MainActor - A video sequencer and modular animation package for Windows 95/98/NT and OS/2 Warp ====================================================== ------------------ What is MainActor: ------------------ MainActor is a modular multimedia processing package that includes a powerful timeline-based video sequencer, MainActor Sequencer, and an animation processor, MainActor Video Editor (MainActor VE). With MainActor Sequencer you can easily create and edit video sequences with complex effects and transitions. With MainActor VE you can load / edit / play and save / convert all major animation and and the most common picture formats. MainActor supports more animation formats for loading / saving than any other program on any platform! MainActor Sequencer ------------------- MainActor Sequencer is a timeline based video sequencer. With a drag and drop interface, MainActor Sequencer makes video creating/editing very easy. With its 99 video and 99 audio tracks, extensive transitions, video effects including 3D paths, and text tools, MainActor Sequencer is a powerful tool that is very easy to use. Objects on the timeline can be moved and resized with the mouse and each object's properties can be accessed with a mouse click. In addition to the normal MainActor modules used by MainActor VE, MainActor Sequencer supports other import/ export mechanisms as well, like Video for Windows, ActiveMOVIE etc. MainActor VE ------------ MainActor VE is the Video Editor portion of the MainActor product. With MainActor VE, you can create/edit/view animations in a wide variety of formats. (See the complete list below.) The MPEG support supplied by MainActor VE allows easy conversion of your animations / picture lists to MPEG-I/II, complete with audio. And with MainActor VE's REXX scripting you can automate anything that you can do manually with the program. This release of MainActor supports both English and German, you can change the language during runtime in the "Settings" menu. ------------------------------ Windows 95/98/NT Installation: ------------------------------ -Simply execute the self-extracting .exe file. ------------------ OS/2 Installation: ------------------ -Unzip the archive into a directory of your choice -Start the installation program (setup.exe for Win 95/NT; install.cmd for OS/2) -You can now start MainActor VE or MainActor Sequencer from your desktop -Make sure to read the documentation and the online help to make the most of MainActor. Windows 95/NT Notes ------------------- MainActor requires DirectX for its playback capabilities. If you do not have DirectX installed, MainActor / MainView will not start up! The DirectX runtime can be downloaded from Microsoft's homepage at http://www.microsoft.com. However its pretty hidden on the Microsoft site. You can also download it from http://www.softseek.com or http://www.download.com and simply search for "DirectX". OS/2 Warp Notes --------------- Have a look into the documentation for information on how to install TIMER0.SYS and DIVE. ------- Modules ------- Currently MainActor ships with the following modules: Loader modules: --------------- 8SVX (Sound) AIFF (Sound) AU (Sound) AVI (Animation)* BMP (Picture) DL (Animation) FLC (Animation) FLI (Animation) GIF (Picture) GIF-Anim (Animation) IFF (Picture) IFF-Anim3/5/7/8/J (Animation) JPEG (Picture) MPEG-I/II (Animation)* MPEG-Audio Layer I/II/III (Sound) PCX (Picture) PNG (Picture) PPM/PGM/PBM (Picture) TGA (Picture) Quicktime (Animation)* WAV (Sound) Saver modules: -------------- AVI (Animation)* BMP (Picture) FLC (Animation) FLI (Animation) GIF (Picture) GIF-Anim (Animation) JPEG (Picture) MPEG-I/II (Animation)* MPEG-Audio Layer II (Sound) Quicktime (Animation)* MacPICT (Picture) PNG (Picture) PPM/PGM/PBM (Picture) TGA (Picture) Video Data (Picture) WAV (Sound) Animation formats marked with an * support sound. More modules are on the way ( SGI Movies, .MOD ) etc. --- The Rexx language processor for Windows95/NT was licensed from Enterprise Alternatives. If you are interested in Rexx support outside of MainActor, please contact them on their excellent WinRexx product: Enterprise Alternatives 635 South 16th Street San Jose, CA 95112-2372 USA Enterprise@WinRexx.com http://www.winrexx.com --- The files in this archive, except dive.zip and timer0.zip in the OS/2 version, are copyrighted by MainConcept, GbR and may not be reproduced for any use without the written agreement of MainConcept, GbR. Otherwise you are permitted and encouraged to distribute this (the shareware) version of MainActor. There are no restrictions with regards to copying,transferring or otherwise distributing MainActor in its complete and original shareware form. --- Suggestions are always welcome. For information or registration contact : MainConcept, GbR Moenig/Zabel Hermann-Heusch-Platz 3 52062 Aachen Germany Tel: 49-(0)241-4090444 FAX: 49-(0)241-4090445 EMail: info@mainconcept.de http://www.mainconcept.de (Europe) http://www.mainconcept.com (USA)