MPXPLAY Audio player v1.50 by PDSoft

Supported filetypes:

AAC     (Advanced Audio Coding by http://www.audiocoding.com)
AC3     (Dolby AC3 by http://ess.engr.uvic.ca/~aholtzma/ac3 and http://www.dolby.com)
APE     (Monkey's Audio by http://www.monkeysaudio.com)
MP2,MP3 (Audio MPEG Layer II/III by http://www.mpg123.de)
MPC     (MPEGPlus/MusePack by http://www.uni-jena.de/~pfk/mpp)
OGG     (Ogg Vorbis by http://www.xiph.org)
WAV     (uncompressed wave files)
CDW     (Audio-CD 'ripp and play' on the fly)

M3U,PLS,MXU playlist files


Send suggestions and error reports to 

  mpxplay@freemail.hu   (please don't public this email address (ie: don't put it on your web page))

important notes and requests before you send me mail:
 - write MPXPLAY in the subject line!!!
 - before You ask something from me or you would like to send me a bug report, 
   please read README.TXT (this), MOREINFO.TXT and FAQ.TXT files!
 - you can find a lot of extra infos in the MPXPLAY.INI file too
   (keyboard mapping, LCD, joystick and serial port (infra receiver) configuration)
 - don't send attachments (only if I ask for it)
 - sorry, but I can't answer to everybody, I read your requests/problems,
   but don't wait answer from me ...
   (Usually I don't answer, if you can find the answer to your question somewhere
    in the text files or I can't help you at all (especially at hardware problems))

Visit my homepages

   http://mpxplay.cjb.net   <- this address is linked to my actual main page

   http://mpxplay.tripod.com
   http://www.geocities.com/mpxplay

for the updated program versions.

And visit the Mpxplay forum for extra informations (linked on my homepages).


Mpxplay system requirements:

- Minimum CPU for playing 44.1khz, 128kbit/s, stereo files (with '-f0 -sl 0 -bl -bn8' options): 

  MP3 : Intel 80486 DX2-80 (DX4-100)
  MP2 : Intel 80486 DX2-50 (DX2-66)
  MPC : Intel 80486 DX4-100
  OGG : Intel 80486 DX4-120 (DX4-133)
  AAC : Intel Pentium 66  (LC object type)
  AC3 : Intel Pentium 66
  APE : Intel Pentium 166 MMX (fast-mode encoded files work without MMX too)

- Supported soundcards:
  - SB Live (?), Audigy 1, Audigy 2 (native EMU10K1 handling)(use only in DOS!)
  - SB16 or compatible (DSP 4.x):
    - SB16 (ISA not PCI!)
    - SB AWE-32/64
    - SB PCI 128,512(?),Live,Audigy 1 (with SB16 emulation)
    - CMI-8330
  - WSS compatible: 
    - Crystal Sound (CS423x)(ie:Turtle Beach Malibu)
    - Yamaha OPL3
    - SB PCI 64
    - some OPTI cards (?)
    - some CMI cards (?)
    - some ESS cards (?)
  - ESS 688,1688,1868,1869,1878,1879,1887,1888 chips (?)
  - GUS (GUS MAX, GUS PnP (AMD Interwave)(?))
  - SB Pro or compatible (DSP 1.5, 2.x, 3.x)(a lot of cards)
   ((?) means: not tested, maybe it doesn't work properly)

- Memory (not exact calculations):
   - 256kbyte conventional
   - 3Mb XMS (+2*1Mb at -bp)(+size_of_file at -bl)(+decoder requirements (0.1Mb-1.0Mb))

- Display: VGA (or EGA)

- OS: MS-DOS 5.x,6.x,7.x, Windows 95/98 (dos box), Linux & OS/2 dos emu (?)
  (under DOS the DOS/4GW version is recommended, the PMODE/W may cause memory allocation and IRQ problems)
  (under Linux and OS/2 (DOS emu) the PMODE/W or DOS/32 version is recommended)

