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Play QuickTime video in resolution-optimized full screen Apps
This is my first hint, and I know the theme is well-worn. However, I still often run across users frustrated by VLC, mplayer, and non-Pro QuickTime. Hopefully throwing this in your system's AppleScript menu will help.

This handy AppleScript is for those of us with CRTs, video out, or slow CPUs to play QuickTime movies at a precise scaling ratio, resolution, and refresh rate. LCDs always look better (if smaller) at 1:1, but using the LCD scaler instead of the QuickTime scaler saves you CPU cycles. With most CRTs, however, changing resolution is faster and usually looks better than QuickTime software scaling. Unless, that is, you have a killer CPU to do scaling and postprocessing at the monitor's highest native resolution.

NOTE: My computer is way too slow to play HD streams, so the values in the script are guestimates as to best performance/quality settings.for that resolution and scaling factor. The actual best values will depend on resolutions available to your monitor/TV/projector.

I am not a programmer. No warranty, etc. Incorrect refresh rate will (most likely) fry your CRT.

[robg adds: I haven't tested this one, so proceed at your own risk if you've got a CRT...]
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Play QuickTime video in resolution-optimized full screen | 2 comments | Create New Account
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More info: cscreen required.
Authored by: stevebr on Sep 11, '06 08:13:48AM

The hint doesn't mention that the script requires having cscreen installed on your system. Although in fairness, it is in the comment header of the script itself.

Unfortunately, it appears that the developer has removed it (and all other web site content).

If you already have cscreen, you can use it to assist with some of the caveats in the script itself:

cscreen -l

Lists the screens attached. It looks like you'll need the number at the script line "set monitor to 1" if you want to use an external monitor.

cscreen -v

Lists available modes (bit depth, x resolution, y resolution, refresh rate) on attached screens. From what it looks like in the script, having foreknowledge of these might save you some aggravation when customizing "presets" in the script.

This is a really great idea, BTW. With a little polishing it could be excellent. Thinking on particular of using the output of the list of modes to find a best match for the video playing, instead of editing the script before compiling it.



[ Reply to This | # ]
cscreen app
Authored by: dood on Sep 11, '06 09:25:33AM
Here's a link to cscreen
http://www.macosxguru.net/downloads/CScreen.zip

I'm on an XP box at work so I can't verify the file, but it looks like it might be what you'd need.

[ Reply to This | # ]