ARCSOFT PRODUCT FAMILY

ArcSoft PhotoStudio Awesome photo editing for the home or office. Work with layers and enhance your photos in a number of ways. Windows (V. 5.5) Macintosh (V. 4) ArcSoft VideoImpression TM Create multimedia presentations by combining photos and video clips with audio, text and scene transitions. Windows
ArcSoft PhotoImpression TM This all-in-one solution blends powerful photo editing with project templates and a slick, easy-to-use interface. Windows Macintosh
ArcSoft PhotoBase TM Your complete multimedia manager. Sort, share and archive your multimedia collections in the easiest way possible. Windows
ArcSoft Panorama Maker TM Stitch together photos to create awesome panoramic images. Make horizontal, vertical, tiled or 360 masterpieces. Windows Macintosh
ArcSoft PhotoPrinter Print multiple photos on a single page and multiple pages at one time. Edit and enhance your photos, too. Windows Macintosh
ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD Take your home videos and turn them into incredible DVD movies complete with customized menus and text. Windows
ArcSoft PhotoBase TM - Mobile Edition Manage, edit and share your photos wherever you go. Currently available for Palm OS, Pocket PC and Nokia phone users.
ArcSoft DVD SlideShow TM Combine custom slide shows with video and burn to DVD disc. Windows
ArcSoft PhotoMontage Video Edition It's the coolest way to present and share your pictures. Use thousands of photos to create a larger, single image. Windows
ArcSoft DVD & CD Suite TM Organize, store, and share movies, audio tracks, and other files on DVD or CD. Super easy to use with tons of options. Windows
ArcSoft Funhouse Put your face on a magazine cover, other picture or scene. Take your imagination to the next level. Windows Macintosh
ArcSoft QuickDVD TM By far, the coolest, easiest way to make DVD movies from home videos and prerecorded TV shows. A few clicks and you're ready to go. Windows XP MCE ArcSoft DVD Player TM Experience outstanding playback of your DVD movies, music, and video files through this incredible multimedia player. Windows
ArcSoft Greeting Card Creator TM Make your own custom greeting cards year-round for any occasion using photos from your own image collections. Windows Macintosh
ArcSoft Collage Creator TM Piece together awesome collages that just can't be made by hand. Tons of tools give you boundless freedom. Windows
To order, log on to www.arcsoft.com 46601 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538, USA Tel: 1.510.440.9901 Fax: 1.510.440.1270
- LICENSING AGREEMENT The following is a legal software license agreement between you, the software end user, and ArcSoft, Inc. Carefully read this license agreement before using the product. Using the product indicates that you have read this license agreement and agree to its terms. If you do not agree to the terms, promptly return the package to the place it was purchased within 10 days of the date you acquired it for a full refund. Grant of License. This license permits you to use one copy of the software included in this package on any single computer. For each software licensee, the program can be in use on only one computer at any given time. The software is in use when it is either loaded into RAM or installed into the hard disk or other permanent memory. A multi-seat license permit from ArcSoft is required if the program is going to be installed on a network server for the sole purpose of distribution by other computers, or if the program is going to be installed on and used by more than one computer. Copyright. The software contained in this package is owned by ArcSoft and is protected by United States copyright laws, international treaty provisions, and all other applicable national laws. The software must be treated like all other copyrighted materials (e.g. books and musical recordings). This license does not allow the software to be rented or leased, and the written materials accompanying the software (if any) may not be copied. Limited Warranty. ArcSoft, Inc., warrants that the software contained herein will perform substantially in accordance with the accompanying documentation. No Other Warranties. ArcSoft disclaims all other warranties, either express or implied, including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with respect to the software, the accompanying written materials, and any accompanying hardware (if any). No Liability for Consequential Damages. In no event shall ArcSoft or its suppliers be liable for any damages whatsoever (including but not limited to damages for loss of business profits, business interruption, loss of business information, or any other pecuniary loss) which result from an inability to use this software, even if ArcSoft, Inc. has been advised of the possibility of such damages. Because some states and jurisdictions do not allow the exclusion or limitation of consequential or incidental damages, the above limitations may not apply to you. U.S. Government Restricted Rights. The software and documentation are provided with Restricted Rights. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the U.S. Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1),(2), and (3) of the Commercial Computer Software - Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19, as applicable, and any amendments thereto. The manufacturer is ArcSoft, Inc., 46601 Fremont Blvd., Fremont, CA 94538. If this product was purchased in the United States, this Agreement is governed by the laws of the State of California; otherwise, local laws may apply.

ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1

- TABLE OF CONTENTS SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS INTRODUCTION CAPTURING VIDEO EDITING / ASSEMBLING VIDEO CLIPS CREATING A DVD 15
- SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP (Windows 2000/XP recommended) Pentium III 800 MHz or higher (P4 1.6 GHz or higher recommended) 400 MB free hard drive space for program installation 4 GB+ free hard drive space for video capture and editing 128 MB RAM (512 MB DDR RAM recommended) 16-bit color display at 1024 x 768 DirectX 9 Windows Media Player 9 recommended 7200 RPM hard drive recommended
Note: 1 hour of DV video requires 13 GB of hard drive space.
- INTRODUCTION Welcome! Are you ready to learn how to capture, edit, and create DVDs on your computer? Great! We'll walk you through these three main processes to help you put together and share your own home movies. Don't forget to consult the built-in Help file--it goes over every button and command found in the program. Here, we'll go step-by-step through the video capture, edit, and authoring procedures. They may not require the description of every command, so just be sure to have that handy Help file open whenever you're working on a project. Choose where you want to go! (You can also navigate using the links at the top of every page.)
Capture video Edit/assemble video clips Create a DVD movie
- CAPTURING VIDEO The first thing you'll probably want to do before you make your movie is transfer some video from your camera (or another video device) to your computer. We've made it easy. We'll start from square one. In this walkthrough, we'll capture from a digital video (DV) camera. 1. Connect your camera to the computer and turn the power on. 2. Launch the program. From the welcome wizard, select "Capture or Edit Video." 3. From the next screen, select "Capture" in the top left corner of the screen. Once within the Capture module, you'll see controls for navigating through the video on your camera:
Use the playback controls to jump to the spot where you would like to begin recording. When you're all set, click the big red Record button beneath the preview window. You can now define the specifics of your captured file:
Choose the file name and save location Set the file type. If you plan on using the video when you create a DVD, choose the DVD (MPEG-2) file type. You can optionally enter in the capture time. If you have a really long video and only want to capture a small part, use this option. You'll almost definitely want to save your captured file to an album. If you plan on doing any type of editing, it's going to need to be in an album. You'll learn more about albums in the Edit section.

