I’ve struggled to use Handbrake for conversion of .MKV to an Apple/iTunes aware format (either .M4v or MP4). It’s easy enough to do, but the file size would grow exponentially. And scaling Handbrakes “Constant Quality” would reduce the file size but create an inferior playback. Through research, I became aware that possibly the wrapper was all...
Learn MoreI spent a great deal of time over the past 3 years concerned if Apple had intentional or willfully abandon their professional user base. The long and short is, doesn’t matter why, it appears they are not going to return. So after much consternation and resistance I made the jump from Final Cut to Adobe Premier. It ended my 14 years of editing on Final Cut,...
Learn MoreFinally performed the upgrade to Maverick (OS X 10.9). For the most part … not too bad. But with that provides the ability to update Final Cut Pro X (10.0.9) to (10.1.1). Subtle increment, but supposedly significant change to media handling – an area where FCP X fails miserably. I’ll put down my thoughts on the move to Libraries after I’ve had...
Learn MoreFor over a decade I used Retrospect to accomplish my back up tasks. However, Dantz/EMC just continue to abuse their user base. The two most annoying: A time out on the software. At the end of five years, the software license expired and you were force to buy a moder version in order to continue archiving. A lack of backward compatibility. It is complete absurd for...
Learn MoreAfter years of experience using Handbrake, I found myself struggling to get version 0.9.9 working on a new Mountain Lion installation. I tried the usual: Installed VLC Installed libdvdcss.pkg Installed Handbrake When I would attempt to rip, I would receive a “No Valid Source Found” error or the rip would simply end abruptly. I believe the solution turned out...
Learn MoreApple’s Compressor takes a lot of knocks. Some are warranted! It has a cumbersome interface; multiple independent windows that are hard to hide and show; and hidden everything! But it is also a powerfully flexible and high quality encoder for conversion or transcoding. For several years I’ve been burning BD5 discs for clients. These are hybrid discs that...
Learn MoreI’ve been using Handbrake to transcode my Final Cut Pro output for Apple TV3. Since ATV3 is 1080i, and Compressor 3.5’s Apple Devices Presets didn’t include a preset or ability to customize to 1080, I used Handbrake. I searched over and over for a complete list of changes to Compressor 4 vs 3.5. I found very little other than frustration by users how...
Learn MoreLately, I’ve been using ProShow Producer to build photographic elements rather than build them by hand in Final Cut Pro. Frankly, it’s just quicker and easier. But ultimately, I end up wanting the final product from ProShow to be ported to a Final Cut Sequence. Using the standard publishing feature would occasionally give me compression artifacts or poor...
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