t “ see ” the Mac from which I need to pelt movies . Is there some way to check whether it ’s working properly?—Matt Graham
A : check down the card and minus ( - ) buttons on the Apple Remote until the Apple television flashes a lily-livered light . It will eventually resume and exhibit a Language screen . take the terminology you wish to use , and fight the play / pause clitoris .
You ’ll see an Apple TV Recover screen , which heel three options : Restart , Run Diagnostics , and Factory Restore . Select Run Diagnostics and press play / pause . You ’ll see the familiar spinning - gear ikon along with a message that register “ Running nosology ” until the test is complete . At that point , youhopeto see the mes - salvia “ Your Apple goggle box is work correctly . ” If so , snap on Done to return to the Apple TV Recover screen , select Restart , and press the fun / pause button to restart the Apple telecasting . If you see an error substance instead , it ’s time to return the Apple television to Apple for servicing .
If the Run Diagnostics test is successful but you still have problems , ensure that your Mac is alive and that iTunes is n’t locked up or unresponsive . Also check to see that you ’ve got a enough internet signal in the Apple TV ’s options screen — two bars or more . you’re able to influence this signaling ’s strength by look at the options : web menu on your Apple television . ( If the signal is too feeble — and you ca n’t limit it by , say , move your Apple telecasting or wireless router to a better positioning — try using a unlike internet association such as wired Ethernet . )
If you ’ve get a strong signal but the Apple telly remains hesitant to spiel music and videos , you could try restoring it to the original manufactory preferences . Choose Factory Restore from the Apple TV Recover projection screen . Doing so wipes out your connection scene and removes any media you ’ve synced to the Apple TV .
AirDisk and Apple’s Backup
Q : Can I expend Apple ’s Backup in conjunction with a USB drive attached to a young AirPort Extreme Base Station?—Calvin Johnson
A : you could . And there ’s a good reason to do so if you have a bunch of Macs : using this scheme , you may back them all up to a exclusive drive , because it will be uncommitted to any Macs you have on your net .
To start , hook up the external USB drive to the AirPort Extreme Base Station ’s USB port . Then verify that the Base Station recognizes it by launching AirPort Utility ( in /Applications / Utilities ) , opening the conformation visibility for the Base Station , and clicking on the Disks check . You should see your drive name there ( see “ Wireless Backups ” ) .
Although this method is generally convenient , it does have a important drawback . It ’s dumb — reallyslow . I found that plunk for up 50 GB of information from my MacBook Pro took most of the day over a wireless 802.11n connection . If you ’re backing up just one computing machine , it makes a bunch more sensation to connect the backup parkway straight to that computer .
Also , be cognizant that Backup ca n’t mount a parkway attached to an AirPort Extreme Base Station . You need to make trusted the drive is mountedbeforeyou start the substitute .
iSight alternatives
Q : Now that all new Macs total with a Web cam built in , Apple has discontinued the iSight . But that ’s a problem for me and my older Mac . There do n’t seem to be any Mac - friendly World Wide Web cam out there — in other quarrel , ones that “ just go ” without additional software . Any suggestions?—via the Internet
A : The simplest solvent is to find an old iSight camera . Some non - Apple retail stores have a few in stock . you may also find iSights on eBay ( but be prepared to pay a premium ) .
If that does n’t pan out , you ’ll find that go after down a Web cam that work with the Mac is easier now , thanks to the UVC ( USB Video Class ) standard — an capable standard for video equipment . Apple contribute accompaniment for UVC Web Cam with Mac OS X 10.4.9 .
Just punch a UVC - compliant camera into a Mac running this operating system ( or a recent one ) , and it should work . ( See a list of compatible connection Cam . )
If you ’re running an early version of Mac OS and therefore ca n’t take vantage of a UVC Web River Cam , try Ecamm web ’s $ 10 miChatUSBCam 2.2.1 . This software allows Macs to use an even wider variety of third - party Web cams . It call for OS X 10.3 or afterwards and is Universal ( in other word , you’re able to utilize it on either an Intel Mac or a PowerPC Mac ) .
But you might not require to buy anything at all . If you have an old FireWire camcorder with a progress - in mike , you’re able to use it as a entanglement River Cam . Just attach it to a free FireWire port and trade it into photographic camera mode . iChat AV should recognize it as a practicable source . Read the television camera ’s manual to learn how to keep it switched on — most tv camera will turn off after a period of fourth dimension by nonremittal . For example , you may need to turn off an energy - saving context , remove the tape from the camera , or flip-flop the camera into its single - image capture fashion .
Bug: Zinio Reader rejection
Bug: HelpMate won’t help
MacHelpMate 2.0(free ) , from Most Training & Consulting , is a top - mountain pass utility offer dozens of performance - enhancing and troubleshooting features . But the program ca n’t help much if it refuses to open — which can happen after you update to a new version . Upon launching , the programme may exhibit a “ druthers battle detected ” error content that asks whether you need to readjust the preferences , but penetrate on Yes here does n’t seem to solve the problem . Instead , go toyour user folder/ Library / Preferences and absent the com.most.mhm.plist data file yourself . The program should now launch successfully .
Bug: Google Desktop slowdown
When it comes to helping you search your reckoner for just the right-hand file , the free Google Desktop ( ) is a worthy competition to Mac OS X ’s Spotlight . But in some cases , its undue processor usage can slow a Mac ’s execution to a crawl . If you ’re having that problem , use the Google Updater diligence ( in /Applications ) to uninstall the software . You ’ll have to wait for Google to release a repair before you reinstall it .
Fix: QuickTime 7.1.6 hassles
Updating to QuickTime 7.1.6 may break out the ability of the free Microsoft Windows Media Components for QuickTime ( also known as the Flip4Mac WMV Player ) to diddle motion picture in a vane web web browser . update to the most recent version ( 2.1.1 or by and by ) should fix this ) . Even after updating , you may need to bring up your Mac before movies will play .
The same QuickTime update can also break Safari ’s ability to play Flash content . If you run into that trouble , the workaround is to open up the QuickTime predilection battery-acid , go to the Advanced tablet , and chatter on MIME configurations . witness Miscellaneous in the list , and penetrate on the disclosure triangle next to it to reveal the Flash Media subitem . If it ’s enabled , sink in on the check boxwood to deselect it.—Ted Landau
