Miglia Technology AlchemyTV DVR User's Manual
Contents
1. es 27 The Video compression Expert settings esee 27 THE Size SUD MENU 2 a eta cet ec are S 28 The Audio s b rrierill x eee e bk ope rosea pe oe RE Pore RE ERE 29 The Audio Expert settings sss esee yx a i a gee baa o ROAD S RR RE 29 The TV Tuner sub menu 1 2 2 31 THE plugins MENU 11a canon r3 qd oe Red So p Goede ad x esa 2 ded es 33 Scheduling a recording with AlchemyTV DVR 34 Schedule a recording with AlchemyTV DVR 35 iCal SynehronisatiOli 25 4 once eee exo 38 Scheduling a recording with TitanTV 39 Registering with TitanTV seses eseas aedi tee 40 TitanTV plugs Settings sa cancrscne gv pue Yee doe YD ER e doeet P Ro a pn 40 Scehedu litig recording ess suo eR RLI ER ey P Shake RU teas exes Ae eed 41 Plug ins ius REG 9E Goo eX E RE GO QE E exc PERS oe aE OEE aE erg rp V Gp REG E d 42 AlchemytV DVR SDK css acd eee n ax EU Mark ge 9 Er x nose qo 6 one etd aee tete lan RU e ook 43 Installing Third Party Plug ins et ieena e iai a e odota aa aa aa A a kan Era a a 43 Usind thie PIUGANS 1s ose eoo 44 Curment PIWQANS 4s Lc 45 The infrared remote control 47 Theremote con2. Clip edges The option to clip the edges enables you to reduced the viewable area of the picture This is helpful if you are watching a widescreen movie or the TV picture displays a line at the top due to closed captioning Four presets enable you a quick access to the most common settings A custom value can be entered by selecting Custom in the presets Custom 15 qu AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 21 Using the Alchemy TV DVR Preferences AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 22 I AlchemyTV DVR preferences overview 1 Select AlchemyTV DVR Preferences r Berane File About AlchemyTV DVR Edit Preferences Register Services Hide AlchemyTV DVR dH 1 The preferences are divided in four categories Storage This category allows you to set the general storage preferences Video Input This menu allows you to set all video and audio preferences Advanced settings are available via standard QuickTime sub menus Plugins AlchemyTV DVR supports a Plugins architecture for a smooth integration with other applications or devices Storage Video Input Plug Ins AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 23 I The Storage Sub menu 1 The Storage tab contains three important options Filename Templates Name templates used for your recorded video files 2 The Filename Template allows you to enter pre defined values for the name of the file that will be stored onto your ha
3. 44 870 747 2988 Fax 44 870 747 2989 E mail info miglia com for general enquiries support miglia com for technical enquiries Web http www miglia com AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 2 Overview of AlchemyTV DVR Video inputs AlchemyTV features several video inputs e TV input e Composite input e S Video input e Stereo audio input jack type e Stereo audio output jack type TV Antenna 4 Composite IN Audio IN S Video IN Audio OUT 46 Remote Receiver G4 G5 version Product code DVRPCI SIL FM Radio TV Antenna Composite IN S Video IN Audio OUT Remote Receiver G4 Only version no longer in production Product code DVRPCI PALSEC DVRPCI NTSC AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 3 TV Antenna connection FM Connector Composite input S Video input Stereo audio IN Stereo audio OUT Remote receiver This connector should be used for your analogue TV cable coming from an RF antenna or a cable box This connector is available solely with the G4 only version of the card It allows you to connect an FM antenna Composite is a widely used standard for connecting video equipment Note that the quality of this connection is not as good as S Video This type of connector is often found on camcorders and VCRs This connection gives a better image quality than composite and is genera
4. 1G beim Back i Next AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 12 2 The Setup Assistant will ask you to choose the type o f connection you are using If you connect your card directly to an antenna or a cable TV outlet choose the TV Tuner option If you are subscribing to a premium or digital cable service or digital satellite it is recommended that you make a connection via S Video This will ensure the best quality possible Channels will have to be switched via the remote control of your cable or satellite receiver If you are using AlchemyTV DVR for video capture from a VCR camcorder or DVD player choose either composite or S Video Then Click Next aeng Setup Assistant Choose Video Input Il AlchemyTV is connected to an antera ot Cable TV gutlet uie the TV Tuner me winch chaneli MH AlchermmyTV is connected 19 a cable bow or satellite reteiver we recommend ynu gre Virpa ax rhe baput This wi encore the bese pierure mualiry Channels will then be changed using the remote c nbrel of your recener You could also ute the TV Tuner input But probable you have bo use your temal devirr ro wwinrh rhe channels and constancy tane Alchemy Ty ma The tulpot Fregoency of that devece Use Video Input Mtv Tuner 3 Composite Composite on 5 Video C s Viden Click Meet to caexinua 3 Composite or S Video Connection If you have selected TV Tuner as the input please skip to step 6 Select the audio input
5. also affect the video you record via the TV window and the scheduled recordings For more information about the various codecs please refer to the chapter QuickTime Codecs Image Size Audio Tuner Video Compression Codec MPEG 4 Video H4 Codec Quality l 50 00 These settings are usually adequate for basic control ower video compression If you wish to fine tune the compression open the Expert Settings Open Expert Settings AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 26 3 The Video Compression Expert Settings menu may be familiar to you It is a standard QuickTime window you may have seen in other applications It enables an advanced control over the QuickTime codecs H 261 JPEG 2000 Motion JPEG A _ Motion JPEG B X MPEG 4 Video None On VP3 Video 3 2 Photo JPEG Planar RGB PNG Sorenson Video Some Codecs may have advanced settings available under the codec list This is notably true for MJPEG and some third party codecs This codec list can be expanded by installing third party codecs like DivX and 3ivX Note that no third party codec is supported at the time of this writing but DivX and 3ivX have produced some good results in early testing Please review http www miglia com Support alchemytvdvr html for updated information Via the Motion sub menu you can select the number of frame per second that should be recorded The Best option will automatically set the fps value at
