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miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)
Release Notes for Version 2.20 11/17/1998
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This text contains important information for the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)user.
If you encounter any problems when working with the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro),
please read the manual and this text.
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Contents:
1.00 Installation miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)
1.10 Before starting the installation
1.20 Windows95 - installation
1.30 DirectX Installation
2.00 Tips and tricks for miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)
2.10 Use of PCTV as an overlay monitor
2.11 Video overlay support in general
2.12 Installing the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) with S3 Model 868 and 968 graphics adapters
2.20 miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) as overlay monitor with the DC1/DC20
2.21 miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) as tuner card with miroVIDEO DC10/DC30
2.30 Incorrect colors during TV playback
2.40 Blue TV-screen
2.50 TV Reception in Conjunction with PCTV & Video Recorder / Satellite Receiver
2.60 Error Message: "MCI error while initializing overlay"
2.70 Error Message "BT848 Unable to find connection to Direct Draw"
3.00 Important hints on miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)
3.20 Changing resolution during capturing with active video overlay
3.30 Interrupt sharing
3.40 Hard disks
3.41 Enhanced-IDE hard disks
3.50 VidCon32
3.51 VidCon32 and NTSC standard
3.52 VidCon32 and PAL standard
3.53 VidCon32 and Media Player
3.54 Known bugs with VidCon32
3.60 Single-frame capturing
3.70 Remote
3.80 miraser
4.00 Known restrictions
4.10 Cropping
4.20 Windows NT 4.x
5.00 Video conferencing
5.10 H.324
5.20 How does H.324 work?
5.30 What types of products support H.324?
5.40 What kind of quality can I expect?
5.50 Can I use any modem?
5.50 Data transfer rates supported
5.60 H.324 glossary
6.00 Videotext
6.10 TOP
6.20 FLOF
6.30 VPS
6.40 WSS
6.50 Hidden text
7.00 Intercast
7.10 Intercast installation
7.20 Intercast installation error message
7.30 Intercast- Poor Reception of Intercast Data
10.00 miroVIDEO services
11.00 Changes to the last driver versions
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1.00 Installation
1.10 Before starting the installation
If there is already a TV tuner board installed in your system, make sure to
remove it before installing the miroVIDEO PCTV board.
!!! Important: Driver conflicts may result!!!
1.20 Windows95 - installation
Please turn off the computer. Plug the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) card into a free,
PCI-BUSMASTER-capable PCI slot. Start Win95.
During Windows 95 hardware detection, the following message appears:
"New hardware component found - PCI Multimedia Device"
Then the "New hardware component found" dialog box appears. Select the
"Have disk" option.
Follow the instructions given by the Hardware Wizard.
You will find the drivers in this directory:
<CD-ROM drive letter> :\disksets\win95
1.30 DirectX Installation
In order to use the card, DirectX5 or higher must be installed on your system. When the
Win95/98 applications are installed, Microsoft DirectX Installer is started automatically.
Among other things, it also checks the existing graphics driver and may, under some
circumstances, want to replace the existing graphics driver with newer drivers.
The installer will not replace your graphics drivers until you have positively a
cknowledged the corresponding user prompt.
WARNING: new drivers are NOT always necessarily the best choice.
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2.00 Tips and Tricks for the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) board
2.10 Use of miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) as an overlay monitor.
The miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) board allows you to monitor the video capture of the
miroVIDEO DC1/DC20 boards. This means that you do not need a second
TV set for this purpose.
2.11 Video overlay support in general
In general, state-of-the-art PCI graphics adapters with S3 Trio 64V+ or
S3 Virge graphics processors are able to support a PCI overlay.
Some manufacturers don't support this function in their Windows 95 drivers.
If you notice any disturbances in the overlay windows during capturing, try
changing the resolution and/or color depth of your graphics adapter.
Do not change resolution or color depth "on-the-fly" with active video overlay.
2.12 Installing the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) with S3 Model 868 and 968 graphics adapters
If your system is equipped with a graphics adapter with S3 868 or 968 chips,
make certain in Windows 95 that the graphics adapter actually occupies a 64 MB memory area.
You can verify this in the Windows 95 Device Manager. In machines with an older
AWARD BIOS, only 32 MB is reported back to the Device Manager.
This can result in system crashes following attempted installation of an expansion card,.
e.g., miroVIDEO PCTV (pro), with a memory area directly above that of the graphics adapter.
