The MacFAQ volunteers/suggestions thread

[pixeljammedia]

Here are some of the initial questions, if you can think of any more then add to them. If you feel you have expertise in a given subject then claim it for your own and we can start compiling.

How do I convert an AVI to DVD?
How do I convert PAL to NTSC?
How do I capture my VHS tapes?
Why is the audio in my video out of synch?
How do I create a VIDEO_TS folder to burn onto DVD?
How do I join together mpegs?
How do I split a DVD across two single layer DVDs.
What is a DivX/Xvid/3ivX/MP4?
How do I edit an MPEG?
How do I import into iMovie?
Does this smell funny to you?
How do I remove menus and extras from DVDs?
How do I create menus in DVDs?
How do I capture still photos from a DVD?
How do I rip single scenes and place them into my own movies?

[tgpo]

How do I fit a DVD onto a DVD-R?
What's the difference between DVD-R and DVD+R?
Can my mac read DVD+R discs?
What's the best media?
How do I rip just audio from a DVD?
How do I convert VCD/SVCD/CVD to DVD?
How do I convert VCD to SVCD?
Why can't Quicktime export the audio from my MPEG?
Why can't Quicktime play this file?
Do I need OS X to do this?

I'll help with any of them you need me on.

[terryj]

What are the bare mimimum amount of codecs I need
to play....(insert here)?
What is a codec?
What Specs do I need ( minimum H/S ) to do this?
What are the best freeware/shareware sites for getting tools?
What is the diffrence between MPEG-1, -2, and -4?
How do I create compliant audio for my DVD?
Help! I authored my DVD, but Toast says it won't fit?
Help! I authored my DVD, but Toast wants to re-encode
( insert here)?
Help! I dragged my clips into Toast, and Toast gave an error
(insert here) and won't author my VCD/DVD?
What is Buffer Underrun? How do I enable it on my burner?
Why does my Audio pop or stutter when I play back my avi?
Why does everyone reccomened QT .mov over .avi... Aren't they the same?

other more specific questions...

How do I use DVDSP 3 to create a DVD?
How do I calculate bitrates to fit ( x) number of eps to 1 DVD?
What is a Bit Rate Calculator?
What is AC3 audio?
Why is it reccomended to author in DVDSP, then burn in Toast? Why not just use DVDSP3?

Why do I need QT Pro?
What is Divx Doctor II?

What is ArrCCos?
What is HBO doing to their DVDs?

What is MTR?
What is DVDBackup?
What is DVD2Onex?
Why is it that ( insert software here) not avaialble for the mac?

What is error -36? I get this when I try and drag a DVD to my Hard drive?
What is error -108 in Toast?

and also i think we should mention

Why are downloads epsiodes not compliant with ( insert here)?
Why are downloaded movies/eps called "warez"?
Why can't we discuss "warez"?

again be glad to help writing any of these or any of yours.

[JoachimS]

I want to believe...

..., that the answers are already out there, somewhere.....



Cheers,

Joachim

[pixeljammedia]

How do I convert Real Video/ Windows Media to Quicktime?
Why doesn't this DVD play in Apple's DVD Player?
Will this DVD play on my set-top box?
Can I edit the mpegs from my DVR/Tivo/Replay?
Why can't I fit a 700 MB avi onto a 4 GB DVD using Toast?
How many hours can I fit onto a DVD?
I captured a movie in iMovie/FCE/FCP and it takes up a lot of disk space, how will I fit it onto a DVD?
What program is like TMPGEnc/VirtualDub/DVDShrink/My favorite PC App?

After we collect a bunch of these, I'll try to consolidate the questions into coherent sections and we can start divvying them up. So far I have tgpo and terryj willing to help, anyone else? How about a good host if we decide to allow download of the FAQ?

[tgpo]

I'll host it

[pixeljammedia]

The first attempt at organizing the FAQ:
Codecs and Formats
What is a codec?
What is a DivX/Xvid/3ivX/MP4?
What is the diffrence between MPEG-1, -2, and -4?
What are the bare mimimum amount of codecs I need to play this file?
Why does everyone reccomened QT .mov over .avi... Aren't they the same?
What is AC3 audio?
Why does my Audio pop or stutter when I play back my avi?

Ripping and Capturing
How do I capture my VHS tapes?
What is Macrovision?
How do I split a DVD across two single layer DVDs?
How do I remove menus and extras from DVDs?
How do I capture still photos from a DVD?
How do I rip single scenes and place them into my own movies?
How do I rip just audio from a DVD?
What is ArrCCos?
What is HBO doing to their DVDs?
Can I skip past the menus in my Disney DVDs?
What is error -36? I get this when I try and drag a DVD to my Hard drive?

Conversion
How do I convert an AVI to DVD?
How do I convert PAL to NTSC?
How do I convert VCD to SVCD?
How do I convert VCD/SVCD/CVD to DVD?
How do I convert Real Video/ Windows Media to Quicktime?