6. based on your connection You will most likely use the audio in on the AlchemyTV card or built into your PowerMac Click on Next and skip to step 5 AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 13 6 USA residents only If you have selected TV Tuner as the input connection the Setup Assistant will ask you to enter your ZIP code to download the relevant channel naming templates from TVGuide com This will prevent you from having to give names manually to the individual channels TV Tuner Connection Press the Start Scan button to start the automatic channel search You will be given three options during the channel scan Get all Channels The software will scan and store all channels without interruption until the process is complete This option will not allow you to name individual channels and some channels with poor reception may be stored Naming and deleting stations can be performed at a later stage in the preference menu Ignore Channel When the software finds a channel it will be displayed in the preview window leaving you the decision to store or discard it By clicking ignore you skip a channel and enable the scan to continue Next Channel Once a channel is found you can enter a name this is optional and press Next Channel to store it and continue the scan Repeat the operation until all channels are found The Assistant automatically moves to the next Once this operation finished the Setup Assistant will create video compr
7. displayed TV Snapshot Creates a snapshot of the video currently displayed in the TV window Delete Finished Recording Deletes the completed recordings in the Scheduled Recording window Clear Log Clears the recordings log AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 16 yTV DVR File ES View Window B Cut d X a untitle Copy C Paste dt V Delete Select All dE A Channel Up T Channel Down i Previous Channel HE volume Up d Volume Down a Mute WEM Record F1 TV Snapshot F2 Delete Finished Recordings Clear Log The Edit Menu 4 The View Menu contains the video related commands Scheduled Recordings Open the scheduled recordings window Enables timed recordings Log Window The log window contains a report for each finished or aborted scheduled recording TV Window Displays the live TV window TV Window Size Contains 3 pre defined sizes quarter half and full size The Full Screen option will hide all other applications and display the video in full screen mode Controller Displays the onscreen controller FM Radio Open the FM radio remote This option is only provided for backward compatibility with older hardware models of the AlchemyTV DVR G4 only AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 17 VR File Edit Window Scheduled Recordings Log Window TV Window TV Window Size Remote Control FM Radio The View Menu 5 The Window menu contains a shortcut to the full screen mod
8. half screen size The files will be very compact without affecting the quality Full screen recording is not possible even on a Dual 2GHz G5 unless you have no minimum expectations in terms of quality It is essential to create a profile in the advanced settings of the DivX codec to perform successful recordings You can download a 3ivX codec installer from http Awww 3ivx com A Mac version is also available This codec uses less processing power than DivX and creates small file size too Full screen recording is an issue even on the fastest G5 processor The use of third party codecs is not yet supported by Miglia Technology AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 51 License Agreement This license contract is part of the purchase contract The conditions for the use of the Alchemytv software are written down in the following license contract With the use of the AlchemTV software you agree to the conditions of the license contract for the use of the AlchemyTV software A special note to Miglia technology Itd or its traders is not necessary If you do not agree with the conditions of the license contract do not use the software and immediately return the package against full repayment to the place of purchase 1 License Transfer 1 1 Miglia Technology Ltd in the following Miglia herewith gives you the right to use the Alchemytv software including all updates in the following software and its documentation 1 2 Miglia res
9. or replacement are not successful you can choose between a deduction and a cancellation of the contract 5 5 Unless an alteration extension or damage is not the cause for the defect no guarantee is granted for software that has been altered extended or damaged 5 6 In the case of an unfounded complaint you are obliged to refund to Miglia the expenses resulting from the check up 6 Damages 6 1 A contractual or extra contractual duty to pay for damages exists for Miglia or his representatives only if a the damage is due to total negligence or the missing of a promised quality of the software or deliberately caused b a fundamental duty was at least slightly neglected by Miglia or c Miglia is liable due to compelling legal regulations based on the producers or product liability 6 2 In the case of Miglia being liable according to the former para graph b for slight negligence the following applies Miglia s liability for indirect damages and damages following a defect and missed profits is excluded The liability is at least limited to the fortune disadvantage that Miglia should have foreseen as a possible consequence of contract infringement when signing the contract under consideration of the circumstances that Miglia had known or should have known There is no guarantee for the loss of data except if this loss could not have been avoided by regularly saving the data in machine readable form daily saving for business transactions
10. Alchemy TV DVR User Guide Revision 2 4 c 2003 2005 Miglia Technology Ltd Table of contents Introduction and Overview of AlchemyTV DVR 1 Introduction and System requirements s ere resce erraia e re 2 Overview of Alchemy TV DYR iis desk RA bee week bas esa eae ea 3 Hardware and software installation 5 Hardware installation sis er eR n phonon HERS Ro V ROC RUE RR PUR 6 SobtwarestallatlOfs oa 4 3 cage ce 7 Setting up the TV tuner for viewing and recording 11 IntrOQuetlOFi 4 4 4 oa ne dee eros ER IRE RU exe A esd RUP A e Ue Werk eg EU eS 12 Serial Number and Reglstfatl n cus ace tees 12 Setting up AlchemyTV DVR for TV recoption i 12 Using the AlchemyTV DVR Menus and Onscreen Remote 15 Alchemy TV DVR MGNUS soa c eoi deo 16 AlchemyTV DVR Onscreen controller 18 Using the AlchemyTV DVR Preferences lees 22 AlchemyTV DVR preferences overview 0 23 THE Storage Men susce neck ete RE waves 24 The Video Inputtten as g casts dx Yee 25 The image sub menu s caei err 26 The Video compression sub menu
