Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
Can't Play DVDs?
If Windows Media Player won't play DVDs, it may be because you are missing a codec. A codec is a translation file;
codec is short for coder/decoder. Different file formats require different codecs, and not all versions of Windows 7 come
with the one you need to play DVD movies. (If you have Windows 7 Home Premium, Ultimate, or Enterprise, you should
have it already.) You can choose to buy and install the needed codec (see http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/
windows/windows-media-player-plug-ins ), but before you do that, see whether there is some other application
installed on your PC that will play DVD movies. Most PCs that come with a DVD drive also come with such software.
codec A translation file used to play back a
certain audio or video format. An abbreviation of
coder/decoder.
Audio and Video Editing Software
If you want to create your own videos and music, you'll need a camera
and instruments to do so. You can easily capture video and record audio
on a smartphone and then transfer them to your computer for editing.
Many applications are available for editing audio tracks. For example, the
freeware program Audacity ( audacity.sourceforge.net ) lets you
import multiple audio tracks, trim out the parts you don't require, and
then splice everything together. Mac users can record and mix digital
piano, guitar, and drum tracks in the excellent GarageBand application.
You can also buy more full-featured products, such as Adobe Audition.
Windows Live Essentials ( windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/
windows-live/essentials ) contains a free Windows Movie Maker
program that you can use to trim and combine video clips and photos and
to add a sound track or commentary (see Figure 6.11). On a Mac, iMovie
offers slick tools to quickly create your own mini movie. Neither of these
programs will tax your computer's processor, but if you want to create
professional-looking movies you'll need to use a dedicated video-editing pro-
gram such as Sony Vegas Pro or Adobe Director. As with the animation and
3D graphics programs described earlier, you need a powerful computer; a
quad-core or eight-core processor and powerful graphics card are essential.
Figure.6 11 You can use a free video editor such as Windows Movie Maker to make video
clips from your photos.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search