Pinnacle Systems ShowCenter - 1.7 User Guide

Pinnacle ShowCenter

User’s Guide

explicit written permission from Pinnacle Systems GmbH, Braunschweig, Germany.

All brand or product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.

Manufactured under license from Dolby Laboratories. "Dolby" and the double-D symbol are trademarks of Dolby Laboratories.

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.

Basics....................................................................................................................1

Safety Instructions.............................................................................................1

The Idea in Words .............................................................................................4

The Idea in a Picture..........................................................................................5

The Components................................................................................................6

Package Contents ..............................................................................................7

System Requirements ........................................................................................9

Set up Your ShowCenter System........................................................................11

Set up Your ShowCenter System in Two Steps - Overview ...........................11

Installing the Software.....................................................................................12

Connecting Your Devices ...............................................................................14

Configuration of a Network Connection .........................................................19

Pinnacle MediaManager .....................................................................................25

Overview .........................................................................................................25

The Media Library...........................................................................................28

The Media Player ............................................................................................34

Importing Media Files .....................................................................................36

Organizing Media Files ...................................................................................48

Using Playlists.................................................................................................52

Exporting Media Files .....................................................................................55

The Menus.......................................................................................................61

Real Rhapsody Music Service.........................................................................66

File Formats.....................................................................................................69

Television ...........................................................................................................73

Turning on the ShowCenter Player and the Television...................................73

Introduction to the TV Menu...........................................................................74

TV Menu - Music ............................................................................................76

TV Menu - Movies ..........................................................................................79

TV Menu - Photos ........................................................................................... 82

TV Menu - PCTV............................................................................................86

TV Menu - Settings .........................................................................................89

iii

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Remote Control...................................................................................................95

Remote Control Keypad Layout......................................................................95

Button Descriptions in Detail ..........................................................................96

Troubleshooting for the Remote Control ......................................................100

Specifications....................................................................................................101

Hardware .......................................................................................................101

Technical Support.............................................................................................103

Getting Technical support .............................................................................103

License information ..........................................................................................105

Pinnacle End User License Agreement ......................................................... 105

Glossary ............................................................................................................109

Index .................................................................................................................117

Basics

Safety Instructions

Please read and follow these instructions for your own safety, and to ensure that your device functions properly.

Power Cable and Plug

Please make sure to obey the following instructions in order to prevent the device from malfunctioning and to prevent electrical shock, fires, and injuries:

 When disconnecting the power to your device, always unplug it by pulling

the plug itself and not the cable.

 Don't ever plug in or unplug the power cable with wet hands.  Keep the power cable away from heaters and radiators.  Never put heavy objects on the power cable.  Don't try to repair the power cable yourself or to modify it in any way, shape,

or form.

 Regularly clean off the dust, dirt, etc. from the plug.  If you drop the device or damage it in any fashion, turn it off and disconnect

the power plug.

 If the device produces smoke, strange smells, or noises, turn it off and

disconnect the power plug. Contact your dealer immediately.

Where Not to Install the Device

Do not install the device in any of the following locations:  In direct sunlight, next to radiators or other heat sources or in vehicles parked

in direct sunlight with all the windows rolled up and the doors closed.

 Locations with extremely high temperatures (95°F or greater) or levels of

humidity (90% or greater).

 Very dusty or sandy locations.  Locations where there are vibrations, shaking or slanted surfaces underneath.

This could damage the components in the device.

 On flammable surfaces such as cloth-covered tables.  Keep the device away from flower vases, bathtubs, sinks, etc., and from

locations where the device is exposed to precipitation. The device may be severely damaged if any liquid enters it.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Problems With Other Devices

 Set up the device in a horizontal position and do not place any heavy objects

on it.

 Do not place the device on an amplifier or any other device that gives off

heat.

Housing and Internal Components

 Never remove or open any part of the housing and do not try to perform any

repairs yourself. Any maintenance or repair work should be done by a qualified repair person.