11. DOO in 48 000 kHz 06 ba Stered Nome T ir Rec 48 000 kHz 16 bir Sareo Mone Cancel AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 30 8 The TV Tuner Sub menu The TV tuner sub menu allows you to create and select channel layouts It also enables you to scan and fine tune channels manually without the help of the Setup Assistant It is possible to create a new channel setup without using the Setup Assistant To Do so select Create from Template in the drop down menu The selected pre defined channel list can then be scanned and fine tuned Note This will not be required if you already have setup AlchemyTV DVR with the Setup Assistant Image Compression Size Audio United Kingdom Create with template Channel lis Lock T C02 48 25 MHz 0 0000 MHz The Finetune button at the bottom of the window enables you to modify the frequency of a channel manually You can also enter the frequency manually in Base Frequency Fine Tuning NF e Base Frequency 45 25 MHz 44 75 MHz 45 75 MHz l I 9 3825 wi _ e 9 Reset Range 0 50 MHz 10 00 MHz Channels can be renamed in the TV Tuner window by clicking on the Name part of the window A channel can be added or removed by ticking the Lock box in the row it is displayed in AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 31 Ill The Plugins Menu AlchemyTV DVR supports a Plugins architecture allowing a smooth i
12. Furthermore no liability is taken for damages that are caused by other defects of the software that could have been avoided by a regular timely check of the processed work 6 3 As long as damages do not expire earlier according to the legal regula tions they expire with the exception of claims resulting from illegal action and founded on the law of product liability at the latest after a pe riod of two years after reception of the faulty device 7 Final Regulations This license contract and its interpretation are subject to German legisla tion This license contract contains the complete agreement between the parties concerning the object of the contract Amendments and additions of this contract are only effective in written form Ineffective regulations are replaced by effective regulations that come closest to the desired economical success AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 53
13. Thursday March 24 2005 3 30 PM 5 00 PM 1 30 Scheduled start Scheduled length 5 Scheduled recordings window list items Status Displays the status of the recording via icons The recording is scheduled Performing a recording Recording is active and will be performed Recording in progress AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 36 Il iCal synchronisation AlchemyTV DVR can synchronise your recordings with iCal Make sure that the iCal plugin is set to import or export recordings depending on your preference 1 Export Once you have created a recording in AlchemyTV DVR it will appear as a separate calendar item in iCal 2 Import An iCal calendar item can be imported into AlchemyTV DVR provided it follows the naming convention Channel Program For the Channel Value enter either the exact channel name that you defined BBC1 ZDF for example or the channel location C26 C44 for example The Program value will be used for the filename Recordings scheduled in AlchemyTV DVR are automatically shown in iCal AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 37 Scheduling a recording with TitanTV AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 38 Introduction AlchemyTV DVR 2 2 and higher support Decisionmark s TitanTV EPG Electronic Program Guide to browse search and schedule recordings Note that TitanTV is only functional in the United States at the time of this writing Registering with TitanTV In order
14. e Zoom and enables you to Switch between open windows 6 The Help menu contains a link to the Miglia supportweb page and allows to open this manual Il AlchemyTV DVR Onscreen controller Technical Channel name Volume level Channel Video Input List Channel list Channel up down Volume up down Record Video Snapshot Extended menu AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 18 1 Basic Remote Functions Technical Channel Volume level Channel List Channel Up Down Snapshot Channel Video input list Volume up down Record Video Extended menu Displays the technical channel number Displays the volume level selected in the software Shows a list of all stored saved TV channels Switches channels up and down Stores a snapshot of the picture currently displayed in the TV window Displays the channel number as per the TV tuner channel list Displays the four possible video inputs Enables easy switching between video inputs TV and composite for example Note that Composite over S Video is used for SCART To S Video cables only Increases or decreases the output volume Starts an instant record of the video currently displayed in the TV window Opens the extended controller which contains additional controls 2 Extended Remote Functions The extended remote has two sections Image Settings and Video Source Image Settings In this section you can adjust the various image controls eg Hue Saturation C
15. e video applications You can for example open a MJPEG video in Final Cut You can also do some basic editing cut the adverts out of your recorded programme for example with QuickTime Pro There is no difference of any major consequence between the two versions of MJPEG with regards to their use with AlchemyTV DVR The MPEG 4 codec requires more processing power but requires less hard drive space to be recorded Editing with MPEG 4 files is limited to cutting sequences MPEG 4 has a quality setting that will greatly influence the size of the resulting video It is recommended that you reduce the screen size to save additional drive space DV 25 is the codec used by most Digital Cameras AlchemyTV DVR does not feature any DV hardware encoder and may provide mixed results This format is directly readable by iMovie using the import function Cinepak was the native standard compression codec of OuickTime until release 3 0 Although fairly fast at encoding it produces lower quality files with a rather large size No compression will be applied This creates extremely large files You can attempt to use other codecs but this might result in dropped frames or the inability to record video at all Third party codecs include DivX and 3ivX which are quite similar to MPEG 4 DivX 3ivX You can download a DivX codec installer from http www divx com DivX requires an extremely fast processor G4 1 25 GHz to get good results with a
