Category Archives: Tips & Tricks

How to Stream Any Video from PC to Apple TV

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There is over 13 million shipment volume yearly of Apple TV for all over the world.  (Read the comparison between Apple TV and Chromecast) People getting to use to stream videos from PC to big screen, having Apple TV in hands means you can mirror everything in Mac to TV seamlessly. Actually, we can stream content from iTune library to Apple TV directly via Mac or from iOS devices to Apple TV with AirPlay. However, Windows PC doesn’t embed with AirPlay, here offers 2 different ways to stream videos from Mac to Apple TV. Let’s clarify the theory with detail steps.

How to Stream Any Video from PC to Apple TV

1. iTunes Home Sharing

Setup Home Sharing in iTunes

First things first, if not already done you need to authorize your Apple ID in iTunes. To do this, open up iTunes -> from the menu bar, select Store -> Authorize this Computer. Enter your Apple ID and password.

Next, open iTunes Preferences (menu bar -> iTunes -> Preferences). Select the Sharing tab, then enable “Share my Library on my local network”. Additionally if you want your play counts in iTunes to update when playing videos or music on your Apple TV, enable “Home Sharing computers and devices update play counts”.

Home Sharing

Setting up Home Sharing simply shares your iTunes library on your local network. You won’t be able to access any of it while not connected to the same Wi-Fi network that your iTunes library is connected to.

Setup Home Sharing on your Apple TV

Now that we have iTunes properly setup to stream content, we need to setup out Apple TV to accept the connection.

Setup Home Sharing on your Apple TV

On your Apple TV, go to Settings -> Computers -> Turn on Home Sharing -> Login with the same Apple ID as the one you used in iTunes.

Now go back out the main screen of on your Apple TV and select the Computers button.

select the Computers button

A few more things you need to know

  • The Mac or PC which stores your iTunes library has to be turn on in order to stream content to your Apple TV. This doesn’t mean that it can’t be in sleep mode. If you try to stream from the iTunes library while your computer is sleeping it will automatically wake up the computers hard drive so that it can stream your media content. This only works if you have the iTunesHelper application running however.
  • The iTunes Helper application is by default set to always be active from the time your turn on your computer until your turn it off. You can check to make sure it is active by going to System Preferences -> Users & Groups -> Login Items. If under the, “These items will open automatically when you log in:” you can see “iTunesHelper” then it’s already set up properly.
  • Home Sharing doesn’t just work for you Apple TV, it also works when streaming to other computer whether it be a PC or Mac and it even streams to your iPad, iPhone and iPod… as long as they are all connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Connect Apple TV to iTunes on PC for syncing

Step 1: (Wireless) Connect Apple TV to PC.

You can sync your video, songs, photos from iTunes to Apple TV with ease and enjoy them on the couch if you have an existing wireless network. If you have no this, you can build up one or connect Apple TV to your computer via an Ethernet cable.

Step 2: Select source menu and get a passcode.

Select Sources on Apple TV’s main menu and select syncing from the sources menu. Apple TV will generate a passcode to sync. Remember it.

ATV settings

connect to iTunes

Step 3: Go to iTunes; select Apple TV from the Devices list.

Step 4: Connect to iTunes and then sync video from it to Apple TV.

Enter the passcode to iTunes, and if it was accepted, click “OK” to make confirm. Then you can sync the video from iTunes to Apple TV as you like by drag and drop. Now you have done the streaming.

Note: Not all video formats are accepted by Apple TV. ATV is expecting .mp4, .mov or .m4v files containing MPEG4 or H.264 video and AAC, AC3 or MP3 audio streams, other files will not be copied. So when you want to sync other videos to Apple TV, first you need to convert video to Apple TV compatible format.

To get the work done, here we recommend the professional Apple TV Video Converter- Pavtube Video Converter Ultimate, which can help you convert common video like mkv, mts and even H.265 video to Apple TV compatible format and then you can get iTunes to sync other video formats to Apple TV easily. Mac version is here.

