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Tips:

• It can be done, easily.
• Need a [Mini DisplayPort to VGA Adapter]
  • (Not to be confused with Mini DVI to VGA Adaptor)
• Under Boot Camp > Windows 7:
  • Initially, it chose to “mirror” (identical, not reflections) the displays, with the external display as the primary, and the laptop’s own display as the secondary, its resolution reduced to match the primary (and aspect ratio to match also).
  • Instead want “Extended Desktop” with laptop as primary and at its normal full resolution.
  • On a standard Windows PC there are keyboard keys to switch between such modes, but the MacBook keyboard has no obvious equivalent
    • Maybe some web-trawling could reveal suchlike, but my initial search revealed nothing.
  • Desktop >RtClk> NVIDIA Control Panel
    • Set up multiple displays
      • MacBook’s own display is listed as [Apple Color LCD], as Display [2].
      • RtClk one of the “screen” depictions and select [Extend desktop on this display]
      • (Now I had extended desktop, but in the wrong order, i.e. with external as prmary)
  • Control Panel > Display > Change display settings
    • Can drag-swap the two displaysinto the  order you prefer.

My girlfriend has one of these, ethernet-connected to her router and thus available on her home network.  However, in order for any computer, Windows or Mac (what about linux?) to access it, it is necessary (aside from any hacky-workarounds that may possibly exist) to install the Iomega Home Storage Manager.   This makes volume(s) offered by the NAS appear, on the Mac in Finder under SHARED, or on a Windows machine as additional drive letter(s).

To acquire the Iomega Home Storage Manager, go to https://iomega-eu-en.custhelp.com/app/platform/p/1031,1043 or else try https://iomega-eu-en.custhelp.com/ and click on [Desktop Network Storage > Home Media Network Hard Drive].  May need to establish and login-to an iomega support account (free) first.

I wondered at first about enabling the NAS as a Mac OS Time Machine (backup) disk.  An iomega article I saw suggested that should be possible, for iomega firmware 2.0 and above.  But the disk as it stands is NTFS-formatted - because when it was set up we had only Windows machines.  Now that disk contains much material in that NTFS.  I guess it might be possible to partrition the disk e.g. to keep the existing NTFS and add alongside it a HFS+ partition for Time Machine to use.  But it’s guesswork that carries risks (of disruption/damage to existing contents).  We want an easy geeking-minimal life, so maybe better to repurpose that NAS and get a purpose-made Apple Time Capsule instead. Either way, the evening wears on, so I’ll shelve that idea/investigation for now…

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I have a stack of business cards.  Recent ones I keep in my wallet or jacket, but there must be a better arrangement.

One interesting idea is to take a photo of each card (front and back) and then upload the photos to EverNote.  That service includes text-reading, so in principle the card will be ubiquitously accessible (to multiple devices, e.g. smartphone) and retrievable both by date search and by text search.

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Just for the record, currently this works:

• On Mac Pro, in Windows (XP):
  • Choose any folder. For example:
    • On the RAID, this could be either of the two partitions:
      • NTFS_RAID (an NTFS partition)
      • RAID_ProAVIO (an HFS+) partition
  • Then [RtClk > Sharing and Security… > Sharing > Network sharing and security:
    • Share this folder on the network: YES
    • Allow network users to change my files: YES
      • Because some tools create “sidecar” files e.g. audio peaks or video indexes.
• On Mac Book, in Windows 7:
  • From a file-browser, be it Windows Explorer or part of the File>Open feature of an application, go to [ Network > aComputer > aFolder ]
    • Tested by playing file in Windows Media Player and in Sony Vegas (video NLE).  Worked fine.  Latter added a [.sfk] sidecar-file to the RAID-folder.
    • Worked both for source on NTFS partition and for source on HFS+ partition, except the latter gave rise to prolonged “hourglass” delays before the file was accessed/linked, following which the video played smoothly.
• What doesn’t work:
  • Unable to see Mac Book from Mac Pro.
  • Also, when MacPro is in Mac OS, MacBook W7 Windows Explorer > Network lists the MacPro as [MACPRO-2E4124] yet cannot connect to it, blaming a firewall (presumably the one on MacPro).
    • Network Error: Windows cannot access \\MACPRO-2E4124
    • Tried exiting Kapersky (on the MacPro>MacOS) but no change.
    • Tried stopping MacPro firewall (via Preferences > Security) but no change.

