Short:    MPEG player for CyberGfx/AGA V2.52 (68k/PPC)
Author:   Andreas R. Kleinert
Uploader: info@ar-kleinert.de
Type:     gfx/show
Replaces: akMPEG.lha

                       akMPEG V2.52 (31.8.1999)

                              - SHAREWARE -

          © 1999 by Andreas Ralph Kleinert. All rights reserved.

                    A PerSuaSiVe SoftWorX PRODUCT.

                        Needs Kickstart V3.x
                 GUI created with StormWizard 2.0

                Actively supports PowerPC (TM) via powerUP (TM)
                   and ppc.library (or -emulation V0.6b+)

 Program information
 -------------------
 akMPEG is a program that has been designed to play MPEG animations
 on CyberGfx or compatible systems with a 68040 or greater CPU and a FPU.

 It's also nice for being used as AWeb or IBrowse MPEG plugin.

 There are PPC versions available as well (040+PPC or 060+PPC).

 It allows several ways to replay animations:

   - in an overlay window on any kind of CyberGfx screen
     (requires cgxvideo.library and a graphics card capable of Overlay)

   - in a normal window on any kind of a 16/24 bit deep CyberGfx screen

   - on a 16/24 bit deep CyberGfx screen (auto-selection)

   - on a 8 bit deep AGA or CyberGfx screen (requires OS 3.1)

 Please note, that conventional 8 bit screen displays (CyberGfx or AGA)
 are not supported due to speed reasons (the window will stay empty).

 With a 68040-25 CPU (on a CyberStormPPC/III) with quite some FAST RAM
 one may achieve ~7 FPS in Overlay mode (measured with CyberVision3D)
 and ~4 FPS in window mode. A 68060-50 or -66 may allow for realtime
 playing (although this has not been evaluated). The juggling-gigs.mpg
 from the Aminet CDs was used for testing.

 The PPC version comes close to realtime, depending on the animation size.

 The GUI is quite self-explaining:

    - PPC support can be switched on or off (when available)
    - B- and P-Frames may be skipped (default is "do not skip")
    - Overlay or 24 bit display is possible

 The MPEG players are external programs, that are run
 asynchroneously. So it is possible to play more than
 one animation at once. Or utilize PPC and 68k at the same
 time. However, it is not possible to open more than one
 overlay window at once (all except the first one will
 show "Please wait..." until the resources again are free).

 One may also start the external player tools from Shell
 (PPC versions are named similarily, with "PPC" as prefix).
 The syntax can be requested by starting with "?" as the only
 parameter. It's the same for both programs:

     MP [-nop -nob -pubscr=pubscreenname] animfile.MPG

 Replay can be canceled via the player windows' close-gadget
 - although it may not be visible with the on-screen players.

 That's it :-)

 The names of the players are:

    (PPC)mpOV   Overlay
    (PPC)mp24   16/24 Bit Window
    (PPC)mp24sc 16/24 Bit Screen
    (PPC)mp8sc  8 Bit grayscale Screen (requires OS 3.1 !)

 BTW: In the unregistered version, MPEGs show vertical stripes,
      except with the grayscale player.

 See program archive for copyright and distribution information.