How do I stop iTunes from being my default video player

I have a slightly older Macbook Pro, on OSX 10.5.8.   I have a bunch of video files on a wireless networked hard drive and the directory mapped to my desktop for easy access.  I also have VLC installed for video playback.  All the files are *.m4v.
Here is the problem.  When I click to open one of these files it starts copying the whole file over the network to my iTunes, and insisting on opening from iTunes.  If I click on File -> Open With -> it shows iTunes as the default.  I can click on File -> Open With -> VLC and this works just fine.
But how do I change the default video player?  All I want to do is stream it over my internal home network, I don't want copy the darn file every time I want to play something.
Thanks

Mac OS X: Double-Clicking a File Opens the Wrong Application - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2291
-= Changing the application used to open all files of a certain kind (written with reference to OSX 10.4 but may not have changed) =-
1) In a Finder window highlight a file of the kind you want to change the application to open that kind of file.
2) While that file is highlighted, select File > Get Info or press command (apple or propeller icon) + i to get a file information window.
3) In the lower part of the info window there is an "open with" menu with a list of applications.
4) If your application is already in the box then it is the default application for opening that kind of file and you don't need to do anything more.  Close the get info window.
5) If the application showing in the menu is not the one with which you wish to open the file then select a new application. If your application does not appear there then select the "other..." and track down the application (usually in the Applications folder at the main level of the computer).
6) If you wish to change all files of this type to open with this application in future, make sure the "change all" button is selected.
7) Close the get info window.

Similar Messages

  • I have transfered my library my library to a NAS drive. How do I stop Itunes from creating the default folder on the local drive?

    I've transferred my Itunes Media Library to a NAS drive, and pointed Itunes (using the advanced preferences tab) to the relevant folder on the NAS drive. I have done this to free up disk space on a computer I primarily use for work but which I use both at home and at work. The NAS drive is at home. (To clarify, I am not expecting Itunes to function at work, only at home when access to the NAS drive is available).
    Under certain circumstances Itunes will start-up at work and when it does it will create the folder structure for the Itunes Media Library in the default location (on the local drive) instead of looking for the location I have specified (the NAS drive) which it should not be able to find when I am at work and telling me that it can't find it (which would be fine).
    How do I stop Itunes from recreating the default folder structure and defaulting the file path to the standard media library location on my local drive? Every time this happens I have to re-point Itunes to the NAS drive location, which often requires me to reconsolicate libraries which is tedious and time consuming. It seems that in the process of one of these consolidations I have lost some of the media files. They are still in the library (ie. visible in the Itunes window) but Itunes can't find the media associated with that file - identifying them with an excamation mark "!".
    Any help with this would be appreciated, as I have read several forums and threads, and despite trying several different approaches I have been unable to address the problem, which appears to be exacerbated by the laptop being remote from the NAS drive.

    angelofromnsw wrote:
    Can I put the ".itl" and other database files on the NAS, and if so where would I put them? I'm thinking that if the library file is only available at home then the ITunes library won't get corrupted at work when it can't find the media, in the event that I accidentally start up itunes eg. while opening an attachment or disc that can be read by Itunes.
    iTunes will start up and you will have an empty library.
    Can I put the ".itl" and other database files on the NAS, and if so where would I put them?
    Yes.
    Quit iTunes.
    Copy the /Music/iTunes/ folder on the NAS.
    Move the /iTunes media/ folder currently on the NAS into  the /iTunes/ folder you just copied to the NAS.
    Hold Option, launch iTunes, select Choose library... and select the iTunes folder on the NAS.
    You can delete /Music/iTunes/ folder on the internal drive.
    If you launch iTunes while NOT comnnected to the NAS, iTunes will recreate the /Music/iTunes/ folder and you will have an empty library.
    WHen you are again connected to the NAS, just do step 4 above.
    Do you know what the advantages and disadvantages are of having the database files like the ".itl" files stored locally versus on the NAS?
    Keeping everyhing together inside the iTunes folder makes it "cleaner" and simpler to manage everything.

  • How do I stop iTunes from being brought to the front every time I rip a CD?

    It used to be that "Hide iTunes Windows" will do the trick. With the new iTunes, it stops doing it. I have over a thousand CD and it is getting annoying having iTunes keep popping up with each CD I put into my computer to get it rip, especially when I am working on other stuff.
    Thanks!

    Two places to set your prefs.
    1 is in the System Prefs>Hardware>CD/DVD.
    2 is in iTunes prefs>Advanced>Importing.
    Set your prefs in those 2 places and all should be well.
    MJ

  • How do I STOP thunderbird from being the default mail client?

