Pinnacle Systems ShowCenter - 1.0 User Guide

Pinnacle ShowCenter
Pinnacle ShowCenter
User’s Guide GB September 2003 41003322 © Pinnacle Systems GmbH 2003 All rights reserved. No part of this manual may be reproduced or transferred to other media without
explicit written permission from Pinnacle Systems GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany.
All brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.
This manual is printed on chlorine-free, bleached paper using solvent-free ink. Pinnacle Systems GmbH has written this manual to the best of its knowledge,
but does not guarantee that the programs/systems will fulfill the users’ intended applications.
No warranty is made as to the specifications of features. Pinnacle Systems GmbH retains the right to make alterations to the content of
the manual without obligation to inform third parties. All quotes, sales, supply and manufacturing contracts from Pinnacle Systems
GmbH, including consulting, installation and other contractual services are subject exclusively to the General Sales and Delivery Terms of Pinnacle Systems GmbH.

Table Of Contents

Basics....................................................................................................................1
Safety information.............................................................................................1
The concept in words ........................................................................................4
The concept in pictures......................................................................................5
The components ................................................................................................6
Package contents ...............................................................................................8
System requirements .......................................................................................10
Setting up the ShowCenter system .....................................................................11
Three steps to the ShowCenter system - Overview.........................................11
Installing the software .....................................................................................12
The Quickstart Assistant .................................................................................15
Connecting devices..........................................................................................18
The ShowCenter application............................................................................... 23
Overview .........................................................................................................23
The Media Library...........................................................................................26
The Media Player ............................................................................................31
Importing media files ......................................................................................33
Organising media files.....................................................................................44
Managing playlists ..........................................................................................48
Exporting media files ......................................................................................51
The menus .......................................................................................................57
File formats......................................................................................................61
ShowCenter Server and ShowCenter Control Panel...........................................65
Setting server preferences with the ShowCenter control panel.......................65
The TV screen.....................................................................................................69
Switching on the ShowCenter Player and the TV set......................................69
The TV screen menu - Overview ....................................................................71
TV Menu - Music ............................................................................................73
TV Menu - Movies ..........................................................................................74
TV Menu - Photos ........................................................................................... 76
TV Menu - Access...........................................................................................77
TV Menu - Settings .........................................................................................78
TV Menu - Special functions ..........................................................................80
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Table Of Contents
The remote control..............................................................................................83
Remote control key commands .......................................................................83
Description of the keys in detail......................................................................84
Possible causes of faults with remote control operation .................................87
Technical data.....................................................................................................89
Hardware .........................................................................................................89
Technical support................................................................................................91
Getting Technical support ...............................................................................91
License information ............................................................................................93
Pinnacle End User License Agreement ........................................................... 93
Glossary ..............................................................................................................97
Index .................................................................................................................105
ii