 Keep fingers and objects away from the inside of the device.

It is dangerous to touch any of the components inside the device. Doing so may injure you and damage the device.

 Do not place any foreign objects on the device.

Condensation

Condensation may develop in the device in the following circumstances:

 Right after a nearby heater or radiator has been turned on.  In a very humid or steam-filled room.  If the device has been moved from a cold location to a warm one.

Condensation in the device may cause it to malfunction. In this case, turn off the device and wait around 1 hour until the condensation has evaporated. Then you can use it again.

Non-Use

 Turn off the device when you are not using it.  If you are not planning on using the device for a long period of time, you

should unplug it from the power socket.

Accessories

Use only the accessories included with or recommended for the device in order to minimize the risk of fire, electrical shock or interference.

Batteries

 Put in the batteries shipped with the device as shown in the remote control

battery case.

 NEVER combine old and new batteries or different types of batteries

(alkaline and non-alkaline).

 Once the batteries are discharged, make sure to dispose of them in

accordance with legal and environmental requirements.

Basics

Copyrights

Make sure not to violate any copyrights when you use music, movie and digital photo files.

Any changes or additions to the printed documentation can be found in the

read-me file on the CD-ROM included with the device.

The CE Declaration of Compliance and the FCC Compliance Statement for Pinnacle ShowCenter are included as PDF files on the CD-ROM included with the device.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

The Idea in Words

Pinnacle ShowCenter allows you to playback the following media types:

 Music files  Movies and other video files  digital photos

You can download them from various sources, including the internet, and

manage them on your PC, view them on your TV or play them back on your stereo system. And, so that you don't have to get up from the couch to switch files, it comes with a convenient remote control.

Pinnacle ShowCenter combines a living-room component, a home PC, a remote control and media-management software.

Pinnacle ShowCenter organizes all your media files in an intelligent multimedia database on your PC so that you can easily find them and have

easy, convenient access to them. Do you use the broadband internet access on your PC (DSL or cable modem) to

download audio and video files, but would like to be able to organize them and play them back any time you want? Do you want to archive your digital photos, movies, and audio CDs so that you have instant access to them?

Pinnacle ShowCenter is the perfect solution in both cases! Pinnacle ShowCenter allows you to organize your media collection so that

you can play back your favorite movies, pull up your favorite photos and listen to your favorite music on your stereo system any time you want.

Pinnacle ShowCenter allows you to create one simple system that keeps your PC out of your living room but still lets you enjoy all the benefits of modern media.

At the end of this manual is a section entitled "Glossary" where you can look up definitions of unfamiliar terms. If you're still not sure what to do, please consult the manuals for your television, your stereo system, and your PC components.

Basics

The Idea in a Picture

This overview shows one possible setup of the system components in your house:

Pinnacle ShowCenter

The Components

The Pinnacle ShowCenter system consists of the following components:

Hardware

ShowCenter Player

The ShowCenter Player creates a multimedia home network together with your PC and your television and/or your stereo system. The ShowCenter

Player acts like a network client, allowing you to view on your television or play back on your stereo system any movies, photos, and songs that are stored on your PC.

Depending your model, your network connection may be wired or wireless.

Remote Control (Infrared)

The remote control allows you to use the menu displayed on the television screen.

Software

Pinnacle MediaManager

The Pinnacle MediaManager Application, which is installed on your PC, permits you to import, manage and organize music files, movies, and digital photos in your constantly updated ShowCenter Database. You can also create playlists where your favorite music, movies, or photos are organized according to your own special criteria.

The media files on your PC can come from the internet, from your audio CDs or from your digital camera.

ShowCenter Server

The ShowCenter Server installed on your PC is what connects the ShowCenter Application to the ShowCenter Player. The Server delivers data selected in the TV menu to the ShowCenter Player so that you can play it back on your television set or stereo system.

