ATI Multimedia Center™ 9.0 User’s Guide P/N 137-70268-70 Copyright © 2004, ATI Technologies Inc. All rights reserved. ATI and all ATI product and product feature names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of ATI Technologies Inc. All other company and/or product names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective owners. Features, performance and specifications are subject to change without notice. Product may not be exactly as shown in the diagrams.
Disclaimer While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, ATI Technologies Inc.
Contents Using Your ATI Multimedia Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Starting ATI Multimedia Center.................................................................... 2 Starting from LaunchPad........................................................................ 2 Starting from Windows® taskbar........................................................... 3 Online Help.................................................................................................... 3 ATI REMOTE WONDER............
Achieving the best results with MPEG video recording ...................... 45 MULTVIEW™............................................................................................ 47 MULTVIEW audio requirements ........................................................ 48 MULTVIEW keyboard shortcuts ......................................................... 49 TV Listings .................................................................................................. 50 Setting up TV Listings ..............
Channel Lockout ...................................................................................... 84 Parental Control ....................................................................................... 85 Recording Video ...................................................................................... 86 TV-ON-DEMAND .................................................................................. 87 One Touch Record ............................................................................
DVD Initialization Wizard .................................................................... 117 DVD-Video Settings .............................................................................. 117 DVD Closed Captioning ........................................................................ 118 Closed Caption settings .................................................................. 119 DVD-Video Audio Settings ................................................................... 120 S/PDIF .............
Library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149 Special Feature .......................................................................................... 149 Filtering files .......................................................................................... 150 Converting Media Files ......................................................................... 151 Converting DTV Files ...........................................................................
EAZYSHARE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183 Starting EAZYSHARE TV ................................................................... 183 Setting up EAZYSHARE TV .............................................................. 184 Configuring your network .............................................................. 184 Display settings .............................................................................. 186 Channel Control settings ....................................
1 Using Your ATI Multimedia Center This Guide explains how to use the features that your ATI Multimedia Center offers. The Multimedia Center is a suite of products that provides TV, Video CD, CD Audio, DVD, File Player, FM Radio, EAZYSHARE, and Library in one package.
2 Starting ATI Multimedia Center Starting ATI Multimedia Center Starting from LaunchPad The LaunchPad provides a convenient way to start all your Multimedia Center features — just click the feature you want. LaunchPad opens automatically when you start your computer, or if you prefer, you can right-click LaunchPad, and uncheck Load on Startup in the drop-down menu. • To dock LaunchPad, right-click it, and then click Dock in the menu.
Online Help 3 Starting from Windows® taskbar 1 In the Windows taskbar, click Start, and then point at Programs . 2 Point at ATI Multimedia Center , and then select CD Audio, DVD, LaunchPad, File Player, TV, Video CD, Library, or Configuration. For information about using the ATI Multimedia Center features, see the online help. Online Help Feature Help. Click the Help button in any display panel to open the online help. F1 Context-Sensitive Help.
4 Multimedia Center Configuration Tool Multimedia Center Configuration Tool When the Multimedia Center is running, you access settings via the Settings dialogs. You can also use the Multimedia Center Configuration Tool to access audio/video settings, TV settings, PC Check, file types, skin settings, and EAZYLOOK settings for the following purposes.
Multimedia Center Configuration Tool 5 To access Audio/Video settings click the DVD tab in the Multimedia Center Configuration Tool. Three audio settings are available. Selection Function Enable Dynamic Compression Applies dynamic compression to the overall dynamic range of the audio (useful for low-volume listening and for smaller speakers).
6 Multimedia Center Configuration Tool To access PC Check PC Check evaluates your computer system to determine if it is correctly set up for multimedia playback. If your computer fails any of the tests, PC Check recommends corrective action. i 1 The test results are best estimates; they may not be 100% accurate. In Windows Taskbar, click Start, point at Programs, point at ATI Multimedia Center, and then select Configuration.
TV 7 TV Watch Television on your computer! You can receive up to 125 cable television channels and 70 antenna channels in smooth, full-motion video on the whole screen or in a window. TV delivers advanced features: TV-ONDEMAND™, Closed Captioning, Personal Video Recorder, Still Capture, Channel Surfing, Scheduled Events, TV Listings, Parental Control, and more. When you click the logo in the upper left corner of the display panel, the “About” notice appears.
8 TV To start TV from LaunchPad Click the TV button in the Launchpad. For information on LaunchPad, see page 2. from Windows® taskbar 1 In the Windows taskbar, click Start, and then point at Programs . 2 Point at ATI Multimedia Center , and then select TV. You can also start TV from other Multimedia Center features installed on your system. Click the ATI logo in the feature’s control panel or display panel, and then click TV.
TV 9 Initialization Wizard Click the Setup button, and then click the Display tab. Click the Initialization Wizard... button. The TV Channels Initialization Wizard appears. Follow the Wizard’s instructions to select cable or antenna, choose the broadcast standard, and to scan for active channels. Click Next >. The TV Parental Control Initialization Wizard appears. Follow the Wizard’s instructions to set or change your Parental Control password.
10 TV Sizing the TV display You can resize the TV display using the mouse, the Maximize button, or CTRL key combination. • The F2 key hides/shows the control panel, to save desktop space. To resize the TV display using the mouse Drag the display’s border. The TV display maintains a fixed aspect ratio (width-to-height) of 4:3 to avoid picture distortion (to change this, see Display Settings on page 15).
TV 11 TV Feature Menu You can access TV functions by right-clicking on the control panel or the viewing area of the display panel. This is very useful in full-screen mode. Selection Function Setup Opens the TV setup page. Show Controls Shows the TV Control panel. Always On Top Displays TV on top of other applications. THRUVIEW Window If your computer uses a RADEON or later video card, THRUVIEW Desktop and THRUVIEW Window are available (see page 161).
12 TV Selection Function Aspect Ratio Selects the width-to-height ratio for the video window: Non-Fixed Allows the window to be stretched to any proportions. Standard 4:3 Standard aspect ratio for television broadcast. Letterbox (16:9, 1.85:1, 2.35:1) Crops the top and bottom of the frame to fit a wider window. Widescreen (16:9, 1.85:1, 2.35:1) Scales the entire image to fit a wider window.
TV TV Keyboard Shortcuts You can use the following keys to control TV from your keyboard.
14 TV Command Key(s) THRUVIEW window (Blended Window, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F5 THRUVIEW Desktop (Blended Desktop, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F6 Video Desktop, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F7 Minimize without Video Desktop or THRUVIEW F8 Reverse play (Jog Shuttle) increments to next lower speed: -2x, -4x, -8x, -16x F9 Normal play (Jog Shuttle) F10 Forward play (Jog Shuttle) increments to next lower speed: 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x F1
TV 15 Display Settings The Display settings page lets you control how video is displayed in TV. To open the Display settings page Click the Setup button in the TV control panel, and then click the Display tab. Selection Function Video Size Size Selects the size for the current panel. Aspect Ratio Sets the width-to-height ratio for the current panel: Standard 4:3 Standard television. Letterbox Crops the top and bottom of the frame to fit a wider window.
16 TV Selection Function Display Feature When Minimized Controls how TV behaves when minimized: Minimize TV TV becomes an icon on your desktop. Video Desktop TV display replaces your desktop pattern. THRUVIEW Blended Window: The current panel appears as a translucent layer on top of any other windows. Blended Desktop: The current panel appears in full screen as a translucent layer on top of any other windows. See THRUVIEW on page 161. Always On Top Displays TV on top of other applications.
TV 17 Video Settings The Video settings page lets you choose a video connector and fine-tune video characteristics. To open the Video settings page Click the Setup button in the Television control panel, and then click the Video tab. Selection Function Connector Choose Analog TV Tuner, Composite or S-Video input. • If you choose Composite or S-Video, you must specify the Broadcast Standard. Broadcast Standard Choose the broadcast standard: NTSC, PAL, or SECAM.
18 TV TV Tuner Settings The TV Tuner settings page lets you autoscan for active TV channels, choose cable or antenna input, name channels, and set channel-specific options. To open the TV Tuner settings page Click the Setup button in the TV control panel, and then click the TV Tuner tab. Selection Function Channel Name You can enter channel names. If you have TV Listings installed (see page 50), channel names are set automatically, based upon the Guide+ database. Details...
TV 19 Channel Property Details When you select a channel and then click the Details... button in the TV Tuner settings page, the Channel Property Details page opens to let you set properties for particular channels — favorites list, channel assignment, and properties for audio, video, program lockout, and closed captioning. For example, in the Channel Specific Settings Video page, you could change a channel to SECAM when the other channels are (by default) PAL.
20 TV Selection Function Channel Specific Settings Audio Click Audio, and then click Details... to open the Sound details page. Mute Settings Global Applies mute settings to selected channel. Mute On Mutes audio. Mute Off Cancels muting. SAP Settings Global Stereo Mono SAP Channel Specific Settings See Secondary Audio Program (SAP) on page 23. Applies SAP settings to selected channel. Activates stereo TV audio for this channel, if it provides it. Activates monaural audio for this channel.
TV 21 Stills Gallery Settings You can capture still images from TV, and save them in the Stills Gallery. To open the TV Stills Gallery settings page Click the Setup button in the TV control panel, and then click the Stills Gallery tab. For information on the Stills Gallery, see page 63. TV Schedule Settings The Scheduler lets you set up TV to watch or record selected TV programs at times you specify. See Schedule on page 155 for details.
22 TV ATI TV Bar Browse the Web and watch TV at the same time, without resizing your windows! ATI TV Bar displays TV in your Internet Explorer Web Browser. North American users can also view a display of channel names and numbers, with continuously updated program information. To open ATI TV Bar 1 Launch Internet Explorer. 2 In Explorer’s menu bar, click View Bar , and then click ATI TV. , point to Explorer Or click the ATI TV button in Explorer’s menu bar.
