User Instructions
From STR3EM
STR3EM User Instructions
Contents |
Playing STR3EM Files
STR3EM files contain the file extensions .st3 or .wiki
Depending on how a content provider creates a STR3EM file, it can be free to play or require a KodeKey password.
You should pause any downloading activity while playing a STR3EM file.
Step 1 - Open the STR3EM file. If it is a free STR3EM file, then the STR3EM Player will open and start playback (step 4). If the file requires a KodeKey then please see the following steps.
Step 2 - If required, enter a purchase, rental or membership KodeKey in the STR3EM Access Panel.
Step 2a - If required, log in to Facebook.
Please note: STR3EM activity is 100% private and not shared with Facebook in any way.
Step 3 - If required, load the KKEYCERT file given to you by your content provider.
Step 4 - Playback will begin once the required steps are complete.
The STR3EM Player may open alone or with the STR3EM Browser. Click to select the STR3EM Player with your mouse and press the "F" key to toggle fullsceen mode. For titles with video and audo files, it may be possible to toggle programs by pressing "A" for audio and "V" for video.
Authoring STR3EM Files Step 1 - The STR3EM Creator
STR3EM is designed to offer a "track play" method similar to a CD or DVD.
STR3EM can accept multiple WMV, WMA, WAV, MOV, MP4, or MP3 files served from a URL link or as files from your hard drive.
Encoding notes: it is highly recommended that MP4 and MOV files are opened and saved from Quicktime Pro for best compliance. Quicktime Pro will save an exact copy of the file parsed with the proper file header configurations required for STR3EM.
Video encoding should not exceed 1920 x 1080 24p 12000kbps.
Do not use DBPoweramp WAV files with STR3EM. We recommend using source WAV files or Exact Audio Copy (EAC) for CD conversions.
All other files must be of standard encoding.
When authoring STR3EM files, do not open another STR3EM file or attempt to open multiple instances of the Creator application.
Authoring time will vary depending on the size of the collective media assets. STR3EM will never freeze while authoring so we recommend that you give patience when authoring large files. Please do not use the computer while the authoring process is in progress to ensure STR3EM can use all available CPU resources.
Create a STR3EM file in a few easy steps:
First, determine how many play items will comprise your STR3EM file. Play items can be a mix of remote URL links and local media files.
Next, press button #3 to add the necessary tracks needed to host your files and URL links.
In section #7, copy and paste URLs or right click on your mouse and select "Add media file" to include files inside your STR3EM file. You can click on a track number in the left column with your mouse and delete it with button #4.
To preview your STR3EM, press button #2 at any time.
When you are done, press button #9 to open the STR3EM options panel and save your file. You can press button #6 for help at any time and press button #10 to exit the application at any time.
Buttons #5 and #8 are reserved for KodeKey License users and more information can be found here.
Action Flags
STR3EM allows 4 action flags to be added at the end of tracks in the playlist section (#7):
- Start in full screen mode - add /fullscreen to the end of the first track only in the playlist. Example: c:\yourfile.wmv/fullscreen
- Skip to video side with "V" key - add /video to the end of the desired track you wish to flag as the start of video programing.
Example: c:\yourfile.wmv/video
Flags can be used together for example: c:\yourfile.wmv/video/fullscreen (Note: the full screen flag should always be last).
- Skip to audio side with "A" key - add /audio to the end of the desired track you wish to flag as the start of audio programming.
Example: c:\song_track1.wav/audio
Because STR3EM can hold an unlimited amount of audio and video assets together in a single file, using the /video and /audio tags can be useful to give users an easy shortcut to toggle access between a sequence of movies by pressing the"V" key and a sequence of audio (like a CD soundtrack) by pressing the "A" key. STR3EM will play files back in the order programmed if the shortcuts are never used.
- Time-out play items - add brackets [ and ] within the file name of a local asset and STR3EM will play it back with seek, forward and back controls disabled. This is similar to start items contained on a DVD before the main feature. Example of a flagged file name is: c:\yourfile[ad1].wmv
Please note: the time-out flag does not work with URL links.
Authoring STR3EM Files Step 2 - The STR3EM Options Panel
Once you press button #9 in the STR3EM Creator, you can set your options for the file.
Enter the name of your STR3EM file in field #11.
Enter a Master Password in field #12, which provides skeleton key access to your STR3EM file and show the STR3EM Access Panel when users open your file. This field is overridden by checkbox #14 (see below).
If you want to use the STR3EM Browser, enter a URL in field #13. If you link to a Wikipedia.org page, STR3EM will create a .wiki file. Due to the freedom for content providers to enter any kind of URL without censorship, the .wiki provision allows end-users a way to know when a STR3EM is safe to open when trading files through open P2P. Manual file extension changes from .st3 and .wiki will prevent playback in the STR3EM player until the proper file extension are restored.
If you want to bypass the STR3EM Access Panel, check box #14 which will allow the STR3EM file to play instantly when opened. Content providers can use this for open distributions or invoke their own access rights when using DRM encoded Windows Media assets.
Press button #15 if you would like to brand the STR3EM Access Panel with customized banner and panel header message.
Press button #18 to complete the authoring process and save the STR3EM file to your hard drive. You can cancel and close the STR3EM Options Panel at any time by pressing button #19.
Selections #16 an #17 are reserved for KodeKey License users.
When you are done creating your STR3EM file, the STR3EM Creator will clear the playlist ready to create a new file, or you can exit the application.
Branding Panel
Clicking button #15 will open the Branding Panel.
Click button #15a to load a 305X80 pixel PNG, GIF, or Animated GIF file.
Enter a custom header for the Access Panel in field #15b.
Enter a clickable banner URL in field #15c.
If you would like to keep your setting and apply them to every STR3EM file you create, then check box #15d.
When you are done with configuring the Access Panel, press button #15e to return to the STR3EM Options Panel.