ShowCenter Database

The ShowCenter Database is used by the Pinnacle MediaManager Application and the Server to exchange information across all media. The database contains all the information about storage locations and file types and stores any other available information (e.g., playlists). This ensures that the Pinnacle MediaManager can easily find all the data and that the Server can make any file available to be played back on the television and/or stereo system.

Basics

Package Contents

Before you start the installation, check to make sure that you have all the package contents. If a part is missing or damaged, contact your dealer immediately. Keep the packaging material in case you have to transport the original parts again.

Your Package Contains

Hardware

ShowCenter Player

with integrated power supply

SCART cable

(only in Europe)

Remote control with

"Mignon 1.5 V"

batteries

(R06, AA)

Video and audio

cable

(only outside

Europe)

Power cable

(different for each

country)

SCART-VGA

adapter

(only for some

models)

Ethernet cable

(length: 33')

Crossover cable

(length: 16', only for

some models)

CD-ROM with

applications,

sample files and

drivers

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Documentation

QuickStart guide User manual

Note: some models may not have the same package contents as shown above.

Software

The following software is on the CD-ROM:  Software for Windows 2000 or Windows XP

Pinnacle ShowCenter does not support Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition or Windows NT.

 Pinnacle MediaManager  ShowCenter Server

Note: some models may not have the same package contents as shown above.

You also need

 Computer  Television and/or stereo system

Basics

System Requirements

Your system must meet the following requirements for your Pinnacle ShowCenter to work properly:

Computer Hardware

Processor

You must have at least a Pentium® III 1GHz, or a comparable AMD processor

- We recommend a Pentium® 4 1.8 GHz or a comparable AMD processor.

RAM

256 MB minimum - 512 MB recommended.

Hard Drive

At least 5 GB available storage space on your hard drive.

Graphics Card

DirectDraw-compatible graphics card (AGP graphics card with MPEG 2 decoding support recommended) with 16 Bit color depth (65536 colors) or greater and 800 x 600 pixel or better resolution.

DirectDraw support: Before you can use the application, you must have a graphics card and DirectX

9.x installed. The installer will check to make sure that your system meets these requirements and, if necessary, will automatically install DirectX 9.x.

Sound Card

DirectX 9.x-compatible sound card.

Ethernet Connection

 10BaseT - 100BaseT recommended.  For setting up a wireless network connection your PC must have a WLAN

adapter or must be connected to an existing access point.

If you are using a 10BaseT Ethernet connection, you may encounter problems when streaming high-bandwidth video files. We strongly recommend that you have a 100BaseT connection, especially if you are using other network functions.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Computer Software

Windows 2000 with Service Pack 4 installed (or higher) or Windows XP with Service Pack 1 installed (or higher).

Set up Your ShowCenter System

Set up Your ShowCenter System in Two Steps Overview

This section provides an overview of how to set up your ShowCenter system. Each step will be explained in detail in the following chapters.

We recommend the following procedure:

1. Install the software

First install the software on your computer. You will install the following components:

 Pinnacle MediaManager  ShowCenter Server  Sample files

2. Connecting Your Devices

Now connect the ShowCenter Player to your computer as well as your television and/or stereo system.

Depending on your model, you may use wired or wireless network connections.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Installing the Software

This section explains how to install the ShowCenter software on your PC. The installer will create a Pinnacle ShowCenter program group with several subgroups where it will copy all the software components you need.

You will need administrator privileges to install the software under Windows 2000 / Windows XP. You must be a member of the "Power User" group or higher in order to use the applications.

1. Insert the Installation CD

Insert the installation CD in your CD drive. The setup program will either launch automatically or you will have to launch autorun.exe from the CDROM.

The installer will launch, and display the following dialog box:

2. Choose Language, Click Next

Choose your language for the installation and the software and then click next.

3. Click Next

Click Next again to continue with the installation.

Set up Your ShowCenter System

4. Agree to the License Agreement and Click Next

Please read the license agreement carefully, agree to it by selecting the corresponding option and then click Next.