16. e programmed AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 34 3 Select your desired channel and enter the name of the program you wish to record the name itself does not affect the recording You can either use a Filename template or give a unique name to the recorded file Time date and repetition can be entered on the right side of the window You can also select the level of picture clipping for the recoding Click Add record when you are finished In the case of repeated recordings the application will automatically add an incremental number at the end of the file 088 Scheduled Recordings Co Date Video Source Start 3 24 05 3 30 PM m Device EvolutionTV E pe 1h 30j m Format PAL Don t repeat Hj Channel 23 BBC 1 E Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa Duration Movie Name 23 BBC 1 Nature vi Use template Program Nature Use second language Choose Folder Users ericf Movies a AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 35 4 Your new recording will be added to the Scheduled Recordings list see 2 Note that AlchemyTV DVR will ask you for your administrator password when you schedule the first recording This will activate the startup plug in that controls the automatic startup wake up features Check the Plug ins chapter for more information on the Startup Plug in Program name Channel name Scheduled Recordings New Recording Delete F edit Re Post p m Nature BBC 1
17. emyTV DVR with Salling Clicker AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 45 Ihe infrared remote control AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 46 I The Remote Control Settings 1 Open System Preferences Remote The Remote item is located at the bootom of the Sytem Preferences panel in the other section 2 The Remote Control software translates the key you press on the IR remote into key combinations that are sent to the applications or operating system The key maps can be customised for any given application via the control panel You will notice the AlchemyTV item on the left side of the screen By clicking on it the appropriate key combinations are displayed in the right column eon Remote Control C5 i4 m MO Show Al Displays Sound Network Startup Disk Application f Key Action Global Enter No Action Air CATV No Action Video Send Key Audio Send Key Power Send Key AV Source Send Key FullScreen Send Key Stereo Send Key Mute Send Key 1 Send Key Action 4X0 40 49D 40 8bPb 42 4b 4P Sap ae This key switches to Global Mode You cannot change this action AlchemyTV Mode If you mark this option the AlchemyTV actions will be done even if AlchemyTV is in the background Remote Control version 1 1 0 9 2003 Meilenstein Software The Remote control panel allows you to set key maps for a given application AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 47 3 You can cont
18. ername and password you created during TitanTV s sign up process 3 You can now browse or search the local TV listings 4 Each individual TV program has a detail window accessible through a hyperlink EET masora nins OOOO TV Guide Close Up Record Button TVGC 4 Thursday 9 9 2004 9 00 PM 1 hr TV Guide Close Up An in depth look at the best weekly coverage focusing on a specific topic or theme Other News TVG English decisionmark 5 To schedule a recording simply navigate to the detail window and click on the red record button A file containing the scheduling information will be downloaded and opened in AlchemyTV DVR AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 40 Alchemy TV DVR Plug ins AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 41 Introduction AlchemyTV DVR 2 1 and higher supports an open plug in architecture that enables software developers to create enhancement modules The application ships with several built in plug ins Further enhancements are provided by third party plug ins that are usually free of charge and that can be downloaded from Miglia s website http www miglia com Support alchemytvdvr plugins html I AlchemyTV DVR SDK A Software Development Kit SDK has been made available on Miglia s website This SDK facilitates the creation of post processing plug ins eg plug ins that will modify a file once it has been downloaded More information on the SDK is available on Miglia s website http www miglia com Supp
19. erves all rights concerning the software only the CD containing the software is becoming your property 1 3 The license software gives you the right for use on no more than one computer each as well as the making of one copy of the software in machine readable form exclusively for safeguarding purposes 1 4 You are not entitled to sell the software to a third person or leave it otherwise in a third person s possession except if this person promises Miglia in writing to observe the conditions of this license contract This also applies to the master copies 1 5 You are obliged to refrain from using the software other than expressly mentioned in this contract 2 Restrictions The software contains company secrets To safeguard these secrets you are not allowed to decompile redevelop or disassemble the software or otherwise bring it into a form that is recognisable by a person You may not modify the software adapt translate or sell it or otherwise leave it to be used by third persons for money or not or develop devices that are completely or partly derived from the software Finally it is forbidden to electronically transfer the software onto another computer 3 Cancellation This license automatically loses its effectiveness without the need of a notice if you offend against one of the regulations of this contract In this case you are obliged to destroy the software and all copies You can also cancel this license contract any time by dest
20. ession and display settings based on the performance of your computer These settings can be modified at a later stage by using the Preferences submenu If you wish to view live TV you can open the TV window via the View menu AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 14 Using the Alchemy TV DVR Menus and Onscreen Remote AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 15 I AlchemyTV DVR Menus Various functions are accessible via the menu bar 1 The AlchemyTV DVR Menu lets you access About box Displays about box with version number Setup Assistant Launches the Setup Assistant Register Open the Registration dialog Software Update Checks online if a new version is available This check is also performed automatically at launch if an internet connection is open Hide Show Quit X Standard Hide show and quit options Fr eee File Edit View Window About AlchemyTV DVR P Preferences a Setup Assistant Register Software Update dV Services d Hide AlchemyTV DVR 36H Hide Others X 88H Show All Quit AlchemyTV DVR 0 2 The File menu enables you to close the foremost window 3 The Edit menu contain the standard OS provided options and the controller shortcuts Channel Up Down Only applicable if you are using the TV tuner as the video input Switches one TV channel up Volume UP Down Increases or decreases the volume Mute Mutes the audio Record Records the video currently
