Installing the Alcorn McBride Presets
To make encoding with Main Concept Reference even easier, we have created presets for our various video products. These presets are contained in files that can be downloaded from links on this page. Before moving on, please download the preset file for your Alcorn McBride product:
DVM-7400 – MCR_DVM7400.ZIP
DVM-8400 – MCR_DVM8400.ZIP
DVM-8500 – MCR_DVM8500.ZIP
A/V Binloop – MCR_BINLOOP.ZIP
Digital Binloop – MCR_BINLOOP.ZIP
A/V Binloop HD – MCR_BINLOOPHD.ZIP
DVM/HD – MCR_DVMHD.ZIP
Once you have download the correct file, you must extract the zip file to your computer. Inside this ZIP file you will see several MCS preset files for Main Concept Reference organized by CODEC and video format. Choose the appropriate file(s) based on your region and preferences and then import the MCS file(s) into Reference using the Preset Manager. To do this, launch Reference and then select Windows–>Preset Manager… from the menu.
When the Preset Manager is open, click on the Import button and then select the Alcorn McBride preset file you downloaded earlier. Once you have done this, you will see new presets appear in the Preset Manager. Click on the Close button to return to the main screen.
Selecting a Preset
Now that you have loaded our presets into Reference, you are ready to use them to encode a video file for your Alcorn McBride video player. The Output section at the bottom-right corner of the Reference software has a box for selecting a preset. Click this box and browse all the way to the bottom of the preset list to the My Presets section. This is where you will find the Alcorn McBride presets organized by product name and basic preset information.
Custom Preset List
The first thing you’ll notice is that your product has several presets to choose from. Any of these presets will work, but some may be more ideal for your video. For example, say your source video uses a PAL framerate (25FPS). You could select an NTSC preset and Reference will convert your source video to an NTSC format (29.97FPS). However, if your intention is to play the encoded clip at it’s native PAL framerate on one of our products, this would be a very poor choice!
Depending on the product, there may be other considerations as well. For our High-Definition players, you may want to pick a specific HD video format (i.e. 1080i or 720p) and/or codec (MPEG-2 or H264).
Selecting Video and Audio Sources
Once you have selected a preset, the next step is to select the video and audio sources you are going to encode. To add a source file, click on the Open Media icon or select File–>Open Media… from the program menu. Select your source media file, and then click the Open button.
Example – Combined Video and Audio Source
Example – Separate Video and Audio Sources
Your media file should now appear in the Input list. Information about the contents of this media file will be visible in the Input list. If this file contains video, audio, or both, this will be clearly indicated. You’ll notice below the Input section is the Output section. The idea is that you must click and drag audio and video sources from the Input section to the Output section in order to specify the media you wish to encode.
At this point, be aware that the preset you have selected most likely requires an audio track. If audio is described in the preset name, THIS MEANS YOU MUST PROVIDE AN AUDIO SOURCE!!! This applies even if your application does not require audio. If you find yourself in this situation, you must generate a blank audio track (WAV, AIF, MP3, etc.) that is identical in length to the video source, add it to the Input list of Reference, and drag it to the Output list to be included in the encoded file.
Encoding the Video
You’re almost ready, but before you start the encoding process you must first choose a path and location to put the encoded file. This is done using the Browse for Output File icon at the bottom of the Output section of reference. If you don’t like the default path and filename, click on the icon and choose a new one.
Output Filename Box
Now is a good time to double-check a few things:
1. Make sure the preset you have selected is for the correct Alcorn McBride product.
2. Determine whether the preset you have chosen needs video-only, or both video and audio.
3. If the preset needs video-only, verify that 1 video track has been specified in the Output list, and 0 audio tracks are specified.
4. If the preset needs video and audio, verify that 1 video track and 1 audio track have been specified in the Output list.
5. Verify the output filename and path so you know where to look when the encoding process is finished.
Now, click the Start Transcoding icon or select Transcode–>Start Transcoding from the menu. When the encoding is complete, you will have a file that is playable on your Alcorn McBride product. The only thing left to do is make sure the encoded file is named properly for your Alcorn McBride video player. Each player is a little different in this regard, so be sure to refer to the file naming information for your specific product.
Naming the Output File
The file extension that Reference assigns the output file may vary based on your preset selection. However, it is recommended in all cases that you rename the file extension to .MPG. Beyond that, each product has other features that are accessible by appropriately naming the file. For example, it is possible to give a file a special name so that it is played automatically upon powerup. It is also possible to name a file so that it is easily associated with a number (i.e. File #1). More information on file naming can be found in the User’s Guides of our video products.