5. Enter Your User Information and Click Next

Enter the user information and serial number (see CD case). Specify whether the application should be made available for all users on the computer, or only for yourself. Then click Next.

6. Select the Setup Type and Click Next

Next, you select a setup type.

Complete

The program is installed with full functionality. Takes up the most space on your hard drive.

Custom

You can choose which options should be installed yourself. Recommended for advanced users. Among other things, you can also change the destination path for the directory where the software is installed.

Click Next once you are finished.

7. Select Components, Click Next

If you have chosen the Custom setup, you will be asked to select which components you want installed. Once you are finished with this, click Next.

This step is not necessary if you have opted for the Complete setup.

8. Start the Installation

The system is now ready to install. Click the Install button in order to start copying.

9. Desktop Shortcut

Click Yes if you want a shortcut on your desktop.

10. Reboot Your System

If Windows asks you to reboot, you should reboot your system now.

11. Install Third-Party Applications

After rebooting, you can install any other programs that you have selected as components (such as Acrobat® Reader).

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Connecting Your Devices

ShowCenter Player - Front View

The following operating and signaling elements are located on the front of the ShowCenter Player:

 Power on/off switch  LED status indicator - stand by, on/off  Infrared receiver for the remote control  LED indicator for signals (e.g. "New files in watch folder")

ShowCenter Player - Rear View

The connections on the rear of the ShowCenter Player are explained in detail in the following steps.

1. Connecting the ShowCenter Player to the Television

SCART Out / Video and Audio Out

Europe: Connect the SCART cable included in the package to the SCART Output on the ShowCenter Player and to an available SCART Input on your television. If at all possible, select a SCART connection on your television that supports RGB signals, since this will provide the best possible image quality.

Set up Your ShowCenter System

Make sure to change the settings in the ShowCenter Player's Preferences menu to SCART RGB.

U.S.: Connect the Analog Video Output to an analog Video Input on your television using the video cable (yellow plug) from the package. Next, connect the "A" Analog Audio Out jacks to the stereo Audio In jacks on your television using the stereo audio cable (red and white plugs) from the package.

Configuration of a Network Connection

After you turn on the ShowCenter Player, you see the following Server Selection menu on the connected television. The configuration differs depending on the type of connection (Ethernet cable or wireless).

If the display on your ShowCenter Player differs from what you see here, your firmware is not the latest version. In this case, we recommend first updating the firmware by connecting the ShowCenter Player to your PC or network using an Ethernet cable. The update is then performed automatically. It is also possible to configure a wireless connection using older versions of the firmware, but this is neither very easy nor convenient. If you would like to know more, refer to the section "Wireless Network Connections (Old Firmware)".

Ethernet Network Connection

For a network connection via an Ethernet cable, first remove any wireless networking card from the ShowCenter Player. Choose the Wired (Ethernet) button by selecting it with the blue navigation buttons on the remote control and

Pinnacle ShowCenter

then pressing the OK button. The ShowCenter now automatically detects the PCs in your network which have ShowCenter software running. They are listed on the right. Select one of these PCs and press OK to create the connection.

Pressing the B button will allow you to access further menu pages for the ShowCenter network configuration. This is only necessary for special settings, for example, if you want to manually configure the IP address of the ShowCenter Player.

Wireless Network Connection

A wireless network connection (WLAN) can be created in two ways. The first way is to create a wireless connection directly between the ShowCenter

Player and a PC. This is also called "ad hoc mode" or a "wireless direct connection". For this, your PC must have a WLAN adapter.

The second way is to use "infrastructure mode" via a WLAN access point (WLAN router).

In the following, PC configuration for a wireless network is described first.

Wireless Direct Connection (Ad Hoc Mode)

First make sure that the WLAN adapter on you PC is properly installed, activated, and functioning.

Open the control panel via Start/Settings. Double-click on the Network and Dial-up Connections icon and then on the

icon for the WLAN adapter on your PC. Click on Advanced and then on Add. If you have installed Windows XP

Service Pack 2, click on Modify advanced settings, then on the Wireless Networks tab and then on Add.