TV 23 Channel Surfing You can browse through several TV channels simultaneously, and select channels by clicking on “thumbnail” images (miniature representations) of the channels. Each thumbnail displays the channel number, and is regularly updated to display the current program. • A password is required to access locked-out channels (see Channel Lockout on page 31); otherwise, only unlocked channels will be displayed. • Most controls are disabled during Channel Surfing.
24 TV Closed Captioning Display closed captioned text over video, like a standard TV, and/or in a separate window beside the video. When you use the separate window, you can use the scroll bar to review the last few minutes of text. You can set the background color, the font, and the font color for the window. To display closed-captioned text Click the Closed Caption button in the TV control panel.
TV 25 Closed Caption settings The Closed Caption settings page lets you specify how closed captioned text is displayed — over video or in a window — and the background color, the font, and the font color for the window. You can also set up and enable the HOTWORDS and TV Magazine features. To set up closed captioning Click the Setup button in the TV control panel, and then click the Closed Caption tab. Selection Function Placement External Window Displays closed captioned text in its own window.
26 TV HOTWORDS™ Have your computer watch TV for you! When you turn on Closed Captioning (see Closed Captioning on page 24), you can specify words and phrases that Television will detect in the closed-captioned text. You can set HOTWORDS to show the matched text, restore TV, play a sound, enable TV Magazine, or enable the Personal Video Recorder when the HOTWORDS appear. You can also have TV automatically transcribe the text when the specified words appear.
TV 27 Selection Function Partial Check this box to open TV when a part of the First Word occurs. Use the Add and Remove buttons to add and remove words from the list. Actions to take when your HOTWORDS occur. Show Matched Text Displays the text that matches your Hot Word(s). Recording Enable TV Magazine Activates TV Magazine (see TV Magazine on page 27). Restore Player Opens TV in its current state.
28 TV Selection Function File Name Type a name for the file. File Format Select a file format (RTF, TXT, or HTML). Options Overwrite files Check to overwrite existing files. Uncheck to keep existing files. Remove Advertising (North America only) Automatically skips commercial advertising when you display or transcribe closed captioned text.
TV 29 External Captions Support When you record video using TV-ON-DEMAND (see page 35) or the Personal Video Recorder (see page 38), the associated closed caption information is added to the Library (see page 149). TV can display the searchable closed caption text in three ways: • Over video in the video panel • In the Closed Captioning Window • Over video and in the Closed Captioning window simultaneously The Closed Caption window contains a vertical scroll bar for navigating the closed caption text.
30 TV Secondary Audio Program (SAP) The Secondary Audio Program can be used to broadcast, for example, language translations, reading services for the visually impaired, weather forecasts, or information about a show. • Only available for NTSC video; for PAL or SECAM, it is called Language B. i • Not all television stations broadcast SAP. To hear the Secondary Audio Program Right-click the Mute button in the Television control panel, and then click Sap in the drop-down menu.
TV 31 Channel Lockout Channel Lockout lets you block particular programs at specific times, and set a password to unlock them. Use the Program Lockout page to specify channel, time, and duration. i Passwords are case-sensitive. If you forget your password, you must uninstall and reinstall your TV software to view password-protected programs. To set Channel Lockout 1 Click the Setup button in the Television control panel, and then click the TV Tuner tab.
32 TV Parental Control Parental Control lets you restrict access to TV programs depending on their content rating. The video and audio of programs that you restrict will not be recorded until the correct password is entered. • Parental Control is only available for North American (NTSC) Television. • Passwords are case-sensitive, and must be at least three characters in length. i • If you forget your password, you must uninstall and reinstall your TV software.
TV 33 Recording Video and Still Images Full-motion video. The Personal Video Recorder lets you record a clip of full-motion video plus audio from your video source and save it as an MPEG, AVI, ATI VCR (proprietary ATI video format), or WMV (Windows Media Video for streaming and download-and-play applications) file on your computer’s hard disk. See Personal Video Recorder on page 38 for details. Still images. Capture fullcolor, 24-bit-per-pixel, still images from television, save them, and print them.
34 TV Recording a clip of video and audio from TV To record a clip of video and audio Click the Record button in the Television control panel, or right-click the Record button and select a duration from the menu. The Personal Video Recorder starts recording video and audio to your computer’s hard disk. For information on recording formats, see Personal Video Recorder settings on page 40.
TV 35 TV-ON-DEMAND™ TV-ON-DEMAND lets you pause a live program, return later, and resume watching where you left off. You can view the show from the beginning, even after it has started, without waiting until the whole program is recorded. You can quickly back up a program, watch the selected portion again, and fast-forward or skip ahead to the live broadcast. You can also export the recorded video as an MPEG (.MPG) file or an ATI VCR file.
36 TV To play recorded video Click the Play button in the TV-ON-DEMAND control panel. To pause recorded video The Pause button is displayed in live TV mode or in TV-ON-DEMAND mode while recorded video is playing. When you click the Pause button, recorded video playback stops, displaying the last frame of video, TV-ONDEMAND continues recording live video, and the Pause button changes to the Play button.
TV 37 To move within recorded video Position slider Using your mouse, drag the position slider to move forwards or backwards in delayed video. As you move the slider all the way to the right, the time display indicates Live. The Jog Shuttle feature provides high-speed playback — forwards or backwards. Using your mouse, drag the slider to the right (forwards) or to the left (backwards). When you release the mouse button, the slider returns to the middle (normal speed) position.
38 TV Personal Video Recorder The Personal Video Recorder provides simple controls and powerful recording options. You can record a clip of fullmotion video and audio from your video source and save it as an MPEG, AVI, VCR, or WMV file. You can play recorded files in the File Player (see File Player on page 125.) Advanced time-lapse and motion-triggered recording modes are available. The Schedule feature lets you record TV programs on the dates and times you specify (see Schedule on page 155).
TV 39 When you right-click the record button, the following options are available (the available times depend upon your hard disk space). Record for Sets the length of time to record. Record until Sets the time to stop recording. Record until manually stopped Record until you click the Record button again. Schedule Options Selects the current input connector, recording settings, and TV Magazine. Schedule Record Opens the Schedule Wizard, where you can specify recording frequency.
40 TV Personal Video Recorder settings Use the Personal Video Recorder settings pages to specify recording quality, duration, general options, and custom settings. Several recording modes are available, including advanced modes such as Time-Lapse and Motion-triggered.
TV 41 To set up the Personal Video Recorder Click the Setup button in the TV control panel, and then click the Personal Video Recorder tab. Selection Function Recording Preset Check DVD, Good, Longer, Video CD, or Custom. (The higher the quality, the less video you will be able to store on a disk.) Note: The Video CD setting lets you create Video-CDcompliant files that can be played on most consumer DVD players.
42 TV Selection Function Recording Preset Motion-triggered recording Record video and audio, triggered by motion in the video frame. This feature could be used for security applications or to record only material of interest over time. You can specify an optional “include” rectangle that defines the area to watch for motion, and an “exclude” rectangle that is excluded from motion detection. For example, you could monitor a room, but exclude a fish tank, which would falsely trigger recording.
TV 43 Selection Function Capture High Resolution Stills Capture still images at high resolution. One Touch Record Custom duration configuration Type the number of days, hours, and minutes you want to record. Folder for recorded files Choose a location for your recorded files. Recorded file name Type a name for your recorded files. File name style Type a custom name or choose a preset from the list.
44 TV One Touch Record One Touch Record provides one-click recording for specific times and durations. The default recording quality is used (see Recording Quality in Personal Video Recorder settings on page 40.) Right-click the Record button in the control panel, and then click the recording option that you want. Selection Function Record for 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2hours Record for these preset durations. (xx days, yy hours, zz minutes) Specify the recording time you want.
TV 45 Achieving the best results with MPEG video recording To access MPEG properties 1 Click the setup button in the Television control panel, and then click the Personal Video Recorder tab. 2 In Recording Quality, click the Map Preset... button. 3 Click DVD, and then click the Edit... button. Capture Wizard (Step 1) appears. 4 Enter a name and description (if desired) for the preset. 5 Click Next >. The MPEG-specific Recording Wizard pages appear.
46 TV Video Format IBP Frames (Mbps) Minimum CPU Required I-Frame Only (Mbps) Minimum CPU Required 160x120 1.0 P200-MMX 1.0 P200-MMX 352x240 1.5 PII-266 2.0 P200-MMX 320x480 3.0 PII-400 4.0 PII-266 640x480 4.0 Athlon 600 6.0 PIII-450 720x480 4.0 Athlon 700 6.0 PIII-450 Mbps = Megabits per second, or millions of bits per second. 1 Mbps is approximately 125Kbytes/second. If your system is not capable of achieving smooth-looking video, try the following: • Record I frames only.
TV 47 MULTVIEW™ If you have an ATI ALL-IN-WONDER card and an ATI TV WONDER PCI card installed, MULTVIEW lets you watch a different channel in a secondary video window. You can record video from your ALL-IN-WONDER card while you watch another channel on the TV WONDER. The secondary window can be in the following locations: Picture in Picture (PiP) When the main video window is in full-screen, the MULTVIEW (PiP video window is embedded in the main window.
48 TV 3 Click Enable MULTVIEW, choose the default location of the PIP window, and then click the Finish button. To open and close MULTVIEW 1 Right-click the control panel or the video panel. 2 In the Feature menu, click MULTVIEW, then click Show. To close MULTVIEW click the Close button . • Or right-click the control panel or the video panel. • In the Feature menu, click Show.
TV MULTVIEW keyboard shortcuts You can use the following keyboard shortcuts to control MULTVIEW.
