Creating Time Lapse Videos and Converting for PowerPoint Ep.144

D.Lee Beard answers a viewer question about converting videos for PowerPoint using iSkysoft's Video Converter. He also shows a free way to take time lapse videos with a webcam using Gawker. 4min. 13sec.

Click Here to Play Episode 144

How to Download & Convert Videos: Ep. 133

In this video, D.Lee Beard demonstrates how to convert various video files into more standard formats that can be played on portable devices and the AppleTV (including .flv, .ogg, .wmv, and .mp4).

He also shows how to download streaming flash videos off of the web.

Software reviewd includes Miro Video Converter, RealPlayer Downloader/Converter, and Handbrake. (10min 47sec).

Click Here to Play Episode 133

Formatting for Mac and Windows for Video Editing Ep. 125

D.Lee Beard answers a viewer question about formatting a hard drive so that it can be read by both Mac and Windows for video editing. (4min 11sec)

Click Here to Play Episode 125

Mac vs. Windows7 Changing Icons: Episode 118

D.Lee Beard starts a new series comparing Mac OS X.6 Snow Leopard to Windows 7. In this episode, he shows how to change file icons and the compares the ease of changing file icons in each operating system.

Which is better??? You get to decide by voting at the Ask the Techies website, episode 118, http://AsktheTechies.com/episode118.html

Click Here to Play Episode 118

Ep. 114: Changing Startup Splash Screen

D.Lee Beard explains how to change the startup splash screen on your Mac …you know, the ugly purple space picture that appears behind the login window. 9min 1sec.
Click Here to Play Episode 114

Ep. 113: Customize Mac Part 2 of 3

In this part 2 of 3 on customizing your Mac, D.Lee Beard explains how to change icons sizes, the text size under icons, how to move the text to the side of the icons, how to adjust the space between icons, how to change Finder window backgrounds to different colors and images, how to have the Finder show document info under the icon name such as pixel size of images, duration of videos, and how many items in a folder. 5 min. 22 sec.
Click here to play Episode 113

Ep. 112: Customize Your Mac OS

D.Lee explains how to customize a Mac with the Finder preferences including how to turn on or turn off what drives or servers show up automatically on the desktop, how to change the home location for a new Finder window, how to adjust the spring loaded folders feature, how to add color labels to files and folders, how to add text titles to those labels , how to customize the sidebar and toolbar on the Finder windows, how to turn off the "empty trash" warning, and more. This is Part 1 of 3 on customizing a Mac. Next week's episode will cover the Finder's view options. 9minutes, 31 seconds.
Click Here to Play

Episode 109: iMovie 09 Chapter Markers and More

D.Lee explains how to add chapter markers to your videos, how to change the icon sizes, and how to print out a proof sheet of your videos from a specific event.
Click here to play

#108: iMovie 09 - Adding Titles, Transitions, and Maps

D.Lee Beard shows how to add titles, lower thirds, credits, and other text elements over a black background, images, video, and animated graphics.

D.Lee demonstrates how to add transitions between video clips in an iMovie 09 project including the new "theme" transitions such as "Photo Album."

He also explains how to add and customize animated maps to a video project. Mixing features and effects in the 09 version of iMovie really makes iMovie stand out.

Recorded in November 2009, 12min 25sec
Click Here to Play Episode 108: iMovie Titles, Transitions and Maps

Episode 107: Pt. 4 of 7 iMovie 09 - Working With Audio

In this video, D.Lee Beard explains how to add music and iMovie sound effects to your video project, how to duck the audio of specific tracks, how to fade audio in and out including adjusting how quickly it fades in or out, how to separate the audio from a video clip and move elsewhere or delete altogether, and how to add your own narrations to your video projects using iMovie 09. Recorded in November 2009, 8:25 duration.
Click Here to Play Episode 107

Episode 106: iMovie Series Part 3 of 7 - Adding Effects

In part 3 of his iMovie tutorial, D.Lee Beard explains how to apply special effects to videos and photos including how to make color adjustments, applying a sepia and grayscale tone, how to blur the edges of a video clip, how to apply a slow motion and fast motion effect to video clips, and how to reverse a clip to play it backwards. He also explains how to apply iMovie 09's image stabilization effect to those jerky handheld video clips.