- EDITING / ASSEMBLING VIDEO CLIPS Because the creative possibilities here are limitless, it's a bit difficult to do a step-based walkthough. Instead, we'll talk about the fundamentals of creating a custom video clip. The heart of the program lies in this section; here's where you can get really creative by making truly unique and professional-looking videos. Don't forget to use this tutorial along with the built-in Help file. The Help file details the functions of each button and option. OVERVIEW Video clips are created by adding content (existing videos, photos, and audio tracks) to a template called the STORYBOARD. The Storyboard can also referred to as the TIMELINE. The Storyboard/Timeline is basically a template for the creation of your movie. They represent different views of the same thing. You add still images, videos, and scene transitions when in Storyboard view. In addition to these, you can add audio, text, and special effects using the Timeline. So as you can see, you aren't limited to pictures, video clips, and music. You can also add transitions between each component that you add (for example, you can have one video clip fade out as the next one fades in), as well as other special effects. You can add scrolling text for beginning titles or end credits. When you're done, you video can then be included as a chapter in your final DVD.
The Storyboard displays still images, video clips, and transitions.
The Timeline displays still images, videos, transitions, text, audio, and special effects. If you want to create a basic video that consists of smaller video clips and still images, stick to the Storyboard. If you'd like to include additional audio tracks, special effects, and text, you'll need to use the Timeline. Practice makes perfect! Use the included sample content to play around with the Timeline and all of its options. When your final video is compiled, all the content is processed into a single video. The video will progress through each clip and image that you've added.
ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 The bulk of your options are accessed through the top portion of the screen that is divided into numerous tabs: MEDIA, TEXT, TRANSITIONS, EFFECTS, and EXPORT (this last may not appear until you've actually started to construct your video). All of your content comes from "albums." Before we go any further, you're going to need to have a basic understanding of what albums are and how they work. ALBUMS In order to add content to the Storyboard/Timeline, you need to first create an album. Albums consist of shortcuts that link to files stored on your computer. If you can master this concept (and it isn't that difficult, trust us), you're way ahead of the game. Think of album content in the same light as shortcuts on your desktop or taskbar. The icons that you click aren't the actual program icons; they're merely shortcuts. It's the same with albums. Albums contain shortcuts to your pictures, music, and videos. There are a few sample albums included.

You can create multiple albums, giving each one a unique name. For example, you can have one album for vacation photos, another one for family events. you get the idea. Obviously, you need to know the location of the photos, videos, and sounds that you want to include in your album. To create a new album: 1. Make sure you are within the "Media" tab. From the album pull-down, choose "<New Album>."
2. Enter in a new album name. Just click on and type over the existing name.
ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 3. Click where indicated to browse your system for files to add to the album. You can add still pictures, video clips, and audio tracks.
4. To add additional files at any other time, click the Add button.
Once your album is ready, you can then add content to the Storyboard/Timeline. Remember, the album thumbnails only link to the actual files on your system. If you delete, rename, or move the actual files, you won't be able to use the respective thumbnails in the album to add to your project. Also, don't forget that you can create more than one album. Organize your media so that it's easy to find what you need when you're making your movies. ADDING CONTENT TO THE STORYBOARD With your albums ready to go, you can now add content to the Storyboard and start to piece together your movie. Let's take a look at part of a blank Storyboard:
You'll notice that the Storyboard consists of several squares. The larger squares are where you can insert STILL IMAGES and VIDEOS. The smaller squares are reserved for TRANSITIONS. Transitions are effects that occur as one video/image changes to another. When your final movie is compiled, everything on the Storyboard is combined into a single video file. This picture shows you how to add a still image or video clip to the Storyboard:
ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 You can either follow the above method (highlight the thumbnail you want to add, then click the "Add" arrow), double-click the thumbnail, or click-and-drag the item you want to the next available spot on the Storyboard. Click on the "Transitions" tab. Choose a transition that you like and add it before or after any photo or video. HINT: If you want a quick and easy way to apply transitions to your movie, right-click the Storyboard and choose "Random Transition to All." The program will automatically add transitions to every available spot on the Storyboard. When you're finished adding content, your Storyboard may look something like this:

Remember, the larger squares represent still images and/or video clips. The small, colorful squares in between represent transitions. SAVE YOUR WORK! Now's as good a time as any to save your project. Remember to save often! Nothing's worse than when your computer crashes and you lose all of your hard work. No, it isn't the end of the world, but it's incredibly frustrating. Go to "File" and select "Save Project." Give your project a name and remember where you save it. All of your work on the Storyboard/Timeline will be saved and can be fully edited the next time you access the file. PREVIEWING YOUR MOVIE All right, so you've got some cool content on the Storyboard! Good for you! These small steps are important. Don't worry, while you don't need to be a wiz to make your own movies, you'll find that with a little practice you'll pick things up in no time. Who knows, maybe you'll be the next Spielberg. Or Chaplin. Anyway, let's take a look at your movie so far:
ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 "The Player" offers standard playback controls for viewing your entire movie, or only specific sections. If you want to view your movie in its entirety, click "Entire Movie." Easy, right? Told you so. Then just click "Play" and see all the content you worked so hard to put on the Storyboard come to life in the preview window. If you only want to view a specific piece of your movie, click "Active Clip." Then, click the thumbnail on the Storyboard that you want to preview. Follow that by clicking "Play" and you'll see the section playback in the window. So, how does your movie look? Pretty bad? Don't worry, we're only getting started. You still get to organize and edit the content, add special effects, and more. Now's a good time to take a break if you haven't done so already. Maybe you can go outside and shoot some more cool video or take some rockin' photos. The next sections will show you how to rearrange content on the Storyboard, edit photos and videos, and. drumroll please. use the TIMELINE to add audio, text, and special effects to your video. MODIFYING CONTENT So far, the focus has revolved around adding content. However, most of the fun comes from organizing everything in a cool way to make a real stand-out video. When you're using the Storyboard, it's incredibly easy to rearrange things. This is because things are segregated nicely; it's easy to differentiate the different content. The Timeline offers a more complex view, thus making it more difficult to organize things. REARRANGING PHOTOS & VIDEOS Basically, you can rearrange photos and videos on the Storyboard by clicking and dragging any thumbnail to a new location. Yeah, that's it. Told you it was easy. SWAPPING TRANSITIONS Changing transitions a little different. When you click-and-drag one transition over another, the one that you clicked and dragged simply replaces the one that it lands on. In effect, transitions aren't shuffled inasmuch as they simply replace each other when one is dragged over another. Don't forget to save your project! EDITING STILL IMAGES - DISPLAY TIME, COLOR, ETC. You may have noticed that when you previewed your movie, still images were displayed for a set amount of time before moving along to the next component on the Storyboard. Well, you have full control over the display time for each individual photo. All you need to do is click the photo on the Storyboard, and then modify the duration in the area to the left of the preview area: You can specify the hours, minutes, seconds, and frames that you want the photo displayed. You can do this for each photo. If you want the same display time for each preceding image, right-click the thumbnail that you just modified and choose "Apply Duration to All Following." Keep your eyes on the image above. Notice that there are various sliders for Brightness, Contrast, etc. Feel free to modify these sliders to enhance the photo. You can see the effects of your changes by looking at the photo in the Player. At any time, you can click "Restore" to undo all the changes you made (basically, the sliders will return to the center default position).

ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 You may also notice that photos offer a "Pan & Zoom" option. Pan & Zoom is discussed later, when we get to creating slideshows. EDITING / TRIMMING VIDEO CLIPS When you click on a video clip on the Storyboard, you'll see editing options similar to those available when editing photos. In addition to being able to modify the video color, you can also adjust the volume and playback speed.
Sometimes the volume of a certain video clip will be too loud when played with the rest of the audio in your movie. If that's the case, simply drag the slider to the left to lower the sound level. If you want to completely mute the sound, simply check the appropriate box. You can have a lot of fun playing with the speed control. Speed video up to produce funny slapstick scenes of your family members running around the house, or slow things down to create that cheesy slo-mo action sci-fi effect that Hollywood has been milking for the past few years. Whoa. If your video clip is a little long or has parts you simply don't want to include, you can trim it in no time. Take a look at the video in the Player. You'll notice that there are green and pink trim markers. These let you change the start/end time of the video. All you need to do is click and drag them. Alternately, you can move the timer to the spot you want, then click the respective Trim button (the green and pink scissorses). Save your project! GLOBAL AUDIO SETTINGS When viewing your entire project, you can modify the overall audio of the Video track and both Audio tracks.

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 THE TIMELINE & ADVANCED EDITING Look how much you've learned! You now know how to add still images, video clips, and transitions to the Storyboard. You know that when you compile your movie, everything on the Storyboard is smooshed together to create a single video. You know how to enhance your still images and trim video clips. Now, let's find out how to add a soundtrack, special effects, and text to your movie. In order to do this, we need to leave the comfort zone of the Storyboard and use the slightly more complex Timeline.

As you already know, the Timeline displays all the same information as the Storyboard, and more. Things may look a little jumbled at first, but once you have a basic understanding of the layout, things appear much less confusing. The Timeline is divided into separate tracks. The tracks are: Text, Video, Audio 1, and Audio 2. As you may have guessed, the Text track is where you can add text effects. The Video track is where you can add still images, transitions, and video clips. The Video track also has a section that displays any audio that may be included with a video. The two audio tracks are where you can add audio files. Two different audio tracks are provided so that you can layer multiple audio files. You can effectively include an ongoing soundtrack, along with a narration or special sound effects track. ADDING AUDIO Adding audio to the Timeline works exactly the same as adding still images, videos, and transitions to the Storyboard. Choose your audio from whichever album, and double-click it. You can move audio tracks around from Audio Track 1 and 2 freely. Click-and-drag them anywhere you want. TRIMMING AUDIO If you've added a song that's really long or you only want to include a single verse or chorus or whatnot, you can trim the clip just like you would a video. You can also click and drag the respective edge of the file on the Timeline to change the start/end point. (Coincidentally, this works for video clips on the Video track as well.)

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 ADDING TEXT EFFECTS Just like the pros, you can add scrolling text effects to your movies. In fact, you can choose from a variety of effects to add to your text. Click on the Text tab to get started. Start off by choosing the text style. There are two categories: Simple and Fancy. Simply click the style you want, then click-and-drag the text style you want to the Timeline. A new window will appear, allowing you to enter in the text, modify the font, etc.
Okay, so, all you need to do is double-click within the text box and modify the text that's already there. You can alter the text style by choosing a new one on the right side. You can add a new text string by clicking anywhere outside the existing text box. You can add multiple strings, and have each one use a different font and style. The Scroll checkbox and corresponding buttons let you add motion to the text. When you're content with your text, click OK. You can then add/alter a text effect. Choose the Effect category that you want, then click and drag the effect directly over one of the effects on either side of the newly added text on the Timeline. You can use a different effect for when text appears and disappears. Below shows a sample of a Timeline with an added text effect.

Both the text and its related effects can be modified. Simply click on the desired component and look at the available options that appear. You can adjust the display time for the text. Depending on the effect, you may be able to adjust the display time in addition to specific effect properties. For example, if you chose a motion effect, you can choose the direction of the text movement. By the way, you've saved your project, right?

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 ADDING SPECIAL EFFECTS Click the Effects tab to see all of the fun and unusual effects. Effects are added to specific items on the Video track. You can modify the duration of the effect by clicking and dragging the edges. Note that effects are added to individual components of the video track. You can't, for example, extend an effect over two pictures. You need to add the effect over both of them. By the way, you can tell which components have effects attached to them in the Storyboard view by the star icon that they display.
EXPORT YOUR VIDEO Your video must look pretty awesome at this point. No? Well, don't worry, great film makers aren't made overnight, or however long it took you to get to this point. At least you now know how to make a cool video. Now it's just a matter of getting used to all the tools, discovering your own techniques and tricks, and gathering cool content. Before you "export" your video, save your project and give it a good preview in the Player. Enjoy the fruit of your labors! Okay, now go ahead and click the Export tab.
We'll make like you've created this video so that you can put it on DVD. So, go ahead and choose "DVD File" from the pull-down. You can save in a variety of file types, and alter various settings for each one. Let's use the default settings for now. Verify that you're saving the movie as a DVD (MPEG-2) file to your hard drive, then click Start. A standard Save As window will appear.

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Type in a file name for your movie, and save it in a location that's easy to remember. VERY IMPORTANT: Check the box called "Add to album" and then select the album to which the saved file will be added. It isn't critical, but if you want to use this video clip when you're creating your DVD, it'll need to be in an album anyway. That's it! You're done. Just relax while your movie is compiled and saved. Go take a nap; you've earned it! Once it's done, you can add the clip to a DVD or VCD project in the Create section. SENSORY OVERLOAD? Yes, ShowBiz can seem quite complex. But that's mostly because you have so much creative freedom. The purpose of this tutorial is just to get you started in the right direction and understand the basic principles involved. Once you master these, there's still a whole world of possibilities. Use the sample content to make your own sample videos. Click EVERYWHERE with your right and your left mouse button to see all of the options that are available. Always have the Help file open so you can see definitions of each button and command. Start by making simple videos. Link together a few pictures along with an existing video clip or two. Mix in some transitions so your final clip doesn't look too dull. Stay exclusively in the Storyboard view until you get the hang of doing and finding things. Once you've got that down, try the more advanced stuff available when you use the Timeline. Remember, this section is the heart of the program in terms of designing movie content. You can skip this entirely if you already have video clips that you're happy with and you just want to put them on DVD. But it's good to know regardless.

