XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


About the XingMPEG Encoder Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

-	Introducing the XingMPEG Encoder

-	Starting the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


XingMPEG Encoder Controls Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

-	Buttons

-	Menus

-	Job Queue

-	Preview Area

-	Track Bar, Slider, & Current Position Indicator

-	Keyboard Equivalents

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


Defining Encoder Jobs Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

-	Adding Entries to the Job Queue

-	Selecting a Source AVI File

-	Choosing a Settings Format

-	Specifying a Target MPEG File

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


Processing Encoder Jobs Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

-	Starting the Encoder

-	Pausing the Encoder

-	Error Handling

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


Modifying the Job Queue Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

-	Re-ordering Entries in the Job Queue

-	Removing Entries from the Job Queue

-	Changing a Job's Status

-	Editing Entries in the Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog


Playing MPEG Files Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

-	Starting and Stopping Playback

-	Navigating an MPEG File

The Preferences Dialog


The Preferences Dialog Folder
XingMPEG Encoder Contents

Click a topic below for more information.

About the XingMPEG Encoder

XingMPEG Encoder Controls

Defining Encoder Jobs

Processing Encoder Jobs

Modifying The Job Queue

Playing MPEG Files

The Preferences Dialog

-	General Preferences

-	Playback Preferences

-	Job Queue Preferences

-	Error Handling Preferences


Introducing the XingMPEG Encoder

The XingMPEG Encoder program (XMENCODE.EXE) is a Windows application with which you convert .AVI Files to MPEG files. The XingMPEG Encoder features:

-	a full-featured job queue for batch processing of .AVI files;

-	predefined settings formats for producing the most popular types of MPEG files;

-	convenient playback controls for viewing your new MPEG files.

Included on the XingMPEG Encoder CD-ROM is Xing Technology's software-only MPEG playback solution:

-	XingMPEG Driver - Xing Technology's high-powered MPEG decoder combined with an MCI device driver for playback of MPEG files within the Windows environment.

-	XingMPEG Player - a Windows application that provides extensive diagnostic tools and advanced features with which you control the playback of MPEG files.

Read the XingMPEG Player's on-line help for complete information about these components.


Starting the XingMPEG Encoder

As with any Windows application, you can start the XingMPEG Encoder in a number of ways:

-	from Program Manager, open the XingMPEG Encoder icon in the XingMPEG Encoder program group.

-	from Program Manager, choose the Run command and enter the pathname of the XingMPEG Encoder program (XMENCODE.EXE).

-	from File Manager, open the XingMPEG Encoder program (XMENCODE.EXE).


Buttons

The following buttons appear in the XingMPEG Encoder's Main Window.

Button	Description
	Opens the Job Definition window for creation of a new job.
	Removes the selected job(s) from the Job Queue.
	Opens the Job Definition window for editing of a selected job.
	Starts or Pauses the encoder.
The following controls are enabled only when an entry in the job queue whose Status is "Done" is selected.

	Begins playback of the MPEG file.
	Pauses playback of the MPEG file.
	Steps forward one frame in the MPEG file.
	Steps backward one frame in the MPEG file.
	Sets the current position to the start of the MPEG file.
	Sets the current position to the end of the MPEG file.


Menus

The following menu items appear in the XingMPEG Encoder.

File Menu Items

Job Menu Items


File Menu Items

The XingMPEG Encoder's File menu contains the following items.

Item	Description

Preferences…	Opens the Preferences dialog.

Exit	Exits the XingMPEG Encoder program.


Job Menu Items

The XingMPEG Encoder's Job menu contains the following items. These items are enabled only when a single entry in the Job Queue is selected.

Item	Description

Details…	Opens The Job Details Window.

Move to Top	Moves the selected job to the top of the job queue.

Move Up	Moves the selected job up one position in the job queue.

Move Down	Moves the selected job down one position in the job queue.

Move to Bottom	Moves the selected job to the bottom of the job queue.

Resubmit	Moves the selected job to the bottom of the job queue; this command is used only when the queue is paused and you want to move a job located above the current job.

Status -> Skip	Prevents the job from being processed when the queue is activated.

Status -> Waiting	Causes the job to be processed when the queue is activated.


Job Queue

The job queue appears in the XingMPEG Encoder's Main Window.

Each entry in the job queue contains the following data:

-	Job Name - The name of the job's target MPEG file (read Specifying a Target MPEG File for details).

