                   ********************************************
                                  PowerDVD 4.0

                   (c) Copyright CyberLink Corp.1997-2001
                   ********************************************

Thank you for using CyberLink PowerDVD!

This README file contains the latest information about PowerDVD. For complete 
PowerDVD instructions and usage, please refer to the online help or user's guide.
 
- What's New in PowerDVD 4.0
- Additional Features of PowerDVD 4.0
- Hardware Compatibility
- General Playback Performance and Quality Issues 
- Microsoft(tm) DirectShow Support
- Limitations under Windows NT 4.0


==========================
WHAT'S NEW IN PowerDVD 4.0
==========================

For more details and further explanations of each function, refer to the online 
help or user's guide.

 * New Dolby Digital decoder with enhanced quality and improved decoding precision.
   Certified by Dolby Laboratory for 2/4/6 channel decoding (*)

 * Added Dolby Pro-Logic decoder for 4/6 channel sound card users (*)

 * Enhanced MPEG video decoder for better clarity and exceptional viewing 
   quality for VCD and DVD

 * Proprietary "Dual Subtitles" technology

 * Closed Caption decoder

 * Microsoft WHQL (Windows Hardware Quality Lab) certified with Windows XP, Windows 
   Millennium, Windows 2000 and Windows 98

 * AB repeat function

 * Digital Zoom function  

 * "Toolbar" control for easier playback controls

 * Slow-motion reverse playback

 * Step backward frame function (key frame only)

 * Playlist enhancements 
    - Added "Delete All" command
    - Added "List All Files" command

 * DMA enabling tool for all kinds of system chipsets from Intel, VIA, SiS, ALi and 
   AMD. Supports Windows ME, Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE and Windows 95 
   OSR2

 * Supports Microsoft HID (Human Interactive Devices) interface for HID compliant 
   multimedia keyboards, like those from Logitech, Microsoft, or other input devices 

 * Supports Microsoft standard "WaveFormatExtensible" interface for 4/6 channel sound 
   cards which enables decoded Dolby Digital or Dolby Surround audio output (*)

 * Improved DVD navigation and title compatibility

 * Revised audio/video synchronization mechanism

 * Supports Creative SBLive! family for 4 channel output under W2K (*)

 Note(*): Full multi-channel features, Dolby Pro-Logic decoder and Dolby Headphone 
          are supported in the retail version but are optional in OEM versions.


====================================
ADDITIONAL FEATURES OF PowerDVD 4.0
====================================

 * OSD (On Screen Display) support. Can change font type, font size, font color, 
   display duration, display location and background OSD color.

 * System diagnostic tools 

 * Information page regarding the player status, display mode, video/audio/subpicture 
   attributes and complete hardware information.

 * Visual bookmark viewer and flexible bookmark management. No need to manually record 
   scene descriptions for each bookmark.

 * Visual chapter viewer

 * Multi-user parental control and user management

 * Option of displaying widescreen movies in Letterbox or Pan&Scan mode. Under 
   Pan&Scan mode, user can hold down the mouse button and drag to pan the video.

 * Plays a wide range of media files as well as Video CD

    DVD-Video object files (*.VOB)
    DVD-Video recording object files (*.VRO)
    Dolby AC3 audio files (*.AC3)
    MPEG-1/2 files (*.MPG; *.MPEG)
    MPEG-1 Video files (*.M1V)
    MPEG-2 Video files (*.M2V)    
    Video CD files (*.DAT)


======================
HARDWARE COMPATIBILITY
======================

 * Complete 4/6 channel sound device support, including those made by Analog 
   Devices, ALi, Aureal, Creative, Cirrus/Crystal, CMedia, ESS, Fortemedia, 
   Hercules Game Theater XP, ICEnsemble, Philips/VLSI, Realtek/Avance Logic, SiS, 
   TI, Yamaha and any other sound device that supports Microsoft WaveFormatExtensible 
   interface 

   Multi-channel output can only be activated under Windows 98 and Windows ME for 
   most sound devices due to Windows 2000 driver limitations. Under Windows 2000, 
   the Creative SBLive! family and Hercules Game Theater XP are supported (with
   latest version of Live!Ware for Windows 2000 installed). 

   It is recommended that you install the driver from the original card/device maker 
   but not to use any Windows built-in drivers for this function for it to work 
   properly. 