    I recently upgraded my version of thunderbird and it has decided it is to be my default email program. This is really annoying. I use thunderbird for 1 email account and all other email accounts are handled by MS Outlook 2010.
    How do I tell thunderbird it is NOT the default email program?

    From the Menu Bar select '''Tools-Options-Advanced-General'''
    Under System Integration uncheck the box to always check to see if Thunderbird is the default.
    No menu bar? Press the alt key.
    Then tell Outlook it is the default.

  • How do I stop Firefox from being my default browser on an XP machine?

    I use Netscape 7.? Composer to create web-pages. Firefox doesn't have a composer. Now, all my stored pages are shown 'in Firefox' rather than Netscape, thus preventing me from editing them.

    You can look at KompoZer for a more up to date editor: http://kompozer.net/
    You can always use "Open with" in the right-click context menu to open the file in another program. You may need to press the shift key while right-clicking the file in Explorer to get the "Open with" choice.

  • Keeping Quicktime from being the default media player

    My son has iTunes/Quicktime installed on this computer, but I do not want Quicktime to be the default media player. How do I keep it from being the default media player.

    Try just right-clicking on the link to the downloaded file. In most browsers you'll get some variant of a command to download the file to your computer. That would bypass the QuickTime browser plugin.
    Hope this helps.

  • Help - how do I stop Itunes from auto update

    I have just deleted everything from my Itunes. How do I stop Ipod from being updated by Itunes automatically (it's now blank except for 2 new songs I just bought. My Ipod has over 1000 songs on it and I don't want it all to be erased by updating it to a blank Itunes library!!
    Thanks

    How to keep iTunes from automatically updating your iPod
    Another Easier Alternative:
    While connecting the iPod to the computer, hold down the Shift + Ctrl keys in Windows (CMD + Option keys on a Mac). This will stop the iPod from auto-syncing with iTunes. The iPod will then appear in the iTunes source list. Wait until you are sure the iPod has mounted, and that it will not auto-sync and then you can release the keys. This action may take between 3 and 25 seconds depending on your computer.
    You can then ‘right-click‘ on the iPod icon in iTunes’ source column and select iPod Options, then check the box that says “Manually manage songs and playlists”. You can now manage your library without losing any songs on the iPod.
    If connecting to a
    i different computer
    than the ‘iPod’s Home Computer’, iTunes will ask you if you want to update your iPod and give you an opportunity to opt out. This will not happen if you connect to the ‘Home’ computer – iTunes will auto-sync without warning!. Best to know the difference.
    Then: Transfer music manually

  • TA22992 Trying to sync new photos from iphoto withou having the old photo synced on ipad2 but when I select sync from iphoto the old photos are already included. How do I stop itunes from preselecting photos? Already try "selected albums, events, etc" no

    Trying to sync new photos from iphoto without having the old photo synced on ipad2 but when I select sync from iphoto the old photos are already included. How do I stop itunes from preselecting photos? Already tried selecting "selected albums, events, and faces, and automatically include" then I enter "no Events" with no success the photos still are being synced along with the new photos. I want to be able to add new photo and remove old photos. Please help this has taken a lot of my time trying to figure it out.

    If I knew the answer I would have given it - but since it is not an iPhoto question I suggested
    You might try the iPad forum - or the iTunes forum - this really is not an iPhoto question
    LN

  • Re: Trying to sync new photos from iphoto withou having the old photo synced on ipad2 but when I select sync from iphoto the old photos are already included. How do I stop itunes from preselecting photos? Already try "selected albums, events, etc" no succ

    Trying to sync new photos from iphoto without having the old photo  synced on ipad2 but when I select sync from iphoto the old photos are  already included. How do I stop itunes from preselecting photos? Already  tried selecting "selected albums, events, and faces, and automatically  include" then I enter "no Events" with no success the photos still are  being synced along with the new photos. I want to be able to add new  photo and remove old photos. Please help this has taken a lot of my time  trying to figure it out.

    If I knew the answer I would have given it - but since it is not an iPhoto question I suggested
    You might try the iPad forum - or the iTunes forum - this really is not an iPhoto question
    LN

  • How do I stop iTunes from automatically importing songs I listen to from my external hard drive into the music library?

    How do I stop iTunes from automatically importing songs I listen to from my external hard drive into the music library?

    Mac OS X: Double-Clicking a File Opens the Wrong Application - http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2291
    -= Changing the application used to open all files of a certain kind (written with reference to OSX 10.4 but may not have changed) =-
    1) In a Finder window highlight a file of the kind you want to change the application to open that kind of file.
    2) While that file is highlighted, select File > Get Info or press command (apple or propeller icon) + i to get a file information window.
    3) In the lower part of the info window there is an "open with" menu with a list of applications.
    4) If your application is already in the box then it is the default application for opening that kind of file and you don't need to do anything more.  Close the get info window.
    5) If the application showing in the menu is not the one with which you wish to open the file then select a new application. If your application does not appear there then select the "other..." and track down the application (usually in the Applications folder at the main level of the computer).
    6) If you wish to change all files of this type to open with this application in future, make sure the "change all" button is selected.
    7) Close the get info window.