-	Job Type - The type of MPEG file the job will produce (read Selecting a Source AVI File for details):

-	Vid - the job will produce a video-only MPEG file.

-	Sys - the job will produce a system stream (video + audio) MPEG file.

-	Job Status - Indicates the job's current status (read Changing a Job's Status for details).

Read the following topics for instructions for working with the job queue:

-	Adding Entries to the Job Queue

-	Processing Encoder Jobs

-	Modifying the Job Queue


Preview Area

The Preview Area appears in the XingMPEG Encoder's Main Window.

This area displays MPEG video frames:

-	during the video encoding process - each encoded video frame is displayed in the Preview Area; you can disable the display of encoded video frames as described in Job Queue Preferences.

-	during playback of a completed job's target MPEG file - Read Starting and Stopping Playback for details.


Track Bar, Slider, & Current Position Indicator

The Track Bar, Slider, and Current Position Indicator appear in the XingMPEG Encoder's Main Window (read Navigating an MPEG File for instructions for using these controls).

The Track Bar is a rectangular control representing the currently playing MPEG file. The left edge of the Track Bar represents the start of the file. The right edge of the Track Bar represents the end of the file.

The Slider is an arrow-like control that indicates the current position within the file. When the file is played, the Slider moves across the Track Bar to reflect the current position.

The Current Position Indicator displays the current position within an MPEG file as a frame number or SMPTE Timecode value (read Changing the Scale for instructions for switching the displayed data between frames and time).

Current Frame Display

SMPTE Timecode Display


Keyboard Equivalents

Job Menu Item Equivalents

Keys	Description

Ctrl-t	Same as the Move to Top item.

Ctrl-u	Same as the Move Up item.

Ctrl-d	Same as the Move Down item.

Ctrl-b	Same as the Move to Bottom item.

Ctrl-r	Same as the Resubmit item.


Adding Entries to the Job Queue

To add an entry to the Job Queue:

1	Click the "New" button. The Job Definition window appears.

2	Make appropriate entries in the following fields:

-	Source .AVI File (read Selecting a Source AVI File for details).

-	Settings Format (read Choosing a Settings Format for details).

-	Target MPEG File (read Specifying a Target MPEG File for details).

3	Click the OK button. Your newly-defined job appears in the job queue.

4	Repeat these steps to define additional jobs, or activate the encoder as described in Starting the Encoder.


Selecting a Source AVI File

When defining a job's parameters in the Job Definition window, you must make entries in the Source AVI File fields:

-	Filename - Enter in this field the full pathname of an AVI file. Read Rules for Creating AVI Files for details about the .AVI files supported by the XingMPEG Encoder.

-	Include Audio - Enable this checkbox if you want to encode both the video and audio data from the AVI file source. Disable this checkbox if you want to encode only the video data from the AVI file source. The state of this checkbox directly affects the job's Type as displayed in the Job Queue and the nature of the MPEG file created when the job is processed:

-	when this checkbox is enabled, the job's type field indicates "SYS" (read Job Queue for details), and the MPEG file created when the job is processed is a system stream (video + audio) MPEG file.

-	when this checkbox is enabled, the job's type field indicates "VID" (read Job Queue for details), and the MPEG file created when the job is processed is a video-only MPEG file.


Rules for Creating AVI Files

When selecting source .AVI Files for encoder jobs, you must adhere to the following rules:

-	You must have installed in your PC Video For Windows version 1.1 or greater (runtime or full) and the CODEC used to compress the video frames in the AVI file. To confirm that your PC meets these criteria, try playing the AVI file with the Media Player program located in Windows "Accessory" program group--If Media Player successfully plays the AVI file, your PC meets these criteria.

-	The .AVI file's video frames can have a minimum resolution of 32x32 pixels and a maximum resolution of 768X576 pixels (theoretically any resolution with a total pixel count # 442368 is supported, but not all combinations have been tested).

Notes regarding Video and Audio Quality

The quality of your MPEG files can fundamentally never exceed the quality of your source .AVI files, so you should take steps to insure optimum video and audio quality of your source files:

-	When working with .AVI capture cards, use capture settings that produce best quality (i.e. highest data rate).

-	In general, you will achieve the best quality when the resolution of the source file matches the output resolution of the target MPEG file; e.g., if you are producing "White Book - NTSC" MPEG files, make sure the source file's resolution is 352x240 to insure best quality (if the source and target resolutions are different, the XingMPEG Encoder automatically scales the video frames to fit the output resolution).

