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Mac Hardware and Software |OT| - All things Macintosh

C

CrudeDiatribe

Member
Fuchsdh said:
I've never seen MKVs and the like in anything besides torrents.
Click to expand...

Doesn't the standard BluRay ripper people use produce .mkvs?

I was looking into this after realizing there was no good way to end up with a digital copy of Star Wars TFA that works on both my Mac and my XBone— that buying the BluRay and ripping it made the most sense, ffs.
 
E

EmiPrime

Member
Fuchsdh said:
Lol. Pretty much. All the "legit" non-MPEG stuff I see is Ogg/VP8 :)

Even as a media-focused guy I probably open VLC maybe three or four times a year. I can't imagine most normal people really have any need for stuff beyond Quicktime/ Windows Media Player, partially because of the homogenization of codecs and partially because most stuff is streamed and handled by the browser anyhow.
Click to expand...

Probably yeah. Nearly everyone I know goes on dodgy malware infested websites to stream TV episodes instead of using bittorrent and VLC. Taking a look at the average person's installed Chrome extensions is not the faint of heart.

Can MPEG4 act as a container with multiple subtitle files and audio streams?
 
E

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
CrudeDiatribe said:
Doesn't the standard BluRay ripper people use produce .mkvs?
Click to expand...

Yeah, the only ripping software that works, at least most of the time, produces MKVs. Which can make the conversion to a container format that iTunes understands a bit annoying.
 
M

Mr. Wonderful

Member
My question is, what does Apple do with QuickTime on the Mac? It makes sense to continue to support it, since it's basically the engine used for video playback and things like Final Cut. ...Does iTunes actually use QuickTime for video playback?

Though at the same time, I would expect it to get a major update this year with h.265, 10-bit video, rec.2020 and HDR support for cutting and because of Skylake/Kaby Lake.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
I would think the libraries themselves would be used all the time for decoding and encoding and transcoding. But the apps themselves are stagnant and forgotten.

What's the security hole anyway? Is it in QuickTime X? Because if it's on Windows then it has to be in QuickTime 7 at least. But does it also exist in X? I'd assume Apple will still update X if needed. It's 7 and Windows that they've seemingly abandoned.
 
N

NinjaCatfish

Member
Fuchsdh said:
Really esoteric container formats and such are a thing of the past. Aside from royalties, why wouldn't you have you media encoded as MPEG-4 at this point, which basically any player can read?

I've never seen MKVs and the like in anything besides torrents.
Click to expand...

MakeMKV is (or at least was back when I was ripping my own Blu Rays) the best and easiest way to rip a BRD to a video file. MKVs are hardly exclusive to piracy.
 
C

coopolon

Member
I posted this in the tech support thread but then remembered this thread. Anyone have any ideas?

I have a mid 2014 mbp retina 128gb ssd 8gb ram running 10.11.4

I recently got a warning that my hard drive was full. I opened it up and while the hard drive said it had ~116GB on it, all the folders on the hard drive only added up to ~87GB. I emptied the trash ad rebooted the computer and now it says it has 106GB on it. Still only finding ~87GB of content though.

I know none of these numbers are exact (when I open each folder with get info it's always a little bigger than finder says, but even then it's only an additional 2GB). Where is the missing ~20GB?

Thanks!

Root.png


All%20files.png


Edit: I turned on "show hidden files" and found two other folders, private and usr which I guess are other system folders. Those only add ~4gb, still more than 10GB unexplained.
 
C

CrudeDiatribe

Member
Did it get really slow when it said it was full? and did you reboot it? If something goes apeshit and steal all your memory and then keeps going, all the free space on your disk will be used for virtual memory-- once it tries to use more the disk space warning will be triggered.
 
M

mmazurkiewicz

Member
How do I do a full reformat of the OS?

When I hit Command+R and choose reinstall, what does that do? I just did it and it reloaded every single thing I had on the computer.

I want to reformat so it empties the whole thing out.
 
C

CrudeDiatribe

Member
ElTorro said:
Yeah, the only ripping software that works, at least most of the time, produces MKVs. Which can make the conversion to a container format that iTunes understands a bit annoying.
Click to expand...

I used to use Handbrake to reencode, but then discovered that it is very easy to remux to .mp4 with mkvtools and mp4tools on the command line. Had to reencode audio for use with the XBox after de-muxing the mkv.

Mr. Wonderful said:
Does iTunes actually use QuickTime for video playback?
Click to expand...

Yes.
 