Movie★Slate is a slate and clapper board— traditional movie-making tools for syncing picture with sound, and photographing shot/production info at the start and end of shots.  Movie★Slate also provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot— saving you time during capture and edit.

• Documentation:
  • http://www.pureblendsoftware.com/userguides/MovieSlate/English.lproj/help_web.html
    • e.g. Starting a Take
      • To start a take, tap the clapper at the top of the slate.
        • Timecode IN, all production info, and camera optics data are automatically saved in History when you start a take. This data can be emailed from the History tab (see instructions below).
        • The clapper’s behavior can be customized from Settings -> Slate Behavior. Choose to play sounds, freeze the timecode briefly, show credits leader/end roll animation, and more.
      • Video/Audio Quality ★-rankings can be set during the take.
      • Circle Take button marks good takes by circling the take number in the History log. This practice is an old Hollywood tradition.
      • End the Shot button saves a Timecode OUT marker with the shot history.
    • e.g. Starting a Take - Shot Markers
      • (Log footage and take notes as you shoot— saving you time during capture and edit).
      • Add Shot Marker/Notes button saves timecode-stamped notes during a take. When shooting interviews, this is a useful way to document what remarkable thing was said, and when.
      • Build notes from Snippet phrases by tapping the Content/Shot/Movement buttons. You can also enter text with the keyboard. Use the Snippets tab to customize your phrases.
• FAQs/Tips:
  • http://www.pureblendsoftware.com/support
    • “Movie★Slate is a slate and clapper board— traditional movie-making tools for syncing picture with sound, and photographing shot/production info at the start and end of shots.
    • Movie★Slate also provides an easy way to log footage and take notes as you shoot— saving you time during capture and edit.”
    • Link: MovieSlate Help
    • What does M.O.S. stand for?
      • The term “M.O.S.” generally appears on a slate when a scene is filmed without sound.  Hollywood legend defines the term as “Mit Out Sound”.
    • MovieSlate’s optional PRO Sync (TimeCode-Sync)
      • (Normally) You’ll need a camera or timecode generator that’s capable of sending and/or receiving LTC (Longitudinal Time Code) over an audio cable.
      • My cameras are old DV units or are consumer models with no LTC support. Can MovieSlate’s optional PRO Sync module still help me sync a multi-cam shoot?
      • Yes, through additional software available from VideoToolShed.  Here’s how:
        • Set MovieSlate to output timecode through one of the audio channels and connect from the headphone jack to your camera’s AUX/MIC audio.
        • Shoot your footage with MovieSlate running and Sending sync through the headphone jack. The LTC audio signal will be recorded on on one channel of your DV tape. (Please note the obvious: If this cam is handling your main sound then you will not have stereo audio).
        • Import the footage into Final Cut Pro or Avid.
        • Use VideoToolShed’s FCP auxTC reader software to create an AUX TC track in FCP/Avid and sync your footage with your other cams and audio. http://www.videotoolshed.com/?page=products&pID=26
        • Disclaimer:
          • We do not have any relationship with VideoToolShed and also cannot attest to the function of “FCP auxTC reader”.
          • Please visit the VideoToolShed.com website for more information and 3rd-party websites like Creative Cow for more information and workflow tips.

To open the iPhone’s “Task Manager”:

• From “Home” screen, double-tap the Home button.  This brings up a mini dock / task manager at bottom of screen.  It is a slidable band of icons, only four of which can be fitted on screen.  Slide left to see other icons.  Slide right to see media player transport controls and volume level slider.  Press-hold any icon to get them all wiggling and with a red “X” on them. In each case, the “X” force-quits the task associated with the icon.

If an app is misbehaving or is exhibiting unusually sluggish performance, you could try quitting tasks for apps not currently in use as they each tie up some portion of memory, even while in a suspended state.  If that does not work, try a power-off/on reboot.  After that there is Hard Reset (though when I tried it, it didn’t reset everything).  To Hard Reset, press and hold both the Sleep/Wake button and the Home button for about ten seconds, then you should see the Apple logo indicating reboot.

