 |
Tip of the Month Archive |
|
|
Tip of the Month Archive |
          If you would like further information about Valley Films, or you would like to comment on our website, please Contact Us. |
Tip of the Month archiveMarch 2012 - How to Preview Photos In Windows ExplorerHere's a nifty little trick. While browsing photos in Windows Explorer, Press ALT + P and a preview will appear on the right. To close the preview again press ALT + P. Till next time. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ February 2012 - Display Empty Removable DrivesDo you wonder why sometimes a Plug-in hard disk is not shown in Windows Explorer? When first installed Windows 7 will not show empty drives. I don’t think this is a good idea and feel it should not be default setting. Fortunately it is very easy to alter and here's how:
Another problem solved. Bye for now see you next month. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ January 2012 - How to repartition your diskIf you've been working with Windows for a long time, you probably remember using disk partitioning tools such as Partition Magic when you needed to create new partitions (drives) on your hard disk without formatting the disk and starting over. In Windows 7, you can do this without using a third party program. Before you do this I strongly recommend that you back up your data. Here's how to repartition your disk:
Now you can create a new partition in the newly unallocated space. To do this :
It really is a simple as that. Until next time. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ December 2011 - Christmas TOTMHow about a fun tip for the festive season? Here’s how to change the Windows glass colour
Note By selecting Advanced appearance settings you can specify the colours for different types of windows, along with the spacing between icons.
Have a colourful happy Christmas. See you again in the New Year. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ November 2011 - No tip published, sorry------------------------------------------------------------------ October 2011 - Can I change the Shutdown button?Some people almost never shut their computers down. Terrible for the environment but saves the seemingly long boot-up times of Windows based computers. Here is a tip to make this process easier. The shutdown button (achieved ironically by using the "Start" button on the lower left of the screen) can be changed to do other functions. You can, in fact, change the Shutdown button's function to Restart, or even to Sleep if you more frequently put the computer to sleep. Any of the functions that appear when you click the arrow by the Shutdown button can be assigned to the button itself.
See you next month. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ September 2011 - No tip published, sorry------------------------------------------------------------------ August 2011 - Check boxes to select files and foldersHi all In many applications you are able to select items by placing a tick in a box next to each selection. Wouldn't this be nice if you could do this for items within Windows Explorer? Well all things are possible here < grin >. In Windows Explorer
From now on a box will appear when you point (with your mouse) to an item you want to select. Just place a tick in the box to select the item. This works in all folders. See you next month. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ July 2011 - Setting your recording volumeHi all Recording volume too low? I am often asked how to set the volume when recording from a microphone direct to the hard disk. Windows 7 makes this very easy. Before you make the recording follow these steps:
A point to ponder - low cost microphones are seldom the best investment. More next month. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ June 2011 - No tip published, sorry------------------------------------------------------------------ May 2011 - Producing photo panoramasHi all Something a little different this month. With the advent of digital Video and Stills photography the boundaries between the two disciplines is decidedly blurred. I often use photographs in my videos and videos in my slide projects. One tool that I find increasingly useful is stitching software to produce panoramas. The panorama produced can then be used in video editing software to produce very smooth pan shots. The software I have used for many years is called PtGui. Microsoft in their wisdom have provided a superb FREE program called ICE (Image Composite Editor). It can be downloaded from here :- www.win7news.net/IANFD3/110407-MS-Ice Microsoft Image Composite Editor is an advanced panoramic image stitcher. You shoot a set of overlapping photographs of a scene from a single location, and Image Composite Editor creates a high-resolution panorama incorporating all your images at full resolution. Microsoft Research has released a new version of the Image Composite Editor (ICE), which is a tiny program (just 3 MB in size) that you can use to stitch together a series of photos into a great panoramic picture. You can even view the panoramic image in 3D by uploading it to Photosynth. It's available as a free download in both 32 bit and 64 bit versions. See you next month. In the meantime why not have fun and give it a go? Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ April 2011 - Burning an ISO imageThe subject of how to burn an ISO image came up during one of our meetings. Many people resort to third party programs not realising that the ability to burn an ISO image is built into Windows. To burn an ISO image in Windows 7 right-click on the ISO image and choose “Burn disc image” from the drop down menu. This launches the inbuilt Windows Disc Image Burner which gives the option to burn the ISO image to either a CD or DVD. If you check “Verify disc after burning”, it will verify the ISO image burned correctly. Choosing to verify a disc you burned will require additional time so if you’re in a hurry, you will probably want to ensure this option is unchecked. Really it is a simple as that. Who says Microsoft don't look after you? < grin > More next month. Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ March 2011 - Screen MagnifierEver been caught out by the small print in some programs or web sites? Built into Windows 7 is a useful magnifier. It comes with a number of shortcuts that makes this a useful tool when editing photos. To start the magnifier: To exit the magnifier: To Increase or decrease magnification: Further key combinations to try Hope you find this tip useful. See you next month Jeff ------------------------------------------------------------------ February 2011 - Screen CalibrationScreen calibration can be a costly and frustrating affair. I have covered this subject a number of times in the previous series of tips. Under Windows seven it still remains an important issue. Fortunately, Windows 7 comes with a crude but effective display calibration wizard that lets you set up the screen brightness properly, so you won't have any problems viewing photos or text. The problem is that on one PC a photo could look sharp and bright and on another it looks awful. Now the problem can be fixed.
