Wired 4DVD User’s Guide
COPYRIGHT 1999 By Wired Inc. All Rights Reserved Information in this manual is subject to change without notice. The software described in this manual is furnished under license and may be used or copied only in accordance with the license agreement. It is unlawful to copy the software except as specified in the license agreement.
Wired 4DVD Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Technical Support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5 System Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6 Technology Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7 DVD . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Number Pad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 The Compact Controller . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28 Sizes Menu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Preferences . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Play List Panel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30 Settings Panel . . . . . .
Introduction Congratulations on purchasing your new Wired 4DVD card. Your Wired 4DVD transforms your computer into a full-function DVD player, and provides you with uncompromising high performance hardware MPEG-2 digital video playback capability. The Wired 4DVD also has a digital audio output which can be connected to an external decoder for Dolbyª Digital or DTSª surround sound.
System Requirements For proper operation, the Wired 4DVD card requires: ¥ A Power Macintosh running at 100 MHz or higher ¥ Mac OS version 8.0 or higher (8.5.1 recommended) ¥ An available PCI expansion slot ¥ 10 MB of available RAM ¥ DVD-ROM or DVD-RAM drive ¥ An external amplifier and speakers is recommended for best sound.
Technology Overview MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 MPEG stands for Moving Picture Experts Group. It refers to a method of data compression optimized for video and audio data. By analyzing the changes between video Òframes,Ó an MPEG ÒencoderÓ is able to reduce the file size of the compressed video data significantly. This remarkably efficient compression method allows full-screen and full-motion video, plus CD-quality audio to be stored in a relatively small size file.
Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound uses the standard analog stereo signal to multiplex surround sound information, and requires a Dolby Pro Logic receiver/ amplifier to decode the signal. Pro Logic Surround Sound differs from Dolby Digital Surround Sound by using the same audio signals for both the front and back speakers on the left and right channels.
INSTALLATION Follow the steps below to install the Wired 4DVD card into your computer. ! Static electricity can damage your equipment. Do not take the board out of its static protective bag until you are ready to work with it. 1) Turn off the power to the computer and disconnect the power cord. 2) Disconnect the monitor cable from your Macintosh. 3) Open your computer so you have access to the PCI expansion slots. (Refer to your MacÕs users manual for specific instructions.
8) Secure the board using the screw removed earlier. 9) Replace the cover of your Macintosh and reconnect the power cord. If you install a DVD-ROM drive at the same time as the Wired 4DVD card, remember to attach the CD-Audio cable from the motherboard of the computer to the DVD-ROM drive. Otherwise, you will not be able to play CD-Audio titles with the DVD-ROM drive. This will not affect the audio of DVD-Video or DVD-ROM titles.
connects the output of your Mac to the input of the Wired 4DVD card. Your monitor then connects directly to the Wired 4DVD card. The MacÕs monitor port (location and appearance varies) The video input of the Wired 4DVD The connectors on the pass-thru cable and the card are the newer ÒcompactÓ VGA-style. The Òpass thruÓ cable This end goes to the Wired 4DVD card. This end connects to your MacÕs monitor port.
To connect your monitor, follow these steps: 1) Attach the larger end of the pass-thru cable to the monitor port of your Mac or video card. 2) Attach the other end of the pass-thru cable to the video input connector at the back of the Wired 4DVD card. Connect the passthru cable to the MacÕs monitor port and then to the Wired 4DVD card. Connect the cable from your computer monitor to the 4DVD card. 3) Connect the cable from your monitor to the monitor output of the card.
TV Monitor Connections The Wired 4DVD can be connected to an external TV monitor or video projector. If your TV has an S-video connector, you can connect it directly to the S-video output of the card. If your TV uses the more common RCA-type connector, you will need to use the supplied adapter to connect it. S-video cables plug directly in to the Wired 4DVD card. Use the adapter if your TV has RCA inputs.
Software Installation This chapter describes the software installation procedure for the Wired 4DVD card. 1) Insert the Wired 4DVD Software installer disc in your CD drive. 2) Double-click the Wired 4DVD Installer application. 3) Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the software installation.
USING DVD STATION DVD Station is a versatile application that allows you to play a variety of DVD, MPEG, and CD formats. This section describes how to use DVD Station to play full-length feature films recorded in the DVD format, and data CDs containing MPEG files and also Audio CDs. DVD Station will automatically detect the format of the disc in your DVD drive and identify the file type in the Display Panel. DVD Station can also detect MPEG files in your CD-ROM and hard drives.
Selecting Your Geographic Region The DVD standard includes a feature called Region Coding which allows the publishers to specify in which parts of the world a particular disc can be played. Before you can play a DVD, the Wired 4DVD card must be set to your geographic region. If the region code for the Wired 4DVD has not been previously set, this dialog will appear when you run DVD Station. 1) Click Yes and the DVD Region panel of the Preferences dialog will open.
Setting the Region For the DVD Drive Some newer DVD drives also require setting the region code for the drive itself. This can also be accomplished using the DVD Region panel of DVD Station. ! If your drive supports region coding, it comes from the factory with no region code set. If you attempt to insert a DVD-Video disc that is not enabled for all regions, and you havenÕt selected a region, you will get an error message saying the disc is unreadable and asking if you want to initialize it.
