Hi Peter & David, Using Quicktime Player 10.3 and Quicktime Player 7.6.6 in Mavericks OS X 10.9.4, I use Command-Shift-4 to take screen shots of paused frames of Unprotected Video. I have understood that DRM-enabled movies, i.e. the vast majority purchased on iTunes, appear to be blocked when it comes to taking screen grabs in OS X 10.7 onwards. Since this happens at a low level under control of the operating system, it's extremely unlikely that you'll find any kind of app or command shortcut for OS X 10.7 onwards that will take screen grabs of this kind of movie.
People who say this works are most likely talking about movies that are not protected by DRM. (Or using an earlier version OS X (OS X 10.6.8 or earlier). MY TESTING: I have tested taking a screen shot of a paused frame of a Music Video I purchased from iTunes. The Music Video is a "Protected MPEG-4 Video File" 1. Using Command-Shift-4 to grab a screen shot results in a 'blank grey' png. 2. Tried opening the "Protected MPEG-4 Video File" in VLC Media Player to grab a screenshot "VLC media player supports many audio and video compression methods and file formats... However, the videos in M4V format which are downloaded from iTunes Store is not supported by VLC media player. The movies that are purchased or rented from iTunes have DRM protection. They are not allowed to be freely transferred or copied to other media players for playback." So, it is impossible to directly play iTunes M4V videos on VLC media player. But there is a simple way for you to enjoy iTunes movies via VLC media player – remove DRM and convert iTunes M4V to other non-protected video formats for VLC media player. But is is not cheap... <http://www.remove-drm.com/itunes-drm-converter-mac.html> I downloaded and installed "TunesKit DRM Media Converter for Mac" so I could complete my test that you cannot take a screen shot from a DRM Protected video, but you can from a Unprotected video. 1. Opened TunesKit for Mac Clicked - Add Files - selected one of my iTunes DRM protected music videos Clicked the Convert button - (Trial version can only convert 5 minutes for each movie. Please buy a license to unlock it) As I am only testing my theory i clicked "Try It" 2. After it quickly converted the file, I Quit TunesKit and located the converted file in Documents > TunesKit for Mac > Converted folder 3. Opened the Converted file in Quicktime 10.3 Paused the video, used Command-Shift-4 And as the Video is now Unprotected the Screen Shot .png is perfect. My theory "you cannot take a screen shot from a DRM Protected video, but you can from a Unprotected video" is correct. So my job is done and I am out of here!... OMG the steps I go to on WAMUG to 'prove a point' or find a reason 'WHY' is 'probably beyond reason' ;-) Cheers, Ronni On 1 Sep 2014, at 7:45 am, Peter Hinchliffe <[email protected]> wrote: > > On 30 Aug 2014, at 6:30 pm, Ronda Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hi David, >> >> >> How did you originally download the TV show and then burn to DVD? >> Without seeing the actual TV show footage I can't answer if it has DRM >> protection. >> If you can send me a link to the show I could test to see if it is possible >> to grab screenshots. >> >> Normally if you want DRM-free copies of your favorite TV episodes, you can >> record them yourself using a TV recorder in your computer. Most TV tuners >> will record over-the-air TV just fine. >> >> Cheers, >> Ronni >> Sent from Ronni's iPad4 >> >> >> On 30 Aug 2014, at 3:50 pm, David Noel <[email protected]> wrote: >> >>> Hi Ronni -- >>> >>> -- Thanks very much for your information. However, it seems strange if the >>> video I wanted a frame from could be DRM protected -- it was just a natural >>> history TV program I had burned onto a blank DVD for later viewing. Can DRM >>> protection be inherent in a broadcast TV program? Still puzzled.... >>> >>> David >>> >>> >>> >>> On 30 August 2014 14:47, Ronni Brown <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Hi David, >>> >>> On 30 Aug 2014, at 2:23 pm, David Noel <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> > I use the Command-Shift-4 sequence to select part of the Desktop for a >>> > number of purposes -- the image is saved (by default to Desktop) as a >>> > 'Screen shot ...date/time...png' file. It's a good way to quickly capture >>> > a web-usable image from a web source or a graphics-handling app without >>> > having to Save it from the app. >>> > >>> > However, when I recently tried this on a paused frame of a video clip, >>> > the sequence just produces a grey-white chequerboard pattern of the same >>> > size as the selection. Can anyone tell why this is, and maybe how to save >>> > a video frame? >>> >>> You have used the correct method to capture a paused video frame >>> screenshot... as long as the video is NOT DRM protected. >>> >>> Just a grey/white checkered pattern indicates you may have encountered a >>> copyright / fair use issue with the protected content from which you want >>> to make a screen capture. The laws and standards for fair use vary by >>> country and the content owners and software implementers of course must try >>> to account for all that. >>> >>> If this turns out to be the issue and you have done the legal research to >>> prove what you want to do is allowed under the principle of fair use then >>> you may want to investigate using software with a different implementation >>> of the protection schemes that will allow you to make the screen capture. >>> >>> One piece of software which may work from a technical standpoint would be >>> the VLC Player. http://videolan.org/ >>> >>> Cheers, >>> Ronni >>> > > In my experience the Quicktime player does not allow Cmd-Shift-4 screen > captures under any circumstances, whether DRM is involved or not. The free > VLC Player is the solution (see Ronni's link above). VLC is an essential > component of anyone's software arsenal who wants to deal with video files. > > Peter Hinchliffe Apwin Computer Services > FileMaker Pro Solutions Developer > Perth, Western Australia > Phone (618) 9332 6482 Mob 0403 046 948 > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > Mac because I prefer it -- Windows because I have to.
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