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Laptop settings: Screen sleeping, HDMI audio/sound

If your screen is going dark/blank too often – and if you are in Cuddy and having trouble getting your audio to go through the projector [and you are using the HDMI cables], here are the fixes:
The screen going dark is in Control Panel –> Power Options. Select “Balanced”, then “Change Plan Settings”.

 

Click for a larger version
Click for a larger version

Change it, and then Click the Save Changes button. Feel free to tweak, and even check the advanced power settings – the worst that can happen is you pick something that you don’t like and can change.

As far as the sound – Plug in the HDMI [projector] cable. Open up Control Panels –> sound.
You should see two icons – one refers to the internal speakers [it might say “realtek”]. the other refers to the HDMI cable [I think it says “high definition”].
Click the HDMI one, then click the “Set Default” button, then the “Apply” button.
Click for a larger version.
Click for a larger version.
Other things to check soundwise:
  • Volume on the wall plate
  • Audio mute on the wall plate
  • Laptop audio not muted
  • Laptop audio volume up
Apps, iPads, Student, Students

VRP 7 iPad app – record/edit/export audio

  1. SFX = “Sound Effects”
    1. LISTEN – REAL closely. Close your eyes to see if that’s a sound you can use.
    2. Close vs Far – Putting mic close to the sound results in a recording that is very different than when it is far away. A difference of a few inches can be huge.
    3. Levels – AVOID DISTORTION. -6 on the VU meter is a good target.
    4. Use highest quality gear you can get. Lower quality equipmnet does not reproduce everything – you might not be hearing everything that’s in the recording. iPad earbuds are NOT that good. 
    5. Multiple takes are a good idea. Don’t record ONE handclap – record 6 or 7, and pick the best one.
  2. PROCESS: Record –> Edit–> Export
  3. RECORD
    1. Settings – advanced
      1. Format – always a tradeoff!
        1. MP3 –> smaller file, but lossy compression = not as good audio [but is it good enough?]
        2. WAV –> better quality, bigger files
      2. Sample Rate –>bigger number  = better sound quality
      3. Bit Depth –> bigger number  = better sound quality
      4. Bit Rate [MP3 only] –> bigger number  = better sound quality
      5. CD quality = 16 bits @ 44100 sample rate WAV
      6. Channels = built-in mic is MONO
    2. I suggest after recording you change the filename AND change the title to something that makes sense.
      1. if recording several SFX, start with a number.
        1 snap
        2 crackle
        3 pop
        ………………Makes it easier to access in order on playback.
  4. EDIT
    1. Trim unneeded material at beginning and end – see picts below
    2. Change filename, title, add tags if needed.
    3. Can also duplicate a file
      [ALWAYS WORK ON A DUPLICATE in case something goes awry]
    4. Can also combine files
  5. EXPORT – where do you want it to go?
    1. email – not possible with very large files, though.
    2. photo album
    3. Google Drive
    4. WiFi Download – screen gives an IP address. On the other device you surf to that address, and can download the file.
    5. open w/ other apps
    6. Bluetooth – can send directly to another Bluetooth device if it’s appropriate
    7. Several other options as well

EDIT SCREEN

editing VRP7
CLICK TO ZOOM IN

 

ADVANCED EDIT

CLICK TO ZOOM IN
CLICK TO ZOOM IN
Make Tech Easier, More, Students, Video

Virtual Light Lab – make a movie

[4/14/15 update: added section about getting your video into iMovie on your iPad, at the bottom.]

Virtual Light Lab is installed in all the ARC computers. It allows you to design stage lighting and experiment without all that mucking around with electrical cables and gobos and such.

After you have created your show, you can save it as a quicktime movie [which can then be plopped into your Google Drive and viewed on your iPad]. Here’s how:

[Click on each graphic to see the bigger version]

1. Call up the SlideShow

VLL 1

2. The instructions give you an overview of the process.

Basically you give a save location and filename, set some parameters, and then manually step through your slideshow by clicking the play button.VLL 2

3. IMPORTANT: Make sure you add .MOV to the end of your filename. The program tries to add .moov, and quicktime doesn’t know what that is. [Neither dfoes anything else.]

VLL 4

4. Next up: parameters [aka settings]. Here is what I suggest.

VLL 5Greater frames per second = less jerky motion but bigger filesize.
Better compressor quality = better quality images but bigger filesize.

You might try using “low” quality, or even least, to see if they are good enough.

5. Notice the record button is green.VLL 66. Click the PLAY button.

The RECORD button will turn red, and behind the scenes a movie file is being created. YOU determine the length of each scene by how fast you click through. VLL 7

WHEN DONE, CLICK THE RECORD BUTTON AGAIN.

 

7.  You may see this dialog after clicking record. Click Yes.VLL 8

8. Then your movie will open and you can see if you like the results.

vll movieIf you don’t like them, switch back to the slideshow and record again. You’ll have to redo the settings each time.

If you DO like the result, then you can email the file, stash it in google drive [drive.google.com], trash it, etc.

 

Once those files are in Drive, how do you get them into iMovie on your iPad?

 

Summary:

  1. Fire up the Drive App
  2. Navigate to the desired file – I suggest starting with the VIDEO file first.
  3. Click the “I” icon, on the right.
  4. Click “Open in….”
  5. Click the 2nd “Open In….”
  6. Select “iMovie”
  7. iMovie loads the file.
  8. Go back to the Drive app.
  9. Select the “I” icon for the audio file.
  10. Click “Open in….”
  11. Click the 2nd “Open In….”
  12. Select “iMovie”
  13. iMovie asks if you want to create a NEW movie, or to add it to the “Last one edited”. Select Last one Edited.
  14. The audio is placed in the project.