Z

Zeyphersan

Banned
Siri leaked WWDC looks like. Looks like it's June 13-17

Also looks like Best Buy has the rMB on end-of-life with a lot of locations/online being out of stock, and he MacBook Airs are on deep discount. New rMB coming and I'm so excited!
 
E

EmiPrime

Member
See you around the same time next year when hopefully the MacBook One loses its derogatory nickname and has two USB-C/TB3 ports and a webcam that isn't from 2003.
 
E

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
I am constantly amazed by how shitty and buggy iTunes and its user interface are. I've been using it for probably over twelve years now, and I can't remember being so annoyed by it.

The changes between the "All Music" tabs in "My Music" and the sites in "New" are incomprehensible. The embedded web browser randomly reloads itself, resetting the current selection and position in the process. And small things like the following silliness are driving me crazy: Some controls only show up when you hover over them. But in order to "activate" that hovering behavior you have to give the embedded web browser the focus by clicking on it. But by clicking on it, you follow a link that takes you somewhere else. And adding Albums from Apple Music to My Music is still not reliable.

iTunes is probably one of the most non-Apple-like pieces of software that Apple makes. When do they finally make a completely new version and get rid of much of the clutter (like management of iOS devices) in the process.
 
E

EmiPrime

Member
Everything about iTunes is stuck several years in the past, from before we had internet connected smart devices. It still baffles me that if I subscribe to some podcasts on one of my Macs, the subscriptions are not synced to my other Macs nor to my iOS device.
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
EmiPrime said:
Everything about iTunes is stuck several years in the past, from before we had internet connected smart devices. It still baffles me that if I subscribe to some podcasts on one of my Macs, the subscriptions are not synced to my other Macs nor to my iOS device.
Click to expand...
iTunes really is baffling and in dire need of a Photos-like redo. Call it Music for consistency and make it brand new made for both kinds of people, the ones who keep everything local and the ones who only stream. Make it handle music like it does photos where music I add on my MacBook, it syncs to my iMac and iOS devices without fail. Play counts update without fail. And those damn Love flags actually stick. (Seriously. Those fucking hearts have a goddamn tendency to disable themselves. I've Loved the same songs numerous times even though I sync religiously, which is something I shouldn't have to do because this is the Cloud age goddammit!) Let's face it, if anything, they're going to go the iOS route and split stuff up. iOS has separate Music and Store apps. They'll do that on OS X too. Podcasts can be separate too. And as you mentioned, it should fucking sync correctly FFS. And at least if people prefer to use different Podcast options, they could just use a properly built OS X app too. Music should only have music in it. Music, Radio, that's basically it. And all syncing should be done automatically with options for what to sync elsewhere. Backups on Cloud, with an option to still force a local backup. Maybe too much to ask it just cache a local backup from the Cloud version. Apps wouldn't even need a place on the desktop since they don't run there. Purchasing apps could just be done on iOS maybe? Or if anything, put the App Store part in the iTunes Store app. Or just put iTunes, App and OS X Apps all in the same App Store on OS X. (A newly redesigned App Store please. Goddamn what a terrible app.) Yes I know some of this stuff happens through iTunes Match. And if they want to lock iCloud Music Library behind it, then fine. Keep the option to only sync locally if needed.

Is it too much to hope Apple has had a secret team working on it like they usually do? If Apple really wants to make iOS and OS X a unified experience, iTunes is currently the worst part keeping it from happening.

But there remains the Windows problem. How do you handle Windows? Make identical apps and install all of them on Windows? (This option would let Windows users choose which parts to install. So they could keep the Store off if they don't want it.) Or make a new all in one app just for Windows? I think if they go the former route, it would be better because with the syncing stuff, most Windows users might not even install most of the apps. A lot of people stream anyway, so no need for the store, plus with syncing, they could just use their iPhone to buy music and not even bother with a Windows iTunes Store. (The Windows store app would of course not have the Mac App Store part. Just Music and Apps.) It would actually make it a bit easier.

But then there's the storage issue. Say a user only has their 5GB on iCloud. If their music library is too big, what happens? How does iCloud handle Photo Libraries that get too big for the cloud? I mean $1 is nothing really. But really they should just offer 20GB free instead for people who use iCloud Music Library.
 
