Quickstart Nero ShowTime Ahead Software AG Information on copyright and trademarks The Nero user manual and all its contents are protected by copyright and are the property of Ahead Software. All rights reserved. This user manual contains material that is protected by internationally valid copyright. This manual may not in whole or in part - be copied, transmitted or otherwise reproduced without the express written permission of Ahead Software AG. All trademark names and trademarks are the property of the respective owners. Ahead Software rejects any claims that transcend the legal guarantee rights. Ahead Software AG does not undertake any liability for the correctness of the contents of the Nero ShowTime user manual. The contents of the software supplied, as well as of the Nero ShowTime user manual, may be changed without prior warning. The trademarks mentioned here are listed only for information purposes. Copyright © 2003 Ahead Software AG REV 1.0 Contents 1 General Information .......................................................................... 4 1.1 1.2 1.2.1 1.2.2 1.2.3 1.2.4 1.2.5 About Nero ShowTime ........................................................... 4 Technical Data ........................................................................ 4 Supported Formats............................................................................. 4 Video .................................................................................................. 4 Audio .................................................................................................. 5 Hardware Optimisation....................................................................... 5 Features ............................................................................................. 5 2 Overview of Functions ...................................................................... 6 2.1 User Interface.......................................................................... 6 3 `Settings' Dialogue Window ............................................................. 9 3.1 3.1.1 3.1.2 3.1.3 3.1.4 General Settings ..................................................................... 9 OSD settings ...................................................................................... 9 Keyboard and mouse settings.......................................................... 10 Capture frame .................................................................................. 10 Toolbar setting ................................................................................. 10 3.2 3.2.1 Video Settings....................................................................... 11 Video Mode ...................................................................................... 11 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 4 Skin browser ......................................................................... 12 Parental Control.................................................................... 13 Bookmarks Editor................................................................. 14 Information ............................................................................ 14 Play Video ........................................................................................ 15 4.1 4.2 4.2.1 4.2.2 4.2.3 DVD-Video ............................................................................. 15 Control during playback ...................................................... 16 Skin .................................................................................................. 16 Toolbar ............................................................................................. 16 Context menu ................................................................................... 17 5 6 FAQ................................................................................................... 18 Contact ............................................................................................. 20 6.1 Contact Information.............................................................. 20 7 Index ................................................................................................. 21 Nero ShowTime General Information · 3 1 General Information 1.1 About Nero ShowTime Nero ShowTime provides you with a high-performance software DVD player that takes you to a new dimension in DVD's. Its cinema-like sound and excellent image quality for all digital pictures make an adventure of every film! What is more, Nero ShowTime supports all DVD-Video formats and can play them from a disc and from the hard drive. But Nero ShowTime does much more! You can take snapshots while the film is running, organize your video clip collection or protect your films with integrated parental control. And these are only a few of the functions included in Nero ShowTime. 1.2 Technical Data 1.2.1 Supported Formats DVD-Video1, VCD 2.0 miniDVD (DVD files on CD-R/RW) Nero Digital DVD-Video: Playback from the hard drive MPEG-1, MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 file playback* All country codes (5 changes allowed with non-regional disk drives) 1.2.2 Video Complete MPEG decoding meets ISO standards NTSC and PAL support Support of interlaced and progressive sources Expanded de-interlacing for best quality with interlaced DVD's (TV shows, etc.) with fine-tuning for an optimal configuration Full-screen and scalable video window 16:9 widescreen support Flexible, on-screen display Support of Inverse Telecine with DVD images in NTSC for more fluid images If you do not have a licence for MPEG-2, one may be purchased in the form of an MPEG-2/DVD plug-in, at http://www.nero.com. 1 Nero ShowTime General Information · 4 1.2.3 Audio Dolby Digital AC-3 LPCM MP3 mp3PRO Nero Digital S/PDIF Edition for digital sound 1.2.4 Hardware Optimisation Complete DXVA support Support for Power Management (APM & ACPI) Hardware IDCT support 1.2.5 Features Parental control with password prompt (8 levels)2 Multi-angle support (seamless / non-seamless) Recall function (Auto-resume) for each disk inserted Favourite organisation function Capture function during playback Software eject Enlargement function for manual selection areas with each resolution Individual user interfaces for the player Integrated control in full screen mode Hotkeys (Keyboard symbols) Automatic playback of the disc upon insertion Fully compatible with Nero StartSmart, the Nero command centre 