-	When capturing/creating audio data, best quality will result from 44kHz 16-bit audio data.


Choosing a Settings Format

When defining a job's parameters in the Job Definition window, you must make entries in the Settings Format fields:

-	Format Name - Choose an entry in the Settings format drop-down list to determine the characteristics (e.g., frame rate, data rate) of the target MPEG file. Read The Settings Formats List for details about this list. When you choose an entry in this list, its encoder settings are displayed below the format name.

-	video settings - settings that control the encoding of frame sources to MPEG video.

-	audio settings - settings that control the encoding of audio data to MPEG audio.

-	system settings - settings that control the interleaving of MPEG video and audio data to an MPEG system stream.

Read Encoder Settings for more information.

-	Maintain Aspect Ratio - The state of this checkbox determines the type of scaling performed when the resolution of the source frames is different than the output resolution. When this option is off, the horizontal and vertical axes are independently scaled so that the entire target MPEG frame is filled. When this option is on, the proportions of the horizontal and vertical axes are maintained (depending on the aspect ratio of the source frames, a black border may appear on the top/bottom or left/right edges of the encoded MPEG frames).


The Settings Formats List

The Settings Formats list contains pre-defined entries that produce common MPEG file types (three variations of each format appear in the list to accommodate NTSC, PAL, and FILM standards as explained below):

-	White Book - this format is suitable for creating MPEG files that conform to the platform-independent White Book standard for delivering video on CD-ROMs, including Video-CDs, Karaoke CDs, and CD-i Movies.

-	Single Speed - this format is suitable for creating MPEG files intended for playback from a single-speed CD-ROM;

-	Double Speed - this format is suitable for creating MPEG files intended for playback from a double-speed CD-ROM;

The Video and System Stream data rates of the Double Speed format exceed the MPEG constrained parameter set--Files encoded with this setting may not play on all MPEG decoders.

-	Quarter Screen - this format is suitable for creating MPEG files intended for quarter-screen playback.

-	Match Source - this format is identical to the "Single Speed" format, but the video resolution matches the resolution of the frame source. When this format is used, the frame source can have a minimum resolution of 32x32 pixels and a maximum resolution of 352x288 pixels.

Note Regarding NTSC, PAL, and FILM Standards

Each entry in the Settings Formats drop-down list has three variations to accommodate NTSC, PAL, and FILM standards:

-	NTSC - Settings Formats labeled "NTSC" have a Frame Rate of 30fps (except the White Book - NTSC format which has a frame rate of 29.97fps).

-	PAL - Settings Formats labeled "PAL" have a frame rate of 25fps and a vertical dimension of 288 pixels (except the Match Source and Quarter Screen formats who's vertical dimensions are not 288).

-	FILM - Settings Formats labeled "FILM" have a frame rate of 25fps.


Encoder Settings

When defining encoder job, you determine the characteristics of the target MPEG file by choosing an entry in the Job Definition window's "Settings Format" list. Each entry in this list defines a set of low-level encoder settings that are applied to the target file. When you choose an entry in the Settings Format list, its encoder settings are displayed below the format name. These encoder settings are divided into three categories that correspond to the three stages of generating an MPEG system stream from a source .AVI file:

Video Settings

These settings control the encoding of source video frames to MPEG video.

-	Data Rate - specifies the size of the encoded video measured in bytes/second; Larger values produce more MPEG video data while yielding higher-quality video; smaller values minimize the resulting MPEG video while yielding lower-quality video.

-	Resolution - specifies the horizontal and vertical dimensions (in pixels) of the target MPEG video frames.

-	frame rate - specifies the number of video frames (in frames/second) in the target MPEG.

-	frame format - specifies the pattern (expressed as Group Size and Subgroup Size) of intraframes and interframes in the target MPEG; group sizes determine the frequency of Intra frames (e.g., group size = 15 causes an Intra frame to occur every 15 frames); subgroup sizes determine the frequency of reference frames.

Audio Settings

The settings that control the encoding of audio data to MPEG audio.

-	Data Rate - specifies the size of the encoded audio measured in bytes/second; Larger values produce more MPEG audio data while yielding higher-quality sound; smaller values minimize the resulting MPEG audio while yielding lower-quality sound.

-	Channels - controls the encoding of source audio data:

-	Mono - all source audio data is treated as a single channel and written to single-channel MPEG audio.