Command line option examples:

usage: MPXPLAY.EXE [option(s)] file [file2] [file3] [...] ('file' can be an audiofile (mp3,wav,etc.), playlist (m3u,pls,mxu) or dir-scan (d:\subd*.*\file*.*)) (multiply input files don't work at WAV output (-o))
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE [option(s)] -ds cde [filemask] (scan c: d: e: drives [for 'filemask' files (ie: *.mp3)])
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE [option(s)] d:\*.cdw     (play all audio CD tracks)
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE -o -sl 0 in.mp3 out.wav  (decode mp3 to a wav file)
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE -o -sl 0 playlist.m3u    (decode all audio files (from the playlist) to wav files (into current dir))
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE -o -sl 0 d:\1.cdw 1.wav  (copy the 1. audio CD track into a wav file (ripp))
   or: MPXPLAY.EXE -o -sl 0 d:\*.cdw        (copy all audio CD tracks into wav files (into current dir))

for slow computers (486DX4-100 or bellow)(-bl requires 7-10Mb RAM (3Mb + filesize)):
       MPXPLAY.EXE -sl 0 -ddma -f0 -v -bl -bn8 playlist.m3u
       MPXPLAY.EXE -sl 0 -ddma -f0 -v playlist.m3u

for faster computers (Pentium or above):
       MPXPLAY.EXE -bp -ipl playlist.m3u
       MPXPLAY.EXE -bp -idl playlist.m3u

List of all command line options:

Playlist:
 -@  PLAYLIST : use a playlist (.m3u or .mxu)(not really needed, Mpxplay can detect the playlist file-type)
 -@i          : load/read playlist from stdin (m3u style)(ie: dir /b *.mp3 | mpxplay.exe -@i)
 -@d PLAYLIST : jukebox mode (load playlist to the left side)
 -@s PLAYLIST.M3U  : save playlist from editor into PLAYLIST file on exit (default:MPXPLAY.M3U)
 -@sw PLAYLIST.M3U : save playlist in EXTM3U format (like Winamp)
 -@sx PLAYLIST.MXU : save playlist in (own) extended format (playlist with file infos)
 -ds DRIVES : multiple drive scan (-ds cde -> scans c: d: e: drives)(-ds cde *.wav -> search wav files only)
 -dd : enable jukebox mode (load files to the left side)(use at drive scan (-ds) and directory browser)

 -prn  : random play
 -prn2 : randomize playlist at start
 -pre  : replay/repeat playlist
 -pre1 : replay/repeat only 1 song (rewind to the begin of file)

 -pss NUM  : start play at NUM. song  (PlayStartSong) (without NUM, it just starts the playing at the first (or last played) song)
 -pst TIME : start song at TIME pos.  (PlayStartTime) (TIME may be in HH:MM:SS or MM:SS or SSS format (ie: 3:17 or 197))
 -psf NUM  : start song at NUM. frame (PlayStartFrame)
 -psp NUM  : start song at NUM-16%    (PlayStartPercent)(16% is the begin of the song)
 -psc NUM  : exit after NUM song      (PlaySongCount)
 -ptc TIME : play duration (in 1 song)(PlayTimeCount)(TIME may be in HH:MM:SS or MM:SS or SSS format)
 -pfc NUM  : play NUM frames only     (PlayFrameCount)
 -pef NUM  : finish playing at NUM. frame (PlayEndFrame)(PlayFrameCount=PlayEndFrame-PlayStartFrame)(doesn't work with -psp)
 -pslf NUM : use/load NUM. fastlist (PlayStartList)(NUM. list in [fastlist] config)(without NUM, it loads the last used list and restores the list/song position from the [startup])
 -phs      : hi-lite scan, play only 10 seconds from every songs (1m00s-1m10s)(configurable with -psf,-pst and -pfc,-ptc options)
 -pap      : enable auto pause (auto pause before each song)

Display:
 -f0  : no screen output
 -ff  : only framepos and actual filename are displayed
 -fl  : one line display output
 -v   : verbose mode (mpeg info,id3tag info for -f0,-ff,-fl options)
 -fe  : full screen playlist-editor (without spectrum-analiser & browser)
 -fs  : single lines mode (disable 50 lines mode change at start) (25->50)
 -db  : disable directory browser in playlist editor (left side)(if you use it, program exits after the last song)
 -db2 : directory browser on both sides (left and right side too)
 -ebs NUM : editor border size (1-64)(def:64)