Basics

Safety information

Please take note of the following information in the interests of your own safety and trouble-free operation of your equipment.
Mains cable and mains plug
Careful attention must be paid to the following points in order to avoid operational faults with the equipment and to prevent electric shock, fire and injury:
When removing the mains cable from the socket, always pull on the plug and
never on the cable.
Do not connect and remove the mains cable with wet hands. Keep the mains cable away from heaters. Never place heavy objects on the mains cable. Never try to repair the mains cable yourself or to modify it in any way. Clean dust, dirt etc. from the mains plug at regular intervals. If the unit should be dropped or become damaged in any other way, switch it
off and unplug the mains cable.
If the unit should emit smoke, unusual smells or noises, switch it off and
unplug the means cable. In such cases, please contact your dealer.
Location
Avoid setting up the unit in the following places: Locations with direct sunlight, next to radiators or other sources of heat or in
vehicles, which are parked directly in the sun with the windows and doors closed.
Locations with very high temperature (more than 35° C) or humidity (more
than 90%).
Very dusty or sandy locations. Locations subject to vibration or shock or with a sloping base, as otherwise
the components inside the unit could be damaged.
On inflammable surfaces, such as blankets. Keep the unit away from flower vases, bath tubs, washbasins etc. and places
exposed to rainfall. If liquid should find its way into the unit, this can lead to serious damage.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
Setting up with other equipment
Set the unit up in a horizontal position and do not place heavy objects on top
of it.
Do not place the unit on an amplifier or other equipment that can become
hot.
Case and internal components
Under no circumstances remove or open any part of the case and do not try to
carry out repairs yourself. All maintenance or repair work must be carried out by qualified specialists.
Do not place fingers or objects inside the unit.
Touching the components inside the unit is dangerous and can lead to severe injury and damage to the equipment.
Do not place any foreign objects on top of the unit.
Formation of condensation
Condensation can form inside the unit under the following conditions:
Directly after switching on a heater in the vicinity. In a very damp room or a room filled with water vapour. When the unit is brought from a cold into a warm place.
Moisture inside the unit can lead to faulty operation under certain circumstances. In such a case, switch the unit off and wait for approximately 1 hour until the moisture has evaporated. Only then should you continue to use the unit.
Non-use
Switch the unit to standby mode when it is not in use. If the unit is not used for extended periods, then the mains plug should be
removed from the socket.
Accessories
Use only the accessories supplied or recommended in order to avoid the risk of fire and electric shock and possible interference.
Batteries
Insert the batteries as shown in the battery compartment of the remote
control.
Never mix old and new batteries or use batteries of different types (standard,
alkali) at the same time!
When the batteries are flat, ensure that they are disposed of according to the
regulations and in an environmentally friendly manner.
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Basics
Copyright
When making use of music files, video files and digital photos, ensure that the copyrights are not infringed.
Any changes or additions, which could no longer be taken into account in the printed documentation, are described in the Read-me file on the CD-ROM supplied.
You will find the Declaration of Conformity (CE Declaration) and the "FCC Compliance Statement" for Pinnacle ShowCenter as a separate PDF file on the CD-ROM supplied.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

The concept in words

With Pinnacle ShowCenter you can manage
music files movie and other video files and digital photos
from different sources, including the Internet, on your PC, view them on your TV set or play them back on your stereo system. Everything is conveniently controlled by remote control from your sofa.
Pinnacle ShowCenter is a combination of components readily found in the living room, the home PC, a remote control and a software program for managing the media.
Pinnacle ShowCenter arranges all your media in an intelligent multimedia database on your PC so that they can be quickly found and gives you access
to all these files in a simple and convenient manner.
Do you use your PC with broadband Internet access (DSL or cable modem) for downloading audio and video files and do you want to be able to arrange these and to view or play them back at any time? Do you want to archive your digital photos, videos and audio CDs and have them available at all times? Pinnacle ShowCenter is the right solution in both cases! With Pinnacle ShowCenter you can maintain order in your media collection and have your favourite movies and photos available for viewing on the TV and your favourite music available for playing back on your stereo system at any time.
With Pinnacle ShowCenter you can build up a simple system, which will allow you to keep the PC out of your living room and yet still enjoy all the advantages of modern media there.
You will find an explanation of all the necessary terms in the "Glossary" section at the end of this manual. In case of doubt, please also refer to the documentation provided with your TV set, your stereo system and your PC components.
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Basics

The concept in pictures

This overview drawing gives you an example of how the system components may be arranged in the different rooms of your house:
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

The components

The Pinnacle ShowCenter system consists of the following components:
Hardware
ShowCenter Player
The ShowCenter Player, together with your PC and TV set and/or your stereo system, forms a Multimedia Home Network. The ShowCenter Player
takes on the function of a network client and enables movies or photos stored on your PC to be viewed on your TV set, or music files to be played back via your stereo system.
Depending on the product version, the network can be connected with cables or can be wireless.
Remote control (infrared)
You can control the menu shown on the TV screen by means of the remote control.
Software
ShowCenter application
The ShowCenter application is installed on your PC and is used for importing music files, movies and digital photos into the continuously updated ShowCenter database and for the management and organisation of these files. If you like, you can create playlists in which you can bring together your favourite music, movies or photos arranged in accordance with your own criteria.
The media files on your PC can come from the Internet, from your audio CDs or from your digital camera, for example.
ShowCenter server
The ShowCenter server is installed on your PC and forms the connection between the ShowCenter application and the ShowCenter player. The data, which you call up from your TV screen by means of the menu and that you then want to view on the TV set or play back on the stereo system, is made available to the ShowCenter player by the server.
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Basics
The ShowCenter server comprises two types of server whose settings can be checked or changed by means of the ShowCenter control:
the streaming server, which provides the user interface for the TV set, and the media server, which ensures access to the database, monitors folders
and, if necessary, converts the format of media files.
ShowCenter database
The ShowCenter database is used by the ShowCenter application and the server for information exchange via all media. The database holds all information concerning the storage location and the type of files and stores all available additional information (e.g. playlists). This information can thus be easily found again using the ShowCenter application and can be made available by the server for playing back on the TV set and/or stereo system.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

