About Apple DVD Player, Version 1.3

This document contains important information about your Apple DVD software that's not included in the printed information you received with your DVD player or the Apple DVD Player Help.
About Apple DVD Player, version 1.3

Note: Apple DVD Player 1.3 is only available with Mac OS 9.

This document contains important information about your Apple DVD software that's not included in the printed information you received with your DVD player or the Apple DVD Player Help. It includes information about compatibility with other products, tips for using the Apple DVD Player Controller, and troubleshooting.

Contents


Turning off virtual memory

For optimum performance when playing a DVD disc, you should turn off virtual memory. To turn off virtual memory, use the Memory control panel.

Using the Apple DVD Player Controller

While using the Controller, keep in mind the following:

Parental control

You can set parental controls to any Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating: G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17. To set the parental control preferences, choose Preferences from the Edit menu and click the Parental Control tab.

If a DVD disc supports parental control, the disc will not play if its MPAA rating is for a more mature audience than the rating you selected in the Preferences dialog box.

Not every DVD disc supports parental control. If a disc does not support parental control, it will play regardless of the rating you have selected.

If you have selected parental control, some DVD discs display a message to which you must respond to play the disc.

Some DVD discs may not play unless you set the preference to the MPAA rating of the disc. For example, a disc rated G may not play although you selected PG-13 for parental control. To play the disc, set the rating of the Parental Control preference to the rating of the disc.

Continuing after the FBI warning appears

Some DVD discs use a still picture for the FBI warning. If a disc appears to pause when the FBI warning appears, press the Return or Enter key to continue playing the disc.

Selecting language preferences

Many DVD discs provide the soundtrack and subtitles in several languages. You can select the default language for the soundtrack and subtitles by choosing Preferences from the Edit menu.

Your default language preferences for the soundtrack and subtitles become effective when you start playing the disc again or when you quit and open Apple DVD Player again.

Because the soundtrack and subtitle languages provided on DVD discs can vary, the default language you select may not be available on a specific disc. In this case, use the disc's interactive menus to select a soundtrack or subtitle language.

Selecting disc menu options using the keyboard

Some DVD discs do not support making selections in the disc's interactive menus using the mouse. Buttons in the disc's menus may not highlight when the mouse passes over them or they may not respond to mouse clicks. If you cannot use the mouse to make selections in a disc's menus, use the arrow keys to highlight a button, then press the Return or Enter key to select it.

Viewing quality

For the best viewing quality for your display, choose Normal Size from the Video menu. Choosing Fill Screen from the Video menu may give acceptable viewing quality as well.

With widescreen titles, the black bars above and below the image are normal even if you choose Fill Screen.

Viewing quality is optimized for screens that are 800 x 600 pixels or larger and display 256 or more colors. If you play a DVD disc on an external monitor and the video doesn't appear, use the Monitors & Sound control panel to reduce the number of colors to 256 colors.

For optimal display of video on a television connected to a Power Macintosh G3, or the Powerbook G3 series computer, choose the "Best for Video" option from the TV Mirroring portion of the Control Strip.


Using the entire display

If you have Mac OS 8.5 installed, the Control Strip may not disappear when you choose "Present Video on Screen" from the Video menu. To hide it, open the Control Strip control panel and select Hide Control Strip.

To use the entire display to view a DVD disc, choose "Present Video on Screen" from the Video menu, then choose Fill Screen.

Connecting your computer to an additional monitor, television, or stereo receiver

DVD discs are designed to play only on a computer display, television, or monitor attached to the video output port on the computer. If the Macintosh has either an RCA (composite) or S-Video output port, DVD discs can be displayed on an external monitor or television that has a composite or S-Video input port.

Note: The cables needed to connect the computer to an external monitor or television are not provided.

The optimum resolution for viewing DVD video on a television is 720 x 480 pixels for NTSC. For PAL, it is 720 X 576 pixels.

You cannot view a DVD disc both on your computer's monitor and an external monitor simultaneously.

If you are using a Power Macintosh G3, or the Powerbook G3 series computer with TV Mirroring enabled, choose the Overscan option from the TV Mirroring portion of the Control Strip to obtain the largest possible image on your television. Changing the TV resolution will turn off Overscan mode.

Apple DVD Player and Apple Video Player

If the Apple Video Player application is open while the Apple DVD Player is playing a DVD disc and the computer goes to sleep, you will not hear the audio for the DVD disc when you wake up the computer. To hear the audio again, open the Sound portion of the Control Strip and select the DVD option.

Using external speakers

Because soundtracks for theatrical release movies are mixed for presentation in theaters, they have a wide dynamic range and the difference in volume between dialog and sound effects may be extreme. To fully appreciate the soundtrack of such a movie when viewing it on a DVD disc, you should use an external speaker system connected to the audio output port (stereo mini-jack) or, if available, the RCA audio ports on your computer.

Note: The cables needed to connect the computer to external speakers are not provided.

You can control the volume of the audio output port using the Controller or the Control Strip.

The RCA audio ports are for use with a stereo receiver or other audio device with its own volume control. You cannot control the volume of the RCA audio ports using the Controller or the Control Strip.

You may find that stereo headphones connected to the audio output port provide an acceptable listening experience.

The computer's audio output port (stereo mini jack) can be connected to a television or stereo receiver if it has audio input ports.

Receiving error messages while playing a disc

DVD discs are susceptible to problems due to scratches, dust, and imperfections in disc manufacture. In addition, differences in disc authoring can result in errors in disc navigation. If you see an error message when playing a disc or experimenting with the features of a particular DVD disc, make sure the disc is clean and free of scratches. If you continue to see the same message, use the disc's interactive menus to select options.

Some delay is normal when using dual layer DVD discs if the disc changes to a track on a different layer.


Compatibility issues with the Arabic version of Mac OS 8.1

Apple DVD Software version 1.2 is not compatible with the Arabic version of Mac OS 8.1. To use Apple DVD Software version 1.2, use the Arabic version of Mac OS 8.5 or later.


Mention of third-party products is for informational purposes only and constitutes neither an endorsement nor a recommendation. Apple assumes no responsibility with regard to the performance or use of these products.


Updated February 5, 1999
Published Date: Feb 20, 2012