home *** CD-ROM | disk | FTP | other *** search
- ======================================================================
- How to Find, Install and Test Multimedia MCI Drivers
- ======================================================================
- MPEG NOTE: Microsoft Corporation has announced new support for MPEG,
- which is to be coming soon. Currently, the only MPEG drivers Photodex
- has been able to find are buggy and not recommended. When Microsoft
- releases their MPEG drivers, Photodex will make them available if
- possible and provide installation instructions.
- ======================================================================
-
- ========================
- WHERE TO GET MCI DRIVERS
- ========================
- You can download freeware/shareware MCI drivers from all major on-line
- sources. For each of the on-line services, follow the instructions on
- how to download each type of MCI driver.
-
- COMPUSERVE (WINCIM)
- ------------------------------
- VIDEO FOR WINDOWS (.AVI files)
- ------------------------------
- 1) GO WINMM (This is the MS Win Multimedia Forum.)
- 2) Select 'Browse' from the 'Library' menu.
- 3) Select the 'Video for Windows' library (Library 4.)
- 4) Find the file called 'VFW 1.1e Runtime' (VFW11E.ZIP)
- and download. (The file should be stored in the
- C:\CSERVE\DOWNLOAD directory, unless you have the
- WinCIM software installed elsewhere.)
- 5) Proceed to INSTALLING VIDEO FOR WINDOWS below.
-
- ---------------------------------
- QUICKTIME MCI DRIVER (.MOV files)
- ---------------------------------
- 1) GO QTIME (This is the Apple QuickTime Download Area.)
- 2) Read the Apple Software License Agreement.
- 3) Download the QuickTime executable file and follow the
- installation instructions. (The file should be stored
- in the C:\CSERVE\DOWNLOAD directory, unless you have
- the WinCIM software installed elsewhere.)
- 4) Proceed to INSTALLING QUICKTIME below.
-
- -----------------------------------------------
- AUTODESK ANIMATION (.FLI, .FLC, and .FLX files)
- -----------------------------------------------
- 1) GO PHOTODEX (This is the Photodex Forum.)
- 2) Select 'Browse' from the 'Library' menu.
- 3) Select the 'VIEWERS (CPIC, GDS)' library (Library 3.)
- 4) Find the file called 'MCI Driver: FLI/FLC/FLX'
- (AAWIN11.EXE) and download. (The file should be
- stored in the C:\CSERVE\DOWNLOAD directory, unless
- you have the WinCIM software installed elsewhere.)
- 5) Proceed to INSTALLING AUTODESK ANIMATION below.
-
-
-
- ==========================
- HOW TO INSTALL MCI DRIVERS
- ==========================
- Follow the instructions below to install each type of MCI driver.
-
- ------------------------------
- VIDEO FOR WINDOWS (.AVI files)
- ------------------------------
- 1) Create a directory to hold the setup program for Video for Windows.
- 2) Copy VFW11E.ZIP to the directory you created.
- 3) In a DOS shell (or WinZIP), log to the directory you created and
- use PKUNZIP to decompress the VFW11E.ZIP file. To do this, use,
- the following DOS command line:
-
- PKUNZIP VFW11E.ZIP
-
- 4) Exit the DOS shell (or WinZIP) and return to the Windows.
- 5) Use File Manager to execute the SETUP.EXE file in the directory you
- created.
- 6) Follow the on-screen instructions to install Video for Windows.
-
- ----------------------
- QUICKTIME (.MOV files)
- ----------------------
- 1) Follow the instructions given by Apple in the QuickTime download
- area.
-
- -----------------------------------------------
- AUTODESK ANIMATION (.FLI, .FLC, and .FLX files)
- -----------------------------------------------
- 1) Use File Manager to execute the AAWIN11.EXE program. This will expand
- the setup files.
- 2) Use File Manager to copy the MCIAAP.DRV file to your \WINDOWS\SYSTEM
- directory.
- 3) Edit the SYSTEM.INI file in your \WINDOWS directory and add the
- following line to the [mci] section (do NOT include the '-->'
- arrow on the left, it's there to show you which line.):
-
- [mci]
- ...
- --> Animation1=mciaap.drv
- ...
-
- 4) Edit the CONTROL.INI file in your \WINDOWS directory and add the
- following line to the [drivers.desc] section (do NOT include the
- '-->' arrow on the left, it's there to show you which line.):
-
- [drivers.desc]
- ...
- --> mciaap.drv=[MCI] Autodesk Animation 1.10
- ...
-
- 5) Exit and restart Windows.
-
- =======================
- HOW TO TEST MCI DRIVERS
- =======================
- Windows MCI drivers are the most common way to support multimedia files.
- Unfortunately, many MCI drivers still have bugs, and these bugs can cause
- all kinds of glitches when CompuPic attempts to support them.
-
- CompuPic has been extensively tested with commonly available MCI drivers and
- has worked very reliably. Before you suspect that CompuPic is the problem,
- please verify that the MCI driver for the type of file you're trying to play
- works with the Microsoft Windows Media Player (MMPLAYER.EXE in the Windows
- directory.)
-
- -------------------
- TO RUN MEDIA PLAYER
- -------------------
- 1) Using the File manager, locate the file called MMPLAYER.EXE or
- MPLAY32.EXE.
- 2) Double click on the media player executable file to execute it.
-
- ---------------------
- TO TEST AN MCI DRIVER
- ---------------------
- 1) Select 'Open' from the 'File' menu and find a file to test. You
- can tell the file type by the file's extension (AVI, MOV, MPG,
- WAV, MID, RMI, FLI, etc.)
- 2) Click on the "double right arrows" button to start the file
- playing. If the file plays, then it is possible to set the CPIC
- options so the MCI driver is supported.
-
- IF FILES PLAY IN THE MEDIA PLAYER
- ---------------------------------
- If files play using Media Player but do NOT play using CPIC, then the
- problem has to do with a bug in the MCI that is being aggravated by an
- Options setting in CompuPic. Run CompuPic, and select the Multimedia
- option in the Options menu. Modify the settings for the file type and
- see which combination works.
-
- Note that in some instances, the MCI driver will crash CPIC, Windows or
- even both. If Windows crashes, you'll have to restart. Make sure that
- options which you know crash with your MCI driver are NOT set.
-
- If an MCI driver crashes CPIC but does NOT crash Windows, you will need
- to exit and restart Windows before CPIC will run again. This is
- because part of CPIC stays in memory when the MCI driver blows up, and
- the only way to remove it is to restart Windows.
-
-
- IF FILES DO NOT PLAY IN THE MEDIA PLAYER
- ----------------------------------------
- There is something wrong with the MCI driver itself or the way the MCI
- driver has been installed. Consult the documentation which came with the
- MCI driver for details. Call the companies that made the MCI driver and
- ask for assistance using their software.
-
-
-