++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++README.TXT+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
            
Application   : Canopus ProCoder 2
Version       : 2.04
Homepage      : http://www.canopus.com
Copyright     : (C) Copyright 2004-2005, Canopus Corporation. All rights reserved.
Release Date  : 05/10/2005
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Canopus ProCoder 2
------------------
 Thank you for purchasing Canopus ProCoder 2! ProCoder 2 is a highly 
versatile multiple source to multiple target format conversion tool. It 
places emphasis not only on speed but also on quality of the files that it 
outputs. This document is intended to address outstanding issues as of the 
release of this software and to act as a guide in case these issues or 
circumstances are met while using ProCoder 2. For detailed information on 
how to USE ProCoder 2, please read your user manual or check the help.

TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Read This: Installation Requirements 
Section 1: Manual Update
Section 2: Known Issues (ProCoder Centric)
Section 3: Known Issues (Third-Party Centric)
Section 4: CD Extras
Section 5: USB Key (Dongle) Installation and Notes
Section 6: Changes from previous versions


INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS
-------------------------
Please refer to the Minimum System Requirements listed in the ProCoder 2 
manual or on the product packaging. We cannot support installation of 
ProCoder 2 on systems that do not meet the minimum requirements.


SECTION 1
MANUAL UPDATE
-------------
* No manual updates were available at release.

* A PDF version of the manual is available on the ProCoder 2 
installation CD and its content is also contained in the online help.
  

SECTION 2
Known Issues (ProCoder-centric)
-------------------------------
* CODEC INSTALL/UNINSTALL: If you own a Canopus hardware or software 
product and uninstall that product, you may run into an issue with 
ProCoder 2 not working correctly. If ProCoder does not run correctly 
after you uninstall another Canopus product, please re-install 
ProCoder 2 to resolve this problem. Uninstalling ProCoder should NOT 
affect existing installs of Canopus hardware or software.

* CUSTOM PRESETS, PROFILES and PROJECTS SAVED FROM VERSIONS OF PROCODER 
PRIOR TO V2.0: Due to the significant advancements in ProCoder 2, 
presets, profiles and projects from earlier versions of ProCoder will 
need to be recreated for use in ProCoder 2. If you have custom settings, 
please record these settings before installing ProCoder 2.

* DROPLETS AND STILL IMAGE SEQUENCE SOURCES: Still image sources sent 
to a droplet will load with the default still image source settings. 
You should NOT attempt to drop all the images onto the droplet as this 
will result in multiple sources. Instead, load a single image of the 
sequence and let the default wildcarding find the remaining images, just 
like when loading a still image into the normal ProCoder application.

* FILTER PREVIEW: While the video filter configuration delivers WYSIWYG
regarding all lumina and chromina values, it does not work in WYSIWYG mode
regarding the video size. When using for example the bitmap keying filter, 
the exact position of the keyed bitmap might differ from the final output.
Furthermore, filter preview for targets will not necessarilly be WYSIWYG,
especially when the source and target have different frame or pixel aspect
ratios. Also, filters with temporal dependencies may not preview correctly.

* LARGE NUMBER OF SOURCE CLIPS: ProCoder has no "hard" limit to how many 
files you can encode at one time. The limit is basically how much system 
memory you have. Each file takes a certain amount of system memory to 
buffer codec information. This amount ranges anywhere from 1 to 10MB 
depending on the source. When converting a large number of files 
ProCoder 2 will pop up a warning window that you do not have enough 
system memory to proceed. You can alleviate this by adding more memory 
to the system, or breaking up your large project into smaller ones.

* MPEG HARDWARE ENCODER DOES NOT SUPPORT SVCD ENCODING: This is a 
limitation of the hardware MPEG encoder - it cannot encode SVCD 
resolution, this is not a limitation of ProCoder 2. Use the software 
MPEG encoder for SVCD encoding. Besides, the software encoder most often
produces better results than the hardware encoder.