 * Complete S/PDIF sound device support, including, but not limited, to those made by
   Aureal, Creative, CMedia, Cirrus/Crystal, ESS, Fortemedia, Hercules Game Theater XP,
   Realtek/Avance Logic, Yamaha. Dolby Digital pass-through is supported.

   S/PDIF pass-through is supported under Windows 98 and Windows ME. Under Windows 2000, 
   the Hercules Game Theater XP is supported.

   It is recommended that you install the driver from the original board/device maker 
   for this function to work properly. 


 * Supports Hardware Motion Compensation and Subpicture Alpha blending units provided 
   by display chips or integrated chipsets from ATI, Intel, Neomagic, nVIDIA, S3, 
   SiS, Trident and VIA.

   Display cards from 3dfx, 3DLabs, Matrox, Silicon Motion and any other vendor
   that provide DirectDraw overlay capability are also supported.  

   For most display chips and integrated chipsets, Hardware Motion Compensation and 
   Subpicture Alpha blending is only available for most display cards under Windows 98 
   and Windows ME due to Windows 2000 driver limitations. Under Windows 2000, only 
   SiS630 (integrated chipset) and SiS300 (display chip) are supported. 

   It is recommended that you install the driver from original card/chip maker instead 
   of using any Windows built-in driver in order for this function to work flawlessly.

   
 * PowerDVD 4.0 is fully optimized for multimedia instruction sets such as
   AMD 3D Now!, Enhanced 3D Now!, Intel MMX and Streaming SIMD Extensions(SSE).


 * Compatible with any DVD-ROM or DVD-RAM drive with ATAPI, SCSI, 1394 or CardBus 
   interface, as long as the drive conforms to the SFF8090 command set and SBP-2 
   (if applicable)


 * Compatible with all Slot1, Socket370, SlotA, SocketA and Super7 chipsets from 
   Intel, VIA, SiS, ALi and AMD
 

===============================================
GENERAL PLAYBACK PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY ISSUES
===============================================

 * Enabling the DMA mode of DVD-ROM drive to enhance playback performance

   It is HIGHLY recommended to enable the DMA function of your DVD-ROM in order to 
   reduce the CPU loading which accesses the DVD discs. Windows 2000, Windows ME, 
   Windows 98, Windows 98SE and Windows 95 OSR2 all contain built-in DMA support. 

   The CyberLink system diagnostic utility will be automatically launched after 
   PowerDVD is installed to help you activate the DMA option. 


 * Display issues 

   PowerDVD supports Microsoft(tm) DirectDraw, DirectSound and DirectSound3D. It 
   is recommended to run PowerDVD with the latest Microsoft(tm) DirectX Runtime 
   installed.

   PowerDVD requires the existence of the DirectDraw overlay surface for optimal
   playback performance and video quality. Almost all display cards nowadays 
   support this feature. 

   If the DirectDraw overlay surface cannot be created, PowerDVD will prompt you with 
   this message: "Current display mode is not supported" and show an error code with 
   the value F6F00018. It is either because the color depth, desktop resolution or 
   screen refresh rate is too high and leaves insufficient bandwidth to sustain the 
   creation of an overlay surface, or the display card requires the installation of 
   the latest DirectX Runtime. You can try lowering the desktop resolution, color 
   depth and refresh rate and then try again. 

   It is suggested not to run PowerDVD under a 640x480 desktop resolution, since DVD 
   titles' video resolution is higher than 640x480.


=================================
MICROSOFT (tm) DIRECTSHOW SUPPORT
=================================

 * PowerDVD is Microsoft (tm) DirectShow complaint. Interactive DVD titles or games 
   can utilize PowerDVD DirectShow filters to decode high-resolution MPEG-2
   video clips or high quality Dolby Digital audio files within such titles or games. 

   The newest DirectX Media Runtime must be installed for the filters to work 
   properly.


================================
LIMITATIONS UNDER Windows NT 4.0
================================

 * Service Pack 3 or above must be installed for PowerDVD to work properly under 
   Windows NT 4.0. For PowerDVD versions with Dolby Headphone support, Service Pack 5 
   or above must be installed.

 * Toolbar control is not available under Windows NT 4.0.
    


  