21. f your PowerMac Locate an unused PCI slot Using a small Phillips head screwdriver remove the retaining screw from the PCI expansion slots access panel then remove the access panel itself 2 Align the connector end of the card with the PCI expansion slot and insert the card Secure the card with the screw that you removed in the previous step Port access opening 3 Close the plastic cover and side panel Start your PowerMac and proceed to the software installation step AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 7 Remote Installation Connect the remote control receiver cable to the RM port on the AlchemyTV card Make sure the plug of the cable rests on the PCI card and not the metalwork of the case Note that the infrared remote control has a plastic separator between the battery and the electric contacts Remove it to operate the remote AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 8 Il Software Installation 1 Insert the Installation CD that shipped with your AlchemyTV DVR card into your CD DVD drive 2 Before installing the version available on the CD it is recommended that you check any available updates on the Miglia site Double click on the icon named Click here to check if a newer version is available to access the website page 3 Open the folder AlchemyDVR and double click on the Install AlchemyTV DVR V icon to launch the installer Select the startup drive of your choice and click on Install Note that you w
22. ill be asked for your administrator password when performing the installation DOR Uem ove Click here ro check if a newer version is available p D m AkhamyTV DVR User Install AlthemyTy OVA Alcherny TV DVR Read Me Guide pdl nU Wn tall Multiple Card Support wera 265368 saillie 4 Once the installation process is finished restart your Mac 5 If you are using two AlchemyTV cards in your system you will need to launch the Install Multiple Card Support installation application An enhanced driver will be installed into your system folder Note If you own a FireWire webcam and wish to use iChat AV install the AlchemyTV ichat patch located on the first level of the CD This will avoid error messages in iChat rendering your webcam unusable The iChat patch requires Application Enhancer to be installed first A link to a download page is provided on the CD AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 9 6 The AlchemyTV DVR folder will be located in the Applications folder of the volume containing your system software AlchemyTV DVR AlchemyTV DVR Uninstaller 7 Note that the control panel Remote Control is also added to the System Preferences panel Other AFE Manager Remote Control If you have installed the Application Enhancer for the iChat patch the APE manager will also appear 8 The installation log is located in lt Username gt Library Logs Alche
23. ing Size 1 1 752x576 m i More Width x Height Clip edges Custom HH Horizontal EE NEA AEEAA5X Hn ox d Vertical E o Choose this option if you want to clip the edges e g for widescreen movies AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 28 5 The audio settings enable you to control various audio settings of the video you will record to your hard drive These settings will be applied to bothscheduled recordings and the live TV window The Device list let s you select the desired input device eg AlchemyTV the built in motherboard audio or any other compatible USB or FireWire device If you are capturing via the TV tuner AlchemyTV and TV Tuner are the correct settings If you are capturing via S Video or Composite the Audio IN on AlchemyTV or the audio IN on your motherboard are preferred image Compression and Size Audio Tuner Linked Audio Input Device AlchemyTV Hd Input TV Tuner B Set to Default The basic audio settings for capture in the video input menu 6 The Audio Expert Settings will give you a wider range of audio options via a standard QuickTime menu Speaker This will usually be turned off as AlchemyTV does not use QuickTime for live audio playback If the speaker is set to ON the software will automatically revert it back to OFF Gain This value can be adjusted to increase or decrease the audio volume on recordings Live level feedback is also give
24. lly found on mid range camcorders VCRs and DVD players If you intend to capture video from an analogue source use this connection whenever you can The AlchemyTV card uses a conventional stereo jack plug The AlchemyTV card uses a conventional stereo jack plug to output audio to external speakers This connector is a pass through only and cannot be used as an audio output with other applications This connector is used to connect the IR receiver for the AlchemyTV DVR remote control AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 4 Hardware and Software Installation AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 5 l Hardware Installation The installation of AlchemyTV is a two step process starting with the hardware installation into your PowerMac AlchemyTV is a PCI card that should be installed in a free expansion slot of your Mac Makes sure you are wearing an anti static wrist wrap before beginning the installation PowerMac G4 1 Shut down your Mac and open the side door of your PowerMac Locate an unused PCI slot Using a small Phillips head screwdriver remove the retaining screw from the PCI expansion slots access panel then remove the access panel itself 2 Align the connector end of the card with the PCI expansion slot and insert the card Secure the card with the screw that you removed in the previous step AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 6 PowerMac G5 1 Shut down your Mac Remove the side panel and plastic door o