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- CREATING A DVD The Create module of the program is where you actually put together your DVD (or VCD). It's really simple. If you've created your own custom clips in the edit section, here's where your work really pays off, because you can now add it as a chapter on your DVD. You can do all of the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Choose the video clips that you want to add to your movie (they'll be added as individual chapters). Create multiple starting points for longer video clips (submenus). Design your movie menus (you can have multiple menu screens, each with their own unique look). Create photo slideshows. Burn your movie to disc.
ADDING CHAPTERS TO YOUR MOVIE If you've read the edit section (which you should have), you're already somewhat familiar with how albums work. In order to create your DVD (or VCD), you basically apply the same principles. At this point, just worry about adding all your content. Once you're done, you can then arrange the movie menu however you like. To add content: 1. Choose the album that has the video clips you wish to add.
2. Double-click the video clip you want to add. The video clip will appear on the menu as a new chapter. Remember, you can customize the look of the menu, including the chapter button layout, later. For now, just add all the video chapters that you plan on including in your movie. You aren't limited to adding content from one album.

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ADDING AN INTRODUCTION VIDEO Introduction videos play as soon as the disc is inserted into a DVD player. Once the video clip completes, the movie menu is shown. To add an introduction video to your disc, click and drag the desired video from the album area to the Introduction Video box. You will see a thumbnail of the video appear.
DESIGNING YOUR MENU Now that your content is added, you can customize the look and feel of your menu. You can change the background, title, and chapter button layout and text. Before changing your text, it's recommended that you set your background first. Often, the color of your text will be dependent on the background color. A good amount of contrast between the colors is necessary to ensure that the text stands out clearly. ORGANIZING CHAPTER BUTTONS Click the "Customize" tab. In the Layout section, double-click the layout that you want applied to your menu. Your chapter buttons will be arranged accordingly. You can also click and drag the chapter buttons to swap their positions. If multiple pages are required, navigation buttons will automatically appear on the menu.

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CHOOSING A NEW BACKGROUND Click the "Themes" tab. An entire collection of backgrounds are available. The "Animated Menu" album contains a collection of video backgrounds.
Of course, you can also choose a photo (or video!) from your personal collection to use as the menu background. To do so, simply click "New Background" in the preview area. You can then browse your system for the file that you want to use.

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 ANIMATED CHAPTER BUTTONS Instead of having static chapter buttons, they can actually run the videos that they represent. From the "Media" tab, check the "Animated Thumbnails" box. You set the time (in seconds) that you want them to play before they loop. Click "Preview Animation" to see how it looks. Note that there may be considerable processing time depending on your system and the length of the animated loop.
ADDING AUDIO TO YOUR MENU Add music to your menu (you can add a different track to each menu page) by clicking and dragging an audio file to the "Background Music" section beneath the preview area.
UPDATING CHAPTER BUTTON FRAMES Each chapter button can have it's own unique frame. First, go back to the Customize tab. Then, highlight the chapter button that you want to update, and then double-click the frame you want to use.

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 BREAKING UP LONGER VIDEO CLIPS / CREATING SUBMENUS Longer video clips can be broken into separate chapters. To do this: 1. Highlight the video clip you wish to break up into smaller segments. 2. Click the "Set Chapters" tab. 3. Use the playback controls/slider to go to the point where you'd like to insert a break. 4. Click "Set Chapter." A chapter break will be inserted. 5. You can also trim the overall length of the video. Navigate to the spot where you want the video to start, and click the left bracket icon. To change the ending point, navigate to the spot you want, and then click the right bracket icon.
A "submenu" is created for the video file, with new chapters appearing for each chapter break you set. You can also create a submenu by clicking "Create Submenu" beneath the main preview area (make sure you're under the "Media" tab). Submenus are useful if you have lots of different videos under a broad subject. For example, your DVD can be titled "Vacation," with numerous submenus for your various trips (spring, summer, winter, etc.). CUSTOMIZING MENU TEXT Double-click any text that appears on the menu to edit it. Click the "Text" tab to see the various text options. You can modify the font, size, style, alignment, and color. You can even add a drop shadow. To do so, check the "Shadow" box. You can reposition the shadow by clicking-and-dragging the shadow in the small preview window. Two sliders are available; these let you modify the characteristics of the shadow.

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 CREATING A SLIDESHOW You can easily create a photo slideshow, which is added to your movie as a separate chapter. To create a slideshow: 1. From the Media tab, click "Create Slideshow."
Choose the album or folder that contains the photos you wish to include in your slideshow. Hold down the CTRL key and single-click the photos you wish to add. Click "Add" (click "Add All" to add all of the photos in the current location). Click and drag the photos you've added to place them in the desired order. If a photo needs to be rotated, highlight the photo and click "Rotate." The "Set Thumbnail" button uses the currently highlighted photo as the chapter button thumbnail for the slideshow on the menu. 8. Click "Next."

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

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ARCSOFT SHOWBIZ DVD 2.1 9. If you'd like to include a soundtrack, click "Select Files" and choose the audio tracks you'd like to add. 10. In the "Pacing" section, set the display time for the slides. If you'd like the program to time the slideshow according to the length of your soundtrack, choose "Fit slideshow to soundtrack." 11. Transitions, or special effects, can occur as one slide changes to the next. Choose the effect you want from those available (choose "Random" to have the program automatically mix in transitions for you). 12. Pan & Zoom: this is a fun option that lets you apply your own scrolling and zooming effect to each photo. Here's how it works:
The Pan & Zoom effect works by setting two different windows: Zoom From and Zoom To. When the slide is displayed, the focus shifts from the Zoom From window to the Zoom To window. For example, you can set the Zoom From window to focus on one object in the photo, and the Zoom To to focus on the entire photo. (Click and drag the window to reposition it, click and drag the various points on the box to resize it, and click and drag the sides to rotate it.) The resulting Pan & Zoom effect will start by showing the figure you boxed, and then zoom out to show the whole photo. Note: when you preview your effect in the program, it will appear much choppier than the actual result when compiled on your DVD. 13. When you're ready to produce your slideshow, click "Finish." The program will compile it and add it to your movie. BURNING YOUR MOVIE TO DISC When you're all ready to go, click on "Write Disc." You can preview your movie with the virtual remote control. It should work similarly to a standard DVD player remote control. Use it to navigate through your various menus and playback your movie. If you're creating a VCD, press the corresponding number to view the chapter.

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Once you're ready to burn your movie to disc, click "Start." You'll be prompted to save your project. Then, there are just a few things you need to set before the program begins compiling your final movie and burning it to disc.