MKV Player for Mac – Can’t play MKV files on Mac OS X

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MKV is no doubt a bellwether in the High-Definition world. It is an urgent demand for Mac users to play MKV movies on their Mac system. If you owned a Mac Book, you may find your MKV files couldn’t be played. Actually, the reason is that MKV is not a Mac native format. And Perian, a plug-in used to play windows media, doesn’t support Mavericks and there is no upgrade news now. How to solve this problem?

Here, I have two solutions right here:

Part I: How to Convert MKV in Mac OS X with Pavtube Video Converter for Mac
Part II: The best Two Free MKV Player for Mac

Follow the step-by-step guide will help you find the best solution for playing MKV files on Mac OS X.

Although there are some free video converter for Mac, but they are usually hard to use and only support limited formats. For an easy to use MKV video converter, Pavtube Video Converter for Mac deserves you try. It can convert MKV files to any popular video formats like MP4, WMV, AVI, MOV, etc. Featuring with friendly UI, ultrafast speed, easy operation as well as high definition of up to 1080p and DTS5.1 audio system.

Part I:  How to Convert MKV in Mac OS X (including Mavericks & Mountain Lion)

Step 1. Import MKV file

Download and launch this Mac MKV converter on your Mac, and click “File” to import the MKV file you want to convert and play with your media player.

Convert MKV in Mac OS X

Step 2. Choose output format

What makes it excels is that It provides you with the optimized output video settings for iPod, iPhone, Apple TV and many mobile phones. Choose an output format like iPod, iPad, iPhone or etc. MP4 is highly recommended.

Convert MKV to mp4 on Mac OS X

Some Tips: You can also Convert 2D Video/Movie to 3D MKV. For the latest iPhone 6, you can easily watch Youtube videos on iPhone 6(Plus).

Step 3. Convert MKV

Just one click the red “Convert” button to start MKV conversion. After conversion, your media player can open and play the converted MKV video smoothly.

Part II: The best Two Free MKV Player for Mac

To watch MKV video on Mac, I recommend trying either VLC Media Player or MPlayer OS X. They are both free. These free multimedia players are excellent and can tackle many of the video formats unknown to QuickTime. They contain a decoder to decode the MKV files. They will also play many of the formats you will find inside the .MKV file.

No.1 VLC Media Player

free-vlc-mkv-player-Mac

VLC is indeed a good MKV Player for Mac, it can almost play all video, however, if you want to sync your videos to other Apple products such as iPhone, Apple TV, iPad mini, you need to convert them to some proper formats, what i use is the Video Converter, it can convert all videos to Mac and other Apple products comptible formats.

No.2 MPlayer OS X

free-mplayer-for-mkv-Mac

MPlayerX works wonderfully to play MKV files, and the interface closely matches QuickTime Players black minimalist theme. Performance was excellent too. This is definitely another worthwhile choice for watching HD video on the Mac, and it’s available free on the Mac App Store. Thanks to everyone who recommended this, this may be my new favorite video player! More MKV Players you can read: Here.

Conclusion:

Which solution is the best? That’s up for debate. For general versatility, VLC is a must-have app for all computer users, MplayerX is really giving it a run for it’s money, but for overall media player Alternative Pavtube is great. Try out a few and see which fits your needs. Enjoy your movies!

Convert MOV from the After Effects to SWF files for Web

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After editing your Blu-ray/DVD and other videos in After Effects, you can get some files in MOV format. So, how to share these mov files from After effects? To use MOV video for your web page, SWF format is probably the appropriate format. Because it is designed to be user friendly, cross platform with good compression and quality and mainly used for delivers vector graphics, text, video, and sound over the Internet. And below is a quick way to convert MOV to SWF files.

For those people who really concern with the incompatibility programs, you can use MOV to SWF Converter for Mac to convert MOV to SWF on Mac OS X Mavericks/Mountain Lion. It is highly recommended as the best application to help you finish the MOV to SWF conversion. In addition, it supports the conversion between all other popular video formats like AVI, WMV, FLV, MKV, MP4, M4V, ASF, VOB, etc. Furthermore, this program even allows you to do some editing of the video as well like trimming and cropping. For Windows users, you can download Pavtube MOV to SWF Video Converter.

