MacHouse

   Last updated: February 19, 2011

1. Installing and uninstalling QuickMarQ

Please read the README file that comes with the application.

2. Designing watermark labels

In order to layer a watermark track on a movie file, you must first create a preset.  Once you create one, you can apply that preset to any number of movie files.

Let's first click on the Add button located at the bottom-left corner.  A small window will pop up.  Name a preset.  Then enter watermark text.  If you are finished, click on the Create button.  If you want to edit the name and text, click on the Edit check button at the top.

Now, let's move on to design a watermark label.  In order to design a watermak label, you need to have a sample video file.  Drag and drop a movie file (3GP, 3G2, DV, M4V, MOV, M4V) onto the drop box.  If QuickMarQ accepts it, movie resolution will be displayed inside the blue frame.  That also means that QuickMarQ has created a reference file named Preview.mov.  Regardless of the data size of the original video file, this file should have a mere data size of 1 or 2 MB or even less.  In this way, QuickMarQ will use your sample movie file in a non-destructive manner.  That means whatever happens to this sample movie will affect not the original file in any way.

Let's select an existing watermark preset in the list.  And the Set button located at the bottom-left corner will become accessible.  So you have to

1. select a watermark preset and
2. have a sample movie

in order to design a watermark label.  You don't have to drag and drop a sample movie onto the drop box each time you want to design a new watermark label or edit an existing one.  If QuickMarQ has created a preview movie once, click on the Set last check button.  QuickMarQ will not delete Preview.mov until you drag and drop a new sample movie onto the drop box.  By your pressing Set last, QuickMarQ will access an existing sample movie and make the Set button accessible.

Finally, click on the Set button.  QuickMarQ will insert your watermark text to the sample movie.  Notice that QuickTime Player is running.  Actually, QuickTime Player has been running ever since you launched QuickMarQ.  QuickMarQ comes with no built-in movie player and can only display video through QuickTime Player.

Now, design a watermark label just as you write with TextEdit.  If you want to change the color of the watermark text, click on the button next to Text foreground color.  QuickMarQ supports 16-bit colors as opposed to 8-bit colors.  So you have quite a wide range of colors.  Finally, click on the Apply button to apply your settings to the sample movie.

If you want to show text without a background color, simply enable Keyed.  And QuickMarQ will remove the background color.  Finally, click on the Save button to save settings.  And you can always go back to your saved settings by just clicking on a preset in the list.  And if you have finished designing a watermak label, click on the Close button at the bottom.  And QuickMarQ will automatically close the sample movie displayed with QuickTime Player.  Each time you close Preview.mov, you will be reminded that it's closed.  It's a simple reminder.  QuickMarQ must know whether Preview is open or closed.  That's why QuickTime is running while you use QuickMarQ.  If you manually quit QuickTime Player, QuickMarQ will launch and run it.