1. First off, choose the playback format. If you're in the US, choose NTSC. Most of Europe uses PAL. 2. Next, choose where you wish to save the movie. From the pull-down, choose your DVD burner drive (or your hard drive if you're saving your movie locally). 3. In the Disc Label field, enter in a title for your movie. 4. Lastly, depending on where you're saving your movie, you can choose the burn speed of the drive, or the directory on your hard drive to which the movie will be written. 5. When you're ready to go, click "OK." That's it! From here on, the program takes care of the rest. Your movie will be converted into DVD (or VCD) format, and then burned to your disc (or hard drive).

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- TECHNICAL SUPPORT N. America ArcSoft, Inc. 46601 Fremont Blvd Fremont, CA 94538 Tel: 1.510.440.9901 Fax: 1.510.440.1270 Web: www.arcsoft.com China ArcSoft Beijing Co., Ltd. No. 6 South Capital Gym Road Beijing New Century Hotel Office Building #1060 Beijing 100044, China Tel: 8610-6849-1368 Fax: 8610-6849-1367 Email: tech@arcsoft.com.cn Latin America Tel (Brazil): 00817-200-0709 Tel (Chili): 800-202-797 Email: latinsupport@arcsoft.com Europe Unit 14, Shannon Industrial Estate Shannon, Co. Clare, Ireland Tel: +353 (0) 61-702087 Fax: +353 (0) 61-702001 Email: eurosupport@arcsoft.com Japan ArcSoft Japan 9F, 1-21-9, Higashi-Gotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan Tel: +81-3-5795-1392 Fax: +81-3-5795-1397 Web: www.arcsoft.jp Email: support@arcsoft.jp Taiwan Tel: +886 (0) 2-2506-9355 Fax: +886 (0) 2-2506-8922 Web: www.arcsoft.com.tw Email: support@arcsoft.com.tw

- 23 -

how_do_i.book Page i Monday, December 23, 2002 3:20 PM
how do I? table of contents
how do I get started? 1 how do I transfer my tapes to disc? 2 how do I create a DVD movie? 6

english

how do I edit a DVD movie disc? 10 how do I edit my video files? 13
how do i make a slideshow disc? 18 how do I watch a DVD movie on my PC? 21 how do I make a music disc? 22 how do I copy a disc? 24 how do I back up my files? 26 how do I share data? 28 how do I save data for my own use? 30 how do I label a disc? 32
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The copyright law of the United States (Title 17 United States Code) and similar , laws in other countries govern the reproduction of copyrighted works. The person using the HP drive may be liable for its use to make unauthorized copies of copyrighted works. Hewlett-Packard Company does not authorize or condone the use of the HP drive for the unauthorized reproduction of copyrighted works.
If you find an error in this manual or just have a suggestion for it, send email to manuals@hp.com. The information you send will be used only to help us develop future revisions of this manual. You will not get a response to your email. If you require customer support instead, see the Getting Help guide or go to the website www.hp.com/support.
Copyright 2001-2002. Hewlett-Packard Company. HP and Hewlett Packard are registered trademarks of Hewlett-Packard Company. Microsoft and Windows are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. RecordNow, DLA, and Simple Backup are trademarks of Veritas Software Corporation. CyberLink is a registered trademark and PowerDVD is a trademark of CyberLink Corp. ShowBiz is a trademark of Arcsoft, Inc. Names of products mentioned herein are used for identification purposes only and may be trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
how_do_i.book Page 1 Monday, December 23, 2002 3:20 PM

how do I get started?

start here
what you want to do transfer your tapes to disc create a DVD movie edit a DVD movie disc edit video files create a photo slideshow watch a DVD movie on your PC copy an existing disc label a disc program to use ArcSoft ShowBizTM DVD ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD PowerDVD
more information page 2 page 6 page 10 page 13 page 18 page 21 page 24 page 32

RecordNow

not applicable
what you want to do make a music disc copy an existing disc label a disc program to use RecordNow RecordNow not applicable more information page 22 page 24 page 32
what you want to do back up your PC files save data that you can share with others save data for use on your own PC copy an existing disc label a disc program to use Simple BackupTM RecordNow DLATM RecordNow not applicable more information page 26 page 28 page 30 page 24 page 32
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how do I transfer my tapes to disc?
You can archive your own home movies from camcorder or VCR tapes to disc. The result is a DVD movie that is easily searchable, wont degrade over time, and can be stored more compactly than a tape. To create such an archive, you use the Quick DVD function of the ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD software. The video will appear on the disc exactly as it did on the original tape. If you want to get more creative, see how do I create a DVD movie? on page 6 and how do I edit my video files? on page 13.

what you need

1 blank disc or a rewritable disc that you dont mind erasing recommended disc DVD+R Use to share your DVD movie with family and friends because DVD+R discs are the most compatible with DVD players and DVD-ROMs. R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but they cannot be erased and reused. you can also use Use for temporary storage while creating your DVD movie because the movie might go through several iterations before you get it exactly how you want it. RW discs are rewritable; you can watch the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it. Use if you want to be able to edit the DVD movie (see how do I edit a DVD movie disc? on page 10). CD-R Use for permanent storage of a short video (see how much you can fit on a disc on page 5). R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but they cannot be erased and reused. Use for temporary storage of a short video (see how much you can fit on a disc on page 5). RW discs are rewritable; you can watch the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it.

Play button and digital video camera controls.
Choose a style for the menu. This menu appears on the screen when you insert the disc to watch the DVD movie and contains buttons that allow you to jump to different sections of the movie (called chapter points).
5 Position the tape where you want to start recording.
a b Click Play on the screen to see what is playing on the tape. LIVE appears in the corner of the preview window. Do one of the following:
If you are transferring from an analog tape, use the controls on the camcorder or VCR to locate the beginning of what you want to record. If you are transferring from a digital video tape, use the controls on the Quick DVD screen to locate the beginning of what you want to record.

6 Write the disc.

a b To start transferring, click Start on the screen. Type a name for the file, then click Start Capturing. If you are transferring from an analog tape, start playing the tape at the same time.
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To stop transferring, click Stop. Or transferring will stop automatically when the tape ends. Wait for the drive to finish writing the disc. If you want to make another disc, click Yes. If not, click No.
where you can watch the disc
You can watch the disc in most DVD players or DVD-ROM drives with PowerDVD or other playback software (see how do I watch a DVD movie on my PC? on page 21). We recommend that you use a DVD+R disc because its the most compatible. For compatibility information, check the disc compatibility list by double-clicking the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or clicking Start, Programs, Hewlett-Packard, HP DVD Writer, HP DVD Writer. Then click
Help, Troubleshooting, Disc compatibility.
how much you can fit on a disc
disc type 4.7GB DVD+R or DVD+RW 650MB CD-R or CD-RW 700MB CD-R or CD-RW video length approximately 120 minutes approximately 64 minutes approximately 70 minutes

to learn more

To learn more about ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD, read its online help. Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start, Programs, HewlettPackard, HP DVD Writer, HP DVD Writer. Then click ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD,
Create a DVD, Create New Project, Help, Help.
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how do I create a DVD movie?
You can create a completely customized DVD movie from your own video files. The result is a DVD movie that is easily searchable, wont degrade over time, and can be stored more compactly than a tape. To create such a movie, you use the ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD software. This is how you can make a DVD movie when your video files are already on your hard drive. Or you can capture your video as part of this process. For the easiest way to make a DVD movie from tapes see how do I transfer my tapes to disc? on page 2. video
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1 Start the software.