Step by Step: How to Convert MOV to SWF on Mac

Here we show you how to convert MOV to SWF on Mac computer with the Mac version. It applies to the Windows version as well.

Step 1. Download this top MOV to SWF Converter for Mac and launch it. Then, concise interface of it at once shows up, directly drag your MOV format from After Effects video into it. (This function is really a humanized operation design and easy to use!)

convert-mov-to-swf with Pavtube converter

Note: What will astounds you is that Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac also supports preview, which means you can watch the video before the conversion from After Effects MOV to SWF. At the meantime, capture and progress are also available.

Step 2. Click Output Format and go to Format > Flash Video, then you’ll see the format list as below. Simply click SWF to choose it as the output format.

convert-mov-to-swf with best format

Step 3. Pavtube iMedia Converter for Mac also supports customizing output format value. If you have other demands on videos, you may click the Settings button to specify the video and audio parameters. You can alter its size, sample rate, bitrate, frame rate and channels in it. This practical function can satisfy your specific needs for videos!

convert-mov-to-swf with settings

Step 4. The last step is to click the Convert button on the main interface to start converting your MOV videos. When the conversion finishes, click Open Folder to locate the converted videos and then you can share them on online video sites as you like.

Futher information about MOV and SWF:
A. MOV is a QuickTime multimedia file format developed by Apple. This format usually has multiple tracks of data type audio, effects, video and texts etc.
B. SWF is known as Shockwave flash which is originally introduced by Macromedia, however now it is owned by Adobe as a part of their acquisition. SWF files are intentionally small in size and widely used for publishing on web. These files are used for graphics display in an animated version as well.

See also:

Transcode Camera MTS/M2TS files for editing in Adobe After Effects
Easily play MKV, M2TS, VOB, Tivo, FLV, MPG to Amazon Fire TV
How to upload VOB video to Youtube without quality loss

Useful Guide: Convert 2D Video/Movie to 3D MKV

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“I have noticed that there have been many 3D video supported players with the popularity of 3D lifelike movies. I find a 2D movie (.MKV), and it works just fine at home. Now I want to see it at my friend’s house, and they have a 3D system. To have a theatrical 3D experience at home, we’re trying to find an easy way to convert 2D Video/Movie to 3D MKV? Any idea? ” 

best-2d-to-3d-mkv-converter

To answer the question above:

With the upsurge of 3D movies in recent years, more and more people are looking for 3D converting software to convert 2D to 3D videos that are compatible with all 3D devices. As mentioned above, if you want to convert 2D to 3D MKV, you have to figure out the best 2D to 3D MKV Video Converter to help you get this done. Firstly download the amazing 3D Video Converter Ultimate and launch it. It’s an ultimate video solution for converting video among all popular file formats including 2D to 3D conversion. And this article is written down in specialty for assisting you to easily create 3D movies with 2D video files in three steps.

More information:

Which codec is for ripping Blu-ray (3D included) movies losslessly
View 3D videos and photos on your PC or laptop for free
How to Convert DVD Folder Video_TS to MKV format

Quite easy to convert 2D video to 3D if you have a professional 2D to 3D MKV Video Converter to help.

Step 1. Load your source 2D MKV movie by clicking “Add video” this 2D to 3D MKV Video Converter.

With the function of batch conversion, you are here allowed to import more than one 2D files for your 3D movie creating project.

onvert 2d mkv to 3d format

Step 2. Choose “MKV Side-by-Side 3D Video(*.mkv)” under “3D Video” category for your 3D TV since the reader of the TV handles SBS 3D MKV as supported format. You can also “MKV Anaglyph 3D Video (*.mkv)” or “MKV Top-Bottom 3D Video (*.mkv)” for outputing.

onvert 2d mkv to 3d sbs format

Step 3. If you like, you could adjust video codec, bitrate, frame rate, etc to get better video quality in saved 3D MKV video. Meanwhile, you could choose 3D anaglyph and Depth in Profile Settings to avoid images misaligned.