Solution:
- Update the AWARD BIOS
- Change the memory area of the graphics adapter in the Device Manager
For details, please read the manual.
2.20 miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) as overlay monitor with the DC1/DC20
Hardware installation:
The video source supplying the master video signal has to be connected to the
"Video IN" connector of the miroVIDEO DC1 and the miroVIDEO DC20 board.
Then, connect the video output of the miroVIDEO DC1 or the miroVIDEO DC20
board to the "Video IN" connector of the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) board.
Software description:
IMPORTANT!! : Premiere always uses the first Codec which was entered, regardless of
whether it is a DC1/DC20 codec or another one.
Therefore you should install the miroVIDEO DC1 or miroVIDEO DC20 software first
to ensure that this board (or to be more precise the codec) is entered first.
Install the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) board afterwards.
For miroVIDEO DC20/DC1 start DC20/DC1 Control and switch the video-loopthrough
on.
You should configure the Vidcap program for the miroVIDEO DC1/DC20 Motion JPEG Capture/
Codec board. (//Options//)
Select "Composite" in the miroTELEVISION program afterwards.
The actual video capture is done using Vidcap (DC1/DC20).
2.21 miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) as tuner card with miroVIDEO DC10/DC30
For Adobe Premiere and Ulead Mediastudio, it is necessary to deactivate the unneeded
capture drivers.
(Start//Control Panel//Multimedia//Advanced//Video Compression Codecs)
2.30 Incorrect colors during TV playback
Some graphics adapters do not support the overlay function. These adapters run in the so-called
"Primary Surface" mode. In an 8-bit resolution (256 colors) the TV image is dithered.
Solution: either use a graphics adapter that supports the overlay function or select a
higher color depth.
2.40 Blue TV screen
Possible reasons:
- the source does not supply a signal
- the source supplies a weak signal
- the channel is just being changed
Solution:
- select an input with a sufficient signal
2.50 TV Reception in Conjunction with PCTV & Video Recorder / Satellite Receiver
Channel scanning and tuning with the TV application miroTELEVISION/miroTELETEXT or miroAV-Control
is possible only if the antenna jack is used as the input source.
This means that when PCTV is used with a satellite receiver via the composite input, for example,
it not possible to control the satellite receiver via the TV applications!
Channel scanning and tuning take place via the satellite receiver.
2.60 Error Message: "MCI error while initializing overlay"
During initialization of the PCTV driver, an error has occurred while accessing the graphics card.
Possible causes:
1) One or more applications that also use the video device "PCTV" are open.
2) You are using a graphics solution that does not provide overlay- or primary-surface-support.
Remedy:
1) Close all other programs that access PCTV
2) Change the resolution and/or color depth
2.70 Error Message "BT848 Unable to find connection to Direct Draw"
An error has occurred when accessing Direct Draw during initialization of the PCTV driver.
Potential causes:
1) It is imperative that you have MS-DirectX5 or higher installed.
2) Your graphics card or the associated drivers do not support Direct Draw.
3) You are using a graphics resolution that does not offer Direct
Draw support.
Remedy:
1) Install DirectX from the Installation CD (new)
2) Install graphics drivers that are compatible with Direct Draw.
3) Change the resolution and/or color depth
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3.00 Important hints on miroVIDEO PCTV (pro)
3.20 Changing the resolution during capturing with active video overlay
Avoid changing the resolution during capturing AVI files with enabled
video overlay. The video overlay can be enabled in VidCon32 or in the
Premiere capture program.
3.30 Interrupt Sharing
This miroVIDEO PCTV version supports PCI interrupt sharing. This function is
necessary if the motherboard allocates a single interrupt to all PCI slots.
In this case, all PCI devices have to share one interrupt which means that
every driver has to check if the current interrupt comes from its device.
If this is not the case, the driver must not handle this interrupt and has to
pass it to the next PCI device. If only one of the devices involved (or its
driver) fails to do so, the system will not function properly. Because the
devices which are mostly used for recording and playing back video are SCSI
hard disks and SCSI controllers, we test the behavior of SCSI controllers.
Under Windows95, we tested miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) together with several SCSI
controllers.