50 TV TV Listings Gemstar’s GUIDE Plus+™ is an electronic television programming guide for Microsoft Windows. It provides advanced program information, such as station names and numbers, as well as program names and details. You can schedule recording and viewing sessions, search for programs, and maintain a list of your favorite shows. For more information, see the TV Listings Help. • TV Listings is available only in selected countries.
TV 51 • Auto Update As time passes, or as you change channels, the TV Program Details panel updates its program information. • Copy Check this to copy the TV Program Details panel’s information into your Windows clipboard. Right-clicking in the text area of the TV Program Details panel also provides access to the Auto Update and Copy features.
52 TV Setting up TV Listings Registration The first time you launch the GUIDE Plus+ system, you will need to register. This allows you to download the listings for your area or cable service. To download updated listings 1 In the File menu, click Download Weekly File ... The Download Assistant opens. 2 Click the Download button to download the listings. To make changes, click the Change Settings button.
TV 53 Getting around To navigate the various TV Listings views, click the tab for the view you want, or select the appropriate view from the View menu at the top of the screen. Use the mouse or cursor keys to move within the current view. Left-click to select an item and display its details in the details window above the grid or log. Right-click to open a pop-up menu with various options: Watch Adds the item to your Watch schedule (see Schedules tab on page 58).
54 TV Viewing TV Listings works with your TV tuner to automatically display shows. When you select a program for viewing, the Watch icon appears next to the title in any view where that program is displayed. • To remove a program from the Watch Schedule, simply click the Watch icon next to the program title. Views There are two, main views for the guide: Grid and Log. Grid view displays 24 hours of listings in a table (similar to your newspaper or cable guide).
TV 55 Filter options Click the Filter icon to open the Filter options dialog, where you can adjust the current view and quickly locate programs. Select the boxes you want to apply to the current view, and click Close. Select the Use Station List checkbox to apply the most recently customized station list. Actors tab The Actors tab displays all actors and actresses starring in all the movies in the current listings. A list of actor names is displayed on the left of the screen.
56 TV Categories- tab The Categories tab displays all genre categories in the current listings. A list of genre categories is displayed on the left of the screen. • Click the category you want to view, to display all titles for that category on the right side of the screen. • Double-clicking on categories with a + sign opens a list of sub-categories on the right side of the screen. • Use the arrow keys to scroll up and down in the Categories List.
TV 57 Typically, you use the favorites list to find your preferred shows when your data file is updated. Select the Favorites search from the list of searches, and the guide will look up and display all your favorite items. You can then select any or all of these items into your Schedule. You can set Favorites in two ways: • In any view, select an event you want to place in your Favorites list.
58 TV Schedules tab A schedule is a list of TV events that you have selected in any view, including search results. The schedule is in the form of a Log View (see page 54). There are three lists you can choose from: • Watch displays all events with at least the Watch indicator set. • Record displays all events with at least the Record indicator set. • All displays all events with either the Watch or Record indicator set.
TV 59 Setting search parameters To start a new search, in the Search menu, click New Search ... to open the Search dialog, which you can use to set the following options: Stations Select All or None using the appropriate buttons at the bottom of the list. To use selected stations, click the station names to highlight them. Program Categories Select All or None using the appropriate buttons at the bottom of the list. To use selected categories, click the category names to highlight them.
60 TV Sports tab The Sports tab displays all sports sub-categories for all sporting events in the current listings, on the left side of your screen. Click the category on the left side of the screen for which you want to display all titles. Titles will appear on the right side of the screen. • If you have the Use Station List checkbox in the Filter options checked (see Filter options on page 55), only those stations in the currently-selected station list are displayed.
TV 61 Titles tab The Titles tab displays all titles in the current listings, on the left side of your screen. Click a title to display all show times for that title, on the right side of your screen. • Use the arrow keys to scroll up or down. You can also type a partial or full Title name in the textbox above the Title list, and quickly jump to a particular title. • Scroll to a specific program to display its details in the area above the log.
62 TV FAST tvtv for PC FAST tvtv for PC is a web-based program guide that provides advanced program information, such as station names and numbers, as well as program names and details. You can schedule recording sessions, search for programs, and maintain a list of your favorite shows. i FAST tvtv Program Guide • Fast tvtv for PC is available only in Europe. • Internet access is required to use FAST tvtv for PC.
TV 63 Stills Gallery The still images you capture from TV, DTV, DVD, Video CD, or File Player are saved in the Stills Gallery. You can save images in a variety of graphics formats and sizes. The Stills Gallery controls let you delete images, hide them, save them as wallpaper, and print them. You can check multiple Capture options in the Stills Gallery Setup page. Still images can be captured to the Stills Gallery, numbered files, clipboard, and printer, all at the same time.
64 TV To set up the Stills Gallery Click the Setup button in the Stills Gallery, TV, File Player, or Video CD control panel, and then click the Stills Gallery tab. Selection Function Capture Options Capture to Gallery Captures still images to the Stills Gallery. Capture to numbered file Stores captured images in numbered files (pic001.bmp, pic002.bmp ...) on your hard disk. Capture to clipboard Places captured images on the Windows Clipboard. Capture to printer Send the captured image to the printer.
DTV 65 DTV Watch Digital Television on your computer in smooth, full-motion video on the whole screen or in a window. DTV delivers advanced features: TV-ONDEMAND™, EAZYLOOK™, Closed Captioning, Still Capture, Scheduled Events, Electronic Program Guide, Parental Control, and more. When you click the ATI logo in the upper left corner of the display panel, the “About” notice appears. If you have more than one feature installed, a Task menu displays available and active features.
66 DTV To start DTV from LaunchPad Click the DTV button in the Launchpad. For information on LaunchPad, see page 2. from Windows® taskbar 1 In the Windows taskbar, click Start, and then point at Programs . 2 Point at ATI Multimedia Center , and then select DTV. You can also start DTV from other Multimedia Center features installed on your system. Click the ATI logo in the feature’s control panel or display panel, and then click DTV.
DTV 67 Sizing the DTV display You can resize the DTV display using the mouse, the Maximize button, or CTRL key combination. • The F2 key hides/shows the control panel, to save desktop space. To resize the DTV display using the mouse Drag the display’s border. The DTV display maintains a fixed aspect ratio (width-to-height) of 4:3 to avoid picture distortion (to change this, see Display Settings on page 72).
68 DTV DTV Feature Menu You can access DTV functions by right-clicking on the control panel or the viewing area of the display panel. This is very useful in full-screen mode. • The functionality depends upon the skin you have chosen (see page 6); this menu is valid for Modern (the default), Classic, and Tranquility. Selection Function Setup Open the DTV setup page. Hide Controls / Hide / show the control panel.
DTV Selection Function Aspect Ratio Selects the width-to-height ratio for the video window: Auto The DTV program determines the aspect ratio; video fills the screen. 4:3 16:9 Maintains a fixed-size display with black bars on the sides or top and bottom of the image. Non-Fixed If you choose Non-Fixed, and the aspect ratio of the DTV program is different from the display, video may appear elongated or flattened. 69 Audio Mode Sets the audio mode (see page 76).
70 DTV Keyboard Shortcuts You can use the following keys to control DTV from your keyboard.
DTV Command Key(s) THRUVIEW window (Blended Window, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F5 THRUVIEW Desktop (Blended Desktop, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F6 Video Desktop, regardless of settings in Display Settings page) F7 Minimize without Video Desktop or THRUVIEW F8 Reverse play (Jog Shuttle) increments to next lower speed: -2x, -4x, -8x, -16x F9 Normal play (Jog Shuttle) F10 Forward play (Jog Shuttle) increments to next lower speed: 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x F11
72 DTV Display Settings The Display settings page lets you control how video is displayed in DTV. To open the Display settings page Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the Display tab. Selection Function Video Size Size Select the size for the display panel: Tiny, Small, Medium, Large, Full Screen, Native (the size of the original video source). Aspect Ratio Select the proportion of the display: Auto The DTV program determines the aspect ratio; video fills the screen.
DTV Selection Function Options Always On Top Display DTV on top of other applications. 73 Auto hide controls when in full screen Hide DTV controls when displaying DTV in full screen. Controls re-appear when you move your mouse. When Minimized Choose the behavior when DTV is minimized. Minimize DTV DTV becomes an icon on your desktop. Video Desktop DTV display replaces your desktop pattern. THRUVIEW Blended Window: The current panel appears as a translucent layer on top of any other windows.
74 DTV Video Settings The Video settings page lets you fine-tune video characteristics. To open the Video settings page Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the Video tab. Selection Function Video Properties Brightness Adjusts the amount of white in the image. Contrast Adjusts the gradation of tones between light and dark areas. Saturation Adjusts the amount of color in the image. Gamma Setting Controls the overall brightness of the image.
DTV 75 Channel List The DTV Channel List page lets you autoscan and set up channels. The large box displays a list of all available channels, and lets you add or remove channels in your Favorites list and re-order the list. DTV channels consist of a major and minor channel number — for example, 10.22. i You can enter two-part channel numbers as a single number (for example, 9999) or with a delimiter (for example, 99.99).
76 DTV Audio Settings To open the DTV Audio Settings page Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the Audio tab. Selection Function Multi-channel Audio Options Decode and down-mix to 2 channels Converts an AC-3 audio stream to PCM, and down-mixes it to 2, 4, or 6 speakers. Pass through to audio device The audio decoder “passes-through” non-PCM multichannel audio to an audio device that supports AC-3 input.
DTV 77 Autoscanning for DTV channels Autoscanning searches for all available channels and stores them in the Channel List. 1 Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the DTV Tuner tab. 2 Click the Autoscan button. The system scans for all available channels, displays their signal strength, and stores them in the Channel List. Autoscan removes all channels in the current list.