25. lug in drop down menu TV Guide Close Up TVGC Fridley September 10 2004 2 00 AM 3000 AM THE Detail Window AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 43 Ill Current Plug ins 3 1 Built in Plug ins Interface Plug in AlchemyTV Setup Assistant Post Processing Plug ins Reveal in Finder Movie Player Movie Opener Device Plug ins Devices Tuner Communication Plug ins Remote Control Plug in iCal Plug in Schedule with TitanTV Startup Plug in Provides the Setup Assistant functionality to AlchemyTV DVR Shows a recorded file in the Finder Enables you to play a recorded movie from within AlchemyTV DVR Lets you launch a movie file via the Finder This will most likely open QuickTime Player Provides the software link with the AlchemyTV PCI card Provides the software link with the AlchemyTV Tuner Provides a link with the remote control software Enables you to import export scheduled recordings to an iCal calendar Recordings can be created in iCal and sent automatically to AlchemyTV DVR User Options Export recordings Recordings created with DVR will be automatically sent to iCal Recordings created with iCal will be automatically sent to AlchemyTV DVR Import recordings Provides the TitanTV web scheduling functionality Note that this plug in is activated by default if USA is selected as a country by the Setup Assistant User Options Video Input Lets you select the video in
26. myTV DVR User Guide Page 10 Setting up Alchemy TV DVR for viewing and recording AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 11 Introduction This chapter will guide you through the initial setup of the AlchemyTV DVR card and software Before proceeding make sure you have installed the PCI card and the software and connected your video source via the composite or S Video or coaxial connectors l Serial Number and Registration 1 Launch AlchemyTV DVR located in your Applications folder 2 You will be asked to enter your serial number located on the CD sleeve or the CD itself Enter the 32 digits serial number with the dashes as shown below XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX ll Setting up AlchemyTV DVR for TV reception The Setup Assistant will launch automatically on the first startup of the software You can access it at anytime via AlchemyTV DVR Setup Assistant The AlchemyTV DVR Setup Assistant will guide you through the set up process and create a list of settings based on your choices and hardware configuration 1 Start by selecting your country If your country is not in the list select the relevant TV standard via the Other option anh Setup Assistant Welcome 6 Wilmi amp c Welcome to the AlehemyTV Serup Assistant a i The AlchemyTV Setup Assistant will guide you through the Hifferent steps necessary fo ser up the AlchenmyTV card f PFirase choose your country United Kingdom 4 Click Next
27. n Compression will determine what audio codec to use to compress the audio track Note that with the current QuickTime version 6 5 it is recommended to leave this setting to none Sound Destination Sample Compressor None E Spe Vo Options AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 29 Destination controls the audio output of the recorded audio during live playback Internal The internal speaker of your PowerMac or the speakers attached to it will be used External The speakers you may have connected to the audio out of the AlchemyTV card will be used This can be used to pass through the audio to another device Internal and External Both outputs will be used Compression Destination Sample L Sound output Speaker Off E F8 Internal Volume C External D External and Internal Cain 166 In 42 0200 kHz 18 bit Merec Mane Rec 4H 000 kHz 16 bit itene Nome Sample controls the sample rate the size and the mode mono stereo Note that the 48KHz setting is only available on the DVRPCI SIL DVRPCI NTSC TVPCI SIL TVPCI NTSC models The older G4 only PAL SECAM version of AlchemyTV does not support 48 KHz The best settings usually are 48 000 kHz 16 bits Stereo Compression Destination Sample __ Rate 48 000 kHz Speaker Of Hm Sire C 8 bits 8 16 bits Volume Use C Mona Stereo 4 169 Gain ia Level BBD
28. ntegration with third party applications and devices The current iCal plugin can however be adjusted to import or export recordings via the Show Settings button The Export function is activated by default You may want to check this menu with every update of the application as plug ins are added Third party plug ins can be downloaded from the Miglia site see the support page Preferences Plug ins 3 Qe Storage Video Input Plug ins Plug Ins Info Remote Control Plug In TV Tuner Devices Version Version 1 2 Schedule With TitanTV 2003 05 Melens Startup Plug in The iCal Plug in keeps record Setup Assistant calendars s lin Find It creates one calendar for eve Revea in Finder future recordings are exporter Movie Player progress and past recordings Sync With i Movie Opener MovieGate for Alchemy Sync With iCal C Show Sett AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 32 Scheduling a recording with Alchemy TV DVR AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 33 I Schedule a recording with AlchemyTV DVR 1 Click on View Show scheduled recordings 2 In the Scheduled Recordings window click New Recording to create a new recording eoo Scheduled Recordings CO New Recording Delete Recording Edit Reco Post proces m amp Nature BBC 1 Thursday March 24 2005 3 30 PM 5 00 PM 1 30 Show all recordings HJ P The Scheduled Recordings window displays the various recordings you hav
29. ontrast Brightness Sharpness The setting for picture deinterlacing is also available with four options None Basic Normal Best Deinterlacing will affect the picture quality on fast moving footage Note that you will need a G4 1GHz or higher to use the Best Setting Deinterlacing Best py setting voL T Image Settings Reset Image Factory Settings Settings AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 19 Video Source Settings This panels allows you to adjust the video source settings Device Enables you to select the desired video input device This will most likely be AlchemyTV Format Enables you to select the video standard US Canada and Japan residents should use NTSC while most European users should select PAL French and Eastern European users should select SECAM Use Channel Name as index This option is important for US residents It will align the technical number of channels with their position in the stored channel list T F Tm winen Image Settings i Video Source selection Video Standard selection Use technical numbering AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 20 Window Settings The Window pane enables you to activate three options Always in front The TV window will always be in front of all other applications Transparency Enables you to adjust the level of transparency for the TV window
