TVTool 6.8

TVTool 6.8

This time new TV modes and the support for the Philips TV chip SAA 7104 were in the focus of the development. Also some functions were improved like the Icon-Restore. This function shall guarantee that the icons are at the original positions after leaving TV mode. There are new hotkeys, more resize presets and a curtain mode. Of course some bugs were fixed in version 6.8, too, which partly improve the picture quality in some TV modes.

Overview of the new functions:

New TV modes for Conexant Chips
New TV modes for Chrontel Chips
New TV modes for Philips Chips
Icon Restore function
Resize Presets
Programmable Hotkeys
The curtain mode
Fixed bugs in 6.8

Note: Version 6.8 requires new userdata. These will be sent shortly with the newsletter!

Conexant Chips CX25870 a. CX25871:

1024x768 @ Standard and Fullscreen Size
a new PAL 640x480 Fullscreen mode with improved picture quality
a new NTSC 800x600 Fullscreen mode
PAL-M and Pal-Nc

Now with 1024x768 resolution


Chrontel Chips:

PAL 60 mode
PAL-M und Pal-Nc
The PAL 60 mode is useful for the playback of NTSC DVDs on PAL TV sets. NTSC DVDs are recorded with 30 pictures per second, PAL normally works with 25 pictures only. Therefore the playback can stuble because of the missing pictures. Here comes PAL 60 into play. PAL 60 uses 30 pictures (= 60 frames per second), therefore the playback will be smoothly. The TV must support PAL 60 of course, most newer TV sets do.


Philips Chips:

SAA 7102 and 7108:
Support for 640x480 @ Desktop size
PAL-M und Pal-Nc

SAA 7104:
1024x768 @ Desktop size
800x600 @ Desktop and Fullscreen size
640x480 @ Desktop size
PAL-M and Pal-Nc

Support for SAA7104

First tests have shown that the color bug of older Philips TV chips is not present anymore in the SAA7104. Therefore one gets a very nice picture quality for movie playback in the 800x600 fullscreen mode.

Maybe you wonder what PAL-Nc and PAL-M is all about actually. These are the TV standards of South America. In this region TVTool has not very many friends so far, but maybe this will change now :-).


The Icon Restore Function

This feature was a bit problematic so far. Obviously the icons were not restored correctly from time to time after leaving TV mode. So this function was completely new implemented and is much more sophisticated now. So far the icons were saved with continuous numbers, now they are saved by their names. This guarantess that the icons are restored correctly even if one icon was deleted or a new one was added. The other positions remain valid.


Visualization of the desktop structure

If the icons were really saved correctly can be controlled now by the newly integrated virtual desktop. On this desktop the saved icon positions are shown by small symbols. This function does not work with TV mode only by the way. The icons are restored on usual resolutions changes, too, (when playing games for example) as long as TVTool is active.


Resize Presets

The resize function offers 6 presets now. Also every preset was fitted out with a led which shows the currently activ preset.

6 Resize Presets


Programmable Hotkeys

From time to time it was requested that certain functions could be controlled by hotkeys. This is possible now with two new hotkeys, which function can be selected by the user. With the keys F9 and F10 itŽs possible to control the function which was assigned. This can be the size of the window, the picture position or the master volume for example.

Programmable Hotkeys F9 and F10


The curtain mode

This is really a completey superfluous function. But who ever had the chance to play a bit with one of these high class TVs from Bang&Olufsen may have discovered the nice effect when the TV is turned on: a curtain seems to open slowly before you can see the picture.

Curtain Mode

This is possible with TVTool now, too. The curtain is not only visible when you enter or leave TVTool, but also when you set the monitor to standby mode with the TVTool hotkey CTRL-F5, when you make a break at your PC for example. This is surely the most elegant way to turn off the monitor. And if you are really sick and tired of this function you can turn it off under Adjust -> More options :-). (Some users may have already discovered this feature in verison 6.5.2 because of small "bug".)


Fixed bugs in TVTool 6.8

These are some of the bugs which were fixed:

PAL 60 Mode for Conexant (Color Phase alternation was off)
Hibernation resistent
larger color carrier range
768x576 NTSC mode for Chrontel fixed(disturbances)
RGB mode for Chrontel (blacklevel was much too high)