Transferring, Not Editing
There's no other major item most of us own that is as confusing, unpredictable and unreliable as our personal computers. Everybody has questions about them, and we aim to help. This week's mailbox answers questions about what the GoVideo DVD recorder can and can't do, and programs that run on a Mac.
If you have a question, send it to me at
mossberg@wsj.com, and I may select it to be answered here in Mossberg's Mailbox.
Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can't routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
Q: Last week, you recommended the GoVideo VR2940 DVD recorder, which can convert video tapes to DVDs. But can you edit your videos on this machine? Can you combine several tapes into one DVD? Can you convert tapes from older analog camcorders? Can you copy tapes of commercial movies?
A: The GoVideo recorder is designed to quickly and simply transfer the contents of tapes or live TV onto recordable blank DVDs. You can't edit your tapes on the GoVideo recorder, nor can you edit or change the automatic creation of chapters performed by the machine. You also can't change the music that the recorder uses for the short bonus music videos it creates from your videos.
The GoVideo recorder will allow you to put several tapes onto a single disk. But, if you do this, you can't use the YesDVD feature that creates chapters and menus.
Yes, you can convert tapes from older analog camcorders, as well as newer digital models. To convert tapes to DVD using the VR2940, you can plug a digital camcorder into the unit's 1394 port, also known as iLink or FireWire. Or, you can connect an analog camcorder, or a VCR, into the unit's video and audio input ports.
You can't convert commercial movies to DVD with this unit. Most movies on tape are copy-protected using a system called Macrovision. The GoVideo VR2940 can't copy anything that's protected by this technology, so few if any commercial movies on tape can be converted to DVD with this recorder.
Q: Last week, you wrote that the Apple Macintosh is easier to use and is more secure than Windows. But don't you have to buy all new programs if you switch to a Mac? Can your Windows files still be used on a Mac?
A: I do believe that, at this point in history, the Mac and its OS X operating system are better, easier to use and more secure than Windows computers. But that doesn't mean there's no cost or pain in switching, or that every Windows user should switch.
Windows programs don't run on the Mac, so you will have to buy some new programs. In many cases, this merely involves buying the Mac version of Microsoft Office, which can be purchased for as little as $149. Other things, like Web browsers, e-mail programs and programs to handle photos, videos and music, come included on the Mac.
But, if you are a fan of programs like QuickBooks or Adobe Photoshop, you will have to buy Mac versions. In many cases, there aren't exact Mac versions of your favorite Windows programs, so you'll have to learn different software. For instance, there's no full-fledged version of Microsoft Outlook for the Mac. Microsoft offers a similar, but not identical, program called Entourage. They use different file formats, so you'll need to get conversion software to make the switch.
Another option is to buy a Microsoft program called Virtual PC that creates a virtual Windows PC on part of your Mac's hard disk, where Windows software can run. But, I recommend this only if you have one or two Windows programs, without Mac equivalents, that you use only occasionally. Why? Because this faux Windows machine runs slowly and can be affected by Windows viruses, unlike the rest of the Mac.
Luckily, the most common types of Windows files can be used on a Mac without any conversion or translation. These include text files, JPG graphics files, MP3 music files, and Adobe PDF files. Word, Excel and PowerPoint files can be read and written seamlessly, if you have the Mac version of Microsoft Office.
Still, if you are a business or financial person who uses specialized Windows software, the Mac isn't a good option because few of these niche products are available in Mac versions or equivalents. Similarly, if you are a hard-core PC game player, the Mac isn't for you, because it has fewer games and new ones come out late on the Mac.
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Because of the volume of e-mail I receive, I can't routinely answer individual questions by e-mail, or consult on individual problems or purchasing decisions. I read all questions I receive and select three each week to answer in the column.
GoVideo DVD录放机的转录功能
在我们大多数人拥有的大件电器中，再没有什么比个人电脑更令人费解、更变幻莫测的了。每个人或许都有些关于电脑的问题，而《莫博士信箱》将为您提供帮助。
本周我将回答读者有关GoVideo VR2940 DVD录放机的一些问题，以及涉及Macintosh操作系统和Windows操作系统的一些问题。
问：你曾向读者推荐GoVideo VR2940 DVD录放机，它能将录影带转录成DVD。但是，这种机器能编辑录影带吗？能将几盘录影带转录到一张DVD上吗？能转录以前老的模拟摄像机的录影带吗？是否能够复制电影的录影带？
答：这种GoVideo录放机能够快速简便地将录影带或电视节目转录到空白DVD光盘上。你不能用它来编辑录影带，不能编辑或改变它自动生成的节目段落，也不能改变它从你的录影带上生成的一小段音乐影像的音乐。
你能使用GoVideo把几盘录影带的内容转录到一张DVD上，不过这样做的话，你就不能使用它的一种生成节目段落和菜单的YesDVD功能。
你也能够用它来转录老的模拟摄像机及新的数码摄像机的录影带。在使用VR2940将录影带转成DVD时，你可以将数码摄像机接入它的1394接口，或者是将模拟摄像机接入它的视频和音频输入接口。
但你不能将商业电影转录成DVD，因为多数电影录影带都使用一种名为Macrovision的系统来防止被复制。GoVideo VR2940无法复制任何受这种系统保护的录影带，因此就无法将电影录影带转录成DVD。
问：你说苹果的Macintosh操作系统比Windows更简单、更安全。不过，如果要转而使用Macintosh，不是要购买所有新的软件程序吗？Windows文件是否能在Macintosh上继续使用呢？
答：从目前来看，我的确认为Mac及其OS X操作系统比Windows更好用也更安全。不过这并不意味著改变操作系统不需要付出代价和成本，也并不意味著每个Windows用户都应该改用Mac。
Windows程序并不能在Mac上运行，因此你必须要购买一些新的软件程序。在多数情况下，你只需要购买Mac版本的Microsoft Office，它的售价只要149美元。其他一些像网络浏览器、电子邮件程序、照片、视频文件及音乐文件处理软件等软件程序Mac都会提供。
不过如果你喜欢使用像QuickBooks或Adobe Photoshop这样的软件，你就得再购买Mac版的这些软件。在许多时候，你中意的Windows程序不一定能找到对应的Mac版本，因此你需要学习一些不同的软件。比如，Microsoft Outlook就没有成熟的Mac版本，Microsoft提供的是另外一种并不完全相同的类似程序，名为Entourage，它们使用的是不同的文件格式，因此需要使用转换软件来进行相互转换。
还有一个办法是购买一种名为Virtual PC的Microsoft程序，它能在你的Mac硬盘上生成一个虚拟的Windows电脑，这样Windows程序就能在上面运行了。不过我的建议是，只有当你仅有一两个Windows程序找不到Mac程序替代、并且你只偶尔使用这些程序时再使用这一办法。为什么？因为这个虚拟的Windows电脑速度极慢，并且还容易受到Windows病毒的侵袭。
幸运的是，多数普通类型的Windows文件无需转换就能在Mac上使用，这些文件包括文本文件、JPG图形文件、MP3音乐文件、Adobe PDF文件等。如果你使用的是Mac版本的Microsoft Office，你还能顺畅地读写Word文件、Excel文件和PowerPoint文件。
不过，如果你是一个使用专业化Windows软件的商人或是金融人士，Mac可能并不是一个好的选择，因为市面上很少有这些软件的Mac版本或是类似的Mac软件。同样，如果你是一个游戏迷，Mac也不适合你，因为Mac游戏软件较少，并且新游戏的推出也比较慢。