30. ort alchemytvdvr_sdk html Il Installing Third party plug ins Before installing a plug in make sure that AlchemyTV DVR is not running 2 1 Plug ins with installers Some plug ins have installers that work just like any other software installation program You may be asked to enter your administrator password during the installation process 2 2 Plug ins without installers If a plug in does not have an installer you will have to proceed to a manual installation Control click on the AlchemyTV DVR application and select Show package contents Navigate to Contents gt Pluglns and drop the plug in in the folder Then restart AlchemyTV DVR L Open Get Info Color Label x 6 o oO 56 6 6 6 Show Package Contents Move to Trash Alcher un Duplicate _ Make Alias Create Archive of AlchemyTV DVR AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 42 Ill Using Third Party Plug ins 3 1 Plug in Settings Plug ins settings are available in Preferences Video Input Plug ins Show settings Note that some plug ins do not have any settings Explanation for the individual settings of a specific plug in are usually included in the Read me file included with a third party plug in 3 2 Using the plug ins Plug ins currently only work with files recorded with the scheduling function To access a plug in highlight a finished recording and select details A drop down menu will give you access to the installed plug ins P
31. p down menu will appear giving you access to a drop down menu Select Send key No Action No Action v No Action Start Program Send Key Send System Key ae dw db db db db 3 Click on Set in the Action window to create the shortcut In the keyboard shortcut window click on the Apple key and press arrow up on your keyboard Then click OK If you press the Vol button the volume in iTunes will be increased Repeat the operation above to set the volume down key combination Apple key and Arrow down on your keyboard Send key together with 4 The menus of iTunes or most other applications will show you what kind of shorcuts you can choose AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 49 QuickTime Codecs AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 50 l QuiickTime Codecs AlchemyTV DVR relies on QuickTime to perform the encoding of your video footage All codecs that are accessible in QuickTime are accessible in AlchemyTV export codecs are not included Some codecs should not be used with AlchemyTV as they have been designed for other types of applications but many are useable The recommended codecs for capture with the AlchemyTV are Motion JPEG and MPEG 4 Motion JPEG This codec has some fairly large space requirements but has the advantage of MPEG 4 DV NTSC DV PAL Cinepak None requiring less processing power to encode eg record and remains editable in som
32. put for TitanTV recordings Provides automatic startup wake up functionality to the application when a recording is due to start User Options Startup delay Lets you select the amount of time between the startup wake up command and the beginning of the recording Enables automatic shutdown once the scheduled recording is finished Shutdown AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 44 3 2 Third Party Plug ins Post Processing Plug ins MovieGate for Alchemy DivTV DVR Editor Other Enhancements DVR Mail Action DVR Clicker Enables you to create a VCD S VCD or DVD from a recorded file This plug ins includes conversion to MPEG 1 or MPEG 2 DVD chapter creation VCD S VCD and DVD burning A read me file included in the disk image provides instructions Written by Christophe Ducommun Ludovic Paquot Jean Bernard Jovelet Enables you to create VCD and S VCD disk images ready for burning Includes MPEG 1 and MPEG 2 software conversion o f recorded files Written by Fabio Verna Allows you to perform some basic editing on recorded files like removing adverts and cutting scenes It is a handy and free of charge replacement for QuickTime Pro s editing capabilities Written by Jakob Weick DVR Mail Action is an Apple Script enabling you to schedule a recording via e mail DVR Mail Action uses iCal to pass along the scheduling information to AlchemyTV DVR AlchemyTV Clicker lets you control AlchemyTV and Alch
33. rd drive input This value will add the input type AlchemyTV to the filename channel This value will add the channel frequency to the filename name This will add the channel name to the filename program This will add a text string that can be chosen when adding a recording Filename templates are useful when scheduling repeated recordings If you could schedule a recording every day of the week the template will make sure that you do not erase the previous day s recording Preferences zoe sone View wee Suet Storage e Filename Template channel name program Tip You can use these placeholders in the filename template input channel name program Capture Destination Path Users support Movies Disk Space Keep free 200 gt MB 3 The capture destination menu enables you to select where you wish to store your recorded video Click the Browse button to modifiy this location 4 The disk space option allows you to keep a defined amount of space free on your hard drive AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 24 ll The Video Input Menu The Video Input menu contains the most important controls you have over the video you will view or record to your hard drive A Adjusting the video settings 1 The image sub menu allows you to control the brightness lighting saturation and hue of the recorded video Adjustments can be made by moving the sliders or entering a val
34. rol most applications that run on your Mac by adding a key map for them in the control panel Click on New at the bottom of the screen select the desired application and the possible key mappings will appear on the right hand side of the screen Action No Action No Action Send Kev No Action Start Program dE db dioi odi AV Source v Send Key Full Screer Send System Key Stereo SAE Mute Send Key 1 Send Key kl jb 4 db di 4 Action Shortcut Set 4 By clicking on the Set button in the Action section you can assign a specific key combination to a button on the remote Send key together with l s x ele 5 The Global key mappings control the Finder 6 Key mappings can be exported imported using the Export and Import buttons at the bottom of the screen AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 48 Example How to setup the Remote Control for iTunes 1 Select New and browse to the folder where iTunes is located usually in Startup drive Applications Press OK to create a new key mapping for iTunes Cem n Remote Control ts Image Capture irector 1 11 W iMovie op Mac OS 9 G Internet Connect gt ff Internet Explorer amp iPhoto Falder I 6 iSync ik AAail x ER 2 Scroll down the window displaying the key assignments until you find Vol Highlight this line and click on the highlight column displaying no action A dro
