Multimedia Backgrounds

Introduction

E M Computergraphic have been producing high quality CD-ROMs on the Amiga platform for years. With the popular Scala MM100 porting across to the PC and getting excellent reviews, they have decided to release a CD-ROM designed to aid multimedia authors. Their new CD-ROM, Multimedia Backgrounds, has already become the first third party product to be approved by Scala. Of course, the backgrounds can be used in any multimedia package.

Overview

E.M.Computergraphic`s "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM contains over 700 custom designed multimedia backgrounds designed exclusively for video presentation work. Each background image is supplied in uncompressed 640x480 and 800x600 BMP 256 colour format, with at least 16 free colour slots. The "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM comes complete with full thumbnail index previews, Scala shuffler icons and PaintShopPro browser files.

The MMBack folder on the CD-ROM contains 3 sub-folders; "800x600", "640x480" and a folder called "EMC_MMBG". Here's is a guide to each of these folders and their contents:

The "640x480" Folder

The 640x480 folder contains 27 sample multimedia backgrounds taken directly from EMC`s "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM. This folder also contains two JPEG "PREVIEW" files so you can easily view the contents of the entire folder. Each of the sample backgrounds are supplied in uncompressed 640x480 BMP 256 colour format. Each image has, at least, a 16 colour offset palette enabling you to use the first 16 colour slots of any background for fonts or clipart without affecting the background image. Each image also comes supplied with Scala shuffler icons and PaintShopPro browser files.

The "800x600" Folder

The 800x600 folder contains an additional 27 sample multimedia backgrounds taken from EMC`s "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM. This folder also contains two JPEG "PREVIEW" files so you can easily view the contents of the entire folder. Each of the sample backgrounds are available in uncompressed 800x600 BMP 256 colour format. Each image has, at least, a 16 colour offset palette enabling you to use the first 16 colour slots of any background for fonts or clipart without affecting the background image. Each image also comes supplied with Scala shuffler icons and PaintShopPro browser files.

The "EMC_MMBG" Folder

The EMC_MMBG folder contains the complete set of "800x600" thumbnail preview images, in JPEG format, of ALL the back- grounds contained on EMC`s "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM.

USING THE BACKGROUNDS

Although the custom backgrounds contained here (and on our "Multimedia Backgrounds" CD-ROM) are designed for use with the Scala series of programs, you can also obviously use them with any art and/or presentation program on the PC.

Using the backgrounds with Scala

This cover disc contains the Scala MultiMedia100 demo, and you should have no problems using the backgrounds. Each background image comes complete with Scala shuffler icons and to view these you will need to locate and install the Scala Multimedia100 demo. Once you have installed and loaded the Scala Multimedia100 demo, click "ADD" to add a new page and select your CD-ROM drive from the file menu. Your CD-ROM drive usually has it`s drive letter set to "D:". You may also want to check that the Scala file shuffler options are set, this is done from the "Tools>>Options" menu in the main Scala screen.

Once you have accessed the CD-ROM drive, you should locate this EMC Backgrounds folder and you can then browse through the contents of the "640x480" and "800x600" sub-folders to view the sample backgrounds. Once you have located the background image that you want to use, simply double click on it's shuffler icon to load the background directly into the Scala edit screen. Don't forget that you can also preview the entire image by selecting the image`s shuffler icon and clicking on the "preview" button located in the bottom left of the file requester.

Using the backgrounds with other Art/Presentation programs

Since the backgrounds are supplied in standard BMP formats you should have no trouble loading them into any art and/or presentation program. You can even use these background images as your Windows wallpaper! If you should encounter difficulties, please refer to the documentation supplied with your program.