3.40 Hard disks
Windows 95 supports 32-bit hard disk access. Please check in
Control Panel/System/Device Manager whether your hard disk drive or your SCSI
controller has been detected by Windows95 correctly. If not, the data transfer
rate of your hard disk will not suffice for a satisfying quality when
recording and playing back video.
If possible, install a second hard disk for capturing and saving all of your video clips.
You can save temporary files to your system hard disk or another partition. Windows 95
accesses system files during recording and playback,. If these files are located on the same
hard disk as the video clips, the head has to be
repositioned, which leads to one or more dropped frames (unsmooth playback).
3.41 Enhanced-IDE hard disks
With some E-IDE hard disks, high data rates result in an unsmooth playback
when playing back AVI files, because the hard disk is recalibrated while a
file is read. This is not a miroVIDEO PCTV malfunction but is due to the
functionality of your hard disk and the other system components.
If you received a disk with special busmaster drivers with your hard disk, please
install these drivers in your system, because the disk performance will
be improved considerably.
Please ensure that the correct PIO-mode has been set in the mother bios for the hard disk.
3.50 VidCon32
For using the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) in Windows 95, we recommend VidCon32
for capturing AVI files. VidCon32 will be copied during installation of the
miroVIDEO PCTV (pro). VidCon32 fully supports the 32-bit capture-class, so you can
attain substantially higher data rates during capturing. Ensure that the option "No master"
is enabled in the VidCon32 menu under "Edit| Preferences| video and audio synchronization".
To attain maximum performance during capturing, shut down any programs that may be running
in the background.
3.51 VidCon32 and the NTSC standard
Before capturing NTSC movies with VidCap32 you should set the "frame rate"
in the Capture/Video menu exactly to 29.97 frames/s and not 30 frames/s !!!
Only with this exact setting it is possible to capture NTSC movies lip-synch for
a long period of time.
3.52 VidCon32 and the PAL standard
In some systems, it may be impossible to capture smooth video although the frame rate is set to 25
frames/s and there is sufficient system performance (CPU and hard disk).
In this case, we also advise setting the "Frame rate" to 30 frames/s under PAL in the menu under
Capture | Video.
3.53 VidCon32 and Media Player
We advise against starting VidCon32 or any other video capture program while using Media
Player to play back AVI files captured with the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro).
miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) does not permit simultaneous capturing and playback of AVI files.
If you want to activate both devices at the same time, then you MUST start the Media Player first.
3.54 Known bugs with VidCon32
By default, VidCon32 sets the capture file to C:\CAPTURE.AVI. You can select another
drive for capturing. Occasionally, VidCon32 may terminate with a General Protection Fault (GPF).
Restart VidCon32, ignore the error message that the device is already active, and set the desired
drive for capturing. Close VidCon32 now and restart Windows 95.
Now start VidCon32 and open the menu items "Capture" and "Video".
A window with the title "Capture Video Sequence "opens. Now click the
"Video" button to check the video format and/or the data rate selected.
No matter what, avoid clicking the "OK" button in the "Video Capture
Sequence" window as long as the video format dialog box is still open. This
leads to a General Protection Fault in the module User.exe
3.60 Capturing single-frames
When capturing single-frames, please make sure that the "24 BIT RGB" format
(Vidcap//Options//Video Format) has been selected.
This format is compatible with all common graphics programs (also Kai´s Power Goo).
Note: Vidcap does not specify a filename extension. (You should enter, for example, [Name].BMP.)
3.70 miroVIDEO AV-Control
This application is miroTELEVISION without video playback.
This makes it possible for you to control the audio and video parts of the
miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) even when using programs such as VidCon32,
Premiere or other capture programs.
3.80 miraser
Use this tool to remove the miroVIDEO PCTV (pro) entries from the Windows Registry.
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4.00 Known limitations
4.10 Cropping
This function is not supported at this time.
4.20 Windows NT 4.x
- no support of the "pro" features
- no Teletext
- capture of videosquences is not supported
- In France only SECAM will be supported.
Important : Some graphics drivers do not support Direct Draw in NT4.x
unless Microsoft ServicePak 3 is installed.
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5.00 Video conferencing
Video conferencing systems consist of various (sub)systems.
The minimum configuration for video conferencing is as follows:
Video source: e.g., video camera
Capture board that supports the standard capture formats,
e.g., miroVIDEO PCTV
Sound card
Means of communication, e.g.: analog modem, ISDN modem, network
Video conferencing software, e.g., CU-SeeMe, VDO-Videophone, Microsoft Netmeeting,
just to mention a few.