Package contents

Before you begin installation, check that the contents of the package are complete. If a part should be missing or damaged, please refer to your dealer.
Keep the packing material in case you ever need to ship the original parts at a later date.
This is what you receive from us
Hardware
ShowCenter Player
with integral power supply
SCART cable
(Europe)
Remote control with
"Mignon 1.5 V" batteries
(R06, AA)
Video cable
(outside Europe)
Mains cable
(country specific)
SCART-VGA adapter
(only supplied with some
versions)
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Ethernet cable (Length: 10 m)
Crossover cable
(Length: 5 m, depending
on model)
CD-ROM with applications,
example data and drivers
Documentation
Basics
Quick Install Guide User’s Guide
Please note that the package contents may vary from that shown here depending upon the model!
Software
The following software can be found on the CD-ROM supplied with the equipment:
Software for Windows 2000 or Windows XP
The Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition and Windows NT operating systems are not supported by Pinnacle ShowCenter.
ShowCenter Quickstart Assistant ShowCenter application ShowCenter server
Please note that the package contents may vary from that shown here depending upon the model!
In addition, you will need
Computer TV set and/or stereo system
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

System requirements

Your system must fulfil the following requirements to enable Pinnacle ShowCenter to operate perfectly:
Computer hardware
Processor
At least Pentium ® III with 1GHz or comparable AMD processor
- recommended Pentium ® 4 with 1.8 GHz or comparable AMD processor.
Working memory
At least 256 Mbytes - recommended 512 Mbytes.
Hard disk
Hard disk with at least 5 GB free space.
Graphics adapter
DirectDraw-compatible graphics adapter (AGP graphics adapter with MPEG 2 decoding support recommended) with at least 16-bit colour depth (65536 colours) and a resolution of at least 800 x 600 pixels.
DirectDraw support: Before you can work with the application, a graphics card with completely set­up DirectX 9.x must be installed. The installation program will check this and will install DirectX 9.x automatically if necessary.
Sound adapter
DirectX 9.x-compatible sound adapter.
Ethernet connection
10BaseT - recommended 100BaseT. A Wi-Fi access point will be required for a wireless connection.
Problems may arise with a 10BaseT Ethernet connection when streaming video files with high bandwidth. We therefore strongly recommend a 100BaseT connection, particularly when other network functions are active!
Computer software
Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 installed or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 installed.
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Setting up the ShowCenter system

Three steps to the ShowCenter system ­Overview
This section describes the procedure for setting up the ShowCenter system in the form of an overview. Each step is explained in detail in the following chapters.
The following procedure is recommended:
1. Install the software
First install the software on your computer. The following components will be installed:
ShowCenter Quickstart Assistant ShowCenter application ShowCenter server Example files
2. Quickstart Assistant
The Quickstart Assistant will start automatically as soon as the software installation is complete. The Quickstart Assistant will help you to set up all necessary preferences for the system step-by-step.
3. Connect the equipment
Now make the connections between the ShowCenter Player and your computer and to the TV set and/or your stereo system.
Depending on the product version, the network can be connected with cables or can be wireless.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