-	Joint Stereo - causes the encoding model to employ an algorithm that maintains stereo separation of the left and right channels while specially treating higher frequencies (in higher sub-bands, the left and right channels relative amplitudes are preserved, but differences in their waveforms are partially sacrificed); this procedure results in more efficient encoding of higher frequencies, so more bits can be dedicated to lower frequencies. The Stereo Bands field is specifies the number of sub-bands treated as Stereo Bands (all other sub-bands are treated as Joint Bands).

System Settings

The settings control the interleaving of MPEG video and audio data to an MPEG system stream.

-	Data Rate - specifies the size of the target MPEG system stream measured in bytes/second.

-	Pack Size - specifies the size measured in bytes of packs in the system stream; a pack is the highest level of granularity in a system stream and contains packets of video/audio/padding data.


Specifying a Target MPEG File

When defining a job's parameters in the Job Definition window, you must make an entry in the Target MPEG File field:

-	Filename - Enter in this field the full pathname of the MPEG file that will be created when the job is processed.


Processing Encoder Jobs

Starting the Encoder

Pausing the Encoder

Error Handling


Starting the Encoder

After adding one or more entries to the Job Queue, click the Start button to activate the encoder. When the encoder is activated, each job whose status is not "Done" or Skip" is processed in turn. While the encoder is processing:

-	the current job's Status field is updated to indicate the percent complete;

-	the Progress Meter graphically indicates the percent complete;

-	when encoding MPEG video, each video frame is displayed in the Preview Area; you can disable the display of encoded video frames as described in Job Queue Preferences.

When a job is finished, its status field is set to "Done".


Pausing the Encoder

After activating the encoder as described in Starting the Encoder, you can pause the encoder:

-	manually - click the Pause button, a dialog appears and asks you if you want to terminate the current job:

-	Yes - cancels the current job and deletes the job's (incomplete) target MPEG file; the encoder is stopped and no further processing is done.

-	No - pauses the current job; the encoder remains paused until you click the Resume button.

-	setting error handling preferences - by selecting the error handling preference "Wait for User Input" as described in Error Handling Preferences.


Error Handling

As the encoder processes jobs, it may encounter various types of error conditions. Some errors relate to the job as a whole (e.g., if the pathname of the target file is invalid), while other errors affect only part of a job (e.g., if an occasional corrupt frame is encountered in a video source). Because many error conditions are correctable, you can determine the encoder's error handling behavior by selecting an appropriate error handling option as described in Error Handling Preferences.


Modifying the Job Queue

Re-ordering Entries in the Job Queue

Removing Entries from the Job Queue

Changing a Job's Status

Editing Entries in the Job Queue


Re-ordering Entries in the Job Queue

When the Job Queue contains multiple entries, you can re-order them with the following items in the Job menu:

-	Move Up - moves the selected job up one position in the job queue;

-	Move Down - moves the selected job down one position in the job queue;

-	Move to Top - moves the selected job to the top of the job queue;

-	Move to Bottom - moves the selected job to the bottom of the job queue;

-	Resubmit - moves the selected job to the bottom of the job queue; this command is used only when the encoder is paused and you want to move a job located above the current job.

You can re-order jobs only when the encoder is inactive or paused. When the encoder is paused, the following restrictions apply to re-ordering jobs:

-	a job located below the current job (i.e., the job whose status field indicates the percent complete) cannot be moved above the current job;

-	a job located above the current job can be moved below the current job only with the Resubmit command. When a job is moved with the Resubmit command, its status does not change--make sure to set the job's status appropriately as described in Changing a Job's Status.


Removing Entries from the Job Queue

To remove entries from the Job Queue, select one or more jobs and click the Remove button. You can remove jobs only when the encoder is inactive or paused.

Removing an entry from the job queue does not remove its source and target files.


Changing a Jobs Status
Changing a Job's Status

You can manually change a job's status (to determine if the job is processed when the encoder is activated) by toggling the Status between two values:

-	Waiting - causes the job to be processed when the encoder is activated.

-	Skip - prevents the job from being processed when the encoder is activated.

To toggle between these values, double-click on a selected job's status field or choose the Status item in the Job menu.

Automatic Changes of a Job's Status

A job's status field is automatically updated by the encoder under the following conditions.

-	when a job is added to the Job Queue, its status is set to "Waiting";

-	when a job is being processed, its status field displays the percent complete.

-	when a job has been successfully processed, its status is set to "Done";

-	if an error occurs during processing of a job, its status is set to "Skipped"


Editing Entries in the Job Queue

To edit an entry in the Job Queue, select an entry and click the Edit button; the Job Definition window appears and displays the selected job's parameters. Modify the job's parameters as needed and click the OK button.

