Although your MacBook comes with quite capable speakers and a built-in mic, there are times when you need a little more power behind your sound, especially if you like to watch movies or play computer games. The more powerful computer speakers are those that are powered by a separate AC adapter. Others may be powered by the USB port on your computer or batteries (or both). Regardless, most modern computer speakers connect through a standard USB connector and all you need to do is plug them in!
More rudimentary speakers can be used with your MacBook by inserting the audio jack into the audio out port (which also provides digital output) on the side of your laptop.
Your MacBook also has a built-in microphone to accompany the built-in web camera. If you only occasionally use video chat or Voice over IP (VoIP) services, your built-in mic will probably suffice, but if you plan on participating in a lot of video conferences or making a lot of phone calls, you might want to upgrade to a headset. Most headsets that you can purchase today are also USB devices.
You can also use an external microphone for recording music and voice using the programs that are already loaded on your MacBook. You'll need a 1/8-inch stereo mini plug to 1/4-inch phono adapter to make a connection from your computer to a standard microphone, or a 1/8-inch stereo mini plug to XLR connector adapter for professional mics.
You can use this same adapter to connect your guitar, bass, or other instrument and use your MacBook as a recording studio, although you will get better performance with a USB or FireWire external audio interface.
Once you've got your adapter, just connect it to your computer's audio input port and the other end to your microphone. Open the System Preferences pane from the Apple menu and click Sound. Click the Input tab and make sure that the audio Line In is the device selected for your sound input.
Macs have long been used by creative professionals for all types of graphics work, including photo and video editing. With iPhoto and iMovie already installed on your MacBook computer, you can create professional-looking photographs and videos even if you've never done any editing before. Of course, in order to use these great programs, you'll first need to download your video and photos onto your laptop so you can get to work.
Fortunately, downloading video and photos from your digital cameras is pretty easy. The chances are that your digital still camera uses what's called a Mini USB port. Mini USB is similar to a regular USB 2.0 port except that one end of the cable has a much smaller connector that fits into your camera (hence the word mini). Your computer's operating system already has many third-party device drivers installed.
All you need to do is plug your USB cable into the camera and the computer, turn the camera on, and start downloading photos. In most cases, iPhoto will open automatically so you can start editing right away. Some cameras come with additional software that needs to be installed in order to use its full functionality, so you should check your camera's operating manual to see if this is the case and if the software is compatible with Mac OS X.
Downloading video is similar to downloading photos except that you also usually have the option of using a FireWire cable to download your video. Like USB, FireWire is a protocol that allows a device to talk to a controller. In this case, it allows your video camera to talk to your computer. The difference between FireWire and USB is that FireWire was built for devices that transfer a lot more data than regular USB, like video cameras, DVD players, and external hard drives.
The FireWire cable even looks similar to the USB cable, but the connector on the end is a slightly different shape, so you won't get the two cables confused. FireWire ports are only standard in the MacBook Pro model, but most video cameras come with both Mini USB and FireWire ports, so you can use your video camera with whichever MacBook you own.
If you have a camera that uses a tape to record data, it probably uses a FireWire 400 connection. The MacBook Pro has a FireWire 800 port, so you will need to purchase a 400-to-800 adapter from your local computer/electronics store. Camcorders that use digital storage usually connect via USB.
Unlike downloading photos to your MacBook, a digital video camera requires specific software to transfer video. You can't just drag and drop the files like you can with a digital still camera. Your digital video camera probably came with a disc that contains this software; if not, you can download it from the manufacturer's website. Refer to the manual that came with your camera for specifics on installing the required software. In many cases your MacBook will be able to transfer video using the iMovie, iPhoto, or Image Capture software that is already loaded on your machine.
Our website is not responsible for the information contained by this article. Articleinput.com is a free articles resource thus practically any visitor can submit an article. However if you notice any copyrighted material, please contact us and we will remove the article(s) in discussion right away.
Note: This article was sent to us by: Andrew Deloney at 11012010
1. How Do LED Lights Work
All articles are property of their respective authors. Please read our Privacy Policy!
© 2009 ArticleInput.com.
Partners: Damenmode