  • How do I stop itunes from corrupting it's library on almost a daily basis?

    How do I stop itunes from corrupting it's library on almost a daily basis?  It's actually becoming infurating to use, and what's happening is I am losing my downloads since the last automated itunes backup (having to rename & replace the current corrupted library with the last backup which is usually a day or two old).  What can cause this?  Is there ANY alternative to using itunes for Apps (which is the sole use I have for it)?   If not, APPLE PLEASE REMOVE THE NEED FOR THE DATABASE SO IT DOESN'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO CORRUPT ITSELF...  :'(

    Things you see in iTunes are stored in various sub folders in your main iTunes folder as in:
    Image of folder structure and explanation of different iTunes versions (turingtest2 post) - https://discussions.apple.com/message/13025536 and https://discussions.apple.com/message/17457605
    Start iTunes and immediately hold down the option key.  Create a new library somewhere.  Go to your old iTunes folder and drag items to the window for the new library.  Maybe only grab a folder or part of one at a time.  It will copy these items to the new library (so you need lots of extra room on your computer).

  • TS1702 how do you stop itunes from downloading apps over and over again and again like for ever it wont stop  help.

    how do you stop itunes from downloading apps over and over again and again like for ever it wont stop  help.
    i tryed everything i  can in the setting and so on , i even clicked on the downloads arrow to pause it and delete them but like i said it will now stop.
    theres apps i just dont want. theres a list of them but theres not a place were i can get rid of them. it also says some stuff about icloud yeah right like i have ios 5 or 7 ha . pod touch 2 is what i have lol . plz help thanks.

    to the right by search library theres an arrow there click on it : it will show you what it is downloading , from there you can pause and select all and delete them but still will continue to download them if you tell itunes to check for downloads. that download engien is crazy i tell yeah.
    no matter what we do it will still download them trust me i tryed everything and i also went to icloud to see if it was there but to what i see is that there is no apps there this is some crazy itune program that needs to remade.

  • How do I stop iTunes from starting up in the other active Windows sessions?

    I have multiple (3) user accounts on a windows (Vista) computer. When I start iTunes from one account iTunes wants to also start up on each of the active windows accounts and continues to attempt to start iTunes after some time period (90 seconds?).
    I get a error screen on the attempts for the User that should not be starting iTunes that reads:
    You cannot open the application "iTunes" because another user has it open.
    Ask the other user to quit the application, then try again.
    I want iTunes to run within only one account. How do I stop iTunes from starting up in the other active accounts?

    Connect iPhone - iTunes will launch
    select iPhone in iTunes' left column
    in iTunes' main window untick "Automatically sync ..."

  • How do I stop iTunes from automatically sorting by Album Artist?  Driving me crazy.

    How do I stop iTunes from automatically sorting by Album Artist?  Driving me crazy.
    I listen to primarily classical music
    All of my music was very deliberatley titled by composers "Last Name, First Name" as the artist.
    iTunes is changing it to the Album Artist.  I have to go in and delete that information - AND THEN IT LATER REVERTS IT BACK!!!
    Hours have been wasted and I am feeling so ticked.
    Any help?

    Purchased or ripped media?
    If these are ripped mp3s then another possibility is multiple embedded tags. iTunes works best with a single ID3v2.3 tag. Some software creates both an ID3v1.0 and IDv2.x tag. With multiple tags it is not certain which iTunes reads or which it updates, and any device may choose differently. Once songs have the correct info. in iTunes you can use Convert ID3 Tags... None several times, then Convert ID3 Tags... v2.3. The process removes any embedded art but otherwise preserves the data that iTunes knows. You could use my script CreateFolderArt before and after to save and then restore the artwork.
    In the long run you may be better off populating Album Artist properly with a copy of whatever is currently in Artist. My script CopyArtistToAlbumArtist can do this effectively.
    tt2

  • My wife and I share a computer, but different Itunes accounts. How do I stop itunes from synchronising her apps to my phone

    My wife and I share a computer, but different Itunes accounts. How do I stop itunes from synchronising her apps to my phone?

    If the music is on the same computer, import the songs to your iTunes library by dragging them into iTunes or choosing File > Add to Library (Mac) or File > Add File to Library or Add Folder to Library (Windows).  If the music is on different computers you can set up Home Sharing to copy the music from one library to the other (see http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3819 and http://support.apple.com/kb/HT4620).

Maybe you are looking for