Input buffer (def.: 128 (4*32) kbyte prebuffer without interrupt decoding):
 -bn  : no input buffer (not recommended)
 -bp  : input file pre(ring)buffer (decoder runs on INT08)
 -bl  : input fullbuffer (it loads the (whole) song into memory before playing (max. 13mbyte))
 -bni : disable interrupt decoding (for -bl)
 -bn8 : disable use of all INT08 functions (interrupt decoding,dma monitor)
 -bbn : prebuffer blocks (for -bp)(1 block=32kbytes)(use: 8 - 64 (MP3-WAV))(def.: 4; -bp: 32)

Sound card and output:
 -scs CARD : manual soundcard select (S16,ESS,WSS,GUS,SBP,SBA,NUL)
 -sct CARD : soundcard test (without CARD argument it tests and displays all possible/detected cards)
 -scv NUM : set sound card volume (master & pcm together)(1-100(%))(at some soundcards under Win9x use 100% (ie: SB Live/Audigy))
 -ddma    : double dma (32k->64k) (soundcard buffer)
 -o       : write pcm data to a wav file (instead of soundcard)
 -of  NUM : set output frequency (constant soundcard freq / freq conversion at wav output)
 -oc  NUM : set output channels (at wav output only)(1 or 2)
 -ob  NUM : set output bits (at wav output only)(if the input (wav file) and output (wav file) are more than 16 bits (24,32) recommended to use -hq option)
 -t       : testmode (no sound output, only decoding)

Sound mixing and output modifying:
 -sv   NUM : software volume setting (amplifying)(0-700)(def. 100 (%))
 -sva      : enable auto volume correction
 -sr   NUM : surround/stereo expander (def.:100 (%) = no surround, 10=mono, 150=wide stereo)
 -sp   NUM : playing speed (freq) control (60-200)(def.:100 (%))
 -sctr NUM : set tone-treble (1-100) (SB16,AWE32/64: hardware; otherwise (or with MixerControl=3): software)
 -scbs NUM : set tone-bass   (1-100) (def.: 50 = no tone change)
 -sl   NUM : soundlimit (playlimit)(0-200)(def.:20)

 -cl : decode left channel only (1.9x/1.4x faster decoding at MP3/OGG files (only))
 -cm : downmix channels (stereo to mono)(ca. 1.7x faster decoding at MP3 files only)
 -hq : hq (float) mixer + fake high sounds at mp2 files

 -cf      : enable crossfade
 -cft NUM : crossfadetype   (def. 1) (0.bit (+1) :fade-out, 1.bit (+2) :fade-in)(-cft 3 : fade out + fade-in)
 -cfo NUM : fade-out length (def. 250)
 -cfp NUM : crossfade point (def. 120)(start crossfade at num. frame, relative to begining of fade-out)
 -cfi NUM : fade-in length  (def. 200)
 -cfl NUM : crossfade limit (def. 0) (start crossfade, when volume less than num (don't use crossfade point))
 (crossfade only: -cfo 150 -cfp 0 -cfi 150 , fade-out & fade-in only: -cfo 150 -cfp 150 -cfi 100 )

ID3-info, file-info:
 -inl : don't preload (load at skip only) file informations (header,id3tag) (but MXU/EXTM3U works (has effect))
 -ihl : load infos of highlighted file only (at cursor move (up/down arrows))
 -idl : load infos of displayed files only (displayed in playlist editor window)
 -ipl : load (all) infos paralell with playing
 -in  : don't load/display id3tag infos (only filename and time-length)
 -if KEYWORD : tag-filter (keep files which have KEYWORD in their id3tag(s) (or in filename(s) if there's no id3tag), delete the others)(restrictions: doesn't work properly with -inl,-ihl,-idl,-ipl,-in options; KEYWORD may not contain space(s); very slow at large playlists)

Character (codepage) conversion:
 -8   : convert characters in id3tags (in artist,title,etc.)(doesn't convert in filenames)(configure in mpxplay.ini with WinChars/DosChars)
 -8u  : enable UTF-8 text decoding in tags (in every filetypes, but it's an OGG and APETAGv2 (APE,MPC) standard)
 -8cp CPNAME : target codepage for UTF-8 decoding (CPNAME can be:ISO-8859-1 (normal US-ASCII) and ISO-8859-2 (default))
 -8uv : validate (use only) WinChars at UTF-8 decoding (above ascii 128)(to avoid wrong/false decoding at non-utf8 texts)