Playing Discs DVD Station is designed to be very easy to use, and has controls which are probably already familiar (if youÕve ever used a VCR, CD player or DVD player). Before we get into the details of DVD Stations many cool features, letÕs start with the basics. The Basics If all you want to do is play a disc, hereÕs what you do: 1) Load an AudioCD or DVD into your DVD-ROM drive. 2) Start DVD Station by double-clicking its icon in the Finder.
The DVD controller has additional buttons which allow you to navigate through a DVDVideo title. When you are viewing a DVDÕs menu, you can use the up, down, left and right arrow buttons on the controller to move the selection from one on-screen button to the next. Click the center ÒOKÓ button to confirm you choice. 6) Continue reading for complete explanations of all the features and functions of DVD Station.
4) If you selected an MPEG file, the controller will indicate Data as the program type. DATA indicates that you have selected a Þle for playback. Click Play to play the Þle. 5) Click the Play button to start playing the file. All the normal control buttons work essentially the same as when you play a disc. 6) To view a different file, simply repeat the process. If you select a VIDEO_TS.
REFERENCE The DVD Station Controller This section of the manual explains each of the controls and indicators in the DVD Station Controller. You can ÒgrabÓ the controller by its edges to move it around on your screen. Player Controls DVD Station has controls similar to those of a VCR. Play/Pause Stop Eject Rewind Fast Forward Previous Track Next Track Number Pad (for DVDs) or Play Mode (for AudioCDs) Repeat Mode Play/Pause button. Click this button to start playing the active disc or file.
Rewind button. Click this button to play the current track backwards at 12x speed, click again for 50x speed, and click again to resume normal playback. For files, clicking the button jumps back a fixed amount. Fast Forward button. Click this button to fast forward the current playing track at 12x speed, click again for 50x speed, and click again to resume normal playback. For files, clicking the button jumps forward a fixed amount. Previous Track button.
Volume Control The Volume Control increases or decreases the audio level. With the mouse, move the lever up and down to adjust the volume. Click the Mute Sound Button to mute the audio. To un-mute the audio, click the Mute Sound Button again. Click here to mute the sound DVD Navigation Buttons There are five DVD Navigation buttons and a joystick controller on the right-hand side of the DVD Station. Use the mouse to click on the button to activate the desired function.
wish to view. The camera angle number is momentarily displayed in the upperright cornet of your movie window. Subtitle Selector This operation only functions with a DVD disc that contains multiple language subtitles or closed captions. Press the Subtitle Selector during play. If you select a new subtitle, the language is momentarily displayed in the upper-right corner of your movie window.
DVD Menu Controller The joystick controller is a group of five buttons nested together. The joystick is used to navigate around the possible choices offered in the DVD menus. Use the arrow buttons to select different options on a DVDÕs menus. Click the OK button to conÞrm your choice. Click on the UP, DOWN, LEFT, or RIGHT arrows to highlight the option you wish to select, and click the OK button in the center of the joystick to select the highlighted item.
Clicking the Preferences Dialog button brings up the DVD Station Preferences window. Secondary Controls The Secondary controls perform additional functions within DVD Station. You can access the secondary controls by clicking the downward-facing triangle above the volume control.
Slow Motion Play Click this button to play back the movie at half speed. Click the button again to play at one eighth speed. Click again to return to normal speed. Audio is muted when Slow Motion is selected. The Number Pad If DVD Station detects that a DVD movie disc is in the drive, it will display the Number Pad button in place of the Mode button.
The Compact Controller Besides the standard controller, DVD Station features a compact controller with only the basic functions that takes up less space on the screen. Click here to reveal the Secondary Controls Play/Pause Stop Eject Rewind Fast Forward Grab here to move the controller on your screen. Previous Track Next Track DVD Menu DVD Title ¥ To switch to the compact controller, click the minus symbol Ò-Ó above the volume control slider.
Sizes Menu The Sizes menu lets you specify one of four preset sizes for the on-screen video window on your computer screen. It has no effect on the TV output. These options show the video in a window on your Mac monitor, so you can still see your other applications and the menu bar. Full screen mode Þlls the entire Mac monitor and hides the menu bar. ¥ You can resize the on-screen video window manually by clicking and dragging in its lower-right corner.
Preferences Click on the Preferences button in the controller or choose the Preferences command from the DVD Station Edit men to open the Preferences window. Click to open the Preferences window. The Preferences window has numerous settings, grouped on four panels. To switch between the different panels, just click on the tabs at the top edge of the window. Play List Panel The Play List feature allows you to create a list of your favorite MPEG clips to be played in sequence.
¥ The Play List window displays the clips that are currently on the Play List. Click on the desired drive. DVD Station will scan for playable Þles and add them to the Title list. Drag the desired Þle(s) to the Play List. You can also drag-and-drop Þles from the Finder onto the Play List. 2) Click on the desired volume in the Volume List. DVD Station will scan the volume looking for compatible files and add them to the Title list.
