System Preferences for the VJ

Posted on October 20, 2009 by proctor

syspref

This one’s all technical and zero creative, but it will save you a lot of heartache.

Here are the steps I go through at each event to make my laptop “VJ-ready”:

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1) Go into System Preferences.

VJ ready 1.jpg

2) Desktop & Screen Saver: Disable the Screen Saver & set 2nd display desktop image to black.jpg

VJ ready 2.jpg

3) Sound: Disable all system sound effects; take Alert Volume down to zero; increase Master Volume to maximum (for video files, music, etc)

VJ ready 3.jpg

4) Energy Saver: Set Sleep settings to 3hrs (or never); uncheck “put hard disks to sleep…”; and if you have a Unibody MacBook Pro, you can change over to the Higher Performance graphics card (requires you to log out).

VJ Ready 4.jpg

That covers all the bases and will prevent “computer-things” from happening that can cause a huge distraction in worship (or any event for that matter). Nothing like firing a video clip and waiting 20 seconds for the hard disk to spin back up and find it’s place. #cueFAIL

There are also a few other programs (like Caffeine) that can do all of this for you in one fell swoop, and i’m sure they are great. But I’m a bit of a Mac-purest and so i do it the old fashioned way…plus, it’s not really that hard…keeps me aware of my system settings, and it’s overall good discipline. :) plus, i don’t really trust a lot of 3rd party programs that mess with my system settings, but that’s just me. less is more. I’m sure i’ll make a great old man one day…”oh those kids and their crazy technology…they don’t appreciate the old fashioned ways of VJ-ing!” haha

WOW. This has got to be one of the most boring, nerdy blog posts of all time! congratulations to you, dedicated reader, if you’ve even made it this far. geez…first test patterns now this?! i’ve got to kick it up a few notches.

9 people have shared their voice

  1. Love it bro! This is actually very helpful information, “boring” as it may be . . . especially for folks just starting out or for us worship pastors needing to give our tech people some “coaching.” Appreciate everything you do.

    Matthew Ware on October 20, 2009

  2. Boring yes, but essential YES!! – As I found out after starting out some worship VJ-ing a month ago for our new service.

    I also turn off Mac ‘Spaces’ and set my secondary monitor background to a default logo screen for our service in case PVP shuts down there is something up that pertains to the night.

    Thanks for all the tips and blogs!!

    Kirsten on October 20, 2009

  3. This wasn’t that boring. Thanks for the tips. All of this should be common sense, but it doesn’t hurt to read it and refresh my memory. Can’t wait until my Mac gets to me in a few days.

    Brian Alexander on October 20, 2009

  4. So useful for me! because I’m a new comer of Mac~

    Anthony Lee on October 21, 2009

  5. Hello from Russia!
    Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?

    Polprav on October 22, 2009

  6. good suggestions, guys! i forgot about the projector setting …changing it from blue to black… and yeah, the whole Expose/Spaces features can get you everytime. i got me last night at a concert. whoops.

    Anthony, how is the Mac experience going? i loved your blog post and pictures from the event in Hong Kong!

    proctor on November 3, 2009

  7. I’m a big fan of Caffeine (http://lightheadsw.com/caffeine/) because it’s so simple.

    Not only for projection but also when I’m showing off vimeo clips to clients and friends.

    It doesn’t mute the audio, but I leave system noises silent all the time.

    Brian Russell on November 6, 2009

  8. of course you can!

    admin on November 7, 2009

  9. It is useful but i don’t have the software in my iMac.

    Francis on January 8, 2010