video files Archives

Winsage

February 14, 2025

Microsoft to make app downloads faster on Windows 11 with Winget PowerToys plugin

Windows 11 is set to integrate Winget into PowerToys Run, allowing users to download applications directly through a keyboard shortcut. This feature will enable users to search for apps hosted on Winget within PowerToys Run, similar to macOS Spotlight. Users can enter the package name after pressing Alt + Space, avoiding the need to navigate the Microsoft Store. PowerToys will also introduce a built-in transcoding feature for audio and video files, allowing users to convert file formats and extract audio from videos while maintaining original quality. This feature will utilize natural language processing, enabling users to type commands like “transcode this file into .mp3.”

Winsage

February 8, 2025

Best tips I use to boost search efficiency on File Explorer for Windows 11

Searching for files on Windows 11 can be optimized using File Explorer's search feature, which includes advanced search filters, boolean operators, wildcards, and indexing settings. To search efficiently, open File Explorer (Windows key + E) and use the following filters: - Basic filters: - kind: Searches for file types (e.g., kind:document, kind:image). - ext: Searches by file extension (e.g., ext:.pdf). - date: Searches by modification date (e.g., date:today). - size: Searches by file size (e.g., size:>100MB). - Boolean operators: - AND: Finds files containing both terms. - OR: Finds files containing either term. - NOT: Excludes files with a specific term. - Wildcards: - asterisk (): Represents any sequence of characters (e.g., .txt). - question mark (?): Represents a single character (e.g., file?.txt). - File properties: Search by metadata (e.g., author:John, tag:important). - Advanced query syntax: Use specific syntaxes to refine searches (e.g., datemodified:last week). - Search options: Access additional filters through the "Search options" menu in File Explorer. - Save query: Save frequent searches for easy access. - Enhanced Indexing: Enable this option to broaden search capabilities across the entire system. - AI integration: Microsoft is incorporating AI features for natural language searches, currently available on Copilot+ PCs.

Winsage

February 3, 2025

Windows 11’s new feature converts audio and videos for you via PowerToys

PowerToys is enhancing its Advanced Paste feature with a file transcoding capability that allows users to convert media files into mp3 and mp4 formats. The new options, Transcode to .mp3 and Transcode to .mp4 (H.264/AAC), will include custom keyboard shortcuts and aim to simplify the conversion process for media files copied to the clipboard. Users will see a progress bar during transcoding and can customize which options appear in Advanced Paste. The feature supports extracting audio from files to save as .mp3 and converting video files to .mp4 while preserving quality settings and metadata. It utilizes the Windows.Media.Transcoding API for these conversions.

Winsage

December 19, 2024

I used the command prompt to convert my media files on Windows, here’s how you can too

Windows Command Prompt can be used to convert media files into various formats using FFmpeg, an open-source multimedia framework. To set up FFmpeg on a Windows system, users must download it from the official FFmpeg website, extract the files, and create a folder for FFmpeg. The path to the FFmpeg "bin" folder must then be added to the system's Environment Variables to allow global access from the Command Prompt. To convert files, users can navigate to the folder containing the media files and use specific commands: - For images: ffmpeg -i Image.OriginalFormat Image.NewFormat - For audio: ffmpeg -i Audio.OriginalFormat Audio.NewFormat - For video: ffmpeg -i Video.OriginalFormat Video.NewFormat - To extract audio from a video: ffmpeg -i Video.OriginalFormat Audio.NewFormat FFmpeg supports various formats: - Image Formats: JPG/JPEG, PNG, TIFF, BMP, GIF, WebP, ICO, PPM, PGM, PBM, TGA - Audio Formats: MP3, AAC, WAV, OGG, FLAC, AC3, ALAC, WMA, AMR, AIFF, Opus, MP2, PCM, M4A, DTS - Video Formats: MP4, MKV, AVI, MOV, WMV, FLV, WebM, MPEG, OGG, 3GP, RM, TS, M2TS, VOB, DIVX, HEVC If the error "ffmpeg is not recognized as an internal or external command" occurs, it usually indicates a problem with the path configuration in the Environment Variables.

Winsage

December 6, 2024

Best Windows apps this week

Microsoft has reiterated its non-negotiable requirement for TPM 2.0 for Windows 11, which poses challenges for Windows 10 users with unsupported devices. The Microsoft Store has been enhanced for a better user experience, now offering improved organization and support for Win32 applications. New or notably improved Windows apps include Handbrake 1.9.0, which adds support for lossless VP9 encoding and Intel QSV VVC video decoding; Media Squeeze, which optimizes storage through compression of image and video files; and PixTidy, a free app for photo organization that helps create folders based on location and time, and identifies redundant photos and videos.

