Damage Limitation Into Action

You may have heard me mention on this weeks EuroMac Podcast that ScreenCastsOnline is to be featured in this months MacFormat magazine.

They were kind enough to send me an advance copy so I ripped open the mag and bunged the DVD into my macbook pro.

Some background first. When MacFormat first approached me they mentioned they wanted 4  early shows to insert on the cover disk and that they wanted to convert them into normal video files so that people could play them on their TVs. I responded that I was more than happy to supply the shows but didn't really want them to be converted to video due to resolution issues and overscan issues when viewing on a TV.

To cut a long story short, they definately wanted the video versions so I pointed out the issues and requested that they addressed them in advance.

You know where this is going don't you!

The freshly pressed DVD burst into life and instead of a menu, it started loading DVD player....

Then I recognised one of the ScreenCastsOnline shows appearing....

The resolution wasn't too bad....

Then it stopped....

Then it started...

Then it stopped.....

Oh dear!

I removed the DVD and tried it in my PowerMac G5, it loaded DVD player and it started the ScreenCastsOnline video.....

Then it stopped....

Then it started...

Then it stopped.....

Arrrrgggghhhhh.....disaster.

Then I took it to my XBox which is the only DVD player attached to a TV.

The ScreenCastsOnline video started OK and played OK.....

Then it transpires that the overscan on the TV means that the OSX menu and half the dock is missing.......

Arrggggghhhh.....double disaster

To get to the Quicktime files you need to quit from the DVD player and load the MAcFormat menu and they are hidden away in the submenus but I fear the damage will have been done by them and by association ScreenCastsOnline will look extremely amateur despite my doing all I could to draw the pitfalls of creating a DVD to their attention.

I've emailed the guys over at MacFormat but I think it's too late to do anything about it.

I'll put a special page on my website later.

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SCO Recommends Democracy Player

Stop squinting at tiny web video. Instead, download and watch all the best internet TV shows in one powerful application: any video RSS feed, video podcast, video blog, or BitTorrent file. Fullscreen, high resolution, 100% free and open source. New channels arrive daily in the built-in Channel Guide.

Democracy - Internet TV Platform - Free and Open Source

I've been using the beta version 0.8.5 on th MacBook Pro for a few days now and I have to say I'm impressed. It handles video so much better than iTunes.

Well recommended.  Any Extra Subscribers should try the HD and ED feeds in it. They look superb. I'll send out a mailshot to Extra! members with some instructions.

technorati tags:democracy, video, player

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Just Ask!

Geek Cruises - MacMania 4.5 - Top Page

If any of the organisers of next years MacMania cruise are listening, how about a few sessions on ScreenCasting or Podcasting next year. I'll happily offer my services at very reasonable rates, heck I'll even do some live screencasts from the ship :-)

technorati tags:geekcruise, macmania

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ScreenCastsOnline Review on @Monitor.CA

Whether you're a Mac-newbie looking to come up to speed on a complex Mac application or a seasoned Mac veteran looking to hone up on a particular software package, ScreenCastsOnline (SCO) can definitely help you keep abreast of the latest Macintosh technology.

Read Full Article - @MONiTOR.CA - MACstuff - July 2006

Steve Lawrenson over at @Monitor.CA has done a really nice (and extensive) review of ScreenCastsOnline. Steve is the Macintosh feature writer for Monitor magazine based in Ottawa, Canada and the article originally appeared in print but is now available on the Web. Thanks Steve, after reading this perhaps I should consider increasing the Extra! subscription rates!

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Fame at Last!

I've been offline for most of the weekend attending to a big family party for our wedding anniversary. Imagine my delight to sit down at my mac to catch up with my mail and RSS feeds to see that Jan Kabili has posted a great entry all about ScreenCastsOnline over on the TUAW blog Not only that, but she's also mentioned ScreenCastsOnline Extra! membership and even taken out a subscription! Many many thanks to Jan for spreading the word!

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