The Job Details Window

You can view a selected job's parameters without editing it by choosing Details from the Job menu. A dialog appears and displays the job's parameters.


Starting and Stopping Playback

After selecting an entry in the job queue whose Status is "Done", use the following techniques to control playback of the job's target MPEG file:

-	To begin playback, click the [image] button.

-	To stop playback, click the [image] button.

-	To cause the MPEG file to be played in a continuous loop, activate the The Auto Repeat Option.

The MPEG file is automatically closed when you:

-	select another entry in the job queue;

-	modify the job queue;

-	define or edit a job;

-	open the Preferences or Job Details dialog;

-	activate the encoder.


Navigating an MPEG File

To change the current position within an MPEG file that you are viewing in the XingMPEG Encoder, use the following techniques:

-	Drag the Slider across the Track Bar to the desired position.

-	Click on the Track Bar to move in increments equal to approximately 1/16 the total duration of the MPEG file; e.g., clicking on the Track Bar to the left of the Slider moves the current position backward approximately 1/16 the total duration.

-	Press the navigation buttons:

Steps forward one frame in the file.

Steps backward one frame in the file. Depending on your current MCI MPEG Driver, video frames may not be displayed until you step back to an Intra Frame.

Sets the current position to the start of the file.

Sets the current position to the end of the file. Depending on your current MCI MPEG Driver, clicking this button may not seek exactly to the end of the file.

When you use these techniques, the Current Position Indicator displays the new position.


The Preferences Dialog

-	General Preferences

-	Playback Preferences

-	Job Queue Preferences

-	Error Handling Preferences


General Preferences

Show Help in Status Bar

As you move the mouse cursor over different areas of XingMPEG Encoder window, context-sensitive help messages appear in the status bar. After you have become familiar with XingMPEG Encoder, you may want to disable this feature by toggling the Show Help in Status Bar option.

To toggle this option:

-	Open the Preferences dialog by choosing Preferences from the File menu.

-	Click the Show Help in Status Bar checkbox.

-	Click the OK button.


Playback Preferences

You can control the following playback options through the Prefences dialog:

-	Auto Repeat - Read The Auto Repeat Option for details.

-	Scale - Read Changing the Scale for details.


The Auto Repeat Option

When playing a job's target MPEG file through the XingMPEG Encoder, you can cause the MPEG file to be played in a continuous loop by enabling the Auto Repeat option. When this option is disabled, playback of the MPEG file pauses when the end of the file is reached.

To toggle the Auto Repeat option:

-	Open the Preferences dialog by choosing Preferences from the File menu.

-	Click the Auto Repeat checkbox.

-	Click the OK button.


Changing the Scale

You determine the type of data displayed in the Current Position Indicator by choosing a Scale type:

-	When the Scale is set to Time, the current position indicator displays the current position in SMPTE Timecode format.

-	When the Scale is set to Frames, the current position indicator displays the current frame number.

To choose a Scale type:

-	Open the Preferences dialog by choosing Preferences from the File menu.

-	Click the Frames or Time radio button in the Scale field.

-	Click the OK button.


Job Queue Preferences

Display Video Frames

During the encoding process, each encoded video frame is displayed in the Preview Area; you can disable the display of encoded video frames by toggling the Display Video Frames option:

-	Open the Preferences dialog by choosing Preferences from the File menu.

-	Click the Display Video Frames checkbox.

-	Click the OK button.


Error Handling Preferences

You determine the encoder's behavior when errors are encountered by selecting an appropriate error handling option:

-	Skip Job on Error - the encoder skips the current job and continues processing entries in the job queue.

-	Wait for User Input - the encoder pauses and an error dialog remains on screen until you take some action.

-	Continue after ____ Seconds - the encoder pauses and an error dialog remains on screen for the specified number of seconds; if you do not respond to the error dialog before the specified time elapses, the encoder automatically skips the current job and continues processing entries in the job queue.

To choose an error handling option:

-	Open the Preferences dialog by choosing Preferences from the File menu.

-	Click the appropriate radio button in the Error Handling field.

-	Click the OK button.

Error Log Files

Regardless of the error handling option you select, all errors encountered when processing a job are written to a text file in the LOG subdirectory of the XingMPEG Encoder directory, e.g.:

c:\xing\xmencode\log\{JOBNAME}.log

Where {JOBNAME} is the name of the job that generated errors.