Winsage

November 8, 2024

Paint is the latest app to further ruin Windows 11’s controversial context menus

Microsoft introduced a redesigned context menu with Windows 11 three years ago to enhance user experience by bringing commonly used file actions closer to the cursor. However, the context menu has become cluttered with redundant options, including new "Edit with" choices integrated into the main menu instead of expanding the "Open with" submenu. The latest update for Paint, announced on November 7 for Windows Insiders, added an "Edit with Paint" option for image files, while users can remove this option by modifying the Windows Registry. The new Paint version also includes features like generative fill and generative erase.

Winsage

October 28, 2024

How to Create Custom Windows 11 Screensaver

Screensavers in Windows 11 can be customized by users despite the lack of new built-in designs from Microsoft. Users can create a custom screensaver using a collection of images through the Photos option in the screensaver utility or by using a third-party application like Screensaver Wonder to convert video files into screensavers. To create a custom screensaver from images, users can follow these steps: 1. Press the Windows key, type screensaver, and hit Enter. 2. Select the Photos option and click on Settings. 3. Browse to find and select the folder with desired images. 4. Adjust the slideshow speed and click Save. 5. Click Apply and then OK. For creating a custom screensaver using Screensaver Wonder: 1. Launch Screensaver Wonder and select Create video screensaver. 2. Choose video file(s) and click Next. 3. Enter a name for the screensaver and click Next. 4. Click Finish, provide a name, and hit Save. 5. Select the newly created screensaver in the Windows screensaver utility and click Apply. 6. Click OK and close both applications. Custom screensavers can be installed by placing the screensaver file in the System32 folder, but it is important to use reputable sources for SCR files. The free version of Screensaver Wonder includes a watermark, but offers further customization options.

Winsage

October 22, 2024

Blender and other Windows apps are now available for Snapdragon X Windows PCs

Qualcomm showcased its Snapdragon 8 Elite processor for smartphones and highlighted its Snapdragon X Elite and Plus chips for Windows 11 PCs at its annual developer summit. The company announced that various content creation applications will natively support its chips for Windows 11 devices, known as Copilot+ PCs. Notable applications include Blender, which has a new version available for Snapdragon X-based Windows PCs, and Qualcomm has joined The Blender Foundation. Additionally, Qualcomm introduced a free NPU-based plug-in for Blender that simulates rendering on the NPU using a neural network. Other applications set to offer native versions for Snapdragon X-based Windows PCs include CaptureOne, a Digital Audio Workstation (DAW), Steinberg Cubase and Nuendo, and Moises. Qualcomm has not announced plans for a next-generation Snapdragon X chip.

TrendTechie

October 3, 2024

qBitTorrent Review 2024 [Features, Security, Pricing & More]

qBittorrent is an open-source torrent client that is free to use and is considered superior to competitors like uTorrent. It features torrent streaming, remote management, detailed connection settings, and VPN binding options. The application is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, and supports various extensions and custom themes. It has an excellent ease of use rating of 90% and is praised for its performance, security, and privacy features, achieving a 100% rating in security. Users can manage downloads remotely through a web interface, although there are no official mobile apps. The client allows for automatic downloading, bandwidth limits, and includes a unique sequential downloading feature for streaming video files. While it has some minor drawbacks, such as an outdated interface and lack of I2P support, it remains entirely free with no ads or premium features. An active community forum and wiki provide support resources.

AppWizard

September 27, 2024

VidMate – Download Vidmate APP Latest Version For Android 2024

Vidmate is a multimedia application for Android that allows users to download videos, music, and other content from various online platforms, including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Dailymotion. It features a user-friendly interface, supports fast downloads, and offers options to pause, resume, or cancel downloads. Users can download videos in multiple formats (MP4, FLV, AVI) and resolutions, including HD up to 4K. The app includes a built-in media player, file manager, and an integrated web browser for easy content access. Vidmate also supports batch downloading, music downloads in MP3 or M4A formats, and provides access to over 200 live TV channels. It is designed to be lightweight, secure, and offers a premium ad-free version. Users can download the app by searching for the Vidmate APK online, as it is not available on the Google Play Store.