neoDVD6.0  Troubleshooting
   

          Miscellaneous Issues

6-1

Can I use my DVD or VCD video projects that I created with an earlier version of neoDVD, when I upgrade to neoSTUDIO?

If you have an earlier version of neoDVD, the new neoSTUDIO will handle your DVD and VCD projects just as before. The DVD and VCD projects created will open right up in neoSTUDIO. You will however, get a newer and more intuitive version of the neoTaskBar, which allows you to have easy access to the activities you want to perform within the neoSTUDIO modules.

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6-2

Can I playback DVDs and CDs created by neoSTUDIO on my set-top box?

In most cases, you will be able to play your disc on your set-top box. This depends on the file format and type of disc used. You will need to verify that your set-top box supports the playback of the recordable media you have chosen; check the user manual and any special instructions from the set-top box manufacturer. You can check media playback compatibility using the table below:

MEDIA TYPE PLAYBACK ON
DVD on CD-R/RW disc DVD-ROM drive; CD-R/RW drive; miniDVD-compatible set-top player.
DVD on DVD-R/RW disc DVD-ROM drive; DVD-R/RW- compatible DVD set-top player.
DVD on DVD+R/RW disc DVD-ROM drive; DVD+R/RW- compatible DVD set-top player.
DVD on DVD-RAM disc DVD-RAM drive; DVD-RAM compatible DVD set-top player.
VCD on CD-R/RW disc DVD-ROM drive; CD-R/RW drive; VCD-compatible set-top player.

 

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6-3

Why can’t I use the AVI file that I have in order to create a DVD?

If your AVI file has been compressed with additional codec, you must have the codec pre-installed on your system before importing the file into neoSTUDIO.

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6-4

Is widescreen supported in neoSTUDIO?

Widescreen is not supported in neoSTUDIO so any source file that is a widescreen format will be converted to 4:3 formats.

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6-5

I can’t I play the DVD-Video disc I created with neoDVD on my set-top DVD player, what is wrong?

Make sure the set-top DVD player supports the media type you are using as not all set-top DVD players play from a recorded media. To make sure neoDVD recorded DVD-Video disc properly, try using a player from your computer using the DVD-Recorder. If the content is played properly on your computer, in most cases the set-top DVD player you have does not support the media format your using.

PROBLEM EXPLANATION/RESOLUTION
Set-Top DVD Player not able to play recorded DVD The Set-Top Player may not support the recorded DVD media type that the player cannot physically read, such as DVD-RAM.
Also some recorded formats may not be supported from the Set-Top Player, such as DVD-VR.
Consult your Set-Top Player to see if it supports the media type your trying to play
Not able to play or copy some movies Most commercial movies are encrypted with CSS preventing direct copying of files without an authentication process between the decoder and the drive.
It is illegal to copy commercial movies.
Problem may be present in the driver or software that prevent proper playback. Update all necessary drivers and software.

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6-6

Why can’t I play the DVD-Video created on DVD-RAM disc?

Most set-top DVD Players do not play or recognize a DVD-RAM disc. You can play DVD-Video DVD-RAM discs on PCs with DVD-RAM compatible drive or set-top DVD-Recorder that supports DVD-RAM disc.

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6-7

My neoSTUDIO came bundled with my recorder but its missing Dolby Digital (AC3) support, why and how can I get this feature in my neoSTUDIO?

The version of neoSTUDIO you have is considered an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacture) version and depending on the vendor, the Dolby Digital feature may or may not be pre-installed.

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6-8

Why can’t I capture more than 2GB?

The limitation on the size of files is dependent on the operating system. Below is a chart that shows the operating system size limitation.

OS File System Max File Size
Windows 95 FAT16 2 GB
Windows NT 4.0 NTFS 2 TB
Windows 98 FAT32 4 GB
Windows ME FAT32 4 GB
Windows 2000 NTFS 2 TB

 

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6-9

Is neoSTUDIO using VBR or CBR?

To obtain a best quality with longer playing time, neoSTUDIO uses VBR (Variable Bit Rate Compression) instead of CBR (Constant Bit Rate) which is mainly used for non-complex video.

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6-10

Does neoSTUDIO support Dual-Layer recording?

At current time, neoSTUDIO does not support Dual-Layer recording. Please check MedioStream’s website (http://www.mediostream.com) for future development of Dual-Layer and other new technology that will be incorporated.

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6-11

How can I optimize my computer for best results?