Point to note: This is only a crude way of doing this vital task. Although effective up to a point may I suggest you see other tips on this site for a more comprehensive way of screen calibration Till Next month. Jeff -------------------------------------------------------------------------- January 2011 - Windows 7 RecoveryWith the introduction of Windows 7 now may be the time to help others get to get the best out of this updated operating system. To this end I have re-introduced the Tip of The month dealing with some of the many useful but often hidden capabilities of Win 7. My first tip is probably the most important as few new PCs are being shipped with backup disks. My suggestion is that you do this action now, as this may be the only way to recover your system in the event of disk/system failure without resorting to expensive support calls. I hope you find the re-introduction of TOTM useful. All feedback very welcome. Jeff Friend -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Windows 7 recovery diskWindows 7 enables you to burn your own system recovery disk, or, as it’s now called, the system repair disk. The new disk will include several recovery and diagnostic tools, including a feature for creating a System Restore point that can revert your PC to an earlier condition when it worked correctly. To create a system repair disk for Windows 7:
See you next month. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- The March 2008 tip of the month is the last for the foreseeable future. A new series replaces it from June 2008 - From my Perspective will offer articles written by Valley Films members to stimulate discussion and maybe even disagreement. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- March 2008 - Flat screen monitor resolutionUnlike CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) monitors LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) monitors have a "Native" (designed) resolution. Make sure you set it to this to avoid a Fuzzy (un-sharp) screen image. To check:- In XP
In Vista
Only in this way will you be certain of getting the best resolution on your monitor. February 2008 - TitlingThe built in titling facility in many video editing packages is poor or at best limited. A "stand alone" titling program
can be a worthwhile investment. One such
program is Bluff Titler. A test version of this
low cost program can be found here:- January 2008 - HDV - High definition VideoNot so much a tip as an explanation this month. There is much confusion over what HDV is. This beginners article explains the basics in a clear and non "Techie" way: December 2007 - Special characters in titlesI have dealt with this aspect of computing before but have just
discovered a free program that enables special characters in most Windows
programs. November 2007 - Script IdeasJust a few tips on how you can generate ideas for your next blockbuster movie:
October 2007 - Repairing WindowsNot a real video tip this month but a "Get you out of Jail" recovery tip. From time to time Windows goes "Belly up" for no apparent reason. Don't panic, just try the following it might help.
This verifies that all protected Windows files are intact. You must have the original installation disk to be able to run this built in utility. September 2007 - FirewireDO NOT "hot swap" Firewire connections on camcorders. When using the Firewire port to capture video to your machine, DO NOT plug the camera in while the camera is switched ON. This practice is called "hot swapping" and is NOT recommended when using a Firewire connection. I suggest you adopt the following procedure:-
There should be an audible warning of the connection. If you do not follow this procedure there is a possibility to do expensive damage to the delicate electronics of your camera. August 2007 - Monitors RevisitedTake the time to position your monitor correctly. Not only do you want to find the right height (ergonomic specialists say your screen should be at the same height as your head while sitting), but also the best place in terms of your other electronic equipment. Magnets embedded in stereo speakers and other equipment may affect CRT monitors negatively. If your display is not crystal-clear, try adjusting its position in relation to other devices. July 2007 - Colour HarmonyEver stuck for the right colour harmony when making titles? At this site there is free software called HippoColor colour schemer http://hippofreeware.blogspot.com/2007/01/hippocolor-11.html June 2007 - DVD burning tipsHere are some tips I have found from experience that help consistent successful DVD burning:
May 2007 - Windows XP ShortcutsI have given keyboard shortcuts in a previous tips but here's a handy
list
April 2007 - Special CharactersTrying to find those special characters or foreign language typography for titles? The following link will provide Character Map Pro. A more advanced
version of the standard Windows Character Map. This free utility allows you
to view individual characters on a separate, sizable window, copy any
character and its font name to the Clipboard, bold and italicise any font,
and quickly search for a font by typing the first letters of its name. March 2007 - MorphingMorphing is a special effect in motion pictures and animations that changes (or morphs) one image into another through a seamless transition. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: Want to try your hand at Morphing a picture? At this site you will find a free program to start you on this fascinating aspect of video making http://www.fascinationsoftware.com/FS/html/Metamorph.html Perhaps now is the time for change? February 2007 - Removing Error reportingWhen an error occurs in Window XP a window pops up inviting you to report the error to Microsoft. I don't know about you but I find this very annoying. It can be turned off like so :-
No more annoying pop-ups. January 2007 - Bulk file renamingWith the advent of Digital Photography and video we tend to get file names like "IMG_0234.jpg". Not helpful but when you have 100+ photos the thought of giving each a sensible name is daunting. Here is a quick and dirty solution that utilises an undocumented feature within Windows.