Editing and Authoring
Why is the audio in my video out of synch?
MPEGS 1 & 2 & DVDs
How do I edit an MPEG?
How do I join together mpegs?
How many hours can I fit onto a DVD?
How do I calculate bitrates to fit ( x) number of eps to 1 DVD?
What is a Bit Rate Calculator?
How do I create a VIDEO_TS folder to burn onto DVD?
How do I create menus in DVDs?
How do I fit a DVD onto a DVD-R?
How do I create compliant audio for my DVD?
Why doesn't this DVD play in Apple's DVD Player?
Will this DVD play on my set-top box?
I captured a movie in iMovie/FCE/FCP and it takes up a lot of disk space, how will I fit it onto a DVD?
Can I edit the mpegs from my DVR/Tivo/Replay?

DVD Media and Hardware
What's the difference between DVD-R and DVD+R?
Can my Mac read DVD+R discs?
What's the best media?

Apple Software and Hardware
Why do I need QT Pro?
Why can't Quicktime export the audio from my MPEG?
Why can't Quicktime play this file?
Do I need OS X to do this?
How do I import into iMovie?
How do I use DVDSP 3 to create a DVD?
What Specs do I need ( minimum H/S ) to do this?

Toast and other Burning issues
Help! I authored my DVD, but Toast says it won't fit?
Why can't I fit a 700 MB avi onto a 4 GB DVD using Toast?
Help! I authored my DVD, but Toast wants to re-encode my file.
Help! I dragged my clips into Toast, and Toast gave an error (insert here) and won't author my VCD/DVD?
What is Buffer Underrun? How do I enable it on my burner?
Why is it recommended to author in DVDSP, then burn in Toast? Why not just use DVDSP3?
What is error -108 in Toast?

Video Applications (other)
What are the best freeware/shareware sites for getting tools?
What is MTR?
What is DVDBackup?
What is DVD2Onex? DTOX?
What is Sizzle?
What is Divx Doctor II?
What program is like TMPGEnc/VirtualDub/DVDShrink/My favorite PC App?

Miscellaneous
Why are downloaded movies/eps called "warez"?
Why can't we discuss "warez"?
Does this smell funny to you?
Why are downloads epsiodes not compliant with ( insert here)?


Look it over and add to it, move stuff, claim a topic.

[tgpo]

Should we just claim topics?

I say we all write about which ever we want. If more than one person writes something we can combine and edit them together so we have the best information possible.

[pixeljammedia]

Agreed. Anyone good with groupware/content management? We could host this at a blog or something and let people write to it until we have a working document.

[galactica]

Ill help as much as I can. Life is getting a bit busy but there are always late nights!

Good work so far!

[pixeljammedia]

The freeware FAQtor seems to be a good solution for a common FAQ writing platform.

Here is a preview of how it outputs the HTML. We can apply stylesheets afterwards if we feel the need to be fancy.

Here is the FAQtor document for download and edit.

[terryj]

Good work organizing thus far PJ!

I agree with Master tgpo,
let's just write what we know, and then combine/edit
afterwards.

I'll get started once I get home and download the FaQtor
freeware.

[sjk]

Does FAQtor support "last updated" datestamping of individual entries? It's useful knowing when certain types of items have been updated as a clue for how up-to-date the information is.

[pixeljammedia]

Does FAQtor support "last updated" datestamping of individual entries? It's useful knowing when certain types of items have been updated as a clue for how up-to-date the information is.

Yes it does support timestamping. Click on the sample output in my message above to see a basic beginning of the FAQ.

[sjk]

Yes, that shows the last modified date/time for the entire page, not for each entry. That's why I asked about the latter after checking the sample output earlier.

[pixeljammedia]

Oh okay, I didn't notice the "individual" in your post. It doesn't support that as far as I know, but this is all pretty informal and hardly the be-all-end-all of Mac video FAQs. If something changes then pm me with an updated entry. Otherwise I think the overall document timestamp will suffice.

[sjk]

Your call.

Thanks for working on this... looks like it's off to a good start!

[terryj]

PJ, getting ready to PM you with what I have thus far...
will finish adding tomorrow.

[tgpo]

Do we have a working edut up to this point yet that I can get a hold of?

[pixeljammedia]

NOt yet, I'll update what I have, but it is still rather incomplete. Check out the HTMlL here.

and here is the latest file.

[G13]

Damn! Very impressive.

[terryj]

PJ,
working on my next set of answers, should have them ready for you to add to the latest file here shortly.

[terryj]

PJ, going to dinner, but i married the latest release with my new additions and am sending to you now.

[terryj]

PJ where are we on this?
has anyone else contributed?

[pixeljammedia]

went on the backburner for a little while, you and I (so far) are the only conributors. I'm sure we can expect a bump when it gets released.

[Ladd]

Just started -- a Mac-specific Wiki called Wikitosh!. The ideal place for these questions and their answers.

http://wikitosh.com/wiki/pmwiki.php

[sjk]

In my experience a Wiki isn't necessarily the "ideal" format for Q&A info. A FAQ is a reader-centric service and choosing a format that's inviting for people to use will make it a more valuable resource. It's part of a Wiki's nature to be more contributor-centric, where inconsistencies in content and style can make it uncomfortable for readers.

[pixeljammedia]

I'm pretty happy with the FAQ's setup at the moment and tgpo has said he will host it when t is ready. Ladd, thanks for the offer and feel free to link to the FAQ when it is "good to go." (which may be a little while as I look at my schedule)

[terryj]

I will try and add some more this week-end PJ, as
scheduling permits.

[thoughton]

First time I've seen this thread, only a month late How do we submit answers?