Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8-1-2024 — World Typing Day

8th January, 2024: World Typing Day.

You’re possibly aware that I’ve a new Mac: sitting to my immediate right.

In case you were curious about where it was!

At any rate: it’s come with many, updated, versions of the usual bundled software.

Including QuickTime, the Mac’s on-board media player and video recorder.

It seems that — in addition to the Voice Isolation feature I mentioned, a few days ago? — it is also capable of blurring the background.

Assuming that background isn’t a green screen,

Beyond using it, occasionally, for the intro videos, here?

I don’t know how much use that will be.

But … ?

I’m sure there’ll be something I could do with it.

~≈Q≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 20th March, 2018

20th March, 2018.

I have to admit, I had an … issue … last night: believe it or not, whilst writing up the post about another episode of The Man in the High Castle.

Some of my media files?

Wouldn’t open with the version of QuickTime Player that cam with High Sierra – given me a rather long error code, ‘1718449215.’

I had to admit, I got a relatively late night: tinkering around, trying to see what I could do to solve the issue.

And realised that the files causing issues had extra audio tracks — commentary, remixed audio tracks, what-have-you — as opposed to the ones that weren’t causing problems.

Which had just the one.

The simplest fix I found for this?

Is simply to re-rip the file with HandBrake.

~≈§≈~

In other (ish) news?

I’ve now managed to connect the new blu-ray drive I bough to my new iMac.

It works: and happily shows up.

Unfortunately?

I can’t use the current version of HandBrake without using a hack: which, in theory lets me install libdvdcss, the library that lets me get around DVD’s copy protection.

Not, at least, without being asked to a root password in Terminal.

However, there’s a work around, there.

I can still MakeMKV* to turn the contents of a DVD or bluray into .mkv files: which can then be ripped by HandBrake, as usual.

There’s always a way … 

~≈§≈~

Nik Nak’s Daily Teaser — 8-3-2017

Hmmm … 

You’re possibly aware that I follow the technology news.

Aren’t you?

I do: so you know.

You’re possibly aware that I’ve been following the various court cases prosecuting people who sell what’s called ‘fully loaded’ Kodi boxes.

A Kodi box is an Android based media streaming box: that uses the open source Kodi software as its media player and manager.

Like other open source projects?   Kodi has a range of add-ons that boost its functionality.

Including ones that let you access pay to view and subscription content for free.

Most Kodi boxes won’t have those built in.   You have to add them, yourself.

Some sellers, however, are happy to sell you a ‘fully loaded’ box.

With the relevant iffy add-ons already installed.

A couple of days ago?   A couple of days ago, one such seller — Malcolm Mayes — was fined £250, 000 for selling ‘fully loaded’ boxes to pubs and clubs.

Personally?

I’m not too surprised about that.

My concern has been what’s it’s always been.   Not so much with the spread, or stopping of online piracy.

But what sort of implication this could have for the open source model: and — possibly — the computer science research.

After all, enabling researchers and others to develop software means — to me, at least — developing software that, occasionally, breaks the law.

Some sort of immunity from that — to enable researchers and developers to do their jobs — would seem to be in order.

~≈Ê≈~

On other fronts?

I mentioned, yesterday, that I’d done (subtitled) rips of series two of Mr Robot: that would play in vlc, MPEGStreamclip and on my AppleTV.

But not in Quicktime.

Despite being in Quicktime’s default format.

I’ve actually worked out that it was the subtitles that were causing the problems.   I’d hit the wrong buttons, when ripping: so that they’d stay hidden, until switched on.

Phew

~≈Ê≈~

More stuff about Macs … !

Hmmm …

Says I, pondering, deeply …

I’ve got to admit, I had a touch of fun, this, afternoon; I managed to lug the vintage iMac G3 to my front room, and hook her up to the ’net.

Whooh … !!

Not something I could’ve done, where it was, as it — unlike the Mini — doesn’t have an AirPort card.

A shame, but there you go.

Another shame is simply the speed of it, online; this is one time where the iMac isn’t as zippy as the Mini, although, in other regards it can go some.

At least — for the basic bits and bob’s I’ve been using it for — it looks quite zippy, to me …

I do know, however, that I’ve managed to use the Automatic update system the iMac has to get the few updates it needed.

This didn’t include the various QuickTime updates and plugins, that have been put out since QT initial release.

Awkward, as I know I wouldn’t mind watching some of the Doctor Who stuff I’ve backed up onto an exterior drive.

Saying that, I’ve managed to have a tinker around with Square 5’s Mpeg Streamclip video editing software.

And managed to convert one or two bits into a legacy QuickTime format that can be read, by the version of QT*, on the iMac.

Handy!

It means I’ll be able to have some bed time viewing.

And listen to some Bob Marley … !

* It seems that exporting something to a .mov format, using the Apple Motion JPEG A compression format, allows the movie file into a version that can be understood by QuickTime 5, the version bundled with Mac OS 9.2.2