Playlist sort:
 -io  NUM : primary order key; order playlist by 0=title, 1=artist, 2=album, 3=year, 4=comment, 5=genre, 6=tracknum, 7=time, 8=filesize, 9=path, 10=filename, 11=path\filename, 12=order only directory entires (browser) by filename
 -io2 NUM : secondary order key (0=title, 1=artist, etc.)
 -io3 NUM : third order key (-"-)
 -io4 NUM : fourth order key (-"-)
 -iod     : descending order (else ascending)(use it with -io)

ID3-list:
 -il [infofile] : load LOCAL id3info listfile (for current directory entries, (re)load from every directory (after dir change))
 -ig [infofile] : load GLOBAL id3info listfile (for playlist entries)(create:mpxplay.exe playlist.m3u -is infofile.txt -ist 448)
 -is [infofile] : save id3 infos to a listfile
 -iw [infofile] : write id3tag into files (aac,ac3,ape,mp2,mp3,mpc) (load it from the infofile)(default infofile name is: !FILES)
 -ist NUM : type for id3 savelist (the bits of the NUM changes the type)(def.:63)
   0. bit (  +1): list directory names
   1. bit (  +2): list filenames
   2. bit (  +4): artist-title list mode (non-fixed/fixed position)
   3. bit (  +8): list time of file
   4. bit ( +16): list bitrate (kbit/s)
   5. bit ( +32): list filesize in megabytes
   6. bit ( +64): list filenames with full path

Other (program controls):
 -x PRGNAME : set program name for DOS shell (i.e. -x nc.exe)
 -xs        : call a dosshell (automatically) after the start of Mpxplay
 -xr        : TSR mode (for CDW files only)('mpxplay.exe -bl -xr -xs -pre1 song.mp3' for continuous background playing)
 -xas       : enable atx/apm shutdown (at exit)
 -xte TIME  : program exit time (in the next 24 hours) (TIME may be in HH:MM:SS or HH:MM or HH format)
 -xtl TIME  : program run-time length (max. 24 hours)(TIME may be in HH:MM:SS or MM:SS or SSS format)
              (note: HH is hour(s), MM is minute(s), SS is second(s))


Keyboard controls (some keys are case sensitive (lower case only)!)
(suggestion: set the keyboard speed to 30 char/sec in BIOS):

 ESC      - exit from the program (or terminate drive scanning, playlist checking, file loading (-bl), AAC seeking)
 CTRL-C   - exit from the program
 F10      - exit from the program without shutdown (at -xas)
 gray-'-' - step back one song in playlist
 gray-'+' - step forward one song in playlist
 white-'-'- step back like a CD player (if framenum>38, step to begin of song, else step to previous song)
 gray-'/' - step back one subdirectory (album) in playlist
 gray-'*' - step forward one subdirectory (album) in playlist
 alt-'/'  - load previous fastlist (from [fastlist] config in mpxplay.ini)
 alt-'*'  - load next fastlist
      ->  - (right arrow) forward 50 frames (configurable with SeekFrames in mpxplay.ini)
      <-  - (left arrow)  rewind  50 frames (50 frames is usually 1.3 sec)
 CTRL- -> - 4x speed rewind (200 frames)
 CTRL- <- - 4x speed forward
 BACKSPACE- jump to begin of song (to 0. frame)
  A       - spectrum analiser enable/disable
  C       - crossfader enable/disable
  d       - hi-lite scan (demo mode) start/stop
 CTRL-'d' - open a DOS-shell
  E       - editor filenames show/hide
  F       - (cross) fade out/in enable/disable
 CTRL-'g' - select/skip LCD page
  H       - HQ-mode (hq-mixer, mp2 decoder)
  J       - switch between juke-box (doombox) and normal mode (reloads playlist!)
  M       - mute sound (1/8 sound volume)
  N       - random play (shuffle) enable/disable
  o       - open/close CD door (of primary CD drive)
  P       - start/pause playing
 CTRL-'p' - enable/disable autopause
  R       - replay (repeat) enable/disable (none / 1 song / full playlist replay)
 CTLR-'r' - refresh directory browser OR reload playlist/rescan directories,drive(s) (ie: after CD change)
  S       - stop playing (jump to begin of playlist)
 CTRL-'s' - pause playing at (before) next song
  T       - time mode (elapsed,remaining,allelapsed,allremaining)
  V       - auto volume enable/disable
 CTRL-V   - reset all mixer functions to center/zero value (volume,surround,speed,balance,treble,bass)
  X       - swap channels (reverse stereo)