Click ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD. Read the media recommendation and click OK. Insert a blank disc into the drive. Do one of the following:
If you are writing to a DVD+R or DVD+RW disc, click Create a DVD. If you are writing to a CD-R or CD-RW disc, click Create a VCD. video
Click Create New Project. The authoring screen appears.
2 Choose a style for the menu.
This menu appears on the screen when you insert the disc to watch the DVD movie and contains buttons that allow you to jump to different sections of the movie (called chapter points). a b c d Make sure that the 1 Design tab in the top navigation bar is selected. To select a background, drag it from the left side of the screen to the right side. To specify a title, click the words Untitled Project and type the desired title. To change the font of the title or to select a frame (the border around the buttons) or layout (how the buttons are arranged on the menu), click the Customize tab.
3 Add your video files to the DVD movie.
a b Click the 2 Add Media tab in the top navigation bar. Do one of the following:
To transfer video from your camcorder or VCR to your hard drive, click the Capture icon (the camcorder). The capturing screen appears. Follow the instructions on the capturing screen. To add files that already exist on your hard drive, click Add (the file folder) or drag and drop files from Windows Explorer.
Drag video files from the left side of the screen to the right side to create buttons on the DVD movies menu.
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4 Edit the video files (optional).
a b c d Click the thumbnail of the video file that you want to edit. Click Edit Video. The editing screen appears. Note that any chapter points you created will be lost. Edit the video following the instructions in the online help. When the video is how you want it, click Save Edits to DVD. You are returned to the authoring screen and a button is added to the DVD movies menu.
5 Customize the menu (optional).
video a b c d Click the 3 Author tab in the top navigation bar. To create a submenu, click the button on the DVD movies menu, drag the time marker to where you want another button, and click Set Chapter. To change a buttons thumbnail, click the button on the DVD movies menu, drag the time marker to display the desired frame, and click Set Thumbnail. To change the starting or ending point of a video file, click the button on the DVD movies menu, drag the time marker to the desired location, and click the Mark In or Mark Out buttons (the square brackets).

6 Preview the DVD movie.

a b c Click the 4 Produce tab in the top navigation bar. A remote control appears on the screen. Click the remote control buttons to control playback. If you want to make any changes to the movie, go back to the 1 Design, 2 Add Media, or 3 Author tabs in the top navigation bar.
7 Save the DVD movie project for later editing.
Click File, Save Project.

8 Write the disc.

a b c d e Verify that the 4 Produce tab is selected. Click Start. If you have more than one recordable drive, be sure the HP DVD Writer drive is selected. Set any of the other options that you need to. Click OK. Wait for the drive to finish writing the disc. The disc will be ejected. If you want to make another disc, click Yes. If not, click No.
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how do I edit a DVD movie disc?
You can edit a DVD movie even after youve written it to disc. The entire movie does not have to be rewritten, just the changes. To edit a DVD movie disc, it must be on a DVD+RW disc. You use the ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD software. Edits that you can make include:
adding a video file deleting a video file changing the title renaming the buttons changing the thumbnail image of a button changing the menus style
the DVD movie disc that you want to edit The DVD movie must be recorded on a DVD+RW disc.
a b c d e f g Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start,
Click ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD. Read the media recommendation and click OK. Insert the DVD movie disc that you want to edit. Click Create a DVD. Click Edit ShowBiz DVD Disc. Select the drive that contains the DVD movie disc, then click OK.
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2 Make the desired changes.

Do any of the following:

To change the title or button labels, click them and retype. To change the background, button frame, or layout, click the 1 Design tab in the top navigation bar. To add or edit video files, click the 2 Add Media tab in the top navigation bar. To delete video files, click the videos button on the DVD movies menu and press the DELETE key. To create submenus, change a buttons thumbnail, or change the starting or ending point of a video file, click the 3 Author tab in the top navigation bar. video

3 Preview the DVD movie.

4 Save the DVD movie project for later editing.

5 Write the disc.

a b c d e Verify that the 4 Produce tab is selected. Click Start. Click Update current disc, then click OK. Wait for the drive to finish writing the disc. The disc will be ejected. Click OK.
You can watch the disc in most DVD players or DVD-ROM drives with PowerDVD or other playback software (see how do I watch a DVD movie on my PC? on page 21).
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how_do_i.book Page 13 Monday, December 23, 2002 3:20 PM
how do I edit my video files?
Use ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD to edit your videos. Some of the things you can do are:

I I I I I I I

combine videos, photos, and audio files into one movie add text, transitions, and special effects delete unwanted sections of a video change a videos brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, and speed transfer video from your camcorder or VCR to your PC video save the movie in many different formats export the movie to disc, digital video tape1, or ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD
1 blank disc or a rewritable disc that you dont mind erasing (you need this only if you do step 6) recommended disc DVD+R Use to share your DVD movie with family and friends because DVD+R discs are the most compatible with DVD players and DVD-ROMs. R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but they cannot be erased and reused. you can also use Use for temporary storage while creating your DVD movie because the movie might go through several iterations before you get it exactly how you want it. RW discs are rewritable; you can watch the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it. Use if you want to be able to edit the DVD movie (see how do I edit a DVD movie disc? on page 10). CD-R Use for permanent storage of a short video (see how much you can fit on a disc on page 5). R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but they cannot be erased and reused.
1. For European customers, the DV In must be enabled by the DV camcorder manufacturer.
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Use for temporary storage of a short video (see how much you can fit on a disc on page 5). RW discs are rewritable; you can watch the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it.
video files on your hard drive or camcorder
video a b c d Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start,
Click ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD. Read the media recommendation and click OK. Click Edit or Capture Video.
2 Open the files that you want to edit.
If the video files are on your hard drive, click the Media album, select New Album from the pull-down, then click Add (the red book). If the video files are on your camcorder or VCR, click the Capture button.
3 Add the files to the movie.
Drag and drop files from your album under the Media tab to the Storyboard/ Timeline.

