Copyright: File Player Help v7.0 ©2000 ATI TECHNOLOGIES INC.
Citation: File Player Help v7.0 ©2000 ATI TECHNOLOGIES INC.


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Help file for the File Player component of ATI MULTIMEDIA CENTER 7.0

•	Numbered lists are implemented using the "BulletText_HLP" style (no autonumbering);
the numbers are dark blue, 11-point, TrueType Wingding font.

•	The Help file uses two windows: main for major topics, and taskwin1 for How To procedures.

main is the default window specified in the.CNT file.  Topics are footnoted to force them
into the taskwin1 window, where required.

NOTE:  The "How to" and "Related topics" buttons look for a specific Help file.  If the Help file is renamed, the button code must be changed, too.


WELCOME to File Player online Help

Use File Player to play various multimedia file formats.  The types of files you can play depends on your system’s software.  For example, MPEG-2 file playback is available if software such as ATI’s DVD Player is installed.

HOW TO ...

Play multimedia files

Set up your File Player

Schedule events

Capture still images

Attach and detach panels


File Player overview

Each control displays its function and any keyboard shortcuts when you point at it with your mouse.  Most controls also display a menu of options when you right-click them [image] the > character indicates that a menu is available when you right-click the control.

Video is displayed in the Video panel.

The upper window displays information about the currently-playing file or recording in progress.

The lower window displays the current time (you can specify the time mode).  The upper slider controls the volume.  The lower slider indicates the position in the file, and you can drag it to move within the file.


File Player overview2

File Player overview

You can play the following multimedia files:

AVI

MPEG (.mpg, .mpeg)

MP (.mp3, .mp2)

MIDI (.mid)

WAV (.wav)

Access File Player functions by right-clicking on the video viewing area.  A control menu appears.

When you click the logo in the upper left corner of the File Player or the Video panel, The “About” notice appears.  If you have more than one Multimedia Center feature installed [image] DVD, TV, CD Audio, or Video CD [image] a Task menu displays available and active features.  Use the Task menu to start available features or close all features.


Play multimedia files

Set the time display mode

Toggle looped playback

Mute the audio

Schedule events

Use LaunchPad to start Multimedia Center features

Capture still images

Attach and detach panels


Docking and undocking panels

To detach (undock) panels
Point your mouse at the edge where the panels meet.  When the cursor changes to a double arrow, drag the panels apart.

To attach (dock) panels
Point your mouse at the edge of a panel.  When the cursor changes to a four-headed arrow, drag the panel toward the other panel.  When the panel’s border changes color, release the mouse button to dock the panels.


Video panel

Your files are displayed in the Video panel.  The controls in the upper-right corner are standard windows controls: Help, Minimize, Maximize, and Exit.

Resize the Video panel by using your mouse to drag an edge, or use the CTRL key to display preset screen sizes.

Access File Player functions by right-clicking on the video viewing area.  A control menu appears.

When you click the logo in the upper-left corner of of the Video panel, the “About” notice appears.  If you have more than one Multimedia Center installed [image] DVD, TV, CD Audio, or Video CD [image] a Task menu displays available and active features.  Use the Task menu to start available features or close all features.


Size the Video panel

Zoom and pan

Attach and detach panels


Sizing the Video panel

Resize the Video panel by using your mouse to drag an edge,
or use the CTRL key to display these preset screen sizes.

CTRL + 1	50% of original size
CTRL + 2	75% of original size
CTRL + 3	100% of original size
CTRL + 4	200% of original size (CTRL+4 will go to full screen  if your current desktop resolution causes 200% scaling to equal or exceed the desktop size.)
CTRL + F	Full screen


File Player control menu

You can access File Player functions by right-clicking on the Video panel or the Control panel.  The following menu appears:

Setup	Open the File Player Setup page.
Hide/Show  Controls	Hide the File Player Control panel .
Play	Play the current file.
Stop	Stop playback.
Time Display  Mode	Set time mode  Elapsed Time  Remaining Time Total Time.
Zoom Mode	Set zoom  Unzoom, Zoom 2x,  Zoom 4x, Zoom 8x.
Video  Size	Set playback size  50%, 75%, 100%, 200%, Full Screen.
About…	Display the “About” dialog.
Exit	Close the File Player.


Playing multimedia files

Click the File Open button, then select a file from the Select Files to Play dialog.  Click Open to open the file, or click Play to start playing immediately.  You can also drag a file onto the File Player control panel; the file will start playing automatically.

For quick, menu access to recent files and directories, right-click the lower area of the Select Files To Play dialog.

	To start playback, click the Play button.  The Play button becomes the Pause button.
	To pause playback, click the Pause button.  The Pause button becomes the Play button.
	To resume playback, click the Play button.
	To stop playback, click the Stop button.


Playing multimedia files

To navigate in files

Start of file	Seek backward	Seek forward	End of file
Seek backward / forward seeks in approximately 10-second intervals.


Set the time display mode

Toggle looped playback

Mute the audio

Schedule events

Use LaunchPad to start Multimedia Center features

Capture still images

Make a Playlist


Making a playlist

You can build a playlist of your favorite multimedia files.

•	In the upper panel of the Select Files To Play dialog, select a file.

•	To add the file to the playlist, click the Add button.  Add as many files as you wish.  To remove a file, select it from the Selected Files: panel, and click the Remove button.  To remove all files, click the Remove All button.


Setting the time mode

Click the Time mode button to set one of three time modes shown in the time status display: Elapsed Time, Remaining Time, or Total Time.


Muting the audio

Click the Mute button to mute/turn on the audio.


Toggling looped playback

Click the Loop button to turn looped playback of your playlist on and off.