78 DTV Stills Gallery Settings You can capture still images from DTV, and save them in the Stills Gallery. To open the Stills Gallery settings page Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the Stills Gallery tab. For information on the Stills Gallery, see page 90. Schedule Settings The Scheduler lets you set up DTV to watch or record selected programs at times you specify. See Schedule on page 155 for details.
DTV 79 Closed Caption settings The Closed Caption settings page lets you specify how closed captioned text is displayed — over video or in a window — and the background color, the font, and the font color for the window. You can also set up and enable the HOTWORDS and TV Magazine features. To set up closed captioning Click the Setup button in the DTV control panel, and then click the Closed Caption tab. Selection Function Placement External Window Displays closed captioned text in its own window.
80 DTV HOTWORDSTM Have your computer watch TV for you! When you turn on Closed Captioning (see Closed Captioning on page 78), you can specify words and phrases that DTV will detect in the closed-captioned text. You can set HOTWORDS to show the matched text, restore DTV, play a sound, enable TV Magazine, or start recording when the HOTWORDS appear. You can also have DTV automatically transcribe the text when the specified words appear.
DTV 81 Selection Function Partial Check this box to open DTV when a part of the First Word occurs. Use the Add and Remove buttons to add and remove words from the list. Actions to take when your HOTWORDS occur. Show Matched Text Displays the text that matches your Hot Word(s). Restore Player Opens DTV in its current state. Beep Recording Enable TV Magazine Activates TV Magazine (see TV Magazine on page 81).
82 DTV Selection Function File Name Type a name for the file. File Format Select a file format (RTF, TXT, or HTML). Options Overwrite files Check to overwrite existing files. Uncheck to keep existing files. Remove Advertising (North America only) Automatically skips commercial advertising when you display or transcribe closed captioned text.
DTV 83 Zooming and Panning You can zoom in on the video in the Display panel to enlarge a selected portion of the screen, and return your display to normal. You can also pan (move the image horizontally and vertically) in the zoomed area. To zoom Click within the display panel, and then hold down the mouse button and draw a rectangle around the area you want to zoom. Or right-click the 1:1 button to open a menu where you can set the zoom level — Zoom x2, Zoom x4, or Zoom x8.
84 DTV Channel Lockout Channel Lockout lets you block particular programs at specific times, and set a password to unlock them. Use the Program Lockout page to specify channel, time, and duration. i • Passwords must be at least four digits long. • If you forget your password, you must uninstall and reinstall your Multimedia Center software to view password-protected programs. To set Channel Lockout 1 Click the Setup button click the DTV Tuner tab.
DTV 85 Parental Control Parental Control lets you restrict access to DTV programs depending on their content rating. You can record restricted video, but Parental Control information is included with the recording — playback will be scrambled unless you enter the correct password. • Passwords must be at least four digits long. • If you forget your password, you must uninstall and i reinstall your Multimedia Center software.
86 DTV Recording Video The Digital Video Recorder provides simple controls and powerful options for recording video and audio. Use the Digital Video Recorder to record a clip of full-motion video with audio from your DTV. • Recorded files play only in the File Player (see page 125). • To save recorded video in other formats, you must export it from the Media Library (see page 149).
DTV 87 TV-ON-DEMANDTM TV-ON-DEMAND lets you pause a live program, return later, and resume watching where you left off. You can view the show from the beginning, even after it has started, without waiting until the whole program is recorded. You can quickly back up a program, watch the selected portion again, and fast-forward or skip ahead to the live broadcast. You can also export the recorded video as an MPEG (.MPG) file or an ATI VCR file.
88 DTV TV-ON-DEMAND history When you right-click the Time display in the Recording panel, a Go To Time menu lists all programs that TV-ON-DEMAND has recorded. To open the program, click its file name. TV-ON-DEMAND uses the Electronic Program Guide data to provide the information. If there is no EPG information, or if the data is outdated, the history shows the Channel Number instead of Program Name and Channel Name. One Touch Record One Touch Record provides fast recording modes.
DTV 89 Electronic Program Guide The Electronic Program Guide provides an intelligent, free, integrated program guide that lets you view and search TV listings by category, actor/performer, or date. The Electronic Program Guide also provides advanced program information, such as station names and numbers, as well as program names and details. You can schedule recording and viewing sessions, search for programs, and maintain a list of your favorite shows.
90 DTV Stills Gallery The still images you capture from DTV, TV, DVD, Video CD, or File Player are saved in the Stills Gallery. You can save images in a variety of graphics formats and sizes. The Stills Gallery controls let you delete images, hide them, save them as wallpaper, and print them. You can check multiple Capture options in the Stills Gallery Setup page. Still images can be captured to the Stills Gallery, numbered files, clipboard, and printer, all at the same time.
DTV 91 Stills Gallery settings Use the Stills Gallery Setup page to define how the Stills Gallery saves and prints captured images. To set up the Stills Gallery Click the Setup button in the Stills Gallery, TV, DTV, File Player, or Video CD control panel, and then click the Stills Gallery tab. Selection Function Capture Options Capture to Gallery Captures still images to the Stills Gallery. Capture to numbered file Stores captured images in numbered files (pic001.bmp, pic002.bmp ...) on your hard disk.
92 DTV Selection Function 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. Double Print twice original size.
CD Audio 93 CD Audio Use CD Audio to play standard audio CDs. Advanced features such as Random play, Intro play (which plays the first ten seconds of each track) and Loop play are available. The Schedule feature lets you schedule CD playback on dates and times you specify (see page 155). When you click the logo in the control panel, the “About” notice appears. If you have more than one feature installed, a Task menu displays available and active features.
94 CD Audio CD Audio Keyboard Shortcuts You can use the following keys to control CD Audio from your keyboard.
CD Audio 95 CD Audio Settings Use the CD Audio Settings page to set up playlists and shuffle play, and to use an LCD panel for track number and playback time. To set up CD Audio Click the Setup button in the CD Audio control panel, and then click the CD Player Settings tab. Selection Function Play List Displays all tracks in the playlist (the list of your selections). Shuffle Play Shuffle all tracks Play all tracks in random order. Shuffle user playlist Play playlist in random order.
96 CD Audio CD Audio Preferences Settings The Preferences settings page lets you control Power Management settings in CD Audio. To open the Preferences settings page Click the Setup button in the CD Audio control panel, and then click the Preferences tab. Click the Help button on this settings page for more information on Power Management. CD Audio Schedule Settings You can schedule CD Audio to play on the dates and times you specify.
Video CD 97 Video CD Video CD plays Video CD 1.0 CDs, Video 2.0 Interactive CDs, and Karaoke CDs. When you click the logo in the upper left corner of the display panel, the “About” notice appears. If you have more than one feature installed, a Task menu displays available and active features. For information about using Video CD controls, see the online help and Tool Tips. To start Video CD from LaunchPad Click the Video CD button in the Launchpad. For information on LaunchPad, see page 2.
98 Video CD Video CD Feature Menu You can access Video CD functions by right-clicking on the video viewing area or the control panel. This is very useful in full-screen mode. Selection Function Setup Open the Video CD setup page. Eject CD Eject the video CD from the drive. Play Play the loaded Video CD. Pause Pause playback. Stop Stop playback. Display Size 50% Display video at 1/2 size. 75% Display video at 3/4 size. 100% Display video full size. 200% Display video at double size.
Video CD 99 Video CD Keyboard Shortcuts You can use the following keys to control Video CD from your keyboard.
100 Video CD Capturing Still Frames From Video CDs To capture still frames from Video CDs Click the Capture button in the Video CD control panel. The current frame is placed in the Stills Gallery (see Stills Gallery on page 90). Zooming and Panning You can zoom in on the video in the Display panel to enlarge a selected portion of the screen, and return your display to normal.
Video CD 101 Video CD Display Settings Use the Video CD Display settings pages to set up video size and general operation. To open the Video CD Display settings page Click the Setup button in the Video CD control panel, then click the Display tab. Selection Function Video Size Choose playback size: 50%, 75%, 100%, 200%, or Fullscreen. If the current panel does not support resizing, the values are greyed-out. Tool Tips Show Tool Tips Show tool tips when you point at controls with your mouse.
102 Video CD Video CD Closed Caption Settings The Closed Caption settings page lets you specify how closed captioned text is displayed – over video or in a window – and the preferred language, the font, and the font color for the window. Selection Function Video Window Off Do not display closed captioned text. English Display closed captioned text. Hangul Display Hangul text. Font Select the font for the video window and the background style (solid or semi-transparent).
Video CD 103 Video CD Preferences Settings Use the Video CD Preferences settings page to set up general characteristics for your player. To open the Video CD Preferences settings page Click the Setup button in the Video CD control panel, and then click the Preferences tab. Selection Function Movie Scale Show Time Display scale in time. Show Total Time Display the total time of the playing video CD or file. Show Time Remaining Display the remaining time in the playing video CD or file.
104 DVD DVD DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) is a high-density format that provides as much as 17 Gigabytes of storage — 25 times more than a CD-ROM. This vastly increased capacity lets you view a full-length movie or play games that used to require multiple CDs. When you click the logo in the upper left corner of the display panel, the “About” notice appears. If you have more than one feature installed, a Task menu displays available and active features.
DVD 105 You can also start DVD from other Multimedia Center features installed on your system. Click the ATI logo in the feature’s control panel or display panel, and then click DVD. What can I play on my DVD drive? You can play all video discs, including encrypted (copyprotected) and interactive titles.
106 DVD DVD Feature Menu You can access DVD functions by right-clicking on the video viewing area or the control panel. This is very useful when you play files in full-screen mode. Selection Function Setup Opens the Preferences page. Hide controls Hides the full-screen controls (see page 105). Always On Top Displays DVD on top of other applications.
DVD 107 DVD Keyboard Shortcuts You can use the following keys to control DVD from your keyboard.