* ODD FILE WIDTH OR HEIGHT: Due to inherent problems with odd widths and
heights (for example 101x50) of certain files when converting to various 
codecs, ProCoder will not allow files with odd width or height to be 
accepted for conversion, except for Flash and QuickTime import. For 
other sources, please refer to the source type documentation for further 
information.

* PREVIEW DISPLAY: If your preview does not show an image, or shows an 
incorrect image, try changing the User Overlay on Desktop setting in the
Conversion Options tab of Transcoding Settings in the ProCoder 2 
application. This will disable overlay use and draw frames directly on
the screen.

* SAVING PROJECTS: If you save your projects, you may not be able to 
open them, if your hard drive letter or folder name changes. Please make 
sure that you save to a hard drive letter/folder name that will not 
change. If you do change the hard drive letter or folder name, you will 
render your project invalid and will not be able to load the project's 
source files.

* JOB SEGMENTATION AND MEMORY: On systems with less than 1 GB of RAM, 
we advise limiting the number of conversion slots in the Job Manager to 
avoid using so much memory as to cause swapping to disk. To limit the 
number of conversion slots, open the ProCoder 2 Job Queue Manager and 
select Number of Conversion Slots from the Tools menu.
    
* STOPPING FILE CONVERSION: Pressing the "stop" button during a conversion 
will sometimes yield an invalid or inaccurate file. The "stop" button 
should not be used as an editing tool (i.e. to make a shorter clip). 
Please use the "In" and "Out" points if you wish to edit the length of 
your file. Also note that files which are being converted using a 2-pass 
method will yield NO output if the 2nd pass has not been initiated.

* TV PREVIEW OUTPUT: When using the Canopus DVStorm or VideoGate for TV 
output preview, the preview image is converted to the broadcast format 
that the TV output card is using. Thus, it does not make sense to preview 
an NTSC-to-PAL conversion on the TV when the hardware is in NTSC mode, etc.
The TV preview output is intented for image preview and does not guarantee 
an accurate preview of the output frame rate.
ProCoder 2 supports only one TV preview output device at a time.

* VOB IMPORT AND PREVIEW: When adding  a VOB with the name VTS_xx_y.VOB as
a source, ProCoder 2 will load all VOB files with the name VTS_xx_n.VOB 
where n is from 0 to 9. Source and filter preview of the source, however,
will only show frames from the loaded file - other frames which are 
located in VOB files other than the loaded VOB file will appear black in 
source and filter previews.

* WATCH FOLDERS - PERMANENT VERSUS TEMPORARY: Remember that Watch Folders 
created using the ProCoder 2 Wizard are temporary and only active while
the ProCoder 2 Wizard is running in that session. To create Watch Folders
that are active regardless of whether ProCoder 2 or the ProCoder 2 Wizard 
is running, use the Watch Folder Manager to create a permanent watch 
folder. Permanent watch folders are active as long as the ProCoder 2 
Engine is running.

-ProCoder HAS been tested to convert 1000 files with no issues (This
system was equipped with 1GB of RAM). 
                                                                        
-ProCoder HAS been tested to output a continuous file that was 12 hours in
length with no issues.

These QA milestones were set to ensure that it is possible to do this. Of 
course, depending on the source clips used, your results may vary.


SECTION 3
Known Issues (Third Party centric)
----------------------------------
* BETA AND "WORK-IN-PROGRESS" CODECS: Please note that ProCoder 2 will 
utilize codecs that are designed to output to its various target 
formats. Some of these codecs may have inherent bugs within the codec 
itself. Make sure you are up to date with the latest version of these 
codecs and check the FAQ or web page of the codec to potentially 
resolve issues with the codec itself.

