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mmblarg

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 18, 2009
14
0
so i've been browsing the web and downloading random programs to get avi's working right in quicktime and converting different files to mp3's, it's working alright but i've very little memory for what i've got on my laptop let alone what programs do what. so my question is, do any of the programs that came with my white mac book do the things i've been downloading random programs for? or is there one program that does it all that i DON'T have to buy? so far i've come across needing to convert avi to mpg, FLAC to mp3, png to JPEG, and similar. i'm learning as i go, finding out what works with my lappy and what needs to be converted to work, but my knowledge of each application is very limited. heck, i just found out that avi's work for quicktime and mpg's and m4v's for itunes. can anyone help?
 
welcome!

there isnt really a program that can do it all, you'll find that Audacity can convert most things to mp3 or aiff and whatnot but cannot convert to wav, flac etc.

Visual Hub or Handbrake are most recommended for converting all sorts of videos to either mp4 or avis.

we mac users dont really use wav, wmv/wma - its not our way haha.!
 
For converting video: the ones mentioned above plus ffmpegX.

For audio: Max, XLD.

For images Preview.app should do most stuff. GraphicConverter for the rest.
 
see i found two things that help me so far with what i've come across needing. i figured out how to convert pictures in previewer, and a program called switch that has a nice easy set up that i can understand that switches audio files to mp3s. it shows up as an application that i can put in my dock which is nice

i'm having trouble with my videos more than anything. i had to download two things to even get them to work in quicktime and i haven't found anything to convert them so i can watch them in itunes instead. before all i got from videos were blank screens and glitchy sound. so i found something called 3ivx that i have no idea how it works and i think it's a trial offer because the icon i have my applications is labeled "Get 3ivx!" and sends me to a website to buy the software. but it fixed the picture without me having to do anything, the sound was still off so i downloaded Perian which only shows up in my system preferences and i've no idea how it works either, but it fixed the sound on my videos so i kept it. so i've really no idea what i'm doing haha
 
Download Flip4Mac and Perian for Quicktime, they'll allow you to play nearly any format. Forget about this "3ivx".

VLC media player can also play anything.

Quicktime Pro can convert video files and audio files. Handbrake can convert video files for free.

Preview is included with OS X and can convert pictures.
 
ok! so i downloaded handbrake and flip4mac and deleted that other 3blahthing buuuuuuuuut.....how do i use them? *laughs* i feel technology retarded but yeh. i opened handbrake to see how it's set up and what i can do with it but i really haven't a clue what to do. and the other two i've got, the fli4mac and perian, do they fix any file that i try to play or download or whatnot? i do i have to manually do something to get them to work? ha i like explanations, help?

(side note) yeah, i fiddled with handbrake more and i don't know what any of those settings are or what they do if i change them X3 heeeeeeeelp
 
ok! so i downloaded handbrake and flip4mac and deleted that other 3blahthing buuuuuuuuut.....how do i use them? *laughs* i feel technology retarded but yeh. i opened handbrake to see how it's set up and what i can do with it but i really haven't a clue what to do. and the other two i've got, the fli4mac and perian, do they fix any file that i try to play or download or whatnot? i do i have to manually do something to get them to work? ha i like explanations, help?

haha dont worry its a fairly complicated program to use, dont worry about changing the stuff that isnt mentioned, it doesnt matter.

1. open handbrake and you will be presented with the oepn file dialogue box, navigate to the program you wanna open and click open.
2. there isnt much to worry about, if your converting an AVI movie change these..
• Quality: use an "Average Bitrate" of about 2000kbps.

click "start" up the top of the window, thats basically it. you can get really technical and change the bitrate of the audio in its tab, you can add chapters and stuff if you want.. but that doenst really matter.
 
right, so i did that and awesome it saved the new file on my desktop as an m4v and when i go to open it it has itunes as the default, but new problem, i wont open, it brings up itunes but without it in my library. and i tried drag and drop and nothing happened, what gives? any help here?


wait, i may have lied, the progress bar thing on handbrake isn't done yet, i might just be impatient.....*laughs* stay tuned!
 
yay! it worked! thank you gays so much! i looooooooove you haha *cyber hugs for all*
 
right, so i did that and awesome it saved the new file on my desktop as an m4v and when i go to open it it has itunes as the default, but new problem, i wont open, it brings up itunes but without it in my library. and i tried drag and drop and nothing happened, what gives? any help here?


wait, i may have lied, the progress bar thing on handbrake isn't done yet, i might just be impatient.....*laughs* stay tuned!

HAHA! yea movies do take quite a while to finish converting! at least 1 hr.
 
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