Note : This is an archived review for an older version of WinDVD. For the latest review, please refer to this page.
New in WinDVD Platinum
Click here to read the official WinDVD Platinum What's New page.
This page tries to list all the significant new features of WinDVD Platinum (as compared to WinDVD Plus 4.0) - if you want to see a complete review of the latest version of WinDVD, please refer to this page.
WinDVD Platinum is actually an extension to the existing WinDVD 4.0 line, not really replacing the existing WinDVD 4.0 products (which is still the only WinDVD players for the Windows 98/Me market). However, two more products have been added to use the WinDVD product name, WinDVD Creator and WinDVD Recorder. While both share the WinDVD name, both are more focused on their new video capturing and DVD/CD authoring capabilities. In fact, WinDVD Creator does not even have DVD playback features, while WinDVD Recorder has exactly the same playback features as WinDVD Platinum. This review only covers WinDVD Platinum.
New Audio Features
WinDVD Plus 4.0 had a very complete feature-set in terms of audio support, and so it would be difficult for WinDVD Platinum to add anything that is new.
WinDVD Platinum does in fact feature several new audio features.
First of all, Dolby Virtual Speaker support has been added. What this does is to simulate 5.1 channel audio using only 2 speakers, by using techniques that "trick" your senses into believing that there are infact more than 2 speakers.
Next up is SRS TruSurround XT Headphone support. WinDVD Plus 4.0 first added SRS TruSurround XT support, which is similar to Dolby Virtual Speaker support (simulating multi-channel audio using 2 speakers). SRS TruSurround XT Headphone is similar to Dolby Headphones, which simulates multi-channel audio using a standard headphone. In addition, SRS TruSurround XT Headphone creates 3D spatial audio from standard mono or stereo sources.
Rounding up the major new audio features is 96 kHz/24 Bit Audio Decoding, which is unique to WinDVD at the moment.
New Video Features
WinDVD Platinum adds a new unique feature called Video Effects. This is basically a realtime video filter that changes the way the played back video looks.
New Playback Modes
LanguageMate is a new sub-option of WinDVD Platinum's repeat options. What LanguageMate does is allow you to repeat a segement, at either 6, 12 or 18 second intervals. This can be used, for example, when learning a new language by continously repeating the same segement and listening and practicing speaking in the new language. LanguageMate is basically just a variation of the standard A-B repeat function.
New Interface Features
Video Docking is a new user interface feature. What this basically means is that the WinDVD main console can now be docked with the playback window to form one single GUI component (the same applies in Window or Fullscreen playback modes).
OS Support
Only Windows 2000 and XP are supported under WinDVD Platinum.
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