108 DVD Command Key(s) Display at 50% Alt / Ctrl +1 Display at 75% Alt / Ctrl +2 Display at 100% Alt / Ctrl +3 Display at 200% Alt / Ctrl +4 About Alt + A Setup Alt + S Exit Alt / Ctrl + F4 Toggle Always On Top Alt / Ctrl + T Eject disk Alt / Ctrl + E Minimize Alt / Ctrl + M Increase display size Alt / Ctrl + Decrease display size Alt / Ctrl + Stereo Ctrl + A Go to Root menu Ctrl + M Open a dialog where you can play a specific title, chapter, or time Ctrl + P Restart from be
DVD 109 Playing DVD-Video Discs All DVD players and drives will read audio CDs and CD-ROMs, and play music from Enhanced CDs (CD Plus, CD Extra). To play DVD discs Place a DVD disc in your DVD drive, and then click the Play DVD button in the File Open dialog. If you experience problems see DVD Problems on page 210. i It is the nature of the DVD format that some commands and options are allowed at some times, and not allowed at others.
110 DVD Selecting audio channels When you view a standard DVD-Video disc that has multiple audio streams, clicking the audio channel button displays a pop-up menu of available audio streams. The currently-playing channel is checkmarked. • DVD-Video Discs can support up to eight audio channels, but not all discs provide them. Setting up subtitles Subtitles are transcriptions or translations of dialog.
DVD 111 To set up external subtitles Click the Closed Caption button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Set External Subtitle button, and select your subtitle file. You can add and remove DVDs from the External Subtitle list, change the DVD’s title, and adjust the frame rate. Using the menus Click the Menus button in the DVD control panel. A pop-up “menu of menus” opens, where you can select a menu to jump to.
112 DVD Selecting viewing angle Click the Angle button in the DVD control panel to display a menu of camera angles. The selected angle is checkmarked. • Even when a disc is encoded with multiple viewing angles, there may be sections with only a single available angle. Parental Control Parental Control lets you restrict access to selected material by requiring password access. Click the Parental Lockout button in the DVD control panel to display a menu of parental level choices.
DVD 113 To zoom in the zoomed area Hold down the Shift key, and draw another rectangle in the zoomed area. To unzoom or use predefined zoom levels Right-click in the display panel to open the Feature Menu (see DVD Feature Menu on page 106), and then click Zoom, and select Unzoom, Zoom x2, Zoom x4, or Zoom x8. Or click the 1:1 button to unzoom, or right-click the button to open a menu where you can set the zoom level — Zoom x2, Zoom x4, or Zoom x8.
114 DVD If you do nothing, playback resumes from the point where you stopped. When you click Stop, Previous/Next Chapter, A/B Repeat, or move the position slider, playback starts from the point where you stopped. When you click the Pause button, Chapter Preview pauses. When you click Play, Chapter Preview plays another ten seconds of the current chapter.
DVD 115 DVD Display Settings The Display settings page lets you control how video is displayed in DVD. To open the Display settings page Click the Setup button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Display tab. Selection Function Display Size Display video at 50%, 75%, 100%, or full screen. Options Keep Aspect Ratio Maintains the aspect ratio (width-to-height ratio) when you resize the display. Always on Top Always displays the Player on top of other windows.
116 DVD DVD Preferences Settings The Preferences settings page lets you control some of the DVD default values. To open the Preferences settings page Click the Setup button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Preferences tab. Selection Function Preferred Language Select a 1st choice and a 2nd choice for your preferred language. • DVD automatically selects the audio stream and subtitles to match the 1st choice. • If the 1st choice is not available, the 2nd choice is used.
DVD 117 DVD Initialization Wizard When you click the Initialization Wizard button, the second page of the Wizard provides options for controlling bookmarks: Selection Function Enable Bookmarks Bookmarks allow you to resume playback from where you left off when last viewing the DVD. Maximum number of bookmarks to keep Enter the number of bookmarks that DVD should record. Bookmarks expire after this many days Enter the number of days to keep bookmarks.
118 DVD DVD Closed Captioning Display closed captioned text over video, and/or in a separate window beside the video. When you use the separate window, you can use the scroll bar to review the last few minutes of text. You can set the background color, the font, and the font color for the window. i The author must have specifically included closed captioning In order for it to be available. Most movies include subtitles, and not closed captions (see Setting up subtitles on page 110.
DVD 119 Closed Caption settings The Closed Caption settings page lets you specify how closed captioned text is displayed — over video or in a window — and the background color, the font, and the font color for the window. To set up closed captioning Click the Setup button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Closed Caption tab. Selection Function Placement External Window Displays closed captioned text in its own window. Click Font... to select the display font.
120 DVD DVD-Video Audio Settings The Audio settings page lets you control how DVD handles audio. • The Multimedia Center supports standard DVD-Video, which provides stereo and compressed, multi-channel surround sound using Dolby® Digital or DTS® encoding. DVD-Audio (DVD-A) is a separate standard, which requires a DVD-Audio player. To open the Audio settings page Click the Setup button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Audio tab.
DVD 121 S/PDIF S/PDIF (Sony/Philips Digital Interface) allows transfer of digital audio from one location to another without analog conversion; it is the standard format for exchanging digital audio signals between consumer audio components. Connections can be coaxial or optical. You can connect your ALL-IN-WONDER’s audio output directly to an S/PDIF amplifier or speaker set; for details, see the Installation and setup User’s Guide that came with your ALL-IN-WONDER card.
122 DVD Selection Function Some discs may not support the aspect ratio you select. For example, selecting letterbox for a disc that contains only 4:3 data will not provide letterbox playback. Enable Advanced Aspect Ratio This option lets you make selections in the controls listed below. Aspect Ratio Sets the default aspect ratio for all DVD content using DVD. Fullscreen The movie fills the entire screen, regardless of desktop or movie resolution.
DVD 123 DVD Schedule Settings If you have the features installed, you can schedule events for TV Magazine, Personal Video Recorder, File Player, and TV. To open the DVD Schedule settings page Click the Setup button in the DVD control panel, and then click the Schedule tab. The Schedule Wizard will guide you through creating new scheduled events. See page 155 for details. Region Codes Six region codes, or “country codes”, are used to prevent playback of certain discs in certain geographical regions.
124 DVD Capturing Still Frames To capture still frames from DVD Click the Capture button in the DVD control panel. The current frame is placed in the Stills Gallery (see page 124). i If the program is restricted by Parental Control (see page 112), Still Capture is disabled.
File Player 125 File Player Use the File Player to play various multimedia file formats, including TVON-DEMAND™ VCR files. The types of file 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 or other MPEG-2 decoders is installed. You can play the following, multimedia files: • High-definition video files recorded from DTV via the Library • ASF • AVI • MPEG (,mpg, .mpeg) • MP (.mp3, .mp2) • MIDI (.mid) • WAV (.
126 File Player Playing Multimedia Files To play multimedia files 1 Click the File Open button , and then select a file from the Select Files to Play dialog. 2 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 or the video panel; the file will start playing immediately. The Jog Shuttle provides fast-forward and fast-backward play for ATI VCR (.VCR) files recorded from Multimedia Center TV or DTV.
File Player 127 File Player Feature Menu You can access File Player functions by right-clicking on the video viewing area or the control panel. This is very useful when you play files in full-screen mode. Selection Function Setup Open the File Player Setup page. Hide Controls Hide the File Player Control panel. THRUVIEW Window If your computer uses a RADEON or later video card, THRUVIEW Window is available.
128 File Player File Player Shortcut Keys You can use the following keys to control File Player from your keyboard.
File Player Command Key(s) THRUVIEW Desktop (Blended Desktop, regardless of setting in Display Setup page) F6 Minimize (without THRUVIEW) F7 Reverse play (increments to next lower speed: -2x, -4x, -8x, -16x) F9 Normal play F10 Forward play (increments to next higher speed: 2x, 4x, 8x, 16x) F11 Loop Ctrl + A Exit File Player Alt + F4 About Alt + A 129
130 File Player Zooming and Panning You can zoom in on the video in the Display panel to enlarge a selected portion of the screen, and return your display to normal. To zoom in Click within the display panel, hold down the mouse button, and then draw a rectangle around the area you want to zoom. When you release the mouse button, the rectangle will be zoomed. Or right-click the 1:1 button to open a menu where you can set the zoom level — x2, x4, or x8.
File Player 131 File Player Display Settings The Display settings page lets you control how video is displayed in the File Player. To open the Display settings page Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, and then click the Display tab. Selection Function Video Size Display video at 50%, 75%, 100%, 200%, or full screen, with no borders. Options LCD Display Display track number and current playback time on an LCD display.
132 File Player Selection Function When Minimized When Minimized Controls how File Player behaves when minimized: Minimize File Player File Player becomes an icon on your desktop. THRUVIEW Desktop File Player display appears in in full screen as a translucent layer on top of any other windows. See THRUVIEW on page 161. THRUVIEW Window File Player display appears as a translucent layer on top of the current window.
File Player 133 File Player Closed Caption Settings The File Player Closed Caption settings page lets you control how closed captions are displayed. • File Player Closed Captioning is only available for ATI VCR files (ATI’s proprietary video format). Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, and then click the Closed Caption tab. Selection Function Video Window Display closed captioned text superimposed on the video. Click Font... to select the display font.
134 File Player External Captions Support When you record video using TV-ON-DEMAND (see page 87) or the Personal Video Recorder (see page 38), the associated closed caption information is added to the Library (see page 149).
File Player 135 File Player Audio Settings i Audio setup is available only if the DTV feature is installed (see page 65). To set up File Player audio Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, and then click the Audio tab. Selection Function Multi-Channel Audio options Decode and down-mix to x speakers Converts an AC-3 audio stream to PCM, and down-mixes it to 2, 4, or 6 speakers.
