As far as I know this board is included in the PC-Kit 700.
The setup lets you choose which type of TV you have, NTSC (60Hz, 525 lines) or PAL (50Hz, 625 lines), just like the RealMagic Hollywood+.
This means that this board can perform framerate and image conversion from 60Hz (525 lines) to 50Hz (625 lines) and the other way around.
This is ofcourse an advantage if your tv only can handle real PAL 50Hz,
but it is a disadvantage if you want to play a NTSC disc at PAL 60Hz (because conversion always reduces the image quality).
The Remote Selector V1.4 lets you choose all possible video modes!
(*) The Remote Selector has native support for these remotes.
Installation
Just unzip the file (with f.i. WinZip) to any directory you like.
To add the program to the Windows desktop, create a shortcut to the 'remselec.exe' file.
If you want the program to startup automatically when Windows starts up, add a shortcut to the 'remselec.exe' file in the 'Programs/StartUp' folder of the Start menu.
How to use the Remote Selector
How to use the keyboard as remote
The keyboard will function as a remote device when:
the 'Enable keyboard commands' option on the Remote tabsheet is enabled and
one of the supported program is running
When the keyboard is functioning as remote device it doesn't matter which program has the input focus at that moment, all keyboard strokes are redirected to the Remote Selector. This also means that other programs, for instance NotePad, won't receive keyboard input and you can't use them at that moment.
The keyboard will return to function as normal after:
the supported program is closed, or
the Remote Selector is closed, or
the 'Enable keyboard commands' option on the Remote tabsheet is disabled, or
the 'Enable keyboard' option of the menu of the system tray icon is disabled.
How to use an infrared remote control
Remote control with native support:
Connect the infrared receiver to a free serial com port.
Disable or uninstall the software that came with the remote control.
Select the used remote type.
Select the correct serial com port on which the ir receiver is connected.
Other remote controls:
Install hardware and software according to manual.
Select the used remote type.
Select the name of the device button on the remote to use with the Remote Selector.
The remote functions will only work when you keep the Remote Selector running in the background.
How to change the region code
The region code can be changed at any time and doesn't need the DVD player software to run.
Start the Remote Selector.
Select Region tabsheet.
Select desired region code.
Click the 'Set' button.
Follow the on screen instructions when necessary.
When no error message appears, the region code is changed.
If you don't have any of the supported hardware, the region tabsheet will not appear.
How to set the TV video mode
The tv video mode is determined as a combination of disc type, which selects the framerate of the disc, and TV type, which selects the color carrier of the TV.
Disc type is NTSC for 30 frames/sec or PAL for 25 frames/sec. Please note that the Remote Selector can not convert the framerate.
MultiSystem TV type selects the original video mode as it would be without Remote Selector.
7.5 IRE Setup changes the blacklevel and controls the brightness.
When the 'Automatic Refresh' option is enabled, the tv video mode settings will be automatically set when a disc is started or stopped, or a menu is entered or left. This option will only work when the Remote Selector is running in the background.
With the 'Refresh' button (or refresh function in the remote part) the TV video mode can be set manually.
If you don't have any of the supported hardware, the video tabsheet will not appear.
Running the Remote Selector in the background
The Remote Selector must be kept running in the background:
to use the remote functions.
to use the automatic video mode refresh. This is necessary when you use PAL TV mode or want to disable MacroVision.
Minimizing the Remote Selector
The Remote Selector window can be minimized (but this is not necessary) when running in the background.
In that state the Remote Selector can be accessed using the Remote Selector icon in the system tray (in the right lower corner of the screen).
Clicking the icon with the left mouse button restores the Remote Selector window.
Clicking the icon with the right mouse button brings up a menu, which lets you control the 'Enable keyboard' option.
When the 'Start minimized' option on the Remote tabsheet is enabled, the Remote Selector will not display the window on startup, but only adds the Remote Selector icon to the system tray.
This is useful when you want to include the Remote Selector in your Windows startup.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Remote Selector keeps crashing
If the Remote Selector crashes at startup or when you select the About tabsheet,
your computer has been infected with a virus, most likely Win32.CIH.SpaceFiller.
This is a new virus, so download the latest virus data files for your virus scanner!
You can also use this little program to detect and remove this virus.
Why can't I copy a NTSC disc to my PAL VCR with the Encore Dxr2?
The Remote Selector can only change the color carrier from NTSC to PAL. The framerate stays at 30 frames/sec.