* DIVX DECODER SETTINGS: By default, the DivX decoder enables options
that can cause problems when using DivX sources in ProCoder and viewing
DivX output from ProCoder. Post-processing applies changes to the video 
during decode which can sometimes result in repeated or skipped frames 
when using DivX files as sources and when playing DivX output. Also, 
the DivX logo is displayed over the video during the first few seconds
of playback.
To ensure that DivX content is both provided to ProCoder and displayed in 
an unaltered manner, disable the DivX decoder post-processing and logo 
display by running the Decoder Configuration Utility (usually located in 
Start > Programs > DivX > DivX Codec > Decoder Configuration Utility).
On the Post-Processing Settings tab, put a check in the Disable 
Post-Processing box.  On the Quality Settings tab, put a check in the 
Disable Logo on the box.

* DIVX TARGET WITH OGG ACM AUDIO: DivX output using the Ogg ACM codec 
for audio may result in part of the tail-end of audio being lost.

* DRM-PROTECTED WINDOWS MEDIA CONTENT: Windows Media content that is 
DRM (Digital Rights Management) protected cannot be used as sources in 
ProCoder 2. This is to comply with the Windows Media Digital Rights 
Management structure.

* DVD/MPEG-2 PLAYBACK IN WINDOWS MEDIA (AND OTHER NON-DEDICATED PLAYERS):
Please note that playback of DVD/MPEG-2 video files should be performed in 
dedicated playback software. Synchronization problems, artifacting and 
other issues may arise from attempting to use a non-dedicated playback 
engine. If a file appears to have any of these issues and you are using 
Windows Media Player or another "multi-format" playback software to view 
these types of files, please try using dedicated DVD/MPEG-2 playback 
software to verify your file output is correct.

* FRAUNHOFER MP3 CODEC ISSUE: The Fraunhofer MP3 Codec in some cases can 
not operate at 48 kHz in ProCoder. Please select lower sample rates.

* IIS MP3 AUDIO CODEC AND MULTIPLE OUTPUTS: The IIS MP3 audio codec does 
not support multiple instances. Thus, simultaneous encoding to more than 
one target using the IIS MP3 audio codec will fail. To avoid this 
situation, use the DirectShow MP3 encoder that installs with ProCoder 
instead. The included DirectShow MP3 encoder supports up to 8 simultaneous 
instances.

* IMPORT OF SORENSON PRO ENCODED FILES: Files encoded by Sorenson Pro with 
the "Bidirectional Prediction" option enabled can not be imported 
properly. If you need to use those files as sources for ProCoder, please 
encode them with "Bidirectional Prediction" disabled.

* MULTIPLE APPLICATIONS USING HARDWARE PREVIEW TV OUTPUT: If more than one
application is trying to use the same output hardware, the TV output will
be unpredictable. For example, if two instances of the ProCoder 2 
application are converting simultaneously and ProCoder 2 is set to use the
Canopus DVStorm or VideoGate for preview output, TV output may not display
properly. The same situation applies if a Canopus application tries to use
the DVStorm hardware while ProCoder 2 is performing a conversion and 
previewing output using the DVStorm. Avoid running more than one 
application that uses the same hardware.

* MPEG-2 PICTURE STRUCTURE AUTOMATIC AND ALWAYS FIELD ENCODED FILES: 
Files encoded with the Picture Structure set to "Automatic" or "Always 
Field Structure," while often providing increased compression efficiency, 
may not properly decode in all MPEG-2 software or hardware players. Use 
care when using automatic or field picture structures in MPEG-2 output.

* MPEG-2 3-2 PULLDOWN FLAG ENCODED FILES: Files encoded with the 3-2 
Pulldown flag set may not properly decode in some MPEG-2 software or 
hardware players. Use care when using the 3-2 pulldown flag in MPEG-2 
output.

* PREMIERE TIMELINE EXPORT PLUG-IN: Due to the way that Premiere handles
different video formats on the timeline, occasionally stuttering or errors 
may occur when exporting. This happens most often when mixing various file 
types (most notably, audio formats) from the timeline for export. We 
suggest you use ProCoder to convert all these files to a similar format, 
then assemble them to the timeline and export to avoid this situation.