136 File Player File Player Stills Gallery Settings You can capture still images from ATI VCR files, AVI files, and MPEG-1 files running in the File Player. To open the File Player Stills Gallery settings page Click the Setup button in the File Player control panel, and then click the Stills Gallery tab. For information on Stills Gallery, see Stills Gallery on page 90. To capture still frames from File Player Click the Capture button in the File Player control panel.
File Player 137 Slide Show You can assemble still images to create a slide show of your favorite pictures. To create a slide show 1 Click the Open File button panel. 2 In the Select Files to Play dialog, navigate to the images you want to include, drag them into the Selected Files: panel, and then click the Play button. in the File Player control You can also select files in the upper panel, and then click the Add button to add them to the list.
138 File Player
FM Radio 139 FM Radio FM Radio is a fullfunction FM tuner providing programmable preset stations and station seeking, plus advanced features such as recording to MP3 format, FM-ON-DEMAND™ (time-shifted audio), and scheduled recording. When you click the logo in the control panel, the “About” notice appears. If you have more than one feature installed, a Task menu displays available and active features. For information about using FM Radio controls, see the online Help and Tool Tips.
140 FM Radio You can also start FM Radio from other Multimedia Center features. Click the ATI logo in the feature’s control panel or display panel, and then click FM Radio. Setting Preset Stations To set a preset station, select an FM station (for example, 98.1MHz), and then click a preset button to associate with that station.
FM Radio 141 FM-ON-DEMAND Pause a live broadcast, return later and resume listening where you left off. You can listen to a program from the beginning, even after it has started, without waiting until the whole program is recorded. You can quickly back up a program, listen to the selected portion again, and fast-forward or skip ahead to the live broadcast. You can also export the recorded audio to the Library as an MP3 file, for later playback.
142 FM Radio Setting up FM Radio • Because FM Radio obtains its audio input line from the TV tuner, you must run TV (see page 7) before starting FM radio for the first time. Radio settings The Radio settings page lets you create a list of FM radio stations, edit the station names and frequencies, and set the sleep timer. To open the Radio settings page Click the Setup button in the FM Radio control panel, and then click the Radio tab.
FM Radio 143 Selection Function Sleep Timer (Minutes) Duration Type the number of minutes before FM Radio shuts down (default: 30). Fade Out Type the number of minutes of fade-out (default: 2). Scan Granularity Select the FM frequency’s scan granularity: • Scan All Frequencies • Scan Odd Frequencies • Scan Even Frequencies Reset Station List Check to delete the current FM Station List before scanning. Auto Scan Start FM Auto Scan.
144 FM Radio FM-ON-DEMAND settings Use the FM-ON-DEMAND settings page to specify the recording format, allocate drive and disk space for FM-ON-DEMAND, and One Touch Record settings. To open the FM-ON-DEMAND settings Click the Setup button in the FM Radio control panel, and then click the FM-ON-DEMAND tab. Selection Function Recording Format Type: MP3 (default). FM-ONDEMAND Disk Settings Drive to use for Temporary File Folder for recorded file (default: C:\My documents). Audio: Audio format.
FM Radio 145 Schedule You can schedule listening and recording sessions and alarm clock functions for FM Radio. Your recorded files are saved in MP3 format, in the Library (see Library on page 149). To start the Schedule Wizard Click the Setup button in the FM Radio control panel, and then click the Schedule tab Click Create New, click FM Radio, and then follow the Wizard’s prompts to set the FM Event frequency, start time, and duration.
146 FM Radio FM Feature Menu You can access FM Radio functions by right-clicking on the control panel or the viewing area of the display panel. This is very useful in full-screen mode. Selection Function Setup Opens the FM setup page. Always On Top Displays FM Radio on top of other applications. Audio Mode Mono Selects monaural Stereo or stereo audio. History Displays the FM History page. Schedule FM Radio Schedules an FM Radio event. About Displays the About dialog Exit Closes FM Radio.
FM Radio 147 Keyboard Shortcuts To change stations from your keyboard, type the station’s frequency (for example, 981 or 98.1) or type the station’s preset number (see page 140). You can use the following keys to control FM Radio from your keyboard.
148 FM Radio
Library 149 Library The Library provides a convenient way to manage and play all your multimedia files. When you record video or audio, it is automatically added to the Library. You can scan directories for multimedia content, filter by file type and date, set up playlists, and convert media files to ATI VCR or MPEG-2 format. You can also use the Library to create DVDs using your DVD recorder. The upper window contains the multimedia content that the Library finds in the specified directory.
150 Library from Windows® taskbar 1 In the Windows taskbar, click Start, and then point at Programs . 2 Point at ATI Multimedia Center Library. , and then select To scan for content 1 Click the Scan for Content button files in the directory you specify. 2 Select the content to scan for — All, Movie, Picture, Document, or TV-ON-DEMAND — and follow the onscreen directions. to scan for media Library adds any of the following types of files that it finds in the directory you specified.
Library 151 Converting Media Files When you capture video from TV, setting the Recording Quality to Good or Longer saves files in ATI VCR (Proprietary ATI video format), which can only be played on the ATI File Player. To convert ATI VCR files to MPEG format 1 Add the .VCR file to the Library by scanning for content or by dragging it into the Library's content (upper) window. 2 Right-click the file, and then click Export to MPEG-2 or Export to MPEG-4 in the drop-down menu.
152 Library Converting DTV Files To convert DTV files to MPEG-1 / 2 / 4 1 Right-click the file, and then click Export in the drop-down menu. 2 Select a preset from the list, and then click Next. 3 The Export Wizard will prompt you for a password to unscramble video that may be blocked by Parental Control. If you do not enter a password, export continues, but any portions of the video that are blocked by Parental Control will be scrambled during playback.
Library 153 Recommended Content Deletion You can have the Library find and delete files that meet the following criteria. • Age • Time since last viewed • Size • Type • Protection status 1 Right-click in the content (upper) window, and then click Recommend Content Deletion. The Content Deletion page opens. 2 Select the criteria for deletion, and then click Next. The Contents Recommended page opens. 3 To delete selected files, click the file(s) you want to delete, and then click Remove Selected.
154 Library Creating DVDs You can use the Library’s DVD creation feature to produce your own DVDs, in several standard formats — miniDVD, DVD-R, DVD R/W, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD-RAM. Format Characteristics DVD-R Recordable once-only; data is permanent on the disc. DVD+R DVD-R/W DVD+R/W Re-recordable numerous times. DVD-RAM Most video files can be recorded to DVD.
Schedule 155 Schedule Use the Schedule feature to activate events on the dates and times you want. You can schedule events for CD Audio, TV Magazine, Personal Video Recorder, File Player, and TV. To set up scheduled events Click the Setup button in the DVD, TV, CD Audio, or File Player control panel. Click the Schedule tab, and then click the Create New button. The Schedule Wizard will guide you through creating new scheduled events.
156 Schedule Schedule Settings Selection Function Name The name of the event. Checked events are active. Feature The feature to schedule: CD Audio, File Player, Television, TV Magazine, Video Recording, or Video CD. When When the event occurs. Next Run Time The next time the event will run. Modify Click to change values for a scheduled event. Delete Remove a scheduled event. Delete All Remove all scheduled events.
TV Out 157 TV Out You can connect a television set as your computer’s display, and use your Multimedia Center to view computer output directly on your television in NTSC or PAL formats, connect using Composite or S-Video output capabilities, and display images on the TV and PC monitor simultaneously. TV Out provides a big-screen experience for entertainment PCs that is ideal for playing games, giving presentations, watching movies, and browsing the Internet.
158 TV Out
Teletext 159 Teletext ATI’s new Teletext application lets you get the most out of working with Teletext. ATI Teletext eliminates all the familiar disadvantages of television’s teletext, and allows you to surf in the teletext data stream. The ATI Teletext User’s Guide provides complete installation and operating instructions. i Teletext is available only in Europe.
160 Teletext
Special Multimedia Center Features 161 Special Multimedia Center Features TV, DTV, DVD, and File Player provide these special features: • THRUVIEW™ displays Blended Window or Blended Desktop if your computer uses an ATI RADEON or later video card. • EAZYLOOK™ displays large, on-screen, remote control information if you have an ATI REMOTE WONDER (see page 3). It also provides assistance when you use the Library, navigate in TV Listings, or navigate Teletext. THRUVIEWTM THRUVIEW Desktop.
162 Special Multimedia Center Features To restore your desktop pattern and TV, DVD, or File Player, click the TV button (or the Video button, if you have a Video-In card) or the DVD or File Player button in the Windows taskbar. EAZYLOOKTM Designed to work with the REMOTE WONDER (see page 3) in full-screen mode, EAZYLOOK displays large, on-screen information about remote control functions when you watch TV, DTV, DVD, or File Player.
Special Multimedia Center Features 163 EAZYLOOK TV controls The following TV controls are available when you use EAZYLOOK. REMOTE WONDER Button Power Context Function All modes Loads EAZYLAUNCH with the Exit option selected. Toggle closed captions over video. Cycle through input connectors. • You cannot change the input connector while recording. North America unlocked program Enable / disable Parental Control (see page 85).
164 Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Context Function All modes Display information about current TV settings and content. TV Close TV, and then open DVD. DVD Open EAZYLOOK Help. WEB Open Multimedia Center Library. Save still image from current source. • You cannot save images from sources that are copy-protected or under Parental Control. Press VOL + to increase volume; press VOL - to decrease. Press CH + to step up through channels; press CH - to step down.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button 165 Context Function Not recording and not in TVON-DEMAND mode Cycle through aspect ratios (ratio of height to width). Wide Screen ratios preserve the aspect ratio by adding black bars to fit the display. Letter Box ratios preserve the aspect ratio by cropping the image to fit the display. Anamorphic ratios stretch the image to fit the entire display. • You cannot change aspect ratio while recording or using TV-ON-DEMAND.