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• Master Indexes:
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/142.aspx
  • http://community.avid.com/tags/Avid+for+Final+Cut+Pro+Users/default.aspx

• Avid Basics re Projects, Bins, Users, User-Settings
  • Notionally “Avid for Final Cut Pro Users” but generally useful introduction, complete with pragmatics.
  • Overview:
    • In this set of tutorials, it is assumed that a Shared project called “Tempest” will be edited by two people, Laura and David, one on day-shift (say) and the other on nights.  They can each select eithers’ settings (editor configs) via the Project Window’s Settings tab, under the User dropdown.  No need to log-out of Avid or indeed to switch User login sessions.  I guess a given user could create several configs e.g. default, david, david_temp
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70313/393166.aspx
    • Module 1, Lesson 1 - Creating a Project
    • Private/Shared etc., User Settings (independent of User logged-in), Film features
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70314/393171.aspx#393171
    • Module 1, Lesson 2 - Intro to Project Window - Avid for Final Cut Pro Users
    • MenuBar: [Tools > Console] brings up a text logger where progress can be recorded by users (as far as I can tell from the tutorial)
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70315/393176.aspx
    • Module 1, Lesson 3 - Where to find Avid files
    • Explains where the Avid files are stored on the computer’s hard drive, and how to take your settings from system to system.
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70317/393180.aspx
    • Module 1, Lesson 4 - Project Differences
    • Explains Avid Projects, Bins and how one can move & create stuff equivalently in Avid or in Windows Explorer (etc.)
    • Also explains some ways it differs from FCP.

• Importing Media Logs (from external apps)
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70318/393190.aspx#393190
    • Module 2, Lesson 1 - Logging and Digitizing
    • Can initially log media in Spreadsheet (e.g. Excel), Database (e.g. Access), FCP Batch Lists or Telecine Logs, then export as a tab-delimited file, then use Avid Log Exchange (application) to convert to the ALE format, which can then be imported by Avid to auto-creat and populate corresponding Bins.
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70319/393191.aspx#393191
    • Module 2, Lesson 2 - Using Excel to Log Footage
    • It works, and populates a Bin,  but the spreadsheet requires very specific formatting etc.
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70320/393193.aspx
    • Module 2, Lesson 3 - Using FileMaker Pro to Log Footage - Avid for Final Cut Pro Users
    • (I haven’t looked at that yet - domestically distracted…)
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70325/393201.aspx#393201
    • Importing Final Cut Pro Logs (into Avid, via ALE)
    • FCP: [File > Export > Batch List], then run ALE, then small manual tweaking of this (”Reel” -> “Tape”)
  • http://community.avid.com/forums/p/70326/393202.aspx#393202
    • Using Telecine Logs

Suppose you have multiple AVid projects on the go.  By default, all of the media from those projects will be stored in one file path: [Avid MediaFiles].  If you have more than one volume connected having this folder, then it gets more complicated - e.g. if Avid can’t find sufficient room on one such volume then it will try the next one (etc.).  Avid provides tools for media management but it can get messy when you need to keep connecting different drives to see if they contain your required media.  Instead, it is helpful to be able to store media for different projects in different “lumps”, be they volumes or folders.  From web research (below), it seems there are a number of possible, though kludg-ey, workarounds, mainly based on temporarily renaming AVid media folders/subfolders…  Nice to know, until such time as Avid provides a tidier solution to this requirement.

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The default install of iTunes carries with it a bunch of entities and startups, some of which may not be needed.  If already installed, then first you need to uninstall it.  Ideally via Add/Remove Programs (whatever) but even then some registry entries may persist, that could cause problems later due to entities you may choose not to install.  Having “cleaned” the machine of iTunes and its Bloat, the subset of entities you choose can then be installed individually, command-line fashion.  You can select just the ones you need, plus the ones they depend on.

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Some tips I came across by accident:

• http://c2.avid.com/forums/p/86416/489511.aspx
  • (From July 2010):
    • << MDV is a free tool that will allow you to separate your media files by project, so you can store them separtely.  The site is Russian, but safe.>>
      • Angle-brackets here emphasize that this is just a quote from a post, I have no experience of it myself.
  • A media database(s) rebuilt may help (sometimes help fix obscure issues): trash the msmFMID.pmr and msmMMOB.mdb files from the mediafiles folders and run MC, it will scan the hard drives and rebuild the files.