woensdag 20 februari 2008

Convert wmv to avi mp4 mov ipod etc for mac

I ve been looking for some freeware or shareware programs for Mac to convert wmv files into something usable on mac without using flip4mac.

I ran into different kinds of software and the following came out ready to be used:

ipod video convertor
it works well and fast, a clkean and fast installating, but the trial version only alows to do 5 minute clips or less, so you will have to register for bigger files. One thing that bothered me: it drops a lot of frames on older videofiles. the video went almost double as fast as the audio, and i couldnt get it fixed in the settings.
http://www.dvd-to-ipod-video-converter-for-mac.com-http.com/how-to-convert-wmv-to-ipod-for-mac.html

i stopped looking for another program, soon more info..
let me know if you find any good ones!

or you can always use a hammer...
Please leave your comments.

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zondag 17 februari 2008

Show Full headers in Mac Mail

In Mac Mail, the Headers are disabled by default.
To show the headers in Mac Mail, simply select a message you want tyo see the headers for, and in your menu go to 'view > message > show long headers'.
You will now see the headers appear for this message.
To undo this, just repeat the action (and select standard headers)

Its as simple as that.


or you can always use a hammer...
Please leave your comments.

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vrijdag 15 februari 2008

Adobe updater can't update adobe software

Another common problem is the Adobe Updater. Many people seem to experience problems updating their Adobe software (like Dreamweaver, Illustrator, Photoshop,...). Myself, I had problems updating Adobe Flash CS3.

To update your adobe software, open the program, go to 'Help/Update'.
The updater will now search for new updates and ask you to download them.
In the preferences you can choose which Adobe programms you would like to be updated by (de)selecting them.
I choose for Flash CS3 and downloaded the update.

When Adobe Updater tries to install the update, i get the error message "updater can't find software to be updated"
and thats where it ends, the updater just quits.
Downloading the update from the Adobe website and installing it manually results in the same error.

Apparently Adobe can't find the correct path to install the updates in. So it stops working.
For Windows PC's there are some solutions to this problem by manually changing the path to the correct directory in the installer file. It's not that hard, but you will need some experience in code.
Still in some cases this doesn't resolve the problem, and also Adobe itself doesn't have any answers on this topic yet.

Uninstalling the software and reinstalling it could work in some cases, but even people with a clean formatted system with only the adobe software running came trough this same problem, when they tried to update.

I could figure out any solution yet, so all feedback is welcome to help out people with this problem!


or you can always use a hammer...
Please leave your comments.

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Spilled coffee over Macbook Pro, now the keys are stuck, replace the keyboard

I recently spilled some coffee over my Macbook Pro.

**Spilling liquids over your laptop is one of the worst things you can do to your computer and needs instant action!!
There is no way to get this fixed under warranty

If your unsaved data is worth more then your computer, you might wanna try to backup first and let the liquid drip deeper into your system. In any other case immediately turn over your laptop, unplug all power and remove the battery asap. This might prevent any electrical shortcuts to screw your computer, if its not too late already.

So that is what i did.
Now you can only wait (for 2 or 3 days) to let the liquids dry out. The longer you wait, the safer.

If you think the computer is completely dry, you can try to turn it on again.
In my case, a Macbook Pro, it rebooted and still worked perfectly. Except for some keys on the keyboard were stuck.
I was able to do all my backups and other work using an external keyboard.

Offcourse i wanted my keyboard to be fixed, so i did some research and came across this topic: "how to replace the keyboard of your macbook pro". This is a tutorial with pictures and very good explenation coming with it.
Thank you guys, it was a great help for me.

I followed the steps in this tutorial, and although i was afraid to open the macbook at first, it turned out to be very easy.
If you have the correct gear that is (described in the tutorial). If you wanna try this at home, don't stress out, folow the steps and you will be done in less than an hour.
The tutorial also explaines how to rinse your keyboard for any stuck liquid to come off. I didn't wanna go trough this trouble, so i just bought a new keyboard (70 euros at Applestore) and replaced it with mine.
I reassembled everything (don't forget any steps) and now my computer is working as it should.

Also i was amazed by the amount of coffee that was in my computer. Like half a cup of coffee went into my computer, but the inside was unaffected. The mainboard was clean, and most of the residu was guarded in and beneath my keyboard.
If you open your macbook pro, you will see it has a lot of layers beneath the keyboard which come in very handy in cases of spilling liquid over your computer.

I hope you never have to go trough this, especially with a new machine, but if you do, don't stress out and use your brain, it will probably turn out well.


or you can always use a hammer...
Please leave your comments

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donderdag 14 februari 2008

Quicktime doesn't play video after updating to 7.4

My Quicktime doesn't show any video anymore, but it plays the audio.
It seems to be a common problem for Macusers after updating Quicktime to 7.4

There are a lot of issues like this on many forums, but no one seems to have the correct solution that works for all.
I read a lot about problems with third party software and codecs which could might cause the problem.
Apple doesnt hold itself responsible for third party software so don't expect any help there (although i am very happy with their support).

I also read difficult solutions like deleting codecs etc in your /library

I figured my flip4mac was out of date so i uninstalled it and downloaded the latest version, installed it and the problem is solved.
Sometimes the video still doesnt show, but after refreshing the loaded video, it shows perfectly.
(Maybe for some of you the refresh might do without reinstalling any software.)

It seems more or less logical to me that after a software update like upgrading your Quicktime leads to some broken connections with codecs or other software. so reinstalling some of them might help.
Still developers should be working harder on this matter


or you can always use a hammer...
please leave your comments

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