Schedule

Use the Schedule page to schedule events at times you specify.  The Schedule Wizard leads you through selecting an event, when it will occur, and how it will occur.  For help on the Schedule feature, click here [image].


Setting up your File Player

Click the Setup button to set up your Display, Preferences, Schedule, and Stills Gallery.


Setting up the Stills Gallery

Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, then click the Stills Gallery tab.  Use this page to define how the Stills Gallery saves and prints your captured images.

If the Stills Gallery is open, you can click its Setup button to open the Stills Gallery Setup page. For help on Stills Gallery, click here

Capture  Option	Capture to gallery Capture still images to the Stills Gallery.  Capture to numbered file Store captured images in numbered files (pic001.bmp, pic002bmp ...) on your hard disk. Capture to clipboard Place the captured image on Windows clipboard. Capture to printer Send the captured image to the printer. Use only 256 colors Save captured images as 256-color files, to save disk space.
Save  Options	Warn if closed without saving Alerts you if you close the File Player without saving captured images. Show paths of saved images Display the drive, folders, and subfolders that contain your saved images.
Tool Tips	Show Tool Tips Display Tool Tips when you point at a control.  If the Tool Tip ends with >, right-clicking the control displays a menu for that control. Show Shortcut Display keyboard Shortcut keys when you point at a control.
Print Options	Center image Print image in center of page. Image size: Maximize Print in full-page  format.  One to one Print same size  as original  image.  Double Print twice original size.
Always  on top	Always display the File Player on top of other applications.


Setting up your display

Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, then click the Display tab.

Video Size	50% Display video at ½ size.  75% Display video at ¾ size. 100% Display video full size. 200% Display video at double size. Full screen Display video in full screen, with no borders.
Options	LCD Display Display the track number and current playback time on an LCD Display. Always On Top Always display the File Player on top of other applications. Auto Hide Controls when in Full Screen Automatically hide controls in full screen if no user interaction occurs within 5 seconds.  Controls re-appear when you move your mouse. Keep Aspect Ratio Maintain the aspect ratio when you resize the display.
Time Mode	Set the time mode Elapsed time  Remaining time  Total time
Tool Tips	Show Tool Tips Display Tool Tips when you point at a control.  If the Tool Tip ends with >, right-clicking the control displays a menu for that control. Show Shortcut Display keyboard Shortcut keys when you point at a control.


Set up your preferences

Set up Schedule


Setting up your preferences

Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, then click the Preferences tab.

Power  Management	Select one of the following levels: Always Power management always enabled. Disabled while playing Power management disabled while playing. Allow display to turn off while paused Only the display turns off while paused. Disabled Power management never enabled.


Set up your display

Set up Schedule


Zooming and panning

You can zoom in on the video in the Video panel to enlarge a selected portion of the screen, and return your display to normal.  If you are playing MPEG files, you can also pan in the zoomed area.

Using the left mouse button, draw a rectangular outline on the screen.  When you release the mouse button, the rectangle will be zoomed.
To pan in the zoomed area, move your mouse within the zoomed area.
To zoom in the zoomed area, hold down the Shift key, and draw another rectangular outline in the zoomed area.

To unzoom or use predefined zoom levels, right-click in the Video panel to open the Control menu, then click Zoom mode [image], and select Unzoom, Zoom 2x, Zoom 4x, or Zoom 8x.

Or
To unzoom, click the 1:1 button in the Control panel, or right-click the button to open a menu where you can select Unzoom, Zoom 2x, Zoom 4x, or Zoom 8x.


LaunchPad

The LaunchPad provides a convenient way to start all your Multimedia Center applications [image] just click the feature you want.
For Help on LaunchPad, click here [image].

If your system does not have a TV Tuner, Video In appears in place of Television in the LaunchPad.


Capturing still images

You can capture still images save them on your computer’s hard disk, and print them.  The images are placed on the clipboard, or you can display them as “thumbnails” (miniature images) in the Stills Gallery .

Depending on the software installed on your computer, you can capture from the following video sources:

Television: You can capture full-color, 24-bit-per-pixel still images from television.

Video CD: You can capture still frames from MPEG clips.

To capture still images
Click the Capture button in the File Player control panel to capture the current frame.  The frame is captured to the Stills Gallery.


Stills Gallery

When you capture still images, the Stills Gallery opens to let you save images in a variety of graphics formats and sizes.  Use the Stills Gallery controls to save images, delete them, hide them, save them as wallpaper, and print them.

Double-click the capture window to resize it to the actual size of the captured image.

For help on Stills Gallery, click here


Shortcut key
A key or combination of keys that provides one-stroke access directly to a command or dialog box.  Also called “Accelerator key” or “hot” key”.


Tool Tips
Helpful aids for using programs that appear when you point at a control with your mouse.


Startup file
A Windows StartUp file contains applications that start whenever you start Windows.  See Windows online help for more information.


Aspect ratio
Relationship of width (x-axis) to height (y-axis).


Pan
Traditionally, rotating a camera about its vertical axis.  With digital video, you can also pan vertically.


AVI
Audio-Video Interleaved.  Microsoft’s specification for for the integration of digital motion video under Windows.


MPEG
Moving Pictures Expert Group.  Group under ISO auspices that defines standards for compression/decompression of digital video and audio.


MP
MPEG Audio Layer 3 / Audio Layer 2.  System of encoding digital audio into very small files, with minimal loss of quality.  MPEG Layer-3 is the most powerful


MIDI
Musical Instrument Digital Interface.  MIDI files contain information that tells the synthesizing device what instrument sounds to create.


WAV
Waveform audio.  Digitized sample of an audio waveform, stored in a form the PC can understand and manipulate


END GLOSSARY DEFINITIONS