Installing the software

This section describes the installation of the ShowCenter software on your PC. In the course of the installation, the Pinnacle ShowCenter program group will be created with its sub-groups, into which all necessary software components will be copied.
You must have administrator rights in order to carry out the installation under Windows 2000 / Windows XP. You must be a member of the "main user" group or higher to be able to use the applications.
1. Insert the installation CD
Place the installation CD provided in the appropriate drive of your computer. The setup program will now start automatically or you can start autorun.exe from the CD-ROM.
The installation program will now start with the following dialog box:
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Setting up the ShowCenter system
2. Choose language, click Next
Choose the required language for the installation process and the software to be installed and then click Next.
3. Click Next
Click again on Next to continue with the installation.
4. Accept the licence agreement and click Next
Please read the licence agreement carefully, confirm your agreement by choosing the appropriate option and then click Next.
5. Enter the user information and click Next
Enter the required user information and the serial number (see CD sleeve). Choose whether the application is to be available for use by all users of the computer or only by you. Then click Next.
6. Choose Setup type, click Next
Here you can choose which type of installation you want to carry out.
Complete
The program will be installed with all functions. Requires the most memory space.
Custom
You can choose the options to be installed yourself. Recommended for experienced users. Amongst other things, you can change the target path for
the folder in which the software is to be installed here. When you have made your choice, click Next.
7. Choose components, click Next
If you have chosen the custom setup, you can choose those specific components that you want to install in the following window. After you have
defined the installation, click Next.
This installation step is not necessary if you have chosen the Complete setup.
8. Start installation
The system is now ready for installation. Click the Install button to start the copying process.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
9. Desktop shortcut
If you want a shortcut on your desktop, now click Yes.
10. Restart the system
If Windows suggests restarting the system, do this now.
11. Installing third-party applications
After the system has been restarted, further programs will be installed if you have selected these as components (e.g. Acrobat ® Reader).
12. Continue with the section "Quickstart Assistant"
On completing the software installation, please continue with the section "Quickstart Assistant".
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Setting up the ShowCenter system

The Quickstart Assistant

The Quickstart Assistant will start automatically as soon as the software installation is complete. The Quickstart Assistant will help you to set up all
necessary preferences for the system step-by-step. You can close the Quickstart Assistant at any time and run it again later from
the Start menu via the Pinnacle program group. Most preferences can also be set up in the ShowCenter application. To do
this, open the ShowCenter application either from the Start menu via the Pinnacle program group or by double-clicking on the desktop shortcut.
The following window will open:
The individual steps are explained here in brief. In each case, follow the instructions on the screen.
Importing the Windows Media Player database
This function is only supported from Version 9 of the Windows Media Player. If only an older version of Windows Media Player is installed, then the import function is not available.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
The Windows Media Player database on your PC is searched for information on compatible media files (music, videos, photos). In doing so, not only are the Microsoft demo files found but also other files, which may be on your computer and stored in the Windows Media Player database. All files in question will be imported into the ShowCenter database.
Importing TV recordings from a Pinnacle PCTV product
This function is only available when a Pinnacle PCTV product is installed on your PC.
TV programmes, which have been recorded with a Pinnacle PCTV product, can be imported into the ShowCenter database and you can view these on your TV set via the ShowCenter Player. A watched folder can be created for these recordings on your computer so that all recordings that are made are imported into the ShowCenter database automatically.
Importing other media files
In the step that now follows, you are asked which folders and/or hard drives on your PC should be searched for other media files. Folders to be searched can, for example, be the Windows "My Computer" folder, other folders or even complete hard drives on your computer. All files on your computer that are
found and which are compatible will be imported into the ShowCenter database.
Folders used by ShowCenter
First of all, the folders on your PC, which are to be used for music files from audio CDs and for photos from a digital camera, are defined here.
A folder is then selected, in which all converted files are to be stored. Please note that converted files use a lot of memory space, particularly when long movies are concerned.
A temporary folder for the burning of CDs/DVDs is also selected. Here, too, it should be noted that a lot of memory space is required.
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Setting up the ShowCenter system
Code for restricted file access
The access to particular media files via the menu on the screen can be restricted by means of an access code. When you specify an access code, the media files concerned can only be viewed on the TV set or listened to on the stereo system by people who know this access code.
The media files, for which restricted access is to apply, are defined individually in the function area of the ShowCenter application under the Organize tab.
Note: The access code only applies for playing media via the menu on the TV screen. All files will continue to be accessible via the ShowCenter application on the PC!
Network connections
With the help of the Quickstart Assistant, you now configure the network connections for the ShowCenter system and connect the devices. Follow the instructions on the screen.
You should also have the section of the manual entitled "Connecting devices" to hand, which describes the procedure in pictures and in words.
Closing the Quickstart Assistant
Once you have gone through all the steps in the Quickstart Assistant, all the necessary settings for your ShowCenter system will have been made. No further settings are required.
All ShowCenter components are now ready for use and you can start viewing movies or photos on your TV set or playing music files via your stereo system immediately.
To close the Quickstart Assistant, click on the Finish button.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