Job Done. December 2006 - SoundNot so much a Tip this month but a recommendation: Good sound is at the heart of any film. There are times when soundtracks need more than just rubber banding. This is when a good sound manipulation program is required. Though good most of these are they can be expensive but at the following website you can get a real Gem. Above all it's FREE. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Get tweaking..... it's fun. November 2006 - Keyboard ShortcutsI started computing a long time before rodents appeared and became acceptable. I therefore identified a number of keyboard short cuts that still work in Windows compliant programs today. Copy to clipboard: Ctrl C October 2006 - Switching Between Languages on the Keyboard(Useful when Foreign characters are required in a title) First, go to Start - Control Panel and then click the Regional and Language Options icon. Click the Language tab and click the Details button. From here you can activate the Language Bar which will allow you to switch to languages you've configured in the Installed Services area, very quickly. From the Keyboard control panel, you can designate a keyboard shortcut for switching between languages. August 2006 - Focal Length ComparisonFor those familiar with film cameras (or full sensor Digital cams) these focal length comparisons might be useful.
July 2006 - Recovering a scratched CD / DVDIf you come across a CD or DVD that wont play the surface could be scratched. Contrary to common belief disk are not indestructible. The following technique might just save the day. Materials required:
Take some of the metal polish and pour it onto the disk. Use the soft cloth to polish the disk. Polishing is ideal in straight strokes from the centre of the disk to the outside so you polish perpendicular to the tracks on the disc. Take your time with this. Add more metal polish when it dries or gets pushed off the disk. Continue this process for about 15 minutes. The polish is removing part of the plastic from the disk not adding to it. You are actually scraping away part of the disk, which makes the existing scratches smaller. After 15 minutes or so, Rinse the disk off under water and check the surface. Take your polished, rinsed and dried disk and test it in your CD/DVD Drive . If it still doesn't work repeat the above. Once successfully recovered make a backup of the disk. I suggest you practice this technique on an unimportant disk before committing yourself to a valuable one. June 2006 - A Comfortable Monitor HeightSore neck and shoulders sometimes result directly from improper positioning of your computer monitor. It should be resting so that the screen is at the same height as your head, about 20 to 30 inches in front of you. May 2006 - Moving route lines on mapsUsing Video Paint (part of Ulead MS Pro Video editing suite), turn on macro recording, draw your line, turn off recording, then apply the macro to all frames. In the "Macro Playing Options" box, under "Playing Method", click "Progressive" rather than the default of "Entire Image". Click OK, hit play, and you'll see that the line is drawn smoothly and gradually over the course of the video. If you're fortunate enough to have a pen & tablet it works brilliantly for cursive script (i.e. "The End") as well. April 2006 - Printing Two-Sided DocumentsThe more ecologically conscious among us like to print documents on both sides of the paper. If everyone did this, it would immediately halve the number of trees cut down in the world, right? Think of it! The paper industry certainly doesn't want you to consider this possibility! One way to print on both sides of a document is to choose File - Print and select Odd Pages in the Print options. Then you simply flip the pages over, feed them back into the printer, and select Even Pages from the Print options. March 2006 - Grab Images Right off the Computer ScreenDid you know that you can easily grab an image right off your computer screen and pop it into other programs? Set up your screen so the information you want to grab is displayed as large as possible. Press PrintScrn or Shift-PrintScrn to capture the full screen to the Clipboard, or press Alt-PrintScrn to capture just the active window to the Clipboard. Switch to selected program and choose Edit - Paste (or press Ctrl-V) to paste the image from the Clipboard into your program. This can be useful to add interest and content to video and slide shows. February 2006 - Is your CRT computer screen calibrated?It is entirely possible that even though the image appears correct on screen that your printer is not receiving the proper data. Since the first place you begin to interpret what is "correct" is on the screen, you need to have a calibrated screen to make these assessments. This can get technical, but is well worth the effort. The simplest way to at least calibrate brightness on a display is to use a grey step scale. Here is a great place to start... http://www.displaycalibration.com/brightness_contrast.html Without getting into hardware calibrators and colour profiles this is a very basic way to set tones. Once you have your monitor set to display tones properly, you can work from there to assess how your printer outputs in reference to this display. January 2006 - TripodsTo steady a flimsy tripod, try suspending a heavy weight (e.g. a bag of sand) under it from the centre of the tripod. This will lower its centre of gravity and the extra weight will increase its stability. December 2005 - Save your lensAlways fit and leave in place a UV filter on your Still or Video camera. In the event of damage (from sharp objects, stones or salt spray) it is cheaper to replace the filter than replace a lens. Using a UV filter will reduce the effects of haze in mountainous regions. Using a "warm" or "Daylight" filter will enrich the colours. November 2005 - Video editing on computerComputers used for Video editing should have at least 2 physical hard drives. Always capture your video on a different drive from your editing drive. This saves suffering from dropped frames and stuttering audio. It is also easier to delete a project on completion.
|
This page was last updated 01-04-2012