In the following dialog window, enter a name for the network (letters and numbers without spaces) and then for the network authentication type, select Open.

If you would like to encrypt your network, select WEP as data encryption and deactivate the checkbox The key is provided for me automatically. Now enter a network key.

However, we recommend that you first deactivate the encryption to make it easier for you to check whether the wireless connection is functioning correctly.

The network key is the "password" for your wireless network. It has to be entered in hexadecimal format (digits 0 to 9 and letters a to f only). For 64-bit encryption, the key needs to be made up of exactly ten Hex characters. For 128bit encryption, it is 26 Hex characters. Make a note of the key, since you will also need to enter it in the ShowCenter Player.

Set up Your ShowCenter System

Finally, do not forget to activate the checkbox This is a computer-to-computer (ad hoc) network and confirm it twice with OK. Your PC is now waiting for a

wireless connection with the ShowCenter.

Connecting to an Access Point (Infrastructure Mode)

Make sure that your access point is activated and properly configured and that there is a network connection to the PC which has ShowCenter software running. If your wireless network uses WEP encryption, you need the WEP key as a Hex character string for the following.

Wireless Network Configuration for the ShowCenter Player

Insert the wireless networking card into the ShowCenter Player expansion slot and disconnect any Ethernet cable. Select the Wireless (WiFi) button in the Server Selection menu of the ShowCenter Player by selecting it with the blue navigation buttons on the remote control and then pressing the OK button. Or you can press the C button to do this. The ShowCenter Player then performs a reset, searches for wireless networks and after a few seconds, displays the results.

In this menu, choose the name (SSID) of your wireless network and press OK. If no network is displayed, check the configuration of your WLAN adapter or WLAN access point and select Re-Scan to perform a new search for wireless networks.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

After choosing the network, you see the following menu:

The network name (SSID) is already automatically configured here. Activate the Direct to a computer checkbox if this is a wireless direct connection ("adhoc"). If you use WEP encryption in your network, select the type of key and then enter the key under WEP Key.

When entering a hexadecimal key, you may only use the numbers 0 to 9 and the lower-case letters a to f. The C/N key can be used to switch between upper and lower-case letters and between letters and numbers.

After completing your entry, press the SAVE button. The ShowCenter Player restarts and after a few seconds the Server Selection menu appears again. An attempt is made to connect to the previously configured wireless network - this may take a few minutes. When the connection has been made, the PCs on your network, which have ShowCenter software running, are displayed on the right. Select one of these PCs and press OK to connect the ShowCenter Player with this server PC.

Wireless Network Connections (Old Firmware)

Old versions of the ShowCenter Player firmware cannot perform automatic searchs for wireless networks. In this case, a connection is created by pressing the B button in the Server Selection menu and then selecting WiFi Setup. Enter the configuration data for the wireless connection into this menu. In this case, the WEP key must be entered in hexadecimal code and must be either ten or 26 characters long (64 or 128-bit encryption).

For a wireless direct connection, you also need to configure your server PC as described previously.

Set up Your ShowCenter System

After a connection has been made, a firmware update is automatically performed. After this, you may need to reenter the configuration data for the ShowCenter Player, since it can be deleted by the update.

More Network Configuration Tips

Firmware Updates

The latest versions of the ShowCenter software usually contain the latest version of the ShowCenter Player firmware. This is automatically loaded after the installation. After a firmware update, you may need to reconfigure a new wireless network, since the current settings can be deleted by the firmware update.

Manually Adding a Server

If your server PC is not automatically detected, you can add it manually. To do this, first open a command prompt on your server PC and enter the command ipconfig. Windows now displays the IP addresses of all the network adapters. Make a note of the IP address of the adapter, over which the connection to the ShowCenter Player should be made.

After this, press the A button in the Server Selection menu and then select Add a server. Enter a name for the server and the previously noted IP address, and save the settings. The new server PC now appears in the Server Selection menu.

