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[drgrudge]

I don't install VLC on my Mac so yeah, Quicktime for MKV files. I realise that VLC plays the file instantly, but I use Front row most of the time so it uses the quicktime engine. As for subtitles, they work without configuration for me. If you want to play movies in quicktime without seeking, you can convert it to .mov format. Just open the MKV file, let it load in, then file > Save as. The output will be a sort of native h264 file which can be added into iTunes

No man, QT didn't play the subtitles automatically. VLC also didn't but I knew how to turn them on.

Why would I want to convert to .mov just to play in QT or iTunes? I'm happy with VLC if this is the case.

VLC, on the other hand, keeps crashing on me when I seek around. I never launch VLC for any sort of video anymore. I didn't even update it to the latest version. Perian takes care of everything.

No VLC doesn't. I did crash 2-3 times but I open VLC like 20 times a day. You know I got over 600 GB of "stuff". The new VLC is cool man, but it's upto you if you wanna try it.

 

[preshit.net]

For me, not once has VLC crashed. I'm not even on the new Leopard version yet. Sadly all my "stuff" is on HDDs on my PC

 

[goobimama]

VLC does have that volume boost thing, where you can take the volume a little higher than 100%. I wonder if quicktime has the same functionality (No aayush, Command + up doesn't help).

As for converting to mov files, well, it's a personal choice. 1: You get to add it to iTunes with cover art and such.
2: It plays without a hitch on Quicktime (Front row) with, I presume, hardware acceleration.
3: It's quick lookables and other such 'mac' privileges.
4: Be warned, DTS soundtracks behave very erratically when placed outside of the MKV container so I leave movies with DTS sound outside of the mov format. Actually, most of my High def I watch on the PC so I leave it all in MKV.

As for the subtitles thing, you have to wait till the movie loads completely in Quicktime. Only then will it display the subtitles (they look much better in Quicktime btw, with anti aliasing and such).

[strikethrough]@darky[/strikethrough]
@doctor: You misquoted me instead of aayush...

 

[preshit.net]

Nope, darky didn't misquote. Doctor did.

 

[drgrudge]

goobimama -
Honestly I don't know what's the deal with Frontrow. What makes it hip and cool?

I'll try out QT one more time after the buffering is done and see how good it is.
By the way, edited the misquote.

 

[goobimama]

Honestly I don't know what's the deal with Frontrow. What makes it hip and cool?

You using a Macbook Pro right? Well that's a laptop... Mine's a desktop...

 

[drgrudge]

What's are you hinting at? So what if you have a desktop?

 

[goobimama]

Trust me it's a totally different trip. My desktop is there on the table, ready and waiting. So when I'm lying on the bed, scratching whatever, I suddenly feel like watching a daffy duck. Just take the remote and voila, I'm watching it right from the bed instead of coming to the computer and mousing my way through.

Same thing when my friends come over and we are watching say, music videos. It's much better when we are all sitting comfortably rather than me sitting close to the machine to change videos and such.

The reason why the difference between Laptop/desktop is obvious. When you sleep you MBP, the lid is usually closed. Also, since the screen size isn't all that big, one has to sit relatively closer to the laptop meaning easy access to the keys instead of the remote. After all, launching a particular movie is faster via keyboard than via the remote. Well you can fill in the rest of the reasons... there are quite a few. Just saying, I don't see many laptop users using the remote control that comes along with it.

 

[aryayush]

I do though. Probably not as much as you do but still, I do use it quite a bit.

What's are you hinting at? So what if you have a desktop?

I can't believe you asked this question. Isn't it obvious that the remote and Front Row is quite useful on a desktop?

VLC does have that volume boost thing, where you can take the volume a little higher than 100%. I wonder if quicktime has the same functionality (No aayush, Command + up doesn't help).