Settings Panel The Setting Panel lets you specify your preference for the overall behavior of DVD Station. Check the desired options. Specify your preferred drive if you have multiple DVD drives Set audio output options Set up the TV output See ÒConÞguration OptionsÓ on page 36 for details. Controller on Top Always displays the controller on top of the on-screen video window. ToolTips Enables pop-up ToolTips that display the function of each DVD Station button.
Audio Output The Audio Output setting allows you to choose between analog or digital audio output. ¥ The analog output can be directed to the the MacÕs built-in sound circuitry or to the mini-jack on the Wired 4DVD card. ¥ If you choose digital output, you can specify your preferred format (AC-3, DTS or PCM). If a disc you are playing has the format you selected, then that data will be directed to the digital output of tthe Wired 4DVD card.
DVD Options Panel Click on the DVD tab to display the DVD StationÕs DVD settings. Set a password to prevent unauthorized changed. Select the desired rating level. Specify your preferred language and video format Rating Control Some DVD movie titles support a voluntary movie rating system. With a rated title, this feature allows you to play an edited version of the movie, with violent and other objectionable scenes removed.
1) Click the Password button and enter a password. Click to set a password. 2) Enter a password into the New box and again in the Confirm box. 3) Click OK to enable the password. ! Make sure the password is something you can remember or record it at a secret place. If you forget the password, you must reinstall the DVD Station software to enter a new password. Preferred Display Mode The Preferred Display Mode lets you specify how you would like to view movies which are recorded in widescreen format.
Default Language Most DVD movies support multi-lingual audio. You can specify your preferred language using the Default Language menu. If the chosen default language is not available on that DVD movie title, DVD Station will use the default language on that particular DVD movie disc, which may differ depending on the origin of the disc. Changes to the default language will not take effect until you stop the currently playing DVD and start it over.
The configuration dialog lets you recalibrate anytime, as well as giving you access to manual settings for the borders and key color. Adjust the borders of the Program window Run the calibration procedure Reset the overlay to factory defaults Access the Advanced Color Adjustment window. Auto Calibration If you notice the video getting out of alignment (in relation to the window frame), you can run the auto calibration procedure whenever you like. 1) Open the Preferences dialog.
This dialog will appear. Use these arrows to move the overlay box. Click to decrease the width of the overlay rectangle When properly adjusted the top rectangle should exactly cover the lower, colored rectangle. If the video image on the computer screen ÒjittersÓ, adjust this setting to stabilize it. Click to increase the width. Fine tunes the horizontal placement of the adjustment.
Advanced Color Adjustments By default, DVD Station uses a a dark green color as the chroma key color. You might prefer to use a different color if the default color conflicts with one of your application programs. When there is a conflict, you will see MPEG video displayed ÒthroughÓ parts of other applications.
4) This dialog will appear. Click here to change the key color. 5) Click on the rectangular sample of the current key color (see above). 6) A standard Macintosh color picker will be displayed. Choose a new color and click OK. ! 40 DonÕt pick a commonly used color, or you will see the DVD video bleeding through into your other applications.
7) Black should appear in the border surrounding the color chart. There should also be a ÒholeÓ in the color chart where black will also show through. Black should appear in the border, and in a ÒholeÓ somewhere in the color spectrum (the shape of the hole will vary.) 8) If black does not appear in BOTH the border and the Òhole,Ó then you must adjust the R, G, and B values with the sliders until you can see it in both regions.
Select Screen If you have more than one monitor connected to your Macintosh, youÕll need to use the Select Screen command to specify which monitor is connected to the Wired 4DVD card. 1) Start DVD Station. 2) Click on the Settings tab and then click the Configure... button. The Configuration dialog will appear. 3) Choose Select Screen from the Advaanced pop-up menu. 4) In the dialog that appears, select the monitor that is connected to the Wired 4DVD card.
Index A Adjust Borders 37 Advanced Color Adjustments All 22 Amplifier 7 Audio Connections 12 Auto Calibration 15, 37 AutoPlay 32 F 39 Fast Forward 22 File Formats 8 fps 7 Frames per second 7 Function Buttons 25 I C Camera Angle Selector 23 CD/DVD Drive 32 Chroma key 39 chroma key 39 Color Calibration 39 Compact Controller 28 Compression 7 Configure 33 Continuous Play 22 Controller on Top 32 D Data transfer rate 7 Decompression 7 Default Language 36 Dim other Screen 32 Discrete digital audio channels 7 D
P Pan & Scan 35 Parental Lockout 34 Pass-through Cable 12 pass-thru cable 11 Password Protection 34 Picture Control sliders 26 Play List 22, 30 Play Mode 22 Play Mode button 31 Player Controls 21 Playing Discs 18 position slider 28 Preferences 26, 30 Preferred Display Mode 35 Previous Track 22 Pro Logic Surround Sound 12 Secondary Controls 26 Segment Play 26 Select Screen 42 Setting the Region 17 Sizes Menu 29 Slow Motion Play 27 Static electricity 9 Stop 21 Subtitle Selector 24 System Requirements 6 T Te
