Nero ShowTime Mobile Beta 2 Released Options

[Ivan Dimkovic]

I am pleased to inform you that second web release of ShowTime Mobile, the portable multimedia player from Nero has just been released!

What's new in this release?

- Big improvements in MPEG-4 video decoding performance (50% and more)
- Optimized AAC audio decoder (more than 20% faster than Beta 1)
- Better caching technology, improved I/O performance when content is stored on the storage cards
- More support for Nero Digital metadata (OSD info with chapters during seeking, etc...)
- Support for Ogg Vorbis audio
- Bugfixes related to issues found in Beta 1 test round

Registered full/retail Nero users can get this version FREE of charge from the following address:

http://www.nero.com/eng/Nero_ShowTime_Mobile.html

[Latexxx]

There's one problem. I registered with my serial number to download beta one and now I can't anymore register with the same serial to get this new version.

[Ivan Dimkovic]

As always, your comments and suggestions are more than welcome! We appreciate very much your valuable help making ShowTime Mobile better!

[Ivan Dimkovic]

There's one problem. I registered with my serial number to download beta one and now I can't anymore register with the same serial to get this new version.

Thanks for the info, we will look into the problem asap.

[Ivan Dimkovic]

I got information from the web team that the solution for the problem with downloads: If you cannot download NSTM with your serial, please contact our tech-support team, so they can help you.

I hope this helps.

[irwin2]

- Big improvements in MPEG-4 video decoding performance (50% and more)

MPEG-4 asp or avc?
i2700g is supported?

[Garf]

- Big improvements in MPEG-4 video decoding performance (50% and more)

MPEG-4 asp or avc?
i2700g is supported?

Yes yes and yes.

[legg]

Is there a plan to release a version for palmOS?

I have a clie tj37 and I use aeroplayer for mp3 and ogg.

This post has been edited by legg: Aug 3 2005, 16:35

[AtaqueEG]

Does it support gapless playback of MP3 files?

[Ivan Dimkovic]

Actually - full 2700G support is not yet finished, but most likely complete support will be ready for the next web release.

Is there a plan to release a version for palmOS?

Unfortunately not in the next few months.

Does it support gapless playback of MP3 files?

Of course

[AtaqueEG]

Does it support gapless playback of MP3 files?

Of course

You people are so great!

I just bought a Dell Axim X30, and can't wait to use your program!

This post has been edited by AtaqueEG: Aug 8 2005, 13:20

[victorypoint]

Garf or Ivan,

I'm a registered user and am having no luck getting a copy of Beta2 - see my posts on the Doom9 forum. No response from Nero Tech Support after several tries.

-AJ

This post has been edited by victorypoint: Aug 8 2005, 18:32

[sven]

victorypoint,

I had the same problem as you a while back when trying to download another beta 1, but I downloaded beta 2 O.K.


Garf,

I would help alot if the Nero Community were up sooner, especially with all these good downloads that we have to provide our serial number for all the time -Nero Linux and ShowTime Mobile Betas.

P.S. Love the improvements but still not quite as good as TCMP and not quite as user friendly as WMP 10 for pocket pc. Keep up the good work.
Please try to have a categories like the Ipod and WMP though - Library> My Music, My Videos, My TV, My Playlists. And categories inside of those e.g. My Music> All Music, Artist, Album, Genre.
This would be very helpful. Especially since I don't like making playlists and am sure many other users don't like the extra work of weeding out music files on their pocket pc's as well.

Please try to improve, thanks for the great program, and good job so far.

P.S.S. I would be really great if you could allow other developers to help with codec support through something like directshow filters for PPC. It might speed things up and people won't hound you about it all the time.

[victorypoint]

victorypoint,

I had the same problem as you a while back when trying to download another beta 1, but I downloaded beta 2 O.K.

Thanks Sven. I finally downloaded and installed Beta2 several weeks ago. Here's the results of some testing on my Dell Axim X50v.

Nothing has changed in the UI between betas. I found the Playlist options a bit confusing. It needs an "Open File" option rather than scanning through all the files on my Axim before I can add media. ASP and AVC movies encoded with Recode2 (500MB size encoded at 400kbps video VBR, 96kbps 48kHz stereo audio) play back much better than Beta1 but are still sluggish when played from a CF card. No Intel 2700G graphic chipset support yet but appearently it's in the works. For comparison, the same ASP movies play smooth in TCPMP 0.66 from a CF card (AVC not supported yet).

Still no way to save custom EQ settings. Still no way to browse or add media on network shares. They fixed the playback pause problem when the player is minimized. No option to use system volume. It doesn't have customizable hotkeys, file associations, and advanced settings like TCPMP but overall a good improvement from Beta1. I'll keep using TCPMP (although it looks like TCPMP has dropped AAC support in the latest builds).