Use for permanent storage of a short slideshow. R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but they cannot be erased and reused. Use for temporary storage of a short slideshow. RW discs are rewritable; you can watch the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it.
Photos on your hard drive Music on your hard drive: WAV or MP3 format (optional)
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This menu appears on the screen when you insert the disc to watch the slideshow. a b Make sure that the 1 Design tab in the top navigation bar is selected. To select a background, drag it from the left side of the screen to the right side. Tip: You can use one of your photos as the background. Click New Background, browse to the photo, select it, and click Open. c d To specify a title, click the words Untitled Project and type the desired title. To change the font of the title or layout (how the buttons are arranged on the menu), click the Customize tab.
3 Add photos and music to the slideshow.
a b c d Click the 2 Add Media tab in the top navigation bar. Click Create slideshow. Select the photos that you want in your slideshow, click >>. Then click Next. To add music, click Add, browse to the song, select it, click Open. Then click

Finish.

4 Preview the slideshow.
a b Click the 4 Produce tab in the top navigation bar to preview. A remote control appears on the screen. Use the remote control to play the slideshow.
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After previewing, you might want to make some changes to the slideshow. To make changes, click the 2 Add Media tab, click the slideshows button on the DVD movies menu (a yellow outline appears), click Edit slideshow. Follow the remaining instructions on the screen to make changes.
5 Save the slideshow project for later editing.
a Click File, Save project.
a video b c d e Verify that the 4 Produce tab is selected. Click Start. If you have more than one recordable drive, be sure the HP DVD Writer drive is selected. Set any of the other options that you need to. Click OK. Wait for the drive to finish writing the disc. The disc will be ejected. If you want to make another disc, click Yes. If not, click No.

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how do I watch a DVD movie on my PC?
Use the PowerDVD software to watch DVD movies or slideshows on your PC.
Insert a DVD movie disc into your HP DVD Writer drive.
The PowerDVD software starts automatically with the movies menu displayed. If it doesnt start automatically, click Start, Programs, CyberLink

PowerDVD, PowerDVD.

Click a button (also called a chapter point) to play that section of the movie or click Play on the controller below.

Go to the movies menu

Exit Help Play
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how do I make a music disc?
Use RecordNow to make any of the following kinds of music discs:

I I I I I

a compilation of your favorite songs from more than one CD a music mix for a party a disc from audio files on your hard drive a disc that plays in any home or car CD player a disc that plays in an MP3 disc player
1 blank disc or a rewritable disc that you dont mind erasing recommended disc CD-R Use because home or car CD players recognize only CD-R discs. you can also use If you will be playing the disc in an MP3 disc player or PC, use for temporary storage. RW discs are rewritable; you can play the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it. (Check the documentation that came with your MP3 player to verify whether it can play CD-RW discs.)
a b c d Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start,
Click RecordNow. Read the disc recommendation, then click OK. The RecordNow window appears. Click Make a Music Disc.
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Select the type of music disc you want to make: where youll play the disc home or car CD player MP3 or WAV files on your hard drive Make a Music Disc from Audio Files MP3 disc player Make a Disc for an MP3 Player PC Make a Music Disc from Audio Files

where your music is

on other CDs
Make a Music Disc from other CDs
You must first create MP3 files on your hard drive using Make a Music MUSICMATCH Disc from other Jukebox or a CDs similar program. Then select Make a Disc for an MP3 Player audio

2 Follow the remaining instructions on the screen. where you can play the disc
If you selected Make a Music Disc from Audio Files or Make a Music Disc from other CDs, you can play the disc in any home or car CD player. Home or car CD players recognize only CD-R discs. You can also play the disc on your PC. If you selected Make a Disc for an MP3 player, you can play the disc in your MP3 disc player or on your PC.
To learn more about RecordNow, read its online help. Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start, Programs, Hewlett-Packard, HP DVD Writer, HP DVD Writer. Then click RecordNow. In RecordNow, click Help, Contents and Index.
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how do I copy a disc?

Once you have your original home videos or photos on disc, you can make copies to send to your family and friends. You can also copy discs containing data to make backup copies. The procedure is the same no matter what type of disc youre copying. You use the RecordNow software. Please note that RecordNow cannot copy content-protected DVDs like Hollywood movies.
1 blank disc or a rewritable disc that you dont mind erasing recommended disc CD-R Use to make a permanent copy of a CD. R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but R discs cannot be erased and reused. Use to make a permanent copy of a DVD. R discs are less expensive than RW discs, but R discs cannot be erased and reused. you can also use CD-RW Use to make a temporary copy of a CD. RW discs are rewritable; you can read the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it. Use to make a temporary copy of a DVD. RW discs are rewritable; you can read the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it.

DVD+RW data

the disc that you want to copy
a b c Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start,
Click RecordNow. Read the disc recommendation, then click OK. The RecordNow window appears.
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Click Make an Exact Copy.

2 Insert the discs.

a If you have more than one recordable drive, you might want to change the device to read from. Click Change, then select the drive that will contain the disc you are copying. Insert the disc that you want to copy into the tray that opens, then click Next. If you have more than one recordable drive, you might want to change the device to write to. Click Change, then select the drive that will contain the blank disc. If youre using the same drive to read and write, wait while the disc is read. Insert the blank disc into the tray that opens, then click Next.

3 Write the disc.

a b c Read the warning, then click OK. Wait for the disc to be written. When the dialog box appears, click Make Another or Done.
where you can read the disc
If you used a CD-R or CD-RW disc, you can read the copied disc everywhere you can read the original disc, with the exception that home or car CD players recognize only CD-R discs. If you used a DVD+R or DVD+RW disc, you can read the disc in most DVD players and DVD-ROM drives. However, we recommend that you use a DVD+R disc because its the most compatible. For compatibility information, check the disc compatibility list by double-clicking the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or clicking Start, Programs, Hewlett-Packard, HP DVD Writer, HP DVD Writer. Then click Help, Troubleshooting, Disc compatibility.
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how do I back up my files?
You can create backups of your important data to protect you if you accidentally delete a file or a file becomes corrupt. Or you can make disaster recovery diskettes and a complete backup of your entire computer system to use in case your computer crashes. Use Simple Backup to make any type of backup.
blank discs or rewritable discs that you dont mind erasinghow many you need depends on how much data you're backing up recommended disc CD-RW (650 or 700MB capacity) DVD+RW (4.7GB capacity) Use so you can make future backups on the same discs. RW discs are rewritable; you can erase and reuse them.
you can also use CD-R (650 or 700MB capacity) Use to create permanent backups. R discs can be written to until full, but cannot be erased and reused. R discs are less DVD+R (4.7GB capacity) expensive than RW discs. The HP DVD Writer drive cannot write to DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. Be sure to buy the DVD discs that have + in their name.
a data b c d e f Double-click the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or click Start,
Click Simple Backup. Read the disc recommendation and click OK. The Simple Backup window appears. Click Custom Backup. If you have more than one recordable drive, select the HP DVD Writer drive. Click Next.