Most TV's can handle this signal, PAL videorecorders however can only record 25 frames/sec.
If you really want to record a NTSC disc on your PAL video recorder, you need to buy a system norm convertor or the Creative PC-DVD Inlay (CT7160) board.
Why does the screen sometimes flicker in PAL TV mode?
When the player starts or stops playing, or enters or leaves a menu, one of the video registers will be changed by the player.
This causes the flickering on top of the screen.
To solve this problem just select the Video Mode tabsheet and press the Refresh button. You can also enable the 'Automatic refresh' option.
Another possibility is to assign a key or remote key to the Refresh function on the Remote tabsheet and use that key to refresh the videomode setting.
Revision history
Version 1.41 (12 october 1998)
Fixed a small bug in the commandline handling routine, which caused the Remote Selector not to startup when its directory path contained spaces.
Fixed a similar problem in the Animax remote support, although this was mainly because of the Animax software which can not handle spaces itself.
Version 1.4 (9 october 1998)
Support for the Creative CT7160 board, aka as the PC-DVD inlay board:
Change region code without increasing the install counter.
Tweak tv-output and disable MacroVision.
No remote support yet!
Region code probably also works on other DVD board based on the LuxSonor LS-220.
Implemented a Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL), to make it easier to add future support for other hardware.
Automatic detecting of installed hardware.
Support added for the IRMan, universal remote receiver.
Finally a real icon for the Remote Selector, drawn by bfactor.
Support for Encore software V3.5:
Region 0 support added, thanks to Peter Kooiman.
Automatic restart of player after region code change.
Remote support for Next Audio and Next Caption functions.
Program and DLL even smaller! Don't be mislead by the small size, many many hours of hard work have gone into making this release.
Version 1.31 (31 august 1998)
Fixed a small bug in the Silitek remote routine, it should work ok again (as it was in V1.2).
Put back the DLL. Although the construction without DLL worked good on most computers, on some the program crashed at startup. I hope this problem is solved now.
Changed the support for WinAmp a little bit:
The program can startup now without the presence of the Creative DVD.
Added the functions 10 tracks forward and 10 tracks backward.
Added support for the Silitek SM-1000 remote.
Version 1.12 (18 july 1998)
Completely rewritten the remote part, it should work much better now.
The following problems with the support for the Miro MediaRemote are solved now:
On start up of the program the serial port was initialized with the wrong values.
Most of the times it received only the first keys correctly.
The Miro support also picked up some signals of other remotes.
Added remote support for WinAmp.
Finally made some documentation (this file), which is also included in the zipfile.
Version 1.11 (29 june 1998)
Fixed a bug that could block access to the DVD drive after several hours when the Remote Selector is run in the background.
Removed the DLL.
Version 1.1 (9 june 1998)
Videomode is now determined by a combination of disctype and tv-type.
Added support for PAL-M (Brazil) and PAL-Nc (Argentina).
Automatic videomode refreshing with V3.0 of the Creative DVD software.
Added support for Miro MediaRemote.
Can minimize on startup.
Added remote support for eject, mute, vol up, vol down, FF and rewind.
Multispeed support for slowmotion, fast forward and rewind.
Remote control keynames are displayed now (instead of numbers).
Several small bugfixes.
Version 1.0 (initial release)
The Remote Selector is a combination of the Region Selector by me (Erwin van den Berg) and EncoreRC by Peter Kooiman.
Predecessor history
In january 1998 I made a small utility that could change the region code of the Creative DVD Encore Dxr2.
This program was called the Creative DVD Region Selector (REGION.EXE).
Later, when the program also could change the color carrier of the tv output and disable MacroVision, the name was changed in Creative DVD Selector (SELECTOR.EXE).
Copyright and credits
Copyright � 1998: Erwin van den Berg.
The Remote Selector is written by Erwin van den Berg.
Original Tekram remote support and user interface by Peter Kooiman.
Registration
This program is shareware and can be used freely for a period of 14 days.
If you want to continue using this program after this period, please register it for $10.
You can do this secure online using your creditcard on my homepage.
If you don't have a creditcard and want to register, please mail me.
As registered user you will be informed about new releases of the Remote Selector
and you are entitled to support by email.
This program is not crippled in any way, and it won't stop working after the 14 days period.
It also won't remind you to register, it's completely up to you to do this.
If you have comments or suggestions, please mail me at [email protected]