  .       - volume up   ('white home' too)
  ,       - volume down ('white end' too)
  '       - surround up   (stereo expander)
  ;       - surround down (to mono)
  ]       - playing speed up
  [       - playing speed down
  <       - balance-left
  >       - balance-right
  "       - bass up (hardware tone on SB16 and AWE32/64 cards, else software tone at MP3/MP2/MPC files)
  :       - bass down (-"-)
  }       - treble up (-"-)
  {       - treble down (-"-)
  |       - loudness on/off (80/50 bass&treble)('80' is configurable with an initial bass/treble value (!=50))
 alt-','  - soundcard volume up  (doesn't work on every cards (ie:GUS))
 alt-'.'  - soundcard volume down (and it has no indicator on the display)

   ALT-F9 - 25/50 lines mode switch
  CTRL-F9 - full screen playlist-editor mode (analiser and browser disabled)
 SHIFT-f9 - equal to ALT-F9 + CTRL-F9

 NUMBER   - type a playlist-entry number (1-9999)(jump to n. song)

 
 Unmapped keyboard functions (configurable in mpxplay.ini):
 
  KeyPRewind      - rewind  1% of song (or min. 4x speed)
  KeyPForward     - forward 1% of song 
  KeyCRewind      - continuous rewind (press again key to stop it)
  KeyCForward     - -"-        forward
  KeyShutDownExit - exit and shutdown computer (ATX only)
  KeyEditCpySngEhl- copy song (entry) and move/shift it to editorhighline position and skip editorhighline
  KeyEditDelFile  - delete file from disc (and from playlist)


 Playlist-editor keys: 
  TAB               : change playlist editor side
  Up & Down arrows  : move cursor up/down 1 song in the playlist
  PageUp,PageDown   :       -"-           1 editor page (1 page=30 song on the default screen)
  ALT-gray-PgUp/PgDn:       -"-           1 album (subdir difference in the playlist)
  Home,End          :       -"-           to the top/bottom of playlist
  CTRL-PgUp/PgDn    : move to updir/subdir or uplist/sublist
  CTRL-'\'          : jump to root dir/list (directory browser/sublist structure)
  CTRL-gray-'/','*' : jump to prev/next paralell playlist (using sublists) or directory (in directory browser)

  ENTER             : start the selected song OR load playlist OR change dir
  CTRL-ENTER        : select/unselect next song

                      set primary key and re-order playlist on actual editorside
  CTRL-F1           : disable sorting (sort directory entries only (browser/dir-scan))
  CTRL-F2           : order by artist /title/filename (1./2./3. keys)
  CTRL-F3           : order by title  /artist/filename
  CTRL-F4           : order by time   /artist/title/filename

  F2                  : save playlist (into a mpxplay.m3u file)
  F5 or Ins           : add/copy a song/playlist/subdir to the other side
  F8 or Del           : delete a song from the playlist
  CTRL-F5 or CTRL-Ins : copy all playlist entries to the other side
  CTRL-Del            : clear playlist (usually right side)
  CTRL-UP / DOWN      : shift (drag and move) a song up/down in playlist

  ALT-LEFT / RIGHT    : modify size of playlist-editorsides (horizontal)
  ALT-UP / DOWN       : resize playlist editor/song browser (vertical)

 Searching in the editor:
  ALT-'a'-'z'     : init search (you must use ALT at the 1st character only)
  Backspace       : clear back
  Up/Down Arrows  : search (again) backward/forward in the playlist
  ESC/ENTER       : exit from the search
  ':'-key         : artist:title (search) separator
  (if you have got more songs from the same artist, use the ':' character to
   continue the search at the titles)

 Mouse buttons:   
  left button (used to desktop functions by default (reconfigurable in mpxplay.ini)): 
   - one click on song-position line () to seek in song (to set a new position)
   - one click in the playlist to move the editor highline (and change editorside)
   - double click in the playlist to start a new (selected) song
   - one click on song-browser to skip to (select and start) a new song

  center button: step back in playlist   / fast rewind    (click/long press)
  right button:  step forward in playlist/ fast forward
  wheel up/down: editorhighline up/down  (http://cutemouse.sourceforge.net)