Tips: When you have trouble getting aligned images in saved 3D SBS MKV video, adjust “Depth” in Profile Settings helps make the film images aligned? perfectly.

Step 4. Hit the “Convert” button to copy your 2D MKV movie to MKV Side-by-Side 3D video. When if finishes, click the “Open” option to locate the created 3D SBS MKV video and you are ready to transfer your 2D MKV movies to 3D TV for entertainment.

Now, you can figure out the best 2D to 3D MKV Video Converter to help you get this done. Enjoy your own amazing digital life!

 

Lossless rip Blu-ray to MKV with Pavtube ByteCopy (Windows/Mac) upgraded version

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Good news! As your best tool to rip and convert Blu-ray movies and DVDs to MKV container format with multiple audio tracks and subtitle sinclided, Pavrtube ByteCopy, both Windows and Mac version have updated to the new version!

Windows Version:

Version: 2.2.0
Supported OS: Windows 2003/XP/Vista/Windows 7/Windows 8/Windows 8.1

What’s new:

* Support latest BD and DVD
* Windows install package with digital signature
* Fixed some know bugs

Download here: http://download.pavtube.com/bytecopy/bytecopy_setup.exe

Mac Version:

Version: 2.3.0
Supported OS: Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks, 10.8 Mountain Lion, 10.7 Lion, Snow Leopard 10.6

What’s new:

* Support latest BD and DVD
* Update Mac pkg and dmg install package simultaneously
* Fixed some know bugs

Download here: http://download.pavtube.com/bytecopy-mac/bytecopymac_setup.dmg

Source: http://filmholics.tumblr.com/post/78827462030/good-news-pavtube-bytecopy-2-2-0-and-pavtube-bytecopy

Pavtube iOS Data Recovery (for Win and Mac) is available as a Giveaway of the day!

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Summary: Pavtube iOS Data Recovery software giveaway for iPhone/iPad/iPod users, users can backup and recover their lost data free with this giveaway.

Pavtube Studio is Giveaway iOS Data Recovery on GiveawayOfTheDay.com on March 3, 2014.PavtubeiOS Data Recovery is the best iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and iTunes data recovery software, Users can now backup and restore their data for free.

The link of the giveaway page:

http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/pavtube-ios-data-recovery

Pavtube iOS Data Recovery is designed for users who have the need to backup existing data, and restore the lost data from iOS devices and iTunes backup file, such as call history, contacts, photos, SMS messages, iMessages, notes, calendars, reminders, voice memos, and more.

“iOS Data Recovery is a pretty new software released in the New Year. And the reason why we provide this giveaway is to help more users to recover their lost iOS and iTunes data on either Windows or Mac computers. And also we hope to get more advices and suggestions from them to make the software more user-friendly.” said Betty Yu, the brand’s manager.

There are likely thousands of accidental occasions that one may lose iOS data, water-damaged, failure to update iOS, unsuccessful jailbreak, device stolen, unexpected factory restoring, Google Account changing, etc. Pavtube iOS Data Recovery was right designed to help people out of those bad occasions.

From iTunes Backup file, users are able to restore 11 types of data without the iOS device, such as Photo Stream, Camera Roll (including videos), iMessages & SMS Messages, Call History, Contacts, Notes, Reminders, Safari Bookmarks, Voice Memos, Calendar, and Message Attachments.

While for data not backup with iTunes, users can get back 7 types with the iOS device, such as Call History, Contacts, Messages, Notes, Reminders, Calendar, and Safari Bookmarks. All recoverable data can be previewed and are selectable in the software, except the videos. And all of the above great features are included in this giveaway.

This giveaway is for users with any generations of Apple devices such as iPhone 5S/5C/5/4S/4/3GS, iPad Air/Mini/4/3 (New iPad)/2/1 and iPod touch. And users can download either Windows or Mac versions to work on the right operation system.