Aayush has a trick or two up his sleeve for everything. Follow these three steps to boost the volume:

1. Grab Audio Hijack Pro from somewhere. Once it is there on your Mac, launch it and 'hijack' iTunes, QuickTime Player and the System Audio. Then increase the 'Gain' slider (found under the 'Effects' tab) to the maximum (238%) for all three of them. You'll have to do this only when you launch the application for the first time. From the next time onwards, just launch the application and press the hijack button thrice.

2. Launch the movie in QuickTime Player and hit ⌘J. The 'Properties' window will open. Drag the 'Volume:' slider under 'Audio Settings' to the maximum setting.

3. Play the movie and keep ⌘↑ pressed for a while.

Bonus tip: Switch off the fans in the room and close the doors and windows.

There is one side effect though. Once you hijack the audio to increase the volume, it will be locked and you cannot control it through the remote unless you quit Audio Hijack Pro.

Just give it a go, though. It is a godsend for me.

 

[goobimama]

Thanks. I'll try it out then.

Anyone here used "Yep"? It is to PDF documents what iPhoto is to photos. Well, at least in theory. While the concept is good, it still needs a lot of work on the interface. Still, it's better than browsing through Finder looking around for PDFs...

 

[aryayush]

I don't really have that many PDFs to manage though...

 

[drgrudge]

Hmm.. VLC is perfectly fine for my needs in .mkv, .avi, .dat, .mpg formats. Only for Audio I'm still not used to iTunes. If I run into troubles or my needs change, I'll bother QT + Perian.

True that I don't use the Apple remote as much. But my Mom who watch movies sometimes with me, she likes the remote as she's not much into computers.


Doesn't Adobe Reader there for Mac? Is it any good? I'll try out Yep.

 

[goobimama]

Yep is not a PDF reader. It's an organiser. I still use Preview for viewing PDF files. Adobe reader seems a little bloated (at least it was in my Windows days)

And of course, to each his own. I realise that waiting for a movie to load in quicktime isn't the best way to go, so VLC it is then.

Btw, I have also told my mom (and brothers) only to use the remote. That's all they will and should ever need from my mac and it is working quite well for now...

----

Btw, Aayush, did you know that saving the file as a "Reference Movie" does the same thing? Now I can have my cake and eat it too! Works perfectly for MKV files as well. Of course you will have two files of each movie, but I can live with that. It was especially troublesome cause a lot of the avi files when converted to .mov weren't playing on the PC which made it difficult to share.

 

[preshit.net]

Hey Fellas,

Has anyone here tried developing apps on your Mac ? I'm new, so wiki tells me that Apple has XCode for developers and comes with the Leopard DVD. Should I install it ?

How easy / difficult is it to develop apps for the Mac ?

Can anyone here throw some light on the basics ?

 

[aryayush]

I want to try my hand at it but I can't really figure out a starting point.

Btw, Aayush, did you know that saving the file as a "Reference Movie" does the same thing? Now I can have my cake and eat it too! Works perfectly for MKV files as well. Of course you will have two files of each movie, but I can live with that. It was especially troublesome cause a lot of the avi files when converted to .mov weren't playing on the PC which made it difficult to share.

I did know that but since I don't have to share them with anyone, I prefer to have one file only. I don't convert the MKV files though. I don't need them in my iTunes library. I use the technique only for the TV shows.

_______________________________

Here's a tip for the Leopard users out here. When in Exposé view, hold down the Option key and see what happens.

Pretty handy, huh?

Yeah, you're welcome.

_____________________________________

8 Predictions for Macworld 2008

I think the seventh and eighth one are wrong but the first six are right. What do you guys think (hope?) will happen?

 

[preshit.net]

No one knows about my query ?

 

[goobimama]

^^ I think you have to learn some kind of programming language, and then use that knowledge to create apps. Hope that helps.

 

[yash]

the mac nano will make no sense if it still ships with a powerbrick bigger than that! I absolutely hate power bricks.

 

[preshit.net]

Yes, but point me in the right direction, will ya ?

 

[aryayush]

^^ I think you have to learn some kind of programming language, and then use that knowledge to create apps. Hope that helps.

Sure does, man. Absolutely.

That's a Joey Tribbiani post!