To ensure the best performance please consider the following:

  1. Update your drivers and your operating system: Manufacturers like Dell, Compaq, HP, Gateway, NEC, Sony, Intel, Toshiba, Via, ATI, nVidia, Microsoft or eMachines improve the software drivers for your PC every day. MedioStream recommends that you regularly download the latest software update available for your PC (How to update drivers?).
  2. De-fragment your hard disks (How to De-fragment).
  3. Set your Hard Disk Drives and optical drives so they utilize DMA (Direct Memory Access) (How to enable DMA transfer).
  4. Close all applications (How to close all applications).
  5. Check your power settings (How to check power supply settings).

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6-12

How do I update drivers?

neoDVD uses all available resources of your PC: video capture devices, graphic cards, memory, hard drive and recordable drives. Consequently MedioStream recommends using the latest updates, service packs or patches available for your computer.

If you have a branded computer (i.e. Dell, Compaq, IBM, NEC, Gateway, Packard Bell, Toshiba, Sony, etc.) go to the website of your PC manufacturer and check for the updates that apply to your PC (usually in the support or software update sections of the websites.).

Go to the Microsoft website to get updates for your version of Windows.

If you built your own PC, check for upgrades for all major components: motherboard, chipset, and graphic card. You can usually find the latest driver on the website of the components manufacturers.

Follow the instructions given by each manufacturer.

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6-13

How do I de-fragment a disc?

Before a long recording session it is better to de-fragment the hard disk drive on which you want to save your files. A de-fragmented hard drive will reduce the number of read/write access necessary to run the software and will consequently increase the speed of encoding.

To de-fragment your hard drive(s), please use the Windows "disk defragmenter." To start the disk defragmenter, go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

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6-14

How can I enable DMA transfer for my disk drives?

Most hard disk drives and optical drives (i.e. CD-Recordable and DVD-Recordable drives) support DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer.

You must enable the DMA (Direct Memory Access) transfer feature on your disk drives to guarantee the best video quality and performance. To check if the DMA Transfer feature of your disk drive is enabled, please go through the following steps, depending on your operating system:

  • For Windows 98 (SE) and Windows Me: Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel. Next, double-click on the System icon. Go to the Device Manager option and double click on the Disk Drives entry. Right click on the list item corresponding to your drive, e.g. "Generic IDE disk type 01." Click on Properties and then select the Settings tab. Checkmark the DMA box to enable DMA on your Hard Drive.

  • For Windows 2000: Click on Start > Settings > Control Panel. Next, double-click on the System icon. Click on the Hardware tab and then select Device Manager. Next, double click on IDE ATA/ATAPI controller in the Device Manager window. Right click and select the Properties option on the available channels corresponding to your drive, e.g. "Primary or Secondary IDE Channel." Select the Advanced Settings tab and then select DMA if available from the drop down menu next to the Transfer Mode option.

  • For Windows XP: Click on Start > Control Panel > Performance & Maintenance. Next, double-click on the System option. Click on the Hardware tab and then select Device Manager. Double click on IDE ATA/ATAPI controller in the Device Manager window. Right click and select the Properties option on the available channels corresponding to your drive, e.g. "Primary or Secondary IDE Channel." Select the Advanced Settings tab and then select DMA if available from the drop down menu next to the Transfer Mode option.

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6-15

How do I close all applications?

Opened applications take memory and CPU processing power. Please close all applications before starting neoDVD. To close an application, click on the "x" icon on the top right of the corresponding user interface.

To gain even more processing power, you can disable the application shortcuts on the taskbar. Some of these shortcuts, like the volume control, don't take any processing power and can be left on the taskbar. Others shortcuts are, in fact, active applications that are constantly running in the background using processing power and memory. To remove applications on the taskbar, right click on the corresponding icons and then select close or disable.

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6-16

How can I check power supply settings?

Before running a long neoDVD recording session, make sure that the automatic power standby features of your computer are disabled. To disable the automatic power standby mode, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Power Management. Select never for all options.

If you have a laptop, it is better to run it with the AC adaptor because battery-powered laptops usually reduce the overall performance in order to save power (battery time).

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6-17

How do I determine the version of DirectX that is running on my computer?

You can determine the DirectX version installed on your computer by using the DirectX diagnostic tool in:

Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Information > Tools > DirectX Diagnostics

The DirectX diagnostic tool gives a list of all DirectX files and their versions and has some audio video test features.