Automatically Connect With a Server

If you only use one server PC, you can automatically connect to this server. To do this, press the A button in the Server Selection menu. Then select Edit a

server and choose your server PC. Now activate the checkbox Always connect to this server and save the setting.

Manual Network Configuration

You can access the setting pages for manually configuring Ethernet and wireless networks by pressing the B button in the Server Selection menu. We recommend using these settings only in special circumstances or when no connection can be made otherwise.

WLAN Network Extensions for the ShowCenter

For an 802.11g standard network connection (54Mbit/sec), you can only use the card provided by Pinnacle. This card is not suitable for use in other devices such as notebooks.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

WLAN Range and Data Rates

The range of wireless networks is limited and decreases drastically when devices are separated by walls. Many manufacturers of WLAN products indicate ranges based on measurements made on open fields and under ideal circumstances. In practice, actual performance does not even come close to the ranges indicated. In our tests, we have found that the distance of transmission is not more than eleven yards if there is a wall in the way.

The maximum data rate for realtime video transmission using the 802.11g standard is approximately 9 to 10 Mbit/sec. This is sufficient even for DVDcompatible formats. However, when the distance is increased or when walls are in the transmission path, the maximum data rate decreases.

Firewalls

If you use a firewall between your PC and ShowCenter, then ports 8000 (TCP) and 1900 (UDP) must be enabled because they are required for communication between the ShowCenter Player and the server. Many WLAN access points are at the same routers, i.e. they establish connections to the Internet (e.g. via DSL or cable modem). In this case, a firewall is generally integrated which, however, only works "outward" (that is, in the direction of the Internet). The aforementioned ports should not be enabled for such a firewall as the contents of your media database are otherwise visible from the Internet.

Limitation to Special MAC Addresses

If you have configured the access point to secure your wireless network so that it permits only devices with certain MAC addresses, you must add the MAC address of the ShowCenter WLAN network expansion card to this list. The MAC address is located on a sticker on the ShowCenter network card. Note that this is not the MAC address that is indicated in the settings of the ShowCenter Player.

Permanent IP Address

As a standard the ShowCenter Player uses an IP address assigned via DHCP. If no DHCP server is on the network, ShowCenter selects an IP address itself.

You can also manually assign a permanent IP address to the ShowCenter Player for special network configurations. In order to do so, press the "B" button on the remote control in the Server Selection menu. Now select IP Config and then Switch to manual. Now you can enter the values.

Pinnacle MediaManager

Overview

What the Pinnacle MediaManager Does

The Pinnacle MediaManager is installed on your PC so that you can import the following:

 Music files  Movies and other video files  Digital photos

You can manage and organize these files in the MediaManager database which is constantly updated.

You can also create personal playlists – compilations of your favorite songs, movies or photos organized according to your own criteria. These playlists can also be exported so that, among other things, you can burn an audio CD.

Pinnacle ShowCenter

Main Window of the Pinnacle MediaManager

You can launch the Pinnacle MediaManager from the Pinnacle program group in the Start Menu or by double-clicking the Desktop shortcut. The following window will open:

The window contains the following sections:

Section 1:

The Tools section with the Import, Organize, Playlists and Export tabs, located in the upper left-hand corner.

Section 2:

The Media Player in the upper right-hand corner.

Section 3:

The Media Library with the Music, Movies and Photos tabs, located in the bottom half of the window.

Menu Bar:

At the very top of the window is the menu bar, which contains the File, Edit, Tools and Help menus.

+ 92 hidden pages

Pinnacle Systems ShowCenter - 1.7 User Guide

Table Of Contents

Basics

Safety Instructions

The Idea in Words

The Idea in a Picture

The Components

Package Contents

System Requirements

Set up Your ShowCenter System

Installing the Software

Connecting Your Devices

Configuration of a Network Connection

Pinnacle MediaManager

Overview

What the Pinnacle MediaManager Does

Main Window of the Pinnacle MediaManager