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1995-02-28
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QuickView DOS based Multimedia viewer, No Windows is required!
---------
For German text please read QV.DOK.
QuickView is Shareware. This means that you can test it for at most three
weeks. After that period you must register, i.e. pay a small registration
fee or discontinue using it. See REGISTER.DOC for details.
Features of QuickView:
Some call it QuickView others call it the possibly fastest viewer of the
world.
QuickView views the following file formats at present:
- .AVI: Codecs: DIB (8 bit), RLE (8 bit), MS Video 1 [msvc] (8 bit),
MS Video 1 [msvc] (16 bit, color reduced to 8 bits),
Cinepak [cvid] and Ultimotion (OS/2 AVIs) [ULTI]
(Truecolor if supported by the graphics card, otherwise
color reduced to 8 bits)
With sound through Soundblaster or PC speaker.
- .BMP: uncompressed: 1, 4, 8 and 24 color bits
RLE compressed: 4 and 8 color bits
including OS/2 bitmaps
furthermore all kindred formats:
.RLE, .DIB, .BGA, .VGA, .RLE, .RL4, .RL8
- .CEL (Original Animator CEL Files)
.FLC,
.FLI,
- .GIF: 1-8 color bits
Gif 87a, furthermore most Gif 89a extensions
- .ICO: Windows Icons
OS/2 Icons (partly)
- .PCX: 1-4, 8 and 24 color bits
- .PIC: Videodat .PIC files
- .TGA: uncompressed: 8 and 24 color bits, black & white pictures
RLE compressed: 8 and 24 color bits
- .VOC: Soundblaster or PC speaker
.WAV:
QuickView can view images larger than the available video hardware may
allow. This is accomplished by only storing those pixels in the main
memory that are outside the the visible part of the image. This leads to
low memory requirements. Scrolling is yet not possible for pictures with
more than 8 color bits.
Machine Requirements:
QuickView will run on any IBM PC compatible computer under DOS 3.0 or
better with at least 80286 processor. For viewing AVI files at least a
80386 processor is required. You must have a VGA card in your system. CGA,
EGA and Hercules card are not supported.
For Soundblaster support you must have set the Environment variable BLASTER
that contains port address, interrupt and DMA channel.
The command line format for running QuickView is:
qv [/v] [/s] [/a]
QuickView autodetects many graphics cards and uses VESA by default.
The /v option tells QuickView not to use the VESA interface if installed.
If you want to use Highcolor or Truecolor modes the VESA interface must be
used. If your graphics card does not support VESA you can use a VESA TSR
like UNIVESA (see below).
The /s option tells QuickView not to use soft scrolling because this may
cause problems (only vertical scrolling is disabled).
Use the /a parameter if you don't want to hear sound while playing AVIs.
File Selection:
QuickView always shows you all the files in the current directory, along
with all the visible subdirectory names. The arrow keys will move the
file selector bar around. By pressing a character the file selector bar
jumps to files starting with that character. Use lower letters for files,
upper for directories. A mouse is not supported.
To view a file or change a directory just hit Enter. If you do this with
a file QuickView does not handle nothing will happen.
To change the drive press ALT-L. A drive selection box will appear
prompting you for the drive letter you want to log into. QuickView will
attempt to change to the desired drive. If an error occurs, QuickView will
remain at the current drive.
Information on the current file can be obtained by pressing Alt-I.
Resolution may be increased using the "+" key and decreased with "-".
The currently selected resolution is displayed in highlighted.
"Automatic" automatically selects the lowest resolution which will display
the whole picture if possible.
ALT-A shows all 32*32 pixel windows icons in the current directory.
You can also use a higher resolution to see more icons on the screen.
The F1 key will display information about processor, detected graphics
card, Soundcard and free memory.
ALT-X will allow you to quit QuickView and return to DOS.
Questions & Answers:
--------------------
-Q: Why is video quality bad with some AVIs?
A: This is because you don't have a Truecolor card or you don't have a
VESA driver in your system. In the latter case you should use the VESA
TSR for your graphics card or UNIVESA, available on many FTP-servers,
BBSs or from a Shareware distributor. The VESA driver must be at least
version 1.2. Versions prior to 1.2 of the VESA standard did not define
Truecolor modes.
-Q: I don't hear sound with some AVIs.
A: Some AVIs don't have separated the audio into pieces. Then QuickView
must load the audio beforehand. If there is not enough main memory
available then the audio is omitted.
-Q: Sound is interrupted with some AVIs.
A: At least one component of your system is too slow. If you play it back
from CD then you should copy the AVI to your hard disk. Otherwise your
CPU is too slow.
How to get an up-to-date version of QuickView:
----------------------------------------------
- I'll upload it to garbo.uwasa.fi and oak.oakland.edu.
It will also be posted to alt.binaries.pictures.utilities.
- Send me an email with "Request QuickView" as Subject.
- Via snail mail. Send me a floppy disk with a self-addressed and stamped
envelope. This only works if you have German stamps. Otherwise send me
money to cover my expenses. Please fill out the registration form so that
I get your address and leave out the price in the "registration" line.
- You'll get the latest version when registering.
This program is Shareware. You may test this unregistered version for at
most three weeks but after that you must register. You are encouraged to
share it with others and to upload it to a BBS. If you do so, please pass
along the complete unmodified archive. All files must be included.
Please report all bugs and suggestions for improvements or enhancements.
I'm also very interested in files that QuickView claims to show but
doesn't correctly. Feel free to contact me.
You may use one of the following ways:
My Internet address: (this is the preferred way)
hesseler@athene.informatik.uni-bonn.de
If you're in the Bitnet you may also use the following address:
uzs272@dbnrhrz1
If you don't have email access here is my snail mail address:
Wolfgang Hesseler
Neustadter Str. 6
D-53547 Rossbach
Germany
Please include return postage.
QuickView is (c) 1994,95 by Wolfgang Hesseler, all rights reserved
I make no warranty of any kind either expressed or implied. In particular I
make no warranty as to merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose
or a particular hardware configuration. Furthermore I am not responsible
for any damages of any kind, including profit losses and data loss or other
incidental or consequential damages arising out of your use or inability
to use the program. The person using the software bears all risk as to the
quality and performance of the software.
All files belonging to QuickView contain proprietary information which are
protected by copyright. No part may be altered or translated without the
prior written consent of me.
License agreement for Shareware distributors:
Shareware distributors may distribute this program as long as the charge
does not exceed US$5 and the shareware distributor will not change or leave
out any file. Please notify me if you distribute QuickView as you should
always distribute the latest version. This applies especially if you
include QuickView on a CD-ROM. Furthermore I appreciate if you send me a
free copy of the CD.
Many Thanks to my beta testers:
Steve Beckett
Nico Geppert
Andreas Portele
James Reidy
Mark Stehr
The Graphics Interchange Format(c) is the Copyright property of CompuServe
Incorporated. GIF(sm) is a Service Mark property of CompuServe Incorporated.
PCX files are PC Paintbrush format images. PC Paintbrush is published by
Z-Soft.
TARGA is a registered trademark of Truevision, Inc.
The information about the MS Video 1 and the Cinepak Codecs are from XAnim.
Thanks to Marc Podlipec.
Windows is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
This product uses Ultimotion(tm) IBM video technology. Copyright
International Business Machines Corporation 1994, All rights reserved.
All other product names mentioned in this software are trademarks or
registered trademarks of their respective owners.