Requirements and Recommendations

• Muzikbrowzer has been tested on Windows XP and 2000.
• Windows Media Player 9 or better
• Any PC capable of running the above operating systems will run Muzikbrowzer just fine.
• Optional: Remote Control operation. For remote control operation one of the supported IR devices is required; Irman, USB-UIRT, Tira. See the Remote Control chapter for details.
• Optional: ogg and .flac To enable Muzikbrowzer to play .ogg and .flac files you'll need to install a ogg and/or flac plugin for Windows Media Player. You may find them here www.vorbis.com or illiminable.com/ogg. Just download and install it and Muzikbrowzer will be able to play ogg/flac files. Note: Muzikbrowzer uses the Windows Media Player decoding library to play audio files.

• Even though Muzikbrowzer makes a great desktop audio player it's main advantages are realized when deployed in an entertainment pc, connected to your stereo and tv. Purchase a supported IR device to control Muzikbrowzer via remote control.
• A number of features and functionality fall out of this requirement:
  • Remote Control operability. All necessary playing functions are available via remote control.
  • Ease of use. A second design goal was that it be "as easy to play music with Muzikbrowzer as it was with an 'ole cd player". If you're used to having a cd carousel or even a jukebox then you're used to being able to "walk up to your stereo and press the play button" and begin hearing music. That simple. I designed Muzikbrowzer to get as close to that level of easyness as practically as possible.
  • Adjustable Font Size. Accomodates for the relatively poor resolution of TVs.
• The suggested configuration is to dedicate a pc for your entertainment center. Use the TV as the pc's monitor. You'll need an appropriate video card or other hardware to accomplish this. Alternatively, there are hardware devices emerging on the market which would allow the pc to reside remotely from the entertainment center, perhaps even allowing you to use your home desktop pc.
  • If you are dedicating a pc for your entertainment center you'll likely want to have Internet connectivity as well. You may find it usefull to be able to pull up a web page without leaving your easy chair.
  • Another use of your "entertainment pc" would be to show a slide show of pictures from your recent family vacation, taken with your new digital camera. Great way to share those photos which you previously weren't able to do. Have Muzikbrowzer playing some favorite tunes while running some other photo slideshow software!
• Most standard audio cards have a "line out" jack so that you can plug it directly into an "audio in" jack on your audio receiver. If you're into more fidelity then choose a higher grade audio card with digital output.
  
  
  
  TV serves as the pc monitor. Audio card's audio
  out jack plugs into audio input on your stereo receiver.
  
  
• So that your "entertainment pc" will always be ready to go there are two suggestions:
  • Choose the "Run at Starup" option in Muzikbrowzers Configuration/Files dialog. This will cause Muzikbrowzer to run each time the pc is booted up and you login. And second...
  • You might try using the Auto Login program from www.sysinternals.com. This program causes Windows to automatically log you in when it boots up, and avoids you having to use the keyboard.
• Depending upon your entertainment center environment, you may wish to purchase a wireless keyboard/mouse. Interlink Electronics makes one.
• Remote Control. A remote control which has up/down/left/right buttons works very well. Short of that one with a numeric keypad should work well also, i.e. 2 up, 8 down, 4 left, 6 right. A remote control with 20 buttons will work much better than one with only 10.