Hi Esther and Alex, Thanks for the great info. I have a generic standard keyboard with separate buttons for volume and mute. I just tried the option key with this and it brought up my sound preferences. I tried it with the volume buttons and the mute button and all with the option key gave the same result. This is something I probably wouldn't have thought to try if not for both your messages. Thanks much.
Teresa On May 22, 2013, at 10:33 AM, Alex Hall <[email protected]> wrote: > Yes, bluetooth Apple keyboard. If you use a bluetooth or usb keyboard not > made by Apple, you're out of luck. Mine is a $10 keyboard from Wal-Mart that > has served me perfectly for over a year, but Apple didn't make it so I don't > have the shortcut keys. > On May 22, 2013, at 1:11 PM, Matt Dierckens <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Wait, what? >> I can access this just fine on my bluetooth apple keyboard >> On 2013-05-22, at 1:09 PM, Alex Hall <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> One thing to remember is that all those amazing controls only work on Apple >>> keyboards. If, like me, you are cheap and didn't spring for the Apple >>> keyboard and have a mini or other mac without a built-in keyboard, you >>> can't access any of this. I have no idea why (well, actually, it's probably >>> so more people buy official Apple gear) but there it is. I really wish I >>> could access these controls from the keyboard, but... >>> On May 22, 2013, at 11:38 AM, Esther <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Teresa, >>>> >>>> You can bring up your system sound settings using the keyboard >>>> shortcut Fn+Option+F10, or substitute any of the other media keys for >>>> controlling sound for F10 (e.g. F11 or F12, where Fn+F11 mutes, Fn+F11 >>>> decreases volume, and Fn+F12 increases volume). I'm assuming that >>>> your keyboard preferences are set with "Use all F1, F2, etc. keys as >>>> standard function keys" checked. The general rule is that you can get >>>> quick access to the preferences settings menu for a related F-key >>>> control by pressing the Option key together with the shortcut >>>> combination you'd use. So adding a press of the Option key to any >>>> volume-related F-key shortcut will bring up the sound preferences >>>> settings menu. Similarly, adding a press of the Option key to any >>>> brightness-related F-key shortcut will bring up the display >>>> preferences settings menu, which contains a slider for setting >>>> brightness. On my 13" MacBook AIr there are controls for raising and >>>> lowering the brightness of the backlit keyboard keys with the F5 and >>>> F6 keys, so pressing Option+Fn+F5 or F6 will let me bring up the >>>> keyboard preferences settings menu. That won't work on laptop models >>>> without backlit keyboards, like the 11" MacBook Air, and I don't think >>>> it will work with your Mac Mini. Also, if I'm giving instructions to >>>> someone who isn't using VoiceOnver the shortcut keys are Option+F10, >>>> F11, or F12 (without the Fn key press) to bring up the sound >>>> preferences settings menu, and Option+F1 or F2 to bring up the display >>>> preferences settings menu. >>>> >>>> A second tip, if you want to adjust volume or brightness in finer >>>> grain increments, hold down the Option+Shift keys as well. So for >>>> lowering volume with the media keys, this is Fn+Option+Shift+F11, and >>>> for raising the volume this is Fn+Option+Shift+F12. >>>> >>>> Now, an easier way to switch your audio devices without having to >>>> bring up your system sound preferences settings is to get a free app >>>> named Audio Switcher. This sits in your status menubar, so you >>>> navigate there with either Control+F8 or VO+m+m, and then switch >>>> devices from its menu. I'll point you to the MacUpdate page: >>>> https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/26433/audio-switcher >>>> You can download from there, but you should also check the link to the >>>> developer's web page to read the documentation. For people who >>>> remember using SoundSource, a freebie from Rogue Amoeba that worked >>>> accessibly up through Leopard to let you switch your audio devices, >>>> Audio Switcher is like that. (SoundSource isn't compatible with >>>> Mountain Lion). >>>> >>>> HTH. Cheers, >>>> >>>> Esther >>>> >>>> On May 22, 3:19 am, Teresa Cochran <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> Hi, all, >>>>> >>>>> I have a Mac Mini, and since it doesn't have a microphone jack, I've been >>>>> switching back and forth between using my USB headset for system sound >>>>> when Skype is loaded, and using my headphone jack/speakers. I'm >>>>> wondering if there's a way to get to these settings quickly so I don't >>>>> have to open system preferences, then sound. Of course, I could just keep >>>>> the sounds dialog open, but I'm curious if there might be a way to show >>>>> this in the status menu volume control settings, or something similar? >>>>> >>>>> Thanks, >>>>> Teresa >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>> email to [email protected]. >>>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Have a great day, >>> Alex (msg sent from Mac Mini) >>> [email protected] >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to [email protected]. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >>> >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to [email protected]. >> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. >> >> > > > > Have a great day, > Alex (msg sent from Mac Mini) > [email protected] > > > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