The interaction of these components is standardized (H.324).
Optimum transmission speed and quality can be expected, provided all
the individual components comply with this standard.
Please note that, as a rule, the software packages are not (yet) mutually compatible.
5.10 H.324
The H.324 standard specifies the methods by which video, speech, and data are
transmitted together via a high-speed modem connection.
5.20 How does H.324 work?
H.324 is based on a standard - 28.8kb - modem connection. Once the connection
has been made, H.324 defines how the data is converted into digital signals and
compressed.
With a 28,800 bps connection, speech is compressed to 6.000 bps.
The remaining bandwidth is allocated to video data, which is also compressed.
5.30 What types of products support H.324?
1) Stand-alone videophones
- Installation and operation comparable to a "normal" telephone
- additional LCD display
2) TV-based videophone
- looks like a cable box with an integral video camera
- placed on top of the television set
- picture is displayed on the television set
- Connects to a normal telephone line
3) PC-based solution: videophone, video conferencing
- Display via PC monitor
- Communication via analog modem (>28,800 bps)
- Software application
- Intel Pentium performance is utilized for compression and decompression
5.40 What kind of quality can I expect?
Although the quality of the video solutions is improving continually, the
results obtained are still not TV-quality. Using a resolution of 192x144
pixels on both ends of the connection, the maximum rate attainable is 15 frames per second.
The result depends heavily on the relative motion of the object pictured. The sound is transmitted
in standard telephone quality.
See also "Data transfer rates supported"
5.50 Can I use any modem?
To use H.324, the modem must support V.80. This standard is not (yet)
supported by the broad base of installed modems. Please contact the manufacturer
of your modem regarding the possibility of an update to V.80.
See also "Data transfer rates supported"
5.50 "Data transfer rates supported"
Frame Rate : 4 - 8 fps with a 28.8 Kbps Internet connection
Frame Rate : 8 -15 fps with a 128 Kbps Internet connection
Frame Rate : 5 - 15 fps with a H.324 Kbps direct connection
5.60 H.324 glossary
BPS Bits per second
G.723 Speech compression algorithm implemented in H.324
H.223 Multiplex control protocol used in H.324
H.245 Multiplex control protocol used in H.324
H.263 Video compression algorithm implemented in H.324
H.324 Communications standard for simultaneous transmission of video,
speech, and data via an analog modem connection
V.34 Industry standard for 28.800 bps analog modems
V.8 bis Describes products with Voice-Call-First capability
V.80 International Standard for V.34 modems "Videophone ready"
Voice-Call-First is the easiest way to establish a connection with a picture phone
videophone solution. The objective is to make using a videophone
like using a "normal" telephone, with the exception that there is an
additional button for additional video transmission.
6.00 Videotext
Videotext, which is also called teletext, is a text-based communication
method.
The data is transmitted in the unused lines of the television picture.
Main features
- 8 magazines per 100 pages
- Sub addressing, i.e., multiple pages
- Page format 24 lines containing 40 characters each
- Text displayed in 7 colors. Character background color may be one of 8 colors
- additional display possibilities
- Teletext pages are transmitted at a rate of approx. 8 pages/s
6.10 TOP
Table Of Pages
This is a service, provided to teletext users by the broadcasting networks,
that permits user-friendly retrieval of pages from the videotext cycle.
This ensures fast orientation in the teletext program offered and efficient
user prompting.
This service is optional, however.
The basic principle is that of transmitting a table, as a normal teletext page, on which all of
the pages of the videotext program currently being broadcast are marked.
This often includes a link to the next page or the previous page, as well as the next
"card-index box" (e.g., news, sports...) and the next "groups" (e.g., sports: soccer, tennis,...).
6.20 FLOF
Full Level One Features
Various links are defined from each page to additional pages so that this page can be selected quickly.
In teletext, a FLOF page can be recognized by the four-color bar on the bottom edge of the page.
6.30 VPS
Video Programming System
Used to program VCRs for unattended recording; conveys station names.
6.40 WSS
Wide Signal Scaling
WSS is a process for distinguishing certain transmission attributes
(dolby surround sound, PAL plus,...) so that the decoder can adjust accordingly.