2 This may not be included, depending on the version! Nero ShowTime General Information · 5 2 Overview of Functions 2.1 User Interface Nero ShowTime Overview of Functions · 6 Some of the functions listed below can also be controlled through the keyboard. If this is possible, there are brackets behind the function that show the key / key combination (such as `Eject Disk' [J]). Icon Function [Keyboard symbol] The Nero ShowTime playback window Jump to previous chapter [P] Jump to next chapter [N] Interrupts film playback, then continues it after another click [space] Start playback [enter] Stop playback [S] Open a file Eject disk [J] Makes it possible to jump directly between chapters Makes the selection of the DVD menu(s) possible [L] Jump to next bookmark [G] Slowly continue playback [T] Change between full-screen and normal view [F] Change language [H] Open subtitle selection [U] Activate enlargement tool [D] Create a snapshot [C] Nero ShowTime Overview of Functions · 7 (This function is only possible if hardware acceleration has been deactivated.) Repeat the last few seconds [R] Open the `Settings' menu [CTRL+C] Repeat a chapter or title [CTRL +R] Add a bookmark [M] Change the perspective [A] Provides current information on the function (such as playing), title, chapter and run time Shows information on the disk drive, language, subtitle language, regional code and perspective (from top left to bottom right) Makes it possible to move continuously through the film (without dividing chapters) Regulate the volume / Switch to mute / loud [Q] Exit Nero ShowTime Minimize Nero ShowTime on the taskbar Show Help or Manual (if installed) Expand the skin around chapter number field Makes it possible to jump from chapters directly Reduce the skin around chapter number field Nero ShowTime Overview of Functions · 8 3 `Settings' Dialogue Window 3.1 General Settings Play from Here you can set the default source from which Nero ShowTime plays the videos. You may select between the desired disk drive or a folder on the hard drive. Show tooltips If this option is enabled, the tooltips are visible in the programme. They are displayed if you move the mouse pointer over the individual buttons. Always on top If this option is enabled, Nero ShowTime always stays in the foreground, even if you start other programmes. It may, however, be minimized by clicking on the button.. DVD Auto-resume setting This makes it possible to determine how a DVD should be resumed if it is inserted again. The DVD may be played from the beginning or resumed where playback stopped the last time. Prompt user before playback resume If this option is enabled, the user is prompted, before playback of a known DVD, as to whether playback should occur at the last scene viewed or the DVD should be started at the beginning. 3.1.1 OSD settings On-screen display Activates or deactivates the on-screen display. On the on-screen display the current procedure (such as `Playback') is shown in the playback window. Moreover, you can set the duration of display. OSD position Determines where the on-screen display is shown in the playback window. OSD configuration Configures the font, text colour and background colour of the OSD. Nero ShowTime `Settings' Dialogue Window · 9 3.1.2 Keyboard and mouse settings Use Mouse wheel for This makes it possible to set the function the mouse wheel should assume upon playback. There are options for `Volume', `Time seek' and `Previous / Next Chapter'. Keyboard settings This makes it possible to jump ahead and back within the set time interval. If, as an example, it is set for 20 seconds, you can use the `Page up' key to jump ahead in 20-second intervals, while the `Page down' key is used to jump back. 3.1.3 Capture frame Capture to If you wish to take snapshots during film playback, you must first set the destination to which the images are to be exported. There are the options, `Clipboard `, `Wallpaper' and `File'. If `Clipboard' is enabled, depending on the configuration of your PC, only one image is saved. This means that only one image can be saved, even when saving numerous snapshots. If the `Wallpaper' option is enabled, your snapshot is saved directly as wallpaper. In the drop-down window you have the setting options, `Tile', `Stretch' and `Center', with the wallpaper arranged according to your selection. Please note that only one snapshot is saved with this option. If the `File' option is enabled, all your snapshots will be sequentially numbered and saved on the hard drive in BMP format. The `Path' button facilitates the selection of the folder that is to contain the saved images. Capture Aspect ratio The `Original Video Source' and `Current Video Window Size' options are available for determining the aspect ratio of your snapshots. If `Current Video Window Size' is enabled, the snapshot is saved in the original aspect ratio of the film, but if `Current Window Size' is enabled, the snapshot is saved in the current aspect ratio (for example, if have sized your playback window). 3.1.4 Toolbar setting The toolbar appears when the mouse pointer is moved to the upper edge of the screen. Its primary function is to prevent the entire skin from being shown during playback, thus disturbing the image. In this configuration menu you have the option of activating/deactivating the toolbar or determining whether and when they should be available. Furthermore, you can set each of the functions of your toolbar. To do so, simply select the desired options with the mouse and then click either on the `Show' or `Hide' button, depending on whether you wish to add or remove a function. However, you may use preset compilations, with the following setting options: Hide all With this presetting, only the toolbar is shown. Nero ShowTime `Settings' Dialogue Window · 10 Default With this presetting the most common functions are shown on the toolbar. Show all This setting causes all functions on the toolbar to be shown. If you would like to call Nero ShowTime Skin during full-screen playback, simply click on the left mouse key. 3.2 Video Settings Hardware acceleration If the `Hardware Acceleration' option is enabled, the DVD-Video image acceleration is taken over by your graphics card. This reduces the load on the main processor and may lead to improved video performance. Please note that it is only possible to switch the hardware acceleration on and off when there is no playback. Screen control In this menu you set t ...