DVD Screenshots

[Mr. DG]

Hi, how do i grab a full screen shot from a DVD? apple-option-3 doesnt work, says it cant be done during dvd playback. PowerDVD has this function on Windows, am i missing an option somewhere?

 

[mkrishnan]

This guide has several options for you. I personally would get VLC. With the OS X skinning, it looks very nice.

http://www.neilturner.me.uk/2005/Dec/01/dvd_screenshots_on_mac_os.html

 

[steve_hill4]

Yes, I liked that about Power DVD and also use VLC and have screen grabbed a few images.

You'll be surprised though what it does work on. By chance I was trying to do a grab of the face of someone from YouTube, (request on here somewhere), and even though I didn't get the right frame, it took it. When I have tried that in Windows, it merely gives you a blank box where the video would have been.

 

[killmoms]

Yes, I liked that about Power DVD and also use VLC and have screen grabbed a few images.

You'll be surprised though what it does work on. By chance I was trying to do a grab of the face of someone from YouTube, (request on here somewhere), and even though I didn't get the right frame, it took it. When I have tried that in Windows, it merely gives you a blank box where the video would have been.

That's because Windows still uses video overlay, which is an old method by which the window drawing system paints a certain color into an area and then tells the video card "fill this area with the video" and passes the video off directly to the video card. When you take a screenshot of that, you just get a shot of the color fill. OS X's more modern windowing system doesn't do this, thus, screenshot ability.

 

[steve_hill4]

That's because Windows still uses video overlay, which is an old method by which the window drawing system paints a certain color into an area and then tells the video card "fill this area with the video" and passes the video off directly to the video card. When you take a screenshot of that, you just get a shot of the color fill. OS X's more modern windowing system doesn't do this, thus, screenshot ability.

Yes, that's right. I knew there was a reason, but couldn't have told you what it was. Does anyone know if this method is changing with Windows Blista, or are they sticking with an outdated method?

Edit: Forgot to ask earlier why you are trying cmd-option-3, try using cmd-shift-3. Still won't work whilst using Apple DVD Player, but you may be able to get more luck elsewhere.

 

[bursty]

+1 for VLC

 

[Mr. DG]

thx for the replies. I did originally mean apple-shift-3. The key shortcuts look so complicated written down i think, plus it doesnt help that there's 2 names for some of the keys (apple = that funny taiwanese symbol), (alt = option). i tend to just remember where my fingers go visually.

I was hoping i wouldnt have to download another app, but VLC is pretty useful.