|
d
If
it's so good, why is it so cheap?
Binary
Metal was founded on the principle that many software companies
charge too much for their software. While we realize that
programs require a large time commitment and consume a lot
of resources to develop we do not believe this to be a valid
excuse to inflate software prices to extraordinarily high
prices.
How
do I purchase Digital Theater Pro?
You
can purchase Digital Theater Pro at our on-line
store.
I
have an awesome idea, can you make it happen?
We
can give it a try! Fill out our feature
request form and we'll look into making your dream a reality!
Is
Digital Theater just for home theater automation?
No,
Digital Theater is designed for any kind of automation. Home
automation, home theater automation, you name it!
Do
I have to purchase the Digital Theater server and client separately?
No,
they are part of the same product and are both included with
a single purchase.
Do
I need a HTPC (home theater PC) in order to use Digital Theater
Pro?
No,
Digital Theater will be able to operate as the world's most
advanced remote control once the infrared plug-in is released.
Digital
Theater does require a computer to operate on, but this does
not have to be a HTPC.
I
have a HTPC, can I hide the Windows desktop from view on the
main screen?
Yes,
the Digital Theater Server application allows you to cover
the desktop with a background image, visual data dependent
on the plug-in being run, and/or simplified remote or keyboard
driven controls.
When
will Digital Theater Pro be completed?
The
beta version of Digital Theater Pro is already in circulation.
We believe in taking our time to do things right, so there
is no published release date of the final program version.
Many people are currently using, and happy with, the current
beta release.
Will
a Digital Theater Pro demo be available?
Yes,
the demo version will be released when the release version
of Digital Theater Pro becomes available.
Can
I become a beta tester for Digital Theater Pro?
Sure
thing! Join our beta program
to receive the current beta release. You will also receive
a free copy of the release version of Digital Theater Pro
when it becomes available.
Can
I pirate Digital Theater Pro?
Yes,
but you will be doing it without our permission. Besides,
it's illegal, isn't nice, and will hurt our feelings... we've
worked long and hard to come out with this amazing product
and priced it at a point that is hundreds (if not thousands)
of times cheaper than similar (and less capable) products
from our competitors.
What
is the ideal Digital Theater client platform?
The "ideal" platform would be a relatively
fast PC, preferrably something small that can be tucked under
a table or couch or on top of the ceiling panels. A touch-screen
monitor is also ideal because it improves the flow of user
interaction with the program. Using an LCD for that monitor
is the best choice since they are small and look really cool
- making your control system a definate show-piece.
A
relatively fast tablet PC with a touch-screen monitor (preferred)
or a passive pen input device is also good. Active pen devices
also work, but require that you use the stylus since touching
the screen causes nothing to happen.
5-wire
and 7-wire pressure systems allow the best touch sensitivity,
but you may still want to check with the hardware manufacturer
to make sure that they are "finger touch" compatible.
Anything
incapable of running Windows 95 decently will not be able
to run Digital Theater Pro since it is a program and, therefore,
must run on top of the operating system.
Do
I have to use a touch-screen with Digital Theater?
No,
a touch-screen display is just the recommended form of control
because it maximizes use of the interface and looks really
high-tech and impressive (it turns Digital Theater into the
ultimate showpiece).
Aside
from touch-screen monitors and web tablets, and tablet PCs
you can also run Digital Theater on:
- Another
PC
- A
laptop computer
- The
same PC as the HTPC if dual monitor support is enabled
The
touch-screen acts as a replacement for the mouse, you can
use both exclusively or simultaneously.
Will
Digital Theater work with my ABC device or XYZ software?
Most
likely. We are working hard to add support for all popular
hardware and software. Many of the control plug-ins are capable
of controlling multiple brands and models of devices.
Through
the use of Girder, Digital Theater will be able to control
many programs for which dedicated software has not yet been
developed.
Please
let us know if you ever find anything that Digital Theater
does not work with and we will tro to add that program to
our to-do list.
Will
Digital Theater run on my Fujitsu, SonicBlue, or ViewSonic
tablet?
Yes,
Digital Theater will run on any tablet that meets or exceeds
our minimum system requirements.
Can
Digital Theater Pro run on a Mira device?
We
believe so, but it is hard to say for sure at this time as
the devices are not yet available. We will purchase some devices
at a later time for testing and, if necessary and possible,
program adaptation purposes.
We
are planning on adding streaming video support in the future.
From what we understand, this feature may need to be disabled
on the Mira since they are not supposed to have displays fast
enough to support video.
Can
I used a remote control with Digital Theater Pro?
Yes,
if you are using an HTPC. The server allows basic remote control
interaction with the GUI although you are still required to
install the client software on a computer to start things
up with.
What
are the recommended resolutions for Digital Theater Pro?
We
recommend using 1024x768 because this is the native Digital
Theater Pro client resolutions. Digital Theater will work
with higher and lower 4:3 resolutions but the quality of some
resolutions (like 640x480) are not very good due to the limited
number of pixels or the need to resize the images.
Why
does the server support 16:9 resolutions but not the client?
The
client was designed to run on a secondary computer or monitor.
Computer monitors (for the most part) use 4:3 resolutions.
The server was designed to support both 4:3 and 16:9 resolutions
because you primary display could be an analog television
(4:3), a computer monitor (4:3), a HDTV (16:9), a projector
(4:3 or 16:9), as well as a number of other options.
Can
Digital Theater run on Linux?
No,
Digital Theater is not compatible with Linux. Since most commercial
applications run on Windows-based PCs we thought it best to
write Digital Theater to take advantage of the Windows API.
This makes it much easier to work and interact with HTPCs.
Can
Digital Theater run on Windows CE?
Not
at this time, although we're considering a plug-in that will
allow a CE device to communicate with Digital Theater's client
software.
What
is Girder?
Girder
is a very powerful event-based control system that Digital
Theater can use to help you control software applications
for which dedicated support has not yet been implemented.
Using it is not required, but it does give you more things
to play and tinker around with.
My
MP3 collection is stored on another computer am I in trouble?
No
problem! Just mount the drive in My Computer as a networked
drive and you will be able to access the files from the server
and view the files from the client.
My
control computer only supports 256 colors, is this ok?
Yes,
while 16 bit and higher color depth is recommended, Digital
Theater will also support computers with 8 bit color depth.
Will
you work with my company to produce a Digital Theater compatible
product?
Yes,
we would be more than happy to work with you. Please contact
us to discuss the details of your project.
I
would like to OEM a version (or custom version) of Digital
Theater
Yes,
we would be happy to work with you to create a custom version,
license, or modify the Digital Theater Pro technologies towards
your needs. Please contact us to
discuss the details of your product.
|