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2 Insert the disc.

a b If you have more than one recordable drive, you might want to click Change to select the HP DVD Writer drive. Insert a blank disc into the tray that opens, then click Next.
3 Select the files that you want to write to the disc.
a b Click Add Files and Folders. Do one of the following:
Click the name of a file or folder that you want to copy, then click Add. Drag and drop files from Windows Explorer to the RecordNow window.
When you're done adding files, click Next.

4 Write the disc.

a b c Read the warning screen, then click OK. Wait for the disc to be written. The tray will open when done. If you want to make another copy of this disc, click Make Another. If not, click Done. If you might want to make another copy of this disc in the future, click Add to Favorites.
If you used a CD-R or CD-RW disc, you can read the disc on all PCs. If you used a DVD+R or DVD+RW disc, you can read the disc in most DVD-ROM drives. However, we recommend that you use a DVD+R disc because its the most compatible. For compatibility information, check the disc compatibility list by double-clicking the HP DVD Writer icon on your desktop or clicking Start, Programs, Hewlett-Packard, HP DVD Writer, HP DVD Writer. Then click
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how do I save data for my own use?
Dragging and dropping is the easiest way to save data to disc. You can drag and drop files to a CD or DVD disc the same way you can with a floppy disk. Use the drag and drop method of data storage to:
free up space on your hard drive transport work files to and from home
Just as with a floppy, you must format the disc first. To format discs, you use the DLA (Drive Letter Access) software. If you want to take the data to another computer, be aware that not all computers will be able to read a disc made in this way. To make a data disc that is readable by all computers, see how do I share data? on page 28.
1 blank disc or a rewritable disc that you dont mind erasing recommended disc CD-RW (650 or 700MB capacity) DVD+RW (4.7GB capacity) Use for temporary data storage. RW discs are rewritable; you can read the disc a few times, then erase and reuse it.

you can also use CD-R (650 or 700MB capacity) Use for permanent data storage. R discs can be written to until full, but cannot be erased and reused. R discs are less DVD+R (4.7GB capacity) expensive than RW discs. The HP DVD Writer drive cannot write to DVD-R or DVD-RW discs. Be sure to buy the DVD discs that have + in their name.

data a b c d

1 Format the disc.
Insert a blank disc into the HP DVD Writer drive. Double-click the My Computer icon on your desktop or, if you have Windows XP, click Start, My Computer. Right-click (click using the right mouse button) the HP DVD Writer drive, then click Format on the shortcut menu. Type a name for the disc so you can identify it.
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Click Start. A CD-RW disc will be ready to use in about 45 minutes. Other types of discs will be ready to use in 2 to 3 minutes. Click OK on the dialog box that appears.
2 Write data to the disc.
With a document open in your word processor, spreadsheet, or any other software application that you normally use, select File, Save As and choose the HP DVD Writer as your destination. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, drag and drop files to the HP DVD Writer. In My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the files or folders, click Send To on the shortcut menu, then click DLA Drive.
You can read the disc only on the PC that was used to write it or on another PC that has an HP DVD Writer drive installed. For greater compatibility, you can run the Make Compatible command. After running Make Compatible, you can read the disc in other PCs with the following caveats:

I I I I

You cannot add any more data to the disc. Make Compatible is available only for DVD+R and CD-R discs. If youre using a CD-R disc, any PC can read the disc. If youre using a DVD+R disc, any PC with Windows 2000 or Windows XP can read the disc without any additional software installed. On other operating systems, you must have DLA installed. To install DLA, run the program \English\DLA\Setup.exe on Software Disc 1. data
To run Make Compatible, in My Computer or Windows Explorer, right-click the HP DVD Writer drive, click Make Compatible on the shortcut menu, then click

Start.

To learn more about DLA, read its online help. Click Start, Programs, DLA, DLA Help.
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how do I label a disc?

to label your discs
Write only on the printed side of the disc using a quick drying permanent felttip marker. Never use a ball point pen. Dont use adhesive labels due to possible damage.
other handling and use information
Protect the disc from scratches, fingerprints, and dirt by storing it in the jewel case provided. Never store DVD discs in CD or other jewel cases as these cases may cause damage to DVD discs. Clean the disc using a soft, dry cloth and commercial CD/DVD cleaner or ethyl alcohol. Hold the disc along the outer edge or by the center hole only and wipe across the disc. Do not wipe in circular motions on the disc. Never leave a disc in direct sunlight or in a hot, humid location.
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Numerics

1 Design tab 7, 11, Add Media tab 7, 11, Author tab 8, Produce tab 8, 11, 16, 19
A/V cable 3 Add icon 7 Add to Favorites command 29 Adding chapter points 4 data 2831 music 23 photos and music to a slideshow 19 video to DVD movie discs 10 video to DVD movies 7 Applications. See Software. Archiving PC files 2627 videos 25 ArcSoft ShowBiz DVD software 2, 6, 13, 18
Chapter points 4, 21 inserting 4 losing 8 Compatibility players and ROMs 5, 9, 17, 20, 25, 29 video capture cards 3 Connecting camcorders or VCRs 3 Copying copy-protected DVD movies 24 discs 2425 files 2631 Create a "Quick DVD" command 3 Create a DVD command 7, 10, 19 Create a VCD command 7, 19 Create New Project command 7, 19 Create Slideshow button 19 Creating chapter points 4 data discs for own use 3031 data discs to share 2829 DVD movies 29 MP3s 23 music discs 2223 slideshows 1820 Custom Backup command 26 Customer support ii Customize tab 7, 19
Background changing 11 selecting 7, 19 Backing up 2627 Buttons 4, 7 changing thumbnail 8, 10 renaming 10
Data discs 2829, 3031 Deleting files accidentally 26 video from DVD movie discs 10 Digital Disaster recovery 26 Disc compatibility 5, 9, 17, 20, 25, 29 DLA Drive command 31 DLA software 30 Done command 25, 29 Dragging and dropping files 29, 30, 31 videos 7 DVD movies adding video 10 changing thumbnail 10
Camcorder 3, 14 Capture button 14 Capture icon 7 Capturing video 3, 6, 7, 14 CD player 22, 23 Change command 25, 29 Changing. See Editing.
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chapter points 4, 21 combining video files 6 copy-protected 24 creating from existing videos 69 creating from tapes 25 customizing menu 4, 7, 19 deleting video 10 editing 1012 renaming 10 renaming buttons 10 sharing 2, 6, 13 DVD players 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20 DVD-ROM drives 2, 5, 6, 9, 11, 13, 17, 18, 20
Edit or Capture Video command 14 Edit ShowBiz DVD Disc command 10 Edit Video icon 8 Editing background 11 button names 10 button thumbnails 8, 10 DVD movie discs 1012 menu style 10 title 10 title font 7, 19 video files 1317