6.50 Hidden Text
On some pages, e.g., ones containing a riddle, . the answer is hidden when the page is first
started. A special function can be used to make this text visible.
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7.10 Intercast installation
The Intercast (TM) Technology allows the broadcasting of text and images in HTML format (e.g. format
of this document) via a conventional TV broadcast signal. HTML is the page layout (exactly: the
document desciption language) which is commonly used in the Internet. Thus, the Intel Intercast Viewer
seems to create an access to the Internet. Of course, such a "real" Internet access will not be given
simply by installing the Intercast Viewer. However, you can use your existing Internet access assuming
an appropriate configuration of the Internet Viewer. When selecting a "hyperlink" (link to an Internet
document location) of an Intercast page, an Internet connection will be created, visible through the
animated Intercast logo in the upper right corner. Intercast Technology offers a very convenient and
attractive alternative to teletext providing a seamless bridge to the World Wide Web.
7.10 Intercast installation
Please install the software in the following order:
1. the board´s driver
2. Microsoft Internet Explorer
3. the Intercast software
The miroSETUP Manager also uses this order.
!!! IMPORTANT !!!
At the time, the Intercast Viewers is only available in English and in German.
7.20 Intercast installation error message
You received the following error message:
"ICI***.LRC not loaded" and the setup program exits.
Cause: The Intercast Viewer only supports German and English systems at the time.
Solution: If you want to install the Intercast Viewer anyway, set the country settings
to German or English (Control Panel//Country Selection)
7.30 Intercast- Poor Reception of Intercast Data
Potential causes :
1) The broadcasting company (in Germany : ZDF) is currently broadcasting little or no data.
2) The received power, i.e., the quality of the received signal, is too low.
Remedies :
1) Try again later.
2) The tool "intdiag.exe", which is located in the IntercastViewer installation directory,
can be used to check reception quality.
3) With the tool "Hadjust.exe", which is located in the Windows subdirectory "..\miro\pctv",
you can shift the "(Videotext) line hold" and thus adapt it to your reception conditions.
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10.00 miro services
You can obtain new drivers at no extra charge via:
Internet: http://www.pinnaclesys.com
http://www.pinnaclesys.de
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11.00 Driver version changes
Version 2.13 -> Version 2.20
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- new Intercast V2.0 [CD version only]
- Liquid Pics added [brand new, CD version only]
Version 2.10 -> Version 2.13
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- new basic drivers [improved support for AGP graphics boards]
- new software installer [eliminates Year-2000 problem]
- miroTelevision [revised]
- DirectX6 is installed [CD version only]
Version 2.00 -> Version 2.10
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- new basis driver (DirectX5 is necessary)
- Intercast support [brand new]
- Twain driver [brand new]
- miroMEDIA Manager is not supported anymore
- new miroTELEVISION-application - Windows NT 4.x
Version 1.00 -> Version 2.0
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- VideoText [brand new]
- AV control [brand new]
- Radio (Pro version only ) [brand new]
- Television
- Stereo (Pro version only) [brand new]
- Two-channel sound (Pro version only) [brand new]
- 16 : 9 format
- Format infinitely scalable
- Automatic station identification (VPS)
- Video
- Color formats supported
- 8 bit grayscaleY8
- 9 bit YUV9
- 12 bit BTYUV 4:1:1
- 12 bit YUV12
- 16 bit YUY2 4:2:2
- 15 bit RGB
- 24 bit RGB
- 32 bit RGB
- Resolutions supported
- PAL
- 192 x 144
- 240 x 180
- 320 x 240
- 360 x 288 (CCIR601)
- 384 x 288
- 640 x 480
- 768 x 576
- NTSC
- 160 x 120
- 240 x 180
- 320 x 240
- 360 x 288 (CCIR601)
- 640 x 480
Download Driver Pack
After your driver has been downloaded, follow these simple steps to install it.
Expand the archive file (if the download file is in zip or rar format).
If the expanded file has an .exe extension, double click it and follow the installation instructions.
Otherwise, open Device Manager by right-clicking the Start menu and selecting Device Manager.
Find the device and model you want to update in the device list.
Double-click on it to open the Properties dialog box.
From the Properties dialog box, select the Driver tab.
Click the Update Driver button, then follow the instructions.
Very important: You must reboot your system to ensure that any driver updates have taken effect.
For more help, visit our Driver Support section for step-by-step videos on how to install drivers for every file type.