D.Lee shows how to raise and lower the volume level of video clips in iMovie 09 including the "ducking" effect and the fade in and out effect.

Hidden advanced tools are also featured including showing how to create a video picture in a picture effect with one video playing in a box over another video.

Click Here to Play Episode 106 iMovie Effects

Episode 104: iMovie 09 Series 1 of 7 - Interface Basics

In this part 1 of 7 series on iMovie 09, D.Lee Beard starts off by explaining the basic interface elements of iMovie 09.

Click Here to Play Episode 104 iMovie 09 Part 1

Episode 101: Viewer Questions on iPod, Compressor, and Installing Leopard Disks

D.Lee Beard answers viewer questions on an iPod not working, using Compressor to export HD video, and problems installing Leopard with certain deisks. This video is 9min 24 sec - recorded October 2009.

Click her to Play Episode 101 Video

Episode 100: Skype 2.8 Review - Skype Screen & Video Phoning

Brandon Jackson returns for the 100th episode of Ask the Techies to join D.Lee Beard in explaining how to share your computer screen with a fellow computer user remotely using the free Skype application and service. This works on both Windows and Macs and between Windows and Mac OS X and can be a great way of offering and receiving technical support. They also show how to use Skype to video and audio phone people for free (who also sign up for Skype), in addition to the paid phoning landline phones service that Skype offers. This Skype review is 13min 08 sec - recorded 10-2009.

Click Here to Play Episode 100: Skype 2.8 Review in HD

Episode 99: Apple Tablet - E-Book: Truth and Speculation

D.Lee answers viewer questions on what is that computer that D.Lee Beard uses that appears to be an Apple Tablet PC. D.Lee also speaks on the rumors of a soon to be released Apple tablet ebook reader and shows you how you can get your own tablet Mac today! (11min 16 sec)

Now With Chapter Markers!

There is lots of information in this video but you can easily navigate to the topics you want by using the chapters feature in the Quicktime Player.

Click Here to Play Episode 99: Apple Tablet - E-Book: Truth and Speculation in HD

Episode 98: Quicktime X Review & Demo

D.Lee Beard reviews and demos Mac OS X Snow Leopard's Quicktime X. He explains how to trim the video in Quicktime X, how to view chapter markers in Quicktime X, how to view flash video .flv video in Quicktime X, where to find free public domain video content online, how to convert .ogg video files into MP4 video format, and more.

Episode 98: Quicktime X Review & Demo HD Version

Flipcam Mino HD Review

Is the Flipcam portable video recorder going to meet your needs? D.Lee Beard presents a review of the Flipcam Mino HD digital video recorder. Included in the review are ease of use, storage capacity, audio quality, video quality, user interface, and whether it is a good choice for lecture, interview, and/or field video recording.
Flipcam Mino HD Review

Episode 93: Moving iPhoto and iTunes Libraries

D.Lee Beard answers viewer questions on how to rip your DVDs, and how to move your iPhoto and iTunes libraries to an external hard drive.
Episode 93: Moving iPhoto and iTunes Libraries

Episode 92: Final Cut Pro - Intermediate Tutorial

This Final Cut Pro tutorial, part 4 of 4, covers intermediate editing with Final Cut Pro 6. In this video, D.Lee Beard explains how to move only a selected group of clips, adding graphics, resizing graphics and video, capturing a freeze frame image from a video clip, creating and adding a background image to fill behind a graphic, applying transitions, correcting color, adding lower thirds to video, rendering video, and exporting video into different formats using Compressor. (42min 39 sec)
Episode 92: Final Cut Pro - Intermediate Tutorial

Are Macs Worth the Money?

D.Lee Beard shows off his new Star Trek cellphone, addresses an IT department security e-mail, and answers viewer questions on whether Mac laptops are worth the money, why is Final Cut Pro so much faster on the Techies' computer, and how to change your Mac system keyboard and menus to other languages.
Are Macs Worth the Money?