S

Skel1ingt0n

I can't *believe* these lazy developers keep making file sizes so damn large. Btw, how does technology work?
The Real Abed said:
iTunes really is baffling and in dire need of a Photos-like redo. Call it Music for consistency and make it brand new made for both kinds of people, the ones who keep everything local and the ones who only stream. Make it handle music like it does photos where music I add on my MacBook, it syncs to my iMac and iOS devices without fail. Play counts update without fail. And those damn Love flags actually stick. (Seriously. Those fucking hearts have a goddamn tendency to disable themselves. I've Loved the same songs numerous times even though I sync religiously, which is something I shouldn't have to do because this is the Cloud age goddammit!) Let's face it, if anything, they're going to go the iOS route and split stuff up. iOS has separate Music and Store apps. They'll do that on OS X too. Podcasts can be separate too. And as you mentioned, it should fucking sync correctly FFS. And at least if people prefer to use different Podcast options, they could just use a properly built OS X app too. Music should only have music in it. Music, Radio, that's basically it. And all syncing should be done automatically with options for what to sync elsewhere. Backups on Cloud, with an option to still force a local backup. Maybe too much to ask it just cache a local backup from the Cloud version. Apps wouldn't even need a place on the desktop since they don't run there. Purchasing apps could just be done on iOS maybe? Or if anything, put the App Store part in the iTunes Store app. Or just put iTunes, App and OS X Apps all in the same App Store on OS X. (A newly redesigned App Store please. Goddamn what a terrible app.) Yes I know some of this stuff happens through iTunes Match. And if they want to lock iCloud Music Library behind it, then fine. Keep the option to only sync locally if needed.

Is it too much to hope Apple has had a secret team working on it like they usually do? If Apple really wants to make iOS and OS X a unified experience, iTunes is currently the worst part keeping it from happening.

But there remains the Windows problem. How do you handle Windows? Make identical apps and install all of them on Windows? (This option would let Windows users choose which parts to install. So they could keep the Store off if they don't want it.) Or make a new all in one app just for Windows? I think if they go the former route, it would be better because with the syncing stuff, most Windows users might not even install most of the apps. A lot of people stream anyway, so no need for the store, plus with syncing, they could just use their iPhone to buy music and not even bother with a Windows iTunes Store. (The Windows store app would of course not have the Mac App Store part. Just Music and Apps.) It would actually make it a bit easier.

But then there's the storage issue. Say a user only has their 5GB on iCloud. If their music library is too big, what happens? How does iCloud handle Photo Libraries that get too big for the cloud? I mean $1 is nothing really. But really they should just offer 20GB free instead for people who use iCloud Music Library.
Click to expand...

This is the part that gets me.

I have probably convinced - I don't know - maybe 30 people to upgrade to the next tier of iCloud storage for $.99 a month. It's not that they can't afford it, or are even bothered by the cost... it's that they don't know how to do it. Instead, they suffer for weeks, months, or even years of annoying alerts and warnings and an un-backed-up phone until I explain to them the issue.

For a company built on "it just works," their anemic base cloud storage option, which is pretty much a requirement to use in 2016, is a terrible flaw.
 
E

ElTorro

I wanted to dominate the living room. Then I took an ESRAM in the knee.
iTunes has become so shitty, you have to wonder if the people making it are using it themselves. For instance, every time you edit a song while in "Album" view, the view completely resets the view and sends you back to the top of the grid of albums, leaving you with the task to find the album again; either by typing it's name in the search or by manually going through your > 1000 albums. Now repeat that for every song in that album that you want to change... The only way to prevent that is to find the album in a view other than the album view.

Today, I added a few albums from Apple Music and edited others. The amount of bugs you encounter just by using the application in ways other than just playing songs is unacceptable. It's ludicrous. The embedded store views just crash randomly and force you to restart. The entire application crashed 3-4 times in one hour. My library is glitched, showing the same interpret multiple times in lists, and so on.

And the worst part is that iTunes is getting buggier and shittier with every new version.
 
S

snaffles

Member
Can anyone suggest the best way to migrate data from an older imac to a new mac mini? The last time I did this for my parents, firewire target disk mode was the way to go, but from what I gather new Macs no longer come with firewire connections. It seems like there is a similar thing now with thunderbolt ports, but the imac I would be transferring from is firewire only. Can you just use a time machine back up from the imac on an external hard disk to load all the data in the migration assistant on a new mac mini?

EDIT: I figured it out, all good.
 
H

HeavyMetalLover91

Member
So my friend has a MacBook Pro 13" 2015 up for sale at £500. I'm rocking a 2012 MBP which is fine but a liiiiiitle long in the tooth - just a tad, so can anyone recommend taking the plunge? In fine condition and all, no catches, just my friend doesn't use it anymore.

Do we know if the 2016 MBP would be worth full whack? Or get last year's model at essentially half price?
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
Skel1ingt0n said:
This is the part that gets me.

