(*) The Remote Selector has native support for these remotes.
Installation
Just unzip the file (with f.i. WinZip) to any directory you like.
To add the program to the Windows desktop, create a shortcut to the 'remselec.exe' file.
If you want the program to startup automatically when Windows starts up, add a shortcut to the 'remselec.exe' file in the 'Programs/StartUp' folder of the Start menu.
How to use the keyboard as remote:
The keyboard will function as a remote device when:
the 'Enable keyboard commands' option on the Remote tabsheet is enabled and
one of the supported program is running
When the keyboard is functioning as remote device it doesn't matter which program has the input focus at that moment, all keyboard strokes are redirected to the Remote Selector. This also means that other programs, for instance NotePad, won't receive keyboard input and you can't use them at that moment.
The keyboard will return to function as normal after:
the supported program is closed, or
the Remote Selector is closed, or
the 'Enable keyboard commands' option on the Remote tabsheet is disabled, or
the 'Enable keyboard' option of the menu of the system tray icon is disabled.
How to use an infrared remote control
Remote control with native support:
Connect the infrared receiver to a free serial com port.
Disable or uninstall the software that came with the remote control.
Select the used remote type.
Select the correct serial com port on which the ir receiver is connected.
Other remote controls:
Install hardware and software according to manual.
Select the used remote type.
Select the name of the device button on the remote to use with the Remote Selector.
The remote functions will only work when you keep the Remote Selector running in the background.
How to change the region code
The region code can be changed at any time and doesn't need the DVD player software to run.
Start the Remote Selector.
Select Region tabsheet.
Select desired region code.
Click the 'Set' button.
Follow the on screen instructions when necessary.
When no error message appears, the region code is changed.
If you don't have a Creative DVD Encore Dxr2, the region tabsheet will not appear.
How to set the TV video mode
The tv video mode is determined as a combination of disc type, which selects the framerate of the disc, and TV type, which selects the color carrier of the TV.
Disc type is NTSC for 30 frames/sec or PAL for 25 frames/sec. Please note that the Remote Selector can not convert the framerate.
MultiSystem TV type selects the original video mode as it would be without Remote Selector.
7.5 IRE Setup changes the blacklevel and controls the brightness.
When the 'Automatic Refresh' option is enabled, the tv video mode settings will be automatically set when a disc is started or stopped, or a menu is entered or left. This option will only work when the Remote Selector is running in the background.
With the 'Refresh' button (or refresh function in the remote part) the TV video mode can be set manually.
If you don't have a Creative DVD Encore Dxr2, the video tabsheet will not appear.
Running the Remote Selector in the background
The Remote Selector must be kept running in the background:
to use the remote functions.
to use the automatic video mode refresh. This is necessary when you use PAL TV mode or want to disable MacroVision.
Minimizing the Remote Selector
The Remote Selector window can be minimized (but this is not necessary) when running in the background. In that state the Remote Selector can be accessed using the DVD icon in the system tray (in the right lower corner of the screen). Clicking the icon with the left mouse button restores the Remote Selector window. Clicking the icon with the right mouse button brings up a menu, which lets you control the 'Enable keyboard' option.
When the 'Start minimized' option on the Remote tabsheet is enabled, the Remote Selector will not display the window on startup, but only adds the DVD icon to the system tray. This is useful when you want to include the Remote Selector in your Windows startup.
Why can't I copy a NTSC disc to my PAL vcr?
The Remote Selector can only change the color carrier from NTSC to PAL. The framerate stays at 30 frames/sec.
Most TV's can handle this signal, PAL videorecorders however can only record 25 frames/sec.
If you really want to record a NTSC disc on your PAL video recorder, you need to buy a system norm convertor.
Why does the screen sometimes flicker in PAL TV mode?
When the player starts or stops playing, or enters or leaves a menu, one of the video registers will be changed by the player.
This causes the flickering on top of the screen.
To solve this problem just select the Video Mode tabsheet and press the Refresh button. You can also enable the 'Automatic refresh' option.
Another possibility is to assign a key or remote key to the Refresh function on the Remote tabsheet and use that key to refresh the videomode setting.
Put back the DLL. Although the construction without DLL worked good on most computers, on some the program crashed at startup. I hope this problem is solved now.
Changed the support for WinAmp a little bit:
The program can startup now without the presence of the Creative DVD.
Added the functions 10 tracks forward and 10 tracks backward.
Added support for the Silitek SM-1000 remote.
Version 1.12 (18 july 1998)
Completely rewritten the remote part, it should work much better now.
The following problems with the support for the Miro MediaRemote are solved now:
On start up of the program the serial port was initialized with the wrong values.
Most of the times it received only the first keys correctly.
The Miro support also picked up some signals of other remotes.
Added remote support for WinAmp.
Finally made some documentation (this file), which is also included in the zipfile.
Version 1.11 (29 june 1998)
Fixed a bug that could block access to the DVD drive after several hours when the Remote Selector is run in the background.
Removed the DLL.
Version 1.1 (9 june 1998)
Videomode is now determined by a combination of disctype and tv-type.
Added support for PAL-M (Brazil) and PAL-Nc (Argentina).
Automatic videomode refreshing with V3.0 of the Creative DVD software.
Added support for Miro MediaRemote.
Can minimize on startup.
Added remote support for eject, mute, vol up, vol down, FF and rewind.
Multispeed support for slowmotion, fast forward and rewind.
Remote control keynames are displayed now (instead of numbers).
Several small bugfixes.
Version 1.0 (initial release)
The Remote Selector is a combination of the Region Selector by me (Erwin van den Berg) and EncoreRC by Peter Kooiman.
Predecessor history
In january 1998 I made a small utility that could change the region code of the Creative DVD Encore Dxr2.
This program was called the Creative DVD Region Selector (REGION.EXE).
Later, when the program also could change the color carrier of the tv output and disable MacroVision, the name was changed in Creative DVD Selector (SELECTOR.EXE).