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How do I export a sound from a movie using iMovie?

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Some formats of movie file (such as MPG) are notoriously difficult to extract audio from. But because the file is a movie, if you have iMovie, you can take advantage of its export feature to extract the audio.

Simply open a new iMovie project and drag your movie file onto the window or choose "File....Import" from the menus and import the file.

Move the clip onto your movie timeline.

Then, go to the "Share" menu and select to share via "QuickTime"

Next, select to export using QuickTime "Expert settings"

When you are prompted to save the file, choose which format you want to save the file in before saving.

In the example here, the option to export the audio as a WAV file has been selected.

Last Updated Monday, 10 March 2008

Can my iPod Nano play video?

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No. iPod Nanos as they come configured from Apple cannot play video. You can however modify your Nano by loading a special version of the operating system Linux, developed specially for iPods which will allow you to play videos, load your own programs and add several other functions to your iPod Nano (such as the ability to play the original version of the game ‘Doom’).

This software is free but should be used with caution as it still experimental. You will need a reasonable technical knowledge to attempt this and the process will almost certainly void your warranty.

Instructions are available at www.ipodlinux.org and a video demonstration of the Nano playing video is available here.

Last Updated Sunday, 09 March 2008

Is there a way to re-download just one episode of a podcast in iTunes?

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Sometimes a podcast episode comes through faulty. It can be for many reasons and often you'll find the person producing the podcast realises there is an issue with a file and uploads a new version into their podcast feed. That's OK for those yet to download that podcast episode...but for you, does it mean you have to trash the entire podcast series and start all over again? Answer: No :-)

Simply delete the most recent episode that is causing the issue. In the example that we are going to show you here, we're going to re-download "Webnation Episode 7".

Next, click on the name of the podcast series in iTunes and at the bottom of the iTunes window, click on "Unsubscribe"

 

Now that you've unsubscribed from the podcast, just click the "Subscribe" button to subscribe again as shown.

 

Last Updated Tuesday, 11 March 2008

How do I access other drives in FrontRow ?

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You can use iTunes and have that pointed to another drive, but sometimes you don't want to, especially if you've ripped a DVD and don't want to convert it into an iTunes file.

There is a very very simple workaround and it uses one of Mac OS X's most powerful UNIX features... Aliases.

• Open a Finder window and browse to the Movies folder under your profile
• Click and hold the left mouse button down on the drive you wish to add
• With the mouse button still held down press Option and Command together and drag the drive into the Movies folder
• Release the mouse button

Alternatively, right-click the folder you want to use and click "make alias" in the pop-up menu that appears.

If you've done it right you should see a black arrow curving to the right on the icon as you can see below. This indicates that it is an alias.

Now when you go into FrontRow there should be a menu entry for it under Movies/Movies Folder for the drive as though it was a folder.

 

 

Last Updated Tuesday, 30 November 1999