I have probably convinced - I don't know - maybe 30 people to upgrade to the next tier of iCloud storage for $.99 a month. It's not that they can't afford it, or are even bothered by the cost... it's that they don't know how to do it. Instead, they suffer for weeks, months, or even years of annoying alerts and warnings and an un-backed-up phone until I explain to them the issue.

For a company built on "it just works," their anemic base cloud storage option, which is pretty much a requirement to use in 2016, is a terrible flaw.
Click to expand...
At least they give you 5GB. DropBox still only does 2GB by default. Shit is stupid. I'm sure cloud servers are super cheap in bulk for companies like this so why not offer at least 15-20GB out of the box? Money, that's why. But it's silly. At least Apple's entry is $1. That's really nice. DropBox fucking has one tier and it's $10 for more storage than most people need. Give us some cheaper options, DB!
 
T

The Real Abed

Perma-Junior
EmiPrime said:
Hopefully of much better quality than Photos however!
Click to expand...
Anything would be better than iTunes at this point. As long as it's not an iMovie HD-like release where it is missing so many things. Or a QuickTime X thing.

Wow, Apple really doesn't know how to rebuild software from the ground up while keeping its feature set comparable.
 
C

chadskin

Member
The Real Abed said:
Anything would be better than iTunes at this point. As long as it's not an iMovie HD-like release where it is missing so many things. Or a QuickTime X thing.

Wow, Apple really doesn't know how to rebuild software from the ground up while keeping its feature set comparable.
Click to expand...

Pages, Keynote, Numbers ... yep.
 
F

Futureman

Member
My GF's iMac seems to have spotty WIFI connection. My MBP and iPhone never drop off WIFI but she's always complaining about the iMac loosing connection.

any ideas on what I could do to fix this? The machine is like 1.5 years old at this point so I guess out of warranty :(
 
R

Ryck

Member
So im going to buy one of these 3 macbooks for my wife who will only use it for office and basic stuff (itunes, light web browsing etc)

What do you guys think?

I used to know the difference in the past but nowadays I have no clue.

Cheapest to most im willing to spend:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-m...lver/1581921.p?id=1219056464137&skuId=1581921

Or

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-m...lver/6443034.p?id=1219661416264&skuId=6443034

And finally

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/apple-m...gold/5237018.p?id=1219649750974&skuId=5237018


It's a tough call but it seems worth it for the extra ram, really undecided. Maybe someone can point out the pro and cons?

Also is the pro now gone? Replaced with just a macbook? Im sorta worried that the 12" screen might be too small. :-/


Thanks in advance guys, im sorry if im asking a lot.
 
H

HeavyMetalLover91

Member
Also to follow on from my questions above, why the hell is the standard storage only 128GB for the latest MBP's? They're kidding right? I thought this would be a good deal but I'm currently at 500GB on my mid 2012 (using about 200GB)

How is this acceptable?
 
E

EmiPrime

Member
The Real Abed said:
Anything would be better than iTunes at this point. As long as it's not an iMovie HD-like release where it is missing so many things. Or a QuickTime X thing.

Wow, Apple really doesn't know how to rebuild software from the ground up while keeping its feature set comparable.
Click to expand...

chadskin said:
Pages, Keynote, Numbers ... yep.
Click to expand...

Very much a be careful what you wish for thing. Apple software quality feels like it's on a terminal decline.

I just tried to update some apps on the MAS and for some unfathomable reason it's asking for my iCloud password. Honestly sick of this shit.
 
1

1upmuffin

Member
Hey, I want to get a refurbished Mac but I'm not sure which one I want. I'd like to spend around $1000 dollars, would a 2015 13 inch Macbook Pro be good enough for video editing?
 
K

kennah

Member
1upmuffin said:
Hey, I want to get a refurbished Mac but I'm not sure which one I want. I'd like to spend around $1000 dollars, would a 2015 13 inch Macbook Pro be good enough for video editing?
Click to expand...

Anything is good enough if you're willing to wait out the render times.

The SSD in it is fast enough that you can do the 'editing' portion of video editing very efficiently. But you'll certainly have to wait a bit for renders, as you would on any laptop.

Day to day use though, excellent machine, I'm on the same one right now.
 
B

Butts-a-plenty

Banned
I don't actually need to wait for the new Pro's do I? I just do basic shit on mine but I don't want a 12" laptop and I want a Retina screen. Is there anything that is actually coming with the 2016 MPB that I'll miss if I get the current model?
 
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