Connecting devices

ShowCenter Player - Front view
The following control and indicating devices are located on the front of the ShowCenter Player:
On/Off switch LED status indicator for "Standby" and On/Off Infrared receiver for remote control LED signal indicator (e.g. "New files in watched folder")
ShowCenter Player - Rear view
The connections on the rear of the ShowCenter Player are described in detail in the following steps.
1. Connecting the ShowCenter Player to a TV set
SCART output / Video and audio output
Europe: Connect the SCART output of the ShowCenter Player to a free SCART input of your TV set using the SCART cable provided. If possible, your TV's SCART connector should support RGB signals, as this transmission provides the best picture quality. You should later change over to SCART-RGB using the ShowCenter Player's Preferences menu.
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Setting up the ShowCenter system
USA: Connect the"Analog Video Out" output to a suitable video input of your TV set using the video cable provided (yellow plug). Also, connect the analogue audio outputs marked "A" to the corresponding stereo audio inputs of your TV set using the stereo audio cable provided (red and white plugs).
More about the video outputs
S-Video output: This provides better quality than the normal analogue video output.
Component Video output: This connection has the best possible video quality due to the separate transmission of the video components. Furthermore, the "PAL progressive" format and various HD formats (USA only) are also provided here. However, only the most recent television sets have a Component input.
Connecting a VGA monitor
You can also drive a VGA monitor or a projector with a VGA input from the SCART output of the ShowCenter Player using the VGA-SCART adapter cable, which is available as a separate accessory. In this case, the video mode is always 1024x768, 60Hz.
Note: When the ShowCenter Player is switched on for the first time, only the SCART output together with the analogue video output and the S-Video output are active. A VGA monitor or a television set connected to the other outputs will therefore initially remain dark. You can change over to the other outputs by means of the "Video Out" button on the remote control. Press the button and then wait for five seconds. If no picture appears, then press the button again and wait once more. This procedure must be repeated up to eleven times in order to switch through all video output modes. Before switching off the ShowCenter Player, you must still select the correct video output via the Preferences, as the setting using the "Video Out" button is only temporary.
2. Connecting the ShowCenter Player to a Hi-Fi system
Analogue audio outputs
Connect the analogue audio outputs, e.g. "B" (Left/Right), to the appropriate inputs of your stereo system. Take care to ensure the correct colour orientation when doing so.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
Digital audio outputs
If you have a Surround Sound system, you can use either the ShowCenter Player's coaxial connector or the fibre optic connector to make the appropriate connections.
The sound for movies with Dolby®Digital ("AC3") is only output via the digital and not via the analogue audio outputs.
3. Connecting the ShowCenter Player to a PC
There are several ways of making a network connection between your PC and the ShowCenter Player:
Network connection - using cables with direct connection between PC and
ShowCenter Player (crossover)
Network connection - using cables, connection between PC and ShowCenter
Player via a router for example
Network connection - wireless Choose the option, which is most suitable for you depending upon the
technical circumstances.
Network connection - using cables, direct (crossover)
Connect the ShowCenter Player's Ethernet connector to the network card in your PC using the Ethernet cable provided.
Note: In this case, the crossover cable provided must also be used.
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Setting up the ShowCenter system
The following diagram shows an overview of the principle:
Network connection - using cables, via router
If you have a network router connected to your PC, connect the ShowCenter Player's Ethernet connector to a free Ethernet connector on the router using
the Ethernet cable provided.
Note: "DHCP" must be switched on in the router.
The following diagram shows an overview of the principle:
Network connection - wireless
Plug a Pinnacle-certified wireless network expansion module into the expansion slot provided in the ShowCenter Player.
Configuring the wireless network connection
If you are setting up your wireless network for the first time, then choose "ShowCenter" as the SSID - in doing so, take note of upper/lower case letters. As standard, the ShowCenter Player is pre-configured to the SSID "ShowCenter" and the WEP encryption is switched off.
If you already have a wireless network, then you must set its SSID and, if necessary, also the WEP key, on the ShowCenter Player. To do this, proceed as follows:
1. Switch on your ShowCenter Player. First the logo and then, after a few seconds, the server selection menu, will appear on the TV screen.
2. Press the B button on the remote control. The firmware setup page will appear.
3. Select WiFi Setup with the cursor keys and press OK.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
4. On this page, you can now enter the SSID of your wireless network. When doing so, take note of upper/lower case letters (use the C/N button on the remote control to change over if necessary).
5. If necessary, also switch on the WEP encryption and enter the WEP key for your wireless network.
6. If your wireless network does not have an access point, but instead you want to connect the ShowCenter Player directly to your PC via a PC-WiFi adapter, then choose "Direct to a computer (ad hoc)".
7. After entering all the data, you must still navigate to the Save button and press OK. The ShowCenter Player will now carry out a restart.
The WEP key must be entered as a 10-digit (64-bit encryption) or a 20-digit (128-bit encryption) hexadecimal number, e.g."7a3f017b30" (64 bit). You can switch between lowercase letters, uppercase letters and numbers using the "C/N" button on the remote control. When you display the WiFi Settings page again later, the fields for the WEP key will always be empty for security reasons - the key is stored internally however.
4. Connecting to the mains supply
Use the mains cable provided to connect the ShowCenter Player to the mains supply.
5. Fitting the batteries in the remote control
Insert the batteries provided as shown in the battery compartment of the remote control.
After making all the connections, you can switch on the ShowCenter Player
and the other devices.
Pinnacle Systems wishes you hours of enjoyment with Pinnacle
ShowCenter!
22