166 Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Context Function TV-ONDEMAND paused Resume normal playback. Also resumes playback from Fast Forward / Fast Reverse. TV-ONDEMAND playing Cycle through Slow, Normal or Fast Play. TV-ONDEMAND playing Pause TV-ON-DEMAND playback. TV-ONDEMAND paused Advance one frame in the paused TV-ONDEMAND video. Recording Toggle Recording / Pause. You can change channels while paused. • Not all recording presets support pause.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Any Mouse Pad arrow Context Function Not in TV Listings, Scheduler, or Status Info. TV Listings are available. TV Listings: Press any mouse pad arrow to open TV Listings, which provides advanced program information, such as station names and details. You can schedule recording and viewing sessions, and search for programs. • TV Listings must be installed, and must have Internet access. Not in TV Listings, Scheduler, or Status Info.
168 Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Context Function TV Listings / Scheduler Schedule viewing the selected program. Select One Time Only, Daily, Each Weekday, Every Day of the Week, Never. If the program is showing, TV switches to that channel. If a Watch Event is scheduled, select One Time Only, Daily, Each Weekday, Every Day of the Week, Never (deletes the existing event). Schedule recording of the selected program.
Special Multimedia Center Features 169 Channel Surfing in EAZYLOOK mode Use the following REMOTE WONDER buttons to navigate when you channel surf in EAZYLOOK mode. REMOTE WONDER Button Function Toggle Channel Surf on / off. Navigate the Channel Surf selection. Preview the Channel Surf selection. Exit Channel Surf, and view current channel surf selection. Go to previous / next page. Select previous / next channel. Select surf channel. Close Channel Surf, and return to TV.
170 Special Multimedia Center Features EAZYLOOK DVD controls The following DVD controls are available when you use EAZYLOOK. REMOTE WONDER button Power Context Function All modes Loads EAZYLAUNCH with the Exit option selected. Toggle closed captions over video (if there is closed captioned content). Select audio tracks. Selecting Off turns off subtitles. Cycle through audio tracks. • There may be only one audio track. Eject DVD disk. Close DVD, and then open TV.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button 171 Context Function All modes Press VOL + to increase volume; press VOL - to decrease. Toggle audio mute. MUTE Movie, Menus Press numeric keys to enter a chapter number. DVD jumps to that chapter. During movie: skip backwards / forwards 30 seconds. In DVD menus: navigate the menu. During movie: start watching at the beginning of the previous / next program. In DVD menus: navigate the menu. All modes Jump to root menu.
172 Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Context Function All modes Pause playback. To advance one frame at a time, press repeatedly. Stop DVD playback. Movie, Menus During movie, display media information. Navigate menu when there are no onscreen navigation buttons. Any mouse Pad arrow Navigate chapters. Press or to jump to that chapter. Mouse Pad left / right arrows Accept highlighted menu item.
Special Multimedia Center Features 173 EAZYLOOK File Player controls The following File Player controls are available when you use EAZYLOOK. REMOTE WONDER button Power Context Function All modes Loads EAZYLAUNCH with the Exit option selected. Toggle closed captions over video. • Available only if the content contains closed captions. Close Player, and then open TV. TV Close Player, and then open DVD. DVD Open EAZYLOOK Help. WEB Select highlighted item. Open Multimedia Center Library.
174 Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER button MUTE Context Function All modes Toggle audio mute. While playing Enter a Playlist number. Player jumps to that content. • A playlist is a list of content that is created in the Library. Skip 28 seconds backwards / forwards. Jump to next / previous content in the playlist. All modes Display current Player settings and media information. Continuously loop through the playlist. Fast forward. Press Play to resume normal playback.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER button 175 Context Function All modes Start or resume normal playback of content or slide show. In fast forward or fast reverse, resumes normal playback. For ATI VCR content, can be used to select Slow, Normal, or Fast play. During movie, display media information. Any mouse Pad arrow Current media information. Press the up/down arrows to display information on the next/previous content.
176 Special Multimedia Center Features EAZYLOOK Library controls The following Library controls are available when you use EAZYLOOK. REMOTE WONDER button Power Context Function All modes Loads EAZYLAUNCH with the Exit option selected. Filter media by type. Filter media by date. Select all list items. Unselect all list items. Delete selected items (or the highlighted item if none is selected) from disk. Open EAZYLOOK Help. WEB Close Library, and then open TV. TV Close Library, and then open DVD.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER button Context Function All modes Move up / down in a list. 177 Mouse Pad up / down arrows Go to previous / next page. Cycle through sort options. Select highlighted list item. Unselect highlighted list item. Play selected items (or the highlighted item if none is selected). Open Multimedia Center Library. Go to a specific page in the list.
178 Special Multimedia Center Features EAZYLOOK Teletext controls The following Teletext controls are available when you use EAZYLOOK. REMOTE WONDER Button Power Context Function All modes Loads EAZYLAUNCH with the Exit option selected. Toggle Teletext browser. Toggle Teletext browser display mode. Jump to RED page. Jump to GREEN page. Jump to YELLOW page. Jump to CYAN page. Close Teletext, and then open TV. TV Close TV, and then open DVD. DVD Open Teletext Help.
Special Multimedia Center Features REMOTE WONDER Button Context 179 Function All modes Save current page as bitmap in the Library (see Library on page 149). Adjust TV volume. Change TV channels. Toggle TV audio mute. MUTE Input a three-digit Teletext page number; Teletext jumps to that page. Jump to previous / next Teletext page. Jump to previous / next Teletext magazine. Resume Teletext display. Pause Teletext display. Navigate available Teletext page links. The current link is highlighted.
180 Special Multimedia Center Features MULTVIEW TM in EAZYLOOK MULTVIEW (see page 47) is available in EAZYLOOK. Your REMOTE WONDER (see page 3) provides the following controls. REMOTE WONDER Button Function Cycles MULTVIEW among three states: • Show MULTVIEW with focus • Show MULTVIEW with primary window in focus • Hide MULTVIEW Swap primary and MULTVIEW channels. MULTVIEW volume up / down when MULTVIEW is in focus (red border). MUTE Toggle MULTVIEW audio mute when MULTVIEW is in focus (red border).
Special Multimedia Center Features The MULTVIEW window appears in the lower-left corner of your screen. • When on-screen information is displayed in the main window, the MULTVIEW window is temporarily hidden.
182 Special Multimedia Center Features
EAZYSHARE 183 TM EAZYSHARE EAZYSHARE lets you use your home computer network to share audio and video content among all your networked PCs. One networked PC with an ATI ALL-IN-WONDER video card can provide TV feeds to the other PCs on the network, even if they do not have TV tuners. All network users can schedule recording sessions and request recorded programs for playback on their PCs.
184 EAZYSHARE Setting up EAZYSHARE TV Configuring your network The basic network configuration consists of one server and multiple clients. If additional servers are added, the EAZYSHARE Configuration Utility lets you determine which clients can connect to which servers. • EAZYSHARE TV must be installed on the client PCs. • You must run the EAZYSHARE Configuration Utility i before setting up the server.
EAZYSHARE 185 To configure clients i This page appears only if EAZYSHARE and the client software is installed. 1 In Windows taskbar, click Start, point at Programs, and then click ATI Multimedia Center. 2 Double-click Configuration, and then click the EAZYSHARE tab. Selection Function Broadcast Server Displays the server to which a client is allowed to connect. If this field is blank, a client will search for the first available server to which it is allowed to connect.
186 EAZYSHARE Display settings Use the Display Settings page to set up your display's general appearance and functions. Click the Setup button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel, and then click the Display tab. Selection Function Video Size Select size of video window. Options Always on Top Display TV on top of all other applications. Keep Aspect Ratio Retain the current width-to-height ratio. Auto Hide Controls when in Full Screen Hide TV controls when displaying TV in full screen.
EAZYSHARE 187 Channel Control settings Use the Channel Control Settings page to set up your channel list, synchronize your channel list with the server, and set a channel lock password. Click the Setup button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel, and then click the Channel Control tab. Selection Function Channel List Displays the channels that you can watch. A red lock indicates that the channel has been locked by the server. A yellow lock indicates that the channel is locked locally.
188 EAZYSHARE Closed Caption settings Use the Closed Caption Settings page to specify how closedcaptioned text is displayed. • Also see External Captions Support on page 134. Click the Setup button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel, and then click the Closed Caption tab. Selection Function Placement External Window Displays closed-captioned text in its own window. Click Font to select the display font. Video Window Displays closed-captioned text over the video. Click Font to select the display font.
EAZYSHARE 189 TV-ON-DEMAND TM settings Use the TV-ON-DEMAND Settings page to set up TV-ON-DEMAND. Click the Setup button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel, and then click the TV-ON-DEMAND tab. Selection Function Server Settings Drive to use for Temporary File: Select the drive to hold temporary, recorded video. Maximum Space to Allocate on Drive: Set the amount of disk space to leave on your temporary drive. Use this to prevent the TV-ON-DEMAND buffer from completely filling your drive.
190 EAZYSHARE Schedule settings Use the EAZYSHARE TV Record Scheduler to record TV programs on the dates and times that you specify. The server records your selections. Right-click the EAZYSHARE TV Record button, and then click the EAZYSHARE TV Record Scheduler menu selection; the EAZYSHARE Record Scheduler dialog will appear. When you have finished entering the information shown below, click the Schedule button to add your event to the Scheduled Events list on the server.
EAZYSHARE 191 Local and Remote Functions The Local PC controls the server (the PC that provides the media files to the client PCs that are connected to it). Remote PCs are the other (client) PCs on your home network — see Controlling the Server on page 192. For detailed information on all TV features, see the TV section of this guide (page 65) or the TV online Help.