35. roying the software and all copies 4 Export Ban It is your liability to see to it that the software is only exported into an other country under strict observance of all applicable export regulations 5 Guarantee 5 1 Errors in the software and the documentation belonging to it cannot be excluded Miglia is liable only within the limits of the legal regulations Characteristics of the software that all copies of the delivered ver sion of the software have and which therefore are typical for the delivered version are not included in the guarantee especially a right to the delivery of a newer version cannot be sustained by the existence of such charac teristics 5 2 Possible defects of the software including material and production faults or the disks as far as being or becoming obvious have to be re ported in writing to the authorized trader within two weeks after noticing the defect however no later than within the legal expiry date of six months AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 52 5 3 Should the software be faulty the original CD on which the software is memorized has to be properly packed and returned to the authorized trader In every case the complaint about the software has to be made by including your name address telephone number and a description of the defect and the system configuration 5 4 Miglia reserves the right to decide if repairing or replacing the faulty software grants the possible guarantee If the repair and
36. the maximum possible and is recommended You can force the software to create a key frame at a given value Unlike normal frames a key frame is not based on the previous frame and will increase the overall quality of your video Having more key frames increases the size of the captured video It is possible to increase the compression rate of your video by limiting the data rate Note that picture quality will suffer if the value is set too low This value affects only the video track not the audio track there fore the final size of your movie will always exceed datarate x length of recording Motion j Frames per second 4 Key frame every frames Limit data rate to KBytes sec AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 27 The Size Menu The Video Size for scheduled recordings can be adjusted via this sub menu You can either use a pre defined size Full size Half screen quarter size or a custom size via the list item Other Note that full size video requires a fast processor The option to clip the edges enables you to reduced the viewable area of the picture This is helpful if you are watching a widescreen movie or the TV picture displays a line at the top due to closed captioning Four presets enable you a quick access to the most common settings A custom value can be entered by selecting Custom in the presets NTT M Image Compression size Audio Tuner f Picture Size During Record
37. to access the TitanTV program listings you will first have to register online Open your web browser and enter the address http www titantv com Click on the Sign up button and follow the onscreen instructions to create an account TitanTV Plug in Settings TitanTV integration in AlchemyTV DVR is achieved via a plug in whose options are accessible via the plug ins menu You can change the video input used by the TitanTV plug in by clicking on Show Settings If you receive your TV channels via the TV Tuner select AlchemyTV TV Tuner NTSC as the input If you use a cable or satellite receiver select either Composite or S Video Note If you are using a cable or satellite receiver you will need to select the channel you wish to record from via the receiver s remote Preferences Plug ins c E A C Schedule With TitanTV Storage Video Plug Ins TitanTV plug in activated AlchemyT Selected Inpu Alchemy AlchemyTV Composite NTSC Remote C AlchemyTV Composite on S Video NTSC AlchemyT AlchemyTV S Video NTSC Alchemy Alchemy It activates automatically based on the country preferences Schedule With TitanTV Sync With iCal AlchemyTV Devices Show Settings AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 39 Ill Scheduling a recording with TitanTV 1 Select TitanTV TV Listings from the AlchemyTV DVR menu This will launch your browser and redirect you to the TitanTV login page 2 Enter your us
38. trol Settings 3239 baasai a 44 XQ Eades a BO de E eee e e dd 48 QuickTime Codecs 51 Recommended Codecs sss eed ves ead eee ed eee KR Re a aE doa VOR EUR Ren d a gon 52 TRwe ern aoc Um 52 License agreement illl 53 Introduction and Overview of Alchemy TV DVR AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 1 Introduction Thank you for choosing AlchemyTV DVR from Miglia Technology AlchemyTV DVR allows you to watch TV on your PowerMac and enables you to record your favorite programmes onto your hard drive in a supported QuickTime format of your choice System requirements e PowerMac G4 or G5 with a free PCI or PCI X slot G4 400 MHz or higher processor 256 MB of RAM Mac OS X 10 3 x or higher QuickTime 6 5 x or higher Package contents e AlchemyTV M DVR card CD ROM with software and installation guide Infrared remote control Infrared remote control receiver Warranty card User Guide Overview This User Guide will guide you through the hardware and software installation as well as explain the functions and options of the AlchemyTV DVR software Technical Support Should you ever have any questions regarding your product please do not hesitate to contact Miglia Technology Miglia Technology Ltd Unit 1 The Old Silk Mill Brook Street Tring HP23 5EF United Kingdom Tel
39. ue on the right hand side If you wish to perform an adjustment on a single channel display it in the preview window by selecting it in the Tuner sub menu and ticking the box Use these settings for the selected channel only The image sub menu also contains the Picture Optimization feature that controls de interlacing This functionality reduces or removes the small interlace lines you may see on fast moving footage camera pan for example Although the Setup Assistant will have determined the optimum setting for your PowerMac you can change it via the drop down menu Compression Size Audio Tuner Picture Optimization Best H4 __ Use these settings for the selected channel only This control is enabled only if a tuner for the videa source is available and if a channel is selected Hue 0 00 0 0 50 0 100 Saturation 49 61 0 0 50 0 3 100 0 Contrast e 49 61 0 0 50 0 100 0 Brightness ee 49 80 0 0 50 0 100 0 Sharpness nn 45 67 0 0 3 50 0 100 0 Set to default Cancel Ca AlchemyTV DVR User Guide Page 25 2 Mideo Compression will adjust the video codec and quality settings for the video you will record to your hard drive Select the QuickTime codec of your choice in the drop down menu The options are identical to those you would choose for AlchemyTV The Expert settings allow you to access the QuickTime video motion menu Note This option will
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