The ShowCenter application

Overview

What the ShowCenter application does
The ShowCenter application is installed on your PC and is used for importing
music files movies and other video files, and digital photos
into the continuously updated ShowCenter database and for the management and organisation of these files.
If you like, you can create playlists in which you can bring together your favourite music, movies or photos organised in accordance with your own criteria. These playlists can also be exported for the purposes of burning an audio CD, for example.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter
The ShowCenter application start window
You can start the ShowCenter application either from the Start menu via the Pinnacle program group or by double-clicking on the desktop shortcut. The
following window will open:
The window is divided into the following areas:
Area 1:
The function area on the top left-hand side with the Import, Organize, Playlists and Export tabs.
Area 2:
The Media Player on the top right-hand side.
Area 3:
The Media Library in the bottom part with the Music, Movies and Photos tabs.
Menu bar:
At the top edge, you will also see the menu bar with the supporting menus File, Edit and Help.
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The ShowCenter application
The window view changes depending on the choice of different functions and list types and the three areas work interactively and closely together. You will find detailed information on the individual areas in the following sections.
The Media Library and the Media Player area are explained first in order to provide the basic tools for working with the application.
The special functions, Import, Organize, Playlists and Export as well as the menus are explained in the later sections.
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Pinnacle ShowCenter

The Media Library

An overview of the Media Library
Types of media
The Media Library represents the contents of the database with reference to the three different types of media, divided into the
Music tab Movies tab and the Photos tab.
Categories
Within the media types, you can switch between the following categories on the right-hand side:
Library:
All files contained in the database are shown.
Last imported:
The last files imported are displayed. If, for example, 3 CDs are imported one after the other, then only the song titles of the third CD will be visible here.
New media:
The last files imported over a period of one day are displayed.
Playlists:
The files contained in the selected playlist are displayed.
When the application is installed, example files are copied to the hard drive of your PC and automatically imported into the ShowCenter database. These are visible in the appropriate categories the very first time the application is started.
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