Glossary


.AVI Files

Audio-Video-Interleaved files; The standard format for storage of
interleaved video and audio data within the Windows environment.


MPEG

The popular name for ISO/IEC DIS 11172, the video compression
standard developed under the auspices of the International Standards
Organization (ISO) by the Moving Picture Experts Group. MPEG-1, the
first algorithm to be completed, covers compressed video and audio at
data rates up to 1.8 Mbits/sec. The primary design goal for MPEG-1 was
SVHS quality video playback from CD-ROM.


MCI

Media Control Interface; the standard interface through which Windows
applications control Multimedia devices.


SMPTE Timecode

Society for Motion Picture and Television Engineers; a standard time
encoding format designed specifically for film and video applications.
The SMPTE timecode expresses time as "h:m:s:f"
where h=hour, m=minute, s=second, and f=frame.


NTSC

National Television Standards Committee; the standard for color television
broadcast signals in the United States.


FILM

Standard 35mm motion picture film has a frame rate of 24 frames per second.


PAL

Phase Alternation Line; the Eurpoean standard for color television
broadcast signals.


SIF

Source Input Format; the most common video frame resolution used
by MPEG encoders.


DCI

Display Control Interface; a driver-level software interface designed to improve
the video playback performance of Windows-based applications.


XingMPEG Driver

Xing Technology Corporation's software-only MPEG decoder and MPEGVideo
MCI driver for playback of MPEG files within the Windows environment. This
driver was developed in compliance with Microsoft's MPEG Command Set for
the Media Control Interface.


Display Driver

Software responsible for managing the transfer of data between Windows and
your PC's display board. Windows provides several standard display drivers
(e.g., "VGA"), however you should use a DCI-compliant display driver designed
specifically for your PC's display board.


Encoder

Any hardware/software that creates MPEG files by encoding digitized video/audio data.


Slider

An arrow-like control that indicates the current position within a loaded file. When a
file is played, the Slider moves across the Track Bar to reflect the current position.
Read Track Bar, Slider, & Current Position Indicator for details.


Track Bar

A rectangular control representing the currently opened MPEG file. The left edge
of the Track Bar represents the start of the file. The right edge of the Track Bar
represents the end of the file. Read Track Bar, Slider, & Current Position Indicator
for details.


Job Queue

A list box in the XingMPEG Encoder's main window in which encoder jobs
are displayed. Read Job Queue for details.


Preview Area

A region of the XingMPEG Encoder's main window in which MPEG video
frames are displayed: Read Preview Area for details.


Progress Meter

A graphical control that indicates progress during the encoding process.


Current Position Indicator

A text field that displays the current position within the file as a frame number or
SMPTE timecode. Read Track Bar, Slider, & Current Position Indicator for details.


Video Display Window

A window that appears when you open an MPEG file that contains video data.
When you play an MPEG file, video frames are displayed in this window.


Display System

Hardware and software responsible for sending data to your PC's monitor.
A typical display system consists of a display board and compatible Windows
display drivers.


Hardware Stretching

A capability of some display boards that allows resizing of video frames to be
performed by the display board rather than application software running on your PC.
This capability improves video playback performance when video frames are
displayed at non-native dimensions.


Hardware Color Space Conversion

A capability of some display boards that improves video playback performance
by allowing color space conversion (conversion of YUV color data to RGB color
data) to be performed by the display board rather than application software running
on your PC.


MCI MPEG Driver

A popular term describing any MCI device driver developed in compliance with
Microsoft's "MPEG Command Set for the Media Control Interface." These drivers
enable playback of MPEG files, within the Windows environment, by multimedia
applications that control "MPEG Video" devices.


Windows Sound System

Your PC's audio board and related software drivers that enable audio playback
within the Windows environment.


Expansion Bus
MPEGVideo

The device TYPE specified for MCI device drivers developed in compliance with
Microsoft's MPEG Command Set for the Media Control Interface.


MPEGVideo
Expansion Bus

The physical interface into which expansion boards are installed. The most common
expansion Bus architectures are ISA, EISA, VESA, PCI, and MCA.


Frame Rate

The number of video frames (in frames/second) in an MPEG file; legal frame
rate values (as specified in the MPEG standard) are 30, 29.97, 25, 24, and 23.976.


Intra Frame

Also called "I" or "Key" frame; A type of MPEG video frame that contains
a complete desciption of the video frame's pixels without reference to other
frames in the MPEG stream.