192 EAZYSHARE Playing Stored Media All your recorded audio and video files are saved in the Library for convenient retrieval and playback. i • Files must be in ATI VCR format or MP3 format. • The EAZYSHARE File Player does not play MP3 files over the net. • For detailed information on all Library features, see the Library section of this guide (page 149) or the Library online Help. To open the Library Click the Library icon in the LaunchPad. To find files Click the EAZYSHARE TV button.
EAZYSHARE 193 Network Status The Network Status panel displays transmission quality, speed, and the number of connected clients. To display the network status Click the Network Status button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel. The Network Status panel appears.
194 EAZYSHARE Recording Video and Still Images Recording TV i You must have control of the server in order to record (see page 192). To record TV Click the Record button in the EAZYSHARE TV control panel. Right-click the Record button to display the following recording presets. Selection Function Record for Record for 30 min Record for 1 Hour Record for 1.5 Hours Record for 2 Hours Record until Set the time to stop recording.
EAZYSHARE 195 Exporting recorded video You can export recorded video as an MPEG file or an ATI VCR Proprietary ATI video format file. To export recorded video Click the Export button in the control panel. The following dialog appears. Selection Function Output File Select Folder Select the folder to hold exported video. Format Save video as MPEG or ATI VCR. Click the Export button in the dialog to export your video.
196 EAZYSHARE Capturing still images You can capture full-color, 24-bit-per-pixel still images from television, 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 (see page 90). EAZYSHARE TV saves still images as Windows-standard bitmaps (.bmp).
EAZYSHARE 197 Closed Captioning To display closed-captioned text Click the Closed Caption button in the control panel. Closed captioned text appears on top of the video in the Video panel and/or in its own window. You set these options in the Closed Caption Settings in the Setup dialog (see page 188). Special TV Features The following special TV features are available in EAZYSHARE.
198 EAZYSHARE
EAZYLAUNCH 199 TM EAZYLAUNCH EAZYLAUNCH lets you start Windows in EAZYLOOK™ mode (see page 162), launch Multimedia Center features, and enjoy media — all using your REMOTE WONDER™ or your REMOTE WONDER™ II To start Windows in EAZYLOOK 1 Click the Multimedia Center Configuration button in the LaunchPad, and then click the EAZYLOOK tab. The ATI Multimedia Center Configuration dialog opens. 2 In Options, click Boot in EAZYLAUNCH, and then click OK.
200 EAZYLAUNCH If your system is configured to start in EAZYLAUNCH, this screen appears when you log on to Windows. It also appears when you press the ATI button on the REMOTE WONDER II, or click the EAZYLAUNCH button in the LaunchPad. EAZYLOOK in Splash mode The left and right arrow buttons on the REMOTE WONDER units and the left and right mouse buttons scroll the features left and right.
EAZYLAUNCH 201 When you press the ATI button on the REMOTE WONDER II while a feature is displaying video or images, this screen appears. The left and right arrow buttons on the REMOTE WONDER units and the left and right mouse buttons scroll the EAZYLOOK in Video mode features left and right. The currently-running feature’s icon is in the center; it is larger than the other icons, and the feature name is displayed below it.
202 EAZYLAUNCH
Troubleshooting 203 Troubleshooting If you have problems with video or audio, try these suggestions. Audio Problems ... Problem Suggested solution No Sound If you have external speakers, ensure that they are powered-on (POWER indicator light is on) and connected to the LINE-OUT or SPEAKER OUT connectors on your sound card. Still no sound? 1 Click Start, point at Settings, select Control Panel, and then double-click Sounds. 2 In the Events area, Click Asterisk, and then click a .
204 Troubleshooting Problem Suggested solution No sound from TV Ensure that the audio connection between your ALL-IN-WONDER card and your sound card is correct. For complete installation instructions, refer to the appropriate Installation and Setup User’s Guide: • ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 8500DV / 8500 / 7500 / RADEON • ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 Series • ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO.
Troubleshooting Problem Suggested solution No sound from TV Ensure that the audio connection between your ALL-IN-WONDER card and your sound card is correct. For complete installation instructions, refer to the appropriate Installation and Setup User’s Guide: • ALL-IN-WONDER 9700 Series • ALL-IN-WONDER 9000 PRO.
206 Troubleshooting Problem Suggested solution Can’t record sound when recording from a videotape Left and right audio output from your VCR must be connected to your ALL-IN-WONDER card (note that S-Video does not provide an audio connection). For complete installation instructions, refer to the ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 8500DV / 8500 / 7500 / RADEON Installation and Setup User’s Guide. ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 8500 (128MB) S-VIDEO OUT COMP. VIDEO OUT L. AUDIO OUT R.
Troubleshooting 207 Problem Suggested solution No sound on the videotape when outputting to a VCR Left and right audio output from your VCR must be connected to your ALL-IN-WONDER card (note that S-Video does not provide an audio connection). For complete installation instructions, refer to the ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 8500DV / 8500 / 7500 / RADEON Installation and Setup User’s Guide. R. AUDIO IN ALL-IN-WONDER RADEON 8500 (128MB) L. AUDIO IN COMP.
208 Troubleshooting Video Problems ... Problem Suggested solution Video is unstable or only black and white Check that you are using the correct broadcast standard format: • See Broadcast Standard in Video Settings on page 74. For proper operation, you must specify your country in the TV Channels Initialization Wizard (see page 66). • Check the quality of your incoming TV signal on another receiver; bad reception may be the cause. • Try connecting your tuner directly to the cable TV or antenna source.
Troubleshooting 209 Problem Suggested solution Dropped frames during video recording Dropped frames during video recording indicates that some part of the system is not fast enough to keep up with the recording. Recording video is a very demanding task for even the most powerful system. To achieve the best results, you must dedicate the PC to recording, and ensure that nothing else is active during recording. MPEG recording requires a very fast CPU to encode the video.
210 Troubleshooting Problem Suggested solution Recorded video has horizontal lines (“combing”) • If you are recording to AVI format, reduce the line count in the Frame Size. For example, change the frame size from 480x480 to 480x240. In the Personal Video Recorder Settings page, click the Set Custom... button, and then click the Edit... button, choose your AVI preset, and then edit the frame size. (See Personal Video Recorder settings on page 40.
Troubleshooting 211 Other things to consider For older DVD drives, contact the DVD manufacturer for a firmware upgrade If DVD movies appear bright and then dim when viewed on a TV, do not patch the video through a VCR; connect the ATI TV output directly to the TV, using the composite or S-Video connections. This problem only occurs when a VCR is connected between the TV output of the ATI display adapter and the TV.
212 Troubleshooting If the DVD Player exhibits problems such as: • DVD Player launches, but the ATI DVD splash screen is all you can see. • DVD Player launches, but the display window is black. • DVD image is jumpy, or appears to be dropping frames. • DVD image looks blocky. Try these suggested solutions: Make sure you have a DVD movie disk in the DVD-ROM drive. Try a different DVD movie disk. Before proceeding, make sure that a bad or incompatible DVD is not the problem. Test two or three disks.
Troubleshooting 213 Suggested solutions Close other programs. If a DVD movie is jumpy or drops frames, other tasks may be causing the problem. Many programs display an icon on the Windows taskbar. Right-click the icon, and then click Exit or Close. Ensure that a current version of DirectX is installed. Very generally, DirectX is an interface between applications and games and the drivers that run your graphics, sound and other hardware. PC Check tests DirectX (see To access PC Check on page 6.
214 Troubleshooting Suggested solutions Remove Real Mode (DOS) drivers for the DVD-ROM drive. Real mode CDROM drivers may interfere with proper DVD-ROM operation. Real mode drivers for the CD-ROM are only required if you wish to access the CDROM from DOS. Look in the CONFIG.SYS file for CD-ROM drivers that may be loaded. Following are some examples of “DEVICE=” lines that load REAL MODE CD-ROM drivers. DEVICE=C:\SBCD\DRV\SBIDE.SYS /D:MSCD001 /P:170,15 /V DEVICE=c:\bin\AOATAPI.
Troubleshooting 215 Suggested solutions Enable DMA for the DVD drive in Windows. Windows DMA support for DVD drives usually improves playback performance. PC Check tests your DMA settings (see To access PC Check on page 6.) Install the DVD drive on the second IDE channel as a Master device. DVD drive performance is best when the DVD drive is installed as a Master device on the second IDE channel. Warning: If you are unfamiliar with the internals of your PC, do not remove the cover.
216 Troubleshooting Suggested solutions Configure the DVD-ROM drive as a MASTER. DVD-ROM drives typically have jumpers used to select MASTER or SLAVE operation. These jumpers are usually located on the rear of the DVD-ROM drive. There should be a label on the drive that will indicate where the jumper should be positioned to set the drive as a MASTER. Connect the DVD-ROM drive to the SECONDARY IDE controller.
Troubleshooting 217 Suggested solutions 6 When Windows 9x loads, open WINDOWS EXPLORER and see if you can find the DVD-ROM drive. In the example described here the DVDROM drive should appear as drive letter D:. (Because there is only one hard disk (C:) and we are assuming that it is not partitioned); If your hard disk has been partitioned or if you have multiple hard disks, the DVDROM drive will generally be the highest assigned drive letter.
218 Troubleshooting Suggested solutions If problems persist: BEFORE you call Customer Support, please have the following information ready: • Detailed description of the problem • Motherboard manufacturer • System BIOS manufacturer • Make and model of DVD drive • DVD drive interface (IDE or SCSI) • Drive letter assigned to the DVD drive by Windows • DVD title(s) that are not working properly • Operating system name and version • ATI display adapter model or name • ATI display driver version • ATI DVD Playe
