Video Tutorial: Editing Windows Video Files under Mac OS – Part 2

Mac video tutorial

Occasionally, some people ask us how they can edit (under Mac OS) AVI files they got from friends who use Windows OS. Also, we’ve been making game play videos for latest PC games for the past several months. Thanks to Apple’s Boot Camp, we can play PC games natively on our iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo. Suppose that we use screen-capture applications for Windows OS. Then how would we import them to Mac OS so that we could edit them with Final Cut Pro?

The following video tutorial shows steps to use video clips created under Windows OS for the purpose of editing them under Mac OS. A simple scenario is that one recorded a game play video with Fraps. And he wants to edit this game play video with Final Cut Pro. In another scenario, one recorded desktop activity, using Camtasia Studio or ZD Soft. And he wants to edit those screen-capture clips with iMovie. In this video tutorial, we record a short game play video under Windows OS. The ultimate goal is to edit a rendered video clip natively with Final Cut Pro under Mac OS. Of course, you can edit the same rendered video clip with iMovie and Adobe After Effects/Premiere Pro.

In the first video tutorial, we recorded a short game play video. In the second video tutorial, we import a rendered video clip to Final Cut Pro.  Continue reading

Video Tutorial: Editing Windows Video Files under Mac OS – Part 1

Mac video tutorial

Occasionally, some people ask us how they can edit (under Mac OS) AVI files they got from friends who use Windows OS. Also, we’ve been making game play videos for latest PC games for the past several months. Thanks to Apple’s Boot Camp, we can play PC games natively on our iMac 2.8 GHz Core 2 Duo. Suppose that we use screen-capture applications for Windows OS. Then how would we import them to Mac OS so that we could edit them with Final Cut Pro?

By the way, the following is a rough list of screen-capture applications we’ve used in recent months.

  • SnagIt by TechSmith
  • HyperSnap by Hyperionics
  • Super Screen Recorder by Zeallsoft
  • Fraps by beepa
  • ZD Recorder by ZD Soft
  • Camtaisa Studio by TechSmith
  • We won’t discuss which one is the best for what particular purpose unless you are interested in our subjective amateur opinions. Anyway, that’s not the purpose of this post.

    The following video tutorial shows steps to use video clips created under Windows OS for the purpose of editing them under Mac OS. A simple scenario is that one recorded a game play video with Fraps. And he wants to edit this game play video with Final Cut Pro. In another scenario, one recorded desktop activity, using Camtasia Studio or ZD Soft. And he wants to edit those screen-capture clips with iMovie. In this video tutorial, we record a short game play video under Windows OS. The ultimate goal is to edit a rendered video clip natively with Final Cut Pro under Mac OS. Of course, you can edit the same rendered video clip with iMovie and Adobe After Effects/Premiere ProContinue reading

    WordPress Video Tutorial: Complete Installation Guide – Part 2

    WordPress

    Yesterday, we signed for a new web hosting plan for shared Linux server with IPOWER. We wanted to see how their control panel works. Especially, we were interested in knowing how many free subdomains IPOWER allows their shared server users to create and how many free folder-pointings they give.

    Anyway, right after signing for a new hosting plan, we decided to install the latest version of popular blog software WordPress. It happened that they released WordPress 2.6 just a few hours before. So we downloaded the zip version of software and edited the configure file.

    The second part of the WordPress installation video tutorial series starts at the very point where we left off last time. We created a database user and a database. As the configure file has been edited, we are now ready to upload WordPress files to our remote server. But how? Through a FTP application? Oh, no… That’s a common mistake No. 1 that WordPress beginners make.  Continue reading

    WordPress Video Tutorial: Complete Installation Guide – Part 1

    WordPress

    Some 24 hours ago, we signed up for a new web hosting plan with IPOWER. Why IPOWER? That’s only because we have never used their web hosting plans. That’s also because it was affordable. It was only US$59.40 per year. Is IPOWER a great web host? We don’t know as we’ve been using our hosting account for just 24 hours. And we are not releasing this video tutorial to evaluate or promote IPOWER’s hosting plans.

    This video tutorial shows how to install WordPress (blog software) on a remote Lunux shared server. It’s a complete coverage of everything that one needs to know in installing WordPress on a remote Linux server. We discuss what file to edit, how to create a database, how and what file to upload… We show some common mistakes that people make in installing WordPress.

    In the first part of the WordPress installation tutorial series, we start off at the point where we just signed up for a web hosting plan and there is not even a single file installed yet. So we access the control panel at the website of the web hosting company to set up a database user. We then download the zip version of WordPress software pakcage and edit the configure file.

    This video tutorial is not designed just for IPOWER users. Whether you have a web hosting plan with HostMonster, PowWeb, Lunarpages, rackspace Hosting or whatever, there is little difference in the way you install a particular PHP script package. And we can say that because we have had several different web hosting companies including StartLogic, HostMonster and Lunarpages to host our websites for the past 3 years.  Continue reading

    Quick Overview: Digital Light & Color – Color Mechanic Pro 2.0 (Mac & Win)

    Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro

    This QuickTime Overview video shows the basic workflow of a Photoshop plug-in called Color Mechanic Pro 2.0 without audio commentary. Color Mechanic Pro is developed by a software company in Massachusetts called Digital Light & Color.

    What does Color Mechanic Pro do? This Photoshop plug-in lets you pick a color, and you can change the hue, saturation and brightness of colors surrounding it.

    Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 1 – Before
      Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 2 – Before
    Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 1 – After
      Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 2 – After
    Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 3 – Before
      Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 4 – Before
    Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 3 – After
      Ditital Light & Color Color Mechanic Pro
    Screenshot 4 – After

    According to the software developer, Adobe Photoshop CS1, CS2 and CS3 can all run this plug-in. Fireworks CS3 is able to run the plug-in but fails to apply final effect to a selected image.

    In case you had to know, I only used Color Mechanic Pro for 30 minutes or so before making a workflow video. So don’t trust everything that I show in this video.  Continue reading