In case of an earlier version of DirectX (Version 6.0 and before), the DirectX diagnostic tools may not be available. This means that you need to upgrade your computer with a recent version of DirectX. To work properly, neoDVD requires DirectX 8.0 and higher.

Note: Windows XP Home and Windows XP Professional come preloaded with DirectX 8.1

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6-18

How do I install DirectX?

If you do not have DirectX 8.0 or above, you can download the latest DirectX version from: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/homeuser/downloads/default.asp

Select the version of DirectX that corresponds to your version of Windows (Windows 98SE, Windows Me or Windows 2000). To install DirectX 8.0, follow the instruction provided on the same link.

Note: DirectX 8.1 is already pre-installed with Windows XP Operating Systems.

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6-19

How do I determine and change the color on my computer?

The color depth needs to be set to "True Color (24-bit)" or higher to effectively run neoDVD.

  • For Windows 98 (SE), Windows Me, and Windows 2000: Start > Settings > Control Panel > Display > Settings > Colors.

  • For Windows XP: Start > Control Panel > Appearance and Themes > change screen resolution.

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6-20

How do I determine what type of graphic card is installed on my computer?

  • For Windows 98 (SE) and Windows Me: Go to Start > programs > accessories > System tools > System information > Tools > DirectX diagnostics. Next, click on the Display tab. You will see the memory of your graphic card and other useful information.

  • For Windows 2000: Go to Start > programs > accessories > System tools > System information > Tools > DirectX diagnostics. Next, click on the Display tab. You will see the memory of your graphic card and other useful information.

  • For Windows XP: Go to Start > programs > accessories > System tools > System information > Tools > DirectX diagnostics. Next, click on the Display tab. You will see the memory of your graphic card and other useful information.

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6-21

How do I determine the memory size of my graphic card?

  • For Windows 98 (SE) and Windows Me: Right-click on the My Computer icon on your computer desktop and select the Properties option. Next, select the Device Manager tab on the System Properties dialog box. Click on the Display Adapters icon to show the memory size of your graphic card.

  • For Windows 2000: Go to Start > programs > accessories > System tools > System information > Tools > DirectX diagnostics. Next, click on the Display tab. You will see the memory of your graphic card and other useful information.

  • For Windows XP: Go to Start > programs > accessories > System tools > System information > Tools > DirectX diagnostics. Next, click on the Display tab. You will see the memory of your graphic card and other useful information.

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6-22

How do I determine what version of Windows is installed on my computer?

  • For Windows 98/Windows Me/Windows 2000: Right click My Computer, select Properties. Click on General Tab, System section lists version.

  • For Windows XP: Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System > General Tab > System Section

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6-23

How can I playback DVD files with my software player?

To playback the DVD you just created on your PC you will need to use a software DVD player, such as MedioStream's neoPLAYER.

If you burned a CD or DVD please remove and reinsert the disc in the drive. The software DVD player should automatically start and play your disc. If this is not the case, start the software player and make sure the default drive selection is correct. The default drive must be the one you inserted the disc in. Apply the settings and push the play button, your disc should playback.

If you wrote to the hard drive, neoDVD created a Video_TS folder in the folder you specified. The Video_TS folder contains all the components of your DVD. Each player handles the DVD information slightly differently.

Note: VCD playback from the Hard Disc Drive is much more difficult than DVD playback. We do not recommend VCD playback from HDD, we only recommend VCD playback from disc.

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6-24

Why is the Menu not displayed when I playback a disc with a PC software player?

After a disc has been written, the Windows operating system is not notified that a DVD disc has been inserted. To solve this problem, please eject and reinsert the disc into the drive. The Menu should then play fine.

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6-25

Why doesn't the VCD I made on my Hitachi DVD recorder have a menu?

The Hitachi DVD set-top recorder has trouble playing menus from VCD created in neoDVD.

MedioStream is constantly testing and enhancing its products to ensure compatibility with all the latest commercially available drives. So, please check the Updates section on our website.

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6-26

What program can I use to playback VCD?

You can use software such as MedioStream's neoPLAYER to playback VCD discs

The latest version of Windows Media Player (version 9.0) also supports VCD playback. Simply insert the disc and launch Windows Media Player. Select 'Play' from the menu bar; choose 'DVD, VCD or CD Audio' and choose the drive letter where your CD is inserted. To playback VCD from hard drive, in Windows Media Player select 'File', select 'Open' and browse to the directory where the VCD was recorded, look for a folder 'Mpegav", browse into that folder and open music*.dat files for VCD viewing.

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