-AJ

[sven]

victorypoint,

AAC support is available to TCMP via a plugin available at the download site. It even plays m4b files (AAC encoded audiobooks).

I'm using TCMP most of the time until Showtime mobile has better support for my Axim X50v. But until then I can only hope that Showtime give TCMP some friendly competetion.

P.S. Here how I encode my movies through Recode:
Maximum Def., 706MB, 2-pass, Extra Quality Setting on, Maximum MV range set to -1024 to 1023.5, Pschyo Visual Quality at High, H263 Quantization, Half Pixel, Spatial Prediction on, Predicted VOP on, Unrestricted Motion Vectors on, 4 motion vectors per macroblock on, and Biodirectional VOP on.

That's the highest encoding I've gotten to work on TCMP with my Axim X50v. If you encode like this and watch a movie on the plane with your Axim the flight attendants will look twice in economy, and ask you about it in Business Class. I have yet to experience First Class with my Axim. Plus, it looks like a very good Divx encode on your PC.

I would really love it if Showtime could play files encoded as such but all it does now is crash (Showtime flickers off and is gone) on my Axim, which is very sad since Beta 1 at least tried to play it.

[irwin2]

For comparison, the same ASP movies play smooth in TCPMP 0.66 from a CF card (AVC not supported yet).

AVC support is available to TCMP via a plugin available at the download site (ffmpeg plugin). But it's very slooow.

In Tcpmp:
608x256 25fps 500kbps h264 (avc) with sound mp3 gets about 33% in benchmark mode (with cabac) or 48% (without cabac)

Maybe Nero version is faster? I don't have Showtime Mobile.

This post has been edited by irwin2: Aug 29 2005, 13:45

[Garf]

I'm using TCMP most of the time until Showtime mobile has better support for my Axim X50v.

I don't understand this statement at all: Axim X50v is my main development system, so it's heavily tested. What is the problem?

P.S. Here how I encode my movies through Recode:
Maximum Def., 706MB, 2-pass, Extra Quality Setting on, Maximum MV range set to -1024 to 1023.5, Pschyo Visual Quality at High, H263 Quantization, Half Pixel, Spatial Prediction on, Predicted VOP on, Unrestricted Motion Vectors on, 4 motion vectors per macroblock on, and Biodirectional VOP on.

What resolution?

[Garf]

For comparison, the same ASP movies play smooth in TCPMP 0.66 from a CF card (AVC not supported yet).

AVC support is available to TCMP via a plugin available at the download site (ffmpeg plugin). But it's very slooow.

In Tcpmp:
608x256 25fps 500kbps h264 (avc) with sound mp3 gets about 33% in benchmark mode (with cabac) or 48% (without cabac)

Maybe Nero version is faster? I don't have Showtime Mobile.

I think I'll test this. Would be disappointed if we don't beat ffmpeg heavily, since our decoder should be a lot faster.

[sven]

Garf,

Sorry wrong word. I ment support as in support for additional audio and video codecs and features. However, a better use of the Axim X50v's CPU would be applauded. The TCMP is a proof of concept media player for this CPU and Nero would be wise to do the same as this is one of the reasons it became so popular as of late.
I do not wish to offend you or other Nero developers by so openly praising TCMP, but the fact remains that TCMP is older and therefore more reliable, supports more codecs and features, plays files very, very well, and uses the Axim X50v's CPU better than any other media player right now.
Sorry but that's the reality, I can only hope that the next public release or beta of Showtime Mobile is at least on par with TCMP.


As for your question on what resolution I use. It is: 720X480 for widescreen (I don't remeber standard)

I believe that this is the standard for Maximum Definition in Nero Recode.

[AtaqueEG]

Tried it now.

It hisses on my Dell Axim 30V while listening to MP3 files.

Like an old walkman.

What could it be?

[Garf]

Does it happen with all files?
What happens in other players?

[AtaqueEG]

Yes, on all files.

MP3 made with Lame 3.97 alphas.
No equalizer.
No other program running.
Played from SD card.
Dell Axim 30v, brand new.
Only extra software installed is yours.

Hisses like a tape.

[Garf]

Can you try with any other player? Sounds like a bad or underpowered output.

[AtaqueEG]

Tried TCPMP and WMP.
No hiss.

[fairyliquidizer]

This is one sweet bit of software. I'm just playing with finding the best profile and tweeks for my Pocket PC. What bitrate and settings would you recommend just using the portable?

I'm 320x240 resolution.