“We hope both our users and us can get much help and information from this giveaway.” Concluded Betty, “And as always, this giveaway on GiveAwayOfTheDay is providing the latest official version from Pavtube with offers to upgrade and get other relative Pavtube software.”

From: http://best-tablet-converter.com/2014/03/03/free-ios-data-recovery-software/

Useful Tips and Tricks for Galaxy Note 3

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The Galaxy Note 3 is one of the biggest smartphones of the year, literally. Not only did Samsung pack in a larger 5.7-inch display and a faster 2.3GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 processor, but the company also added a number of new features to help set the device apart from the competition.

Along with many of the software enhancements found in the flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone, the Galaxy Note 3 includes advanced multitasking capabilities, a new way to discover content, and other features.

These tips will help you get started with your new device:

Multiwindow mode
Like the Galaxy S4, the Note 3 can run two apps simultaneously. Holding the back button will reveal the multiwindow menu that lets you choose from a list of compatible apps to run side by side. Apps can be resized or expanded to full-screen by dragging the blue circle icon in the center of the screen up or down.

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10 problems with iOS 7, and how to fix them

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Every new operating system has its issues and Apple’s iOS 7 is certainly no exception. We’ve seen a multitude of bug reports rolling in and, while many people have updated successfully, there’s no shortage of people encountering glitches or even major problems. We discussed how to prepare for and download iOS 7, and we’ve suggested some helpful iOS 7 tips and tricks, now it’s time to review some common iOS 7 problems and, where possible, identify solutions. We’ll refer to the iPhone throughout the article, but the majority of the problems and fixes will apply to the iPad and iPod Touch as well. ios-7

Glitch: Stuck on Apple logo

If your update, wrong then you may well find that your iPhone is stuck on a blank boot screen or on the Apple logo and it won’t start up properly. You’re going to want to connect to iTunes and try DFU (Device Firmware Upgrade) mode.

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Get started with AirDrop on iOS 7

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We’ve all seen the Samsung commercials wherein iOS users are constantly made fun of for buying into Apple products. One of the features often shown off in those commercials has been NFC sharing of documents and photos when two users bump the backs of the their latest Galaxy devices — something everyone knows iOS devices can’t do.

Apple took note of the dig at its products and has implemented a feature it assures users will be better than having to run around tapping phones together.

That feature is called AirDrop.

AirDrop may sound familiar to OS X users, as it’s already implemented on Macs and allows users to drag and drop files to share with other Mac users on the same network.

The feature works in a similar fashion on iOS, with the exception being users aren’t required to be on the same network to transfer content. Instead AirDrop uses a direct Wi-Fi connection for transfers.

Owners of an iPhone 5 or later, iPad fourth generation, iPad Mini and the fifth-generation iPod Touch will be able to take advantage of AirDrop.

How to update your iPhone, iPad or iPod to iOS 7

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iOS 7 represents a major update to Apple’s mobile operating system for the iPhone and iPad, and as long as your device isn’t more than around two years old you’ll be able to upgrade it to get some or all of the new features.

iOS 7 will be available for the iPhone 4 and newer, the iPad 2 and newer, and the 5th generation iPod touch.

The following devices can’t be upgraded to iOS 7: Original iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, original iPod touch, iPod touch 2nd-gen, iPod touch 3rd-gen, iPod touch 3th-gen, original iPad.

Here’s a full list of which iOS 7 features will be available in each country, since your location as well as your device will affect which features you get.

How to update to iOS 7

There are two ways to update your iPhone, iPad or iPod to iOS 7: over the air (via Wi-Fi) or through iTunes.

Before you upgrade to iOS 7, though, there are a couple of housekeeping jobs to do. First, update your apps as certain out-of-date apps won’t work in iOS 7.

Second, check if you have enough free storage space as the update requires at least 1.4GB of memory for temporarily storing the download during the update. You can check how much space is available by tapping Settings > General > Usage. The list of apps will tell you which ones are using up your phone or tablet’s storage. Typically, it will be the Photos app, which is full of your images and videos.

ios-7-1

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