* QUICKTIME COMPATIBILITY: ProCoder 2 was designed for and tested with 
QuickTime 6.4, which is included on the installation CD. Installation of a 
later version of QuickTime may provide additional options, however, if 
issues are encountered, please revert back to the QuickTime version 
included on the ProCoder 2 installation CD until an applicable update to 
ProCoder 2 or QuickTime is made.

* QUICKTIME TARGET USING QDESIGN AUDIO CODEC: When using a QuickTime 
target using the QDesign audio codec, the last few seconds of audio in the 
output file may be lost. To avoid this issue, choose a different audio 
codec for QuickTime targets.

* THIRD-PARTY MPEG DECODERS: The DirectShow MPEG decoder included with
ProCoder 2 has a very low priority. Installation of another MPEG decoder 
such as those included with most DVD playback software will override
ProCoder 2's default MPEG decoder for system MPEG playback.
This does not, however, affect MPEG import in ProCoder 2, which always 
uses its DirectShow decoder. If you find that MPEG preview outside of
ProCoder 2 looks different, check for any newly-installed MPEG decoders 
or use a hardware MPEG decoder to check your output.

* WINDOWS MEDIA MULTIPLE TARGETS: Due to the way that Windows Media
codecs prior to Windows Media 9 operate, simultaneous conversion to 
multiple Windows Media outputs might result in some video artifacting. 
This is typically seen as "pink or green" artifacts and discoloration of 
the video after the first target file. The best way to avoid this issue 
is to convert to one (1) Windows Media destination type at a time or to 
use WindowsMedia 9 series codecs only.

* WINDOWS XP MEDIA CENTER FILE IMPORT (.dvr-ms files): Import of Windows 
XP Media Center Edition files (.dvr-ms files) requires that the system 
running ProCoder 2 is running Windows XP Professional or Home with the 
lastest updates installed. Refer to Microsoft Knowledge Base article 
810243 for further information on the requirements for playing .dvr-ms 
files.
The following link also provides more information about .dvr-ms files:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/mediacenter/using/tips/recordedTV.asp


SECTION 4
USB Key Installation
--------------------
* The Aladdin USB Key (Dongle) that is supplied with your copy of 
ProCoder 2 is effectively the "key" that allows you to run ProCoder 2. 
Without this key installed in a USB slot on your machine, ProCoder 2 will 
not run. The installer will install all necessary drivers needed to have 
the USB work correctly on your system. The USB key should NOT be installed 
when you first install ProCoder 2. If the key is in your system upon 
installation of ProCoder 2 it could lead to an incorrect driver 
installation.

You may leave the USB Dongle connected. Once installation has finished and 
rebooted your PC, ProCoder 2 should start normally. 
Due to the nature of the USB key and driver, it is still recommended that 
the USB key NOT be physically inserted into a USB slot upon the initial 
installation of ProCoder 2.

* When the Aladdin USB Key is installed correctly, it will appear under the
Universal Serial Bus Controllers Tab in the Device Manager as "Aladdin USB 
Key".

* If you come across issues with the USB Key not working here are some
suggestions to rectify the issue:

-Install the latest drivers for your USB PCI card/Hub and ensure that it 
is properly configured/working in/with your PC. Refer to its owners manual 
for proper installation and configuration.

-The motherboard might have the USB bus disabled in either the system BIOS 
or a jumper on  the motherboard. Please verify that your USB Bus is 
activated. You may also need to turn on the BIOS setting, "Enable IRQ for 
USB." This information can be found in your motherboard User's Manual.

-Make sure you have the latest drivers and BIOS update for your 
motherboard. These drivers DIRECTLY affect how the USB works on your 
system, and can potentially be the source for your USB key not working 
correctly.


SECTION 5
Changes from previous versions
------------------------------
v2.0	- Initial release.

v2.04   - Added support for Canopus HQ format output.
        - Fixed issue when outputing files larger than 2GB.
        - Fixed issue when converting to Windows Media files.
        - Fixed issue when applying multiple audio filters.
        - Fixed issue with field order in exported file.
