I’m waving a white handkerchief out the window because I need technological help:
As I mentioned in the preceding post, I am trying to upload videos from my smartphone to my laptop. I actually did that successfully, but then my laptop told me I had to upload Quicktime in order to view them. I am using Windows Vista.
So, I attempted to upload the program, and it made like it was coming in — it seemed to upload some 40mb of info, but no click box ever appeared on my screen to actually install the program. I tried ti again — with the same result.
Thing is , I know nothing about videos. I would like to embed some here and on Facebook. Do I need an intermediary site — i.e. do I have to make a YouTube version first? Or some other type? Or is there a way to upload straight from my smartphone to Facebook or wordpress?
Help . . . damsel in distress . . .
— Jillian
P.S. Yes, I did try googling the subject and came up with some technological babble that was somewhat incoherent to me.
Jillian Page 
Smartphone to youtube is the best way.
LikeLike
I think you mean Download. Is this where you went to get QT?
https://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/
For posting videos you probably need to host them somewhere like YouTube, then you put the link on your blog. Different blogs have different linking protocols, so consult your blog software help file.
It sounds like you downloaded the installer but you didn’t run it. The file is named QuickTimeInstaller.exe, but where your browser put it depends on which browser. Try CTRL-J and see if the browser opens the downloads folder.
When you find QuickTimeInstaller.exe and you may have two copies now (either one, they are identical and you can delete both after you install QT), double-click on QuickTimeInstaller.exe to install QT. Read the questions carefully to make sure you don’t agree to change your default browser or homepage – such a nuisance.
LikeLike
Thanks. That is, indeed, where I went to get Quicktime, but I cannot find the files on my computer. I suspect that my new Zone Alarm firewall has something to do with it.
One question about uploading (or downloading) these videos to YouTube: Does it mean anyone can see them there, or can I be selective about who sees them?
LikeLike
As you have discovered, Quicktime is Apple’s proprietary video format and to view it in Windows you need to download and install the Quicktime runtime player which effectively installs as an add-on to your Windows browser, presumably Internet Explorer. I am guessing as an aside that your smartphone is an iPhone.
Quicktime, from a personal viewpoint, is an absolute pig. It is incredibly resource hungry and is incompatible with just about everything else. Even Microsoft’s proprietary video formats are better.
As a non Youtube uploader, I am uncertain what all the different formats it will support but you will mostly find it offers Adobe Flash (.swf) or the open standard .mp4. As of last week Google/Youtube have announced that they are going to evolve to HTML5 and MP4, effectively abandoning Flash.
This is a long-winded way of suggesting that what you should do is to convert your Quicktime file to MP4. There are any number of both downloadable applications and on-line conversion facilities that can do that for you.
If you are having problems downloading QT, temporarily disable Zone Alarm, do the download and install and then re-enable ZoneAlarm. Frankly from past experience with it it is a pain in the ass, as are most third-party firewalls. If you do most of your computing behind your home broadband router, it frankly should provide you with most of the protection you need along with Vista’s own native firewall. The firewall in Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 are all anyone needs and in any event as most people don’t understand how firewall’s work they end up driving figurative holes through them in any event. Most attacks on computer’s are still via old-fashioned direct infection, more likely nowadays by phishing ie social engineering which basically drives a cart and horse through firewall defences. Standard up-to-date AV software is still your best defence against the majority of that.
LikeLike
Thanks very much for this.
LikeLike
So, thanks to responses both here and on Facebook, I’ve learned that I can upload videos straight to YouTube and can regulate who sees them, i.e. everyone, or anyone who has the link, or just me. What I also learned is it is best to do it when one has WiFi access as uploading them uses a lot of my my monthly broadband allowance (6 GB). Each of the four videos I plan to upload are almost 1 GB. So, tomorrow at work, I will upload one and play around with it.
As for Quicktime, I’ll try disarming ZoneAlarm and downloading it again.
Thanks, everybody!
Jill
LikeLike
I think you are beginning to see what the big kerfuffle is about ‘throttling’ and your Telco’s issues with CRTC. The more you get into video+Youtube,etc bandwidth and download/upload caps become touchy issues. PC is quite right about Firewalls. I think I mentioned in a previous Post when you requested AV+Firewall suggestions that you really need only a good AV. Doubling with ZoneAlarm is redundant and might slowdown + degrade your system’s speed when working on the Net. Yes, quite that you can transfer audio/video files from your phone to FB+Youtube. Try to keep the phone updated to the latest Android or iOS available for the model of phone. Keep in mind that the model of your phone will determine if you can upgrade to the most current version of OS. You may not be able. It will tell you. Instead of QuickTime(PC right again about it being resource-heavy) you might want to check out VLC(Google it) Media Player for computer+mobile which is ‘the best’ player for “all” formats of audio|video files. And it’s Free – OpenSource. It’s been around a long time and vetted. If you are using an Android or Windows phone so much the better. If iPhone then stick to Quicktime because QT is Apple. Keep at it and Google for Info. You’ll get to where you want to be. And I await Steel Rail with anticipation
LikeLike
I turned off ZoneAlarm and tried downloading it again: no luck. It seems to be downloading, showing 40-odd MBs of my 6GB being used up, but then it is nowhere to be found. I give up on it . . .
LikeLike
You can try a Search from your search bar(Start programs or Windows Explorer(C drive)). Search for: QuickTimeInstaller.exe. It should should show you where it is if it got downloaded. I think it did because it is approx. 40Mb. What browser did you use/ IE? Try it from Google Chrome because it has a Download selection in it’s Tools where you can get to where it was saved. IE usually stores to My Documents or User folder
LikeLike
I downloaded it with Firefox. I’ll try Chrome. Thanks
LikeLike
Whoo-hoo! The download worked with Chrome. Thanks for the suggestion.
On another note: while the videos work well on the smartphone, they don’t work well with Quicktime on my laptop. We’ll see how they work when uploaded to youtube.
Thanks again, everyone!
LikeLike
For the future. FF has an Option > Tools>Options>General>Downloads that you can set so you know where files are downloaded. You can also set it to Prompt you “where” you want to save it as well. I also recommend you never Open or Run Installers(.exe) right away from sites when Windows prompts you. Download and scan with your AV. That way you “know” where the installer file is in your system without it disappearing after it does it’s job(this is for PC – phone you don’t have this option of course). We live in a world where the ‘browser wars’ are still very much alive. Sometimes Chrome will do a good job or it may hang. FF as well. So when and where you switch. Whatever you do, keep your programs+system “updated”. Your welcome. Good luck with the uploads
LikeLike
I’m going by memory because I don’t have an android phone to play around with, but if memory serves, a connect to usb notification should have appeared on your phone and you should have tapped on it. Once done, click the START button and then select Computer or My Computer. The micro-SD card in your phone will be recognized and listed as a Removable Disk.
Once you see that folder, Double-click the folder DCIM, and then the folder Camera. There, you can copy and paste all pictures and videos taken with smartphone to your PC.
Also,if you have a Google+ your phone should have synced with it.
LikeLike
Thank you!
LikeLike