The Digital Media Training Series.

General Questions.

Q. “I need training today! Where can I get it?”

 A. You can purchase our products directly from our websites,  www.digitalmediatraining.com,  zoom-in.com, or find out where to buy our products around the world here.

Q. “Do your discs work outside of the US?”

 A. Yes, DVD-Rom discs are region-free.

Q. “How are Magnet Media’s products different from competitive offerings?”

 A. Here are just a few reasons why we our training DVDs are unbeatable...

Download a larger PDF version of this chart >>

Q. “Your tutorial doesn’t cover _______. Can you tell me how to _______?”

 A. Sorry, but as publishers of these tutorials, we are not able to offer support on the software application itself. Please see our resources page for some great forums where you can get all your questions answered.

Q: “I put the training DVD in my television DVD player and nothing happens.”

 A: Most DMTS training DVDs will only play on computer DVD players since they are DVD-ROMs. DVD-ROMs are similar to CD-ROMs except they hold more information.

Q: “I’m on a PC and when I play the training, I see the interface, but instead of a movie I only see a box with a X or I see a control bar with no movie?”

 A: You need to install the latest version of the Quicktime player. You can download the Quicktime installer at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download/

 Please make sure you actually run the Quicktime installer before you run the training again.

Q: “I’m on Window’s XP and I can hear the training, but I can’t see the training.”

 A: If you can hear the training but you can’t see the training, simply drag the entire interface over by 1 or 2 screen pixels. This will refresh your screen enough to show video.

Q. “I want to watch the DVD on my PC, but the box says it will only work on a Mac. Is there any way at all that I can view it on a PC (& visa versa PC/Mac)?”

 A. Yes. If you open the folder titled “Video Files,” you can open & view each lesson, however it will play in a Quicktime window as opposed to the DMTS interface.

Q. “I don’t think that my disc is working right. Can I return it even if I bought it from someone else?”

 A. We are more than happy to get you a new disc if your disc is broken. Contact us at (toll free #) for a Return Authorization Number (RA#). If you wish to just return it, you have to return your product to the merchant you purchased it at. We cannot refund any money for purchases that were not made through us.

Product-Specific Questions.

Q: “I am watching Inside After Effects 6 and the instructor tells me to open up the file “0_AE_Intro.aep” but the file doesn’t seem to be included on the disc.”

 A: This project file was mistakenly not included on the disc. However, all of the elements necessary to following along with the instructor are found in the “Practice Sources” folder. To get started you simply need to make a new 720x480 composition, call it “Intro_Comp”, and drag in “Jasper_2.jpg” and “Jasper_name.ai”.

If you don’t want to bother with the above, you can download the project file here (32k).

Q: “There are some video clips that the instructor uses that I can’t find in my Final Cut Express browser.”

 A: It is likely that you are watching this training out of order. If you follow along with the training from the beginning you should not have any problems. For information as to where these “new” clips came from please watch Lesson 3 of the tutorial section about Master and Affiliate clips.

Q: “I open and install the training, I enter the passcode, but I get a plug-in error and I don’t see any video.”

 A: Please follow these steps to see the training:

 1. Put the training disc into your computer
 2. Quit out of any web browser applications you may have open.
 3. Go to your hard drive and navigate to “Applications (Mac OS 9)”‡ “Internet Explorer 5.1”‡ “Internet Explorer”, and open this application. The Classic environment should start to load. When complete, “Internet Explorer” for OS 9 should now be open on your computer.
 4. In the URL address field type in: http://www.dmtshypercd.com/fcp2/ (you may wish to bookmark this page for future use).
 5. You should now be able to see and hear video.

Q: “I ordered the full training, but I can’t watch any lessons past lesson 3.”

 A: Either mistakenly you did not receive the full passcode or you may have lost the sheet with the passcode that came with the training. To see the entire training please follow these instructions:

 1. In the URL field type in: http://www.dmtshypercd.com/fcp2/logout.cfm
 2. You will see a screen that says that you have been logged out, log in if you like. Click on this link.
 3. In the top left box enter in this passcode: fcp2-010111-e5cf5c
 4. You’ll now be able to view every lesson in the training.

Q: “When I try and play User Preferences or System Settings lessons on my Inside Editing with Final Cut Pro 4 training DVD, the lesson(s) does not play and I get the spinning beach ball. ”

 A: Of the thousands of discs we produce, a handful of those discs may have had glitches happen during replication and those glitches have affected those two lessons. To see those specific lessons you can download them directly from our FTP server. To do this you will need to have a FTP application. You can find a free trial FTP application at either http://www.fetchsoftworks.com/ or http://captainftp.xdsnet.de/

 To access these files off of our FTP server you will need the following information:

 host: digitalmediatraining.com
 user: guest
 password: digitalguest
 directory: leave this blank
 For the “User Preferences” lesson navigate to the folder “FCP4_Lesson3_2”.
 For the “System Settings” lesson navigate to the folder “FCP4_Lesson3_3”.

Q: “When I try and play Understanding the DVD Spec or Compression Markers lessons on my Inside DVD Studio Pro 2 training DVD, the lesson(s) does not play and I get the spinning beach ball.”

 A: Of the thousands of discs we produce, a handful of those discs may have had glitches happen during replication and those glitches have affected those two lessons. To see those specific lessons you can download them directly from our FTP server. To do this you will need to have a FTP application. You can find a free trial FTP application at either http://www.fetchsoftworks.com/ or http://captainftp.xdsnet.de/

 To access these files off of our FTP server you will need the following information:

 host: digitalmediatraining.com
 user: guest
 password: digitalguest
 directory: leave this blank
 For the “Understanding the DVD Spec” lesson navigate to the folder “DVDSP2_1”.
 For the “Compression Markers” lesson navigate to the folder “DVDSP_Lesson2_3”.

Q: “I open the file Launch HyperCD, I follow the instructions for installation and all that happens is that I’m sent to the Flash download webpage (and I already have Flash installed in my web browser!). I never get to see the training.”

 A: Please follow these steps to see the training (please note: this method relies on using Classic mode. If you do not wish to use Classic then see the next set of steps) :

 1. Put the training disc into your computer

 2. Quit out of any web browser applications you may have open.

 3 . Go to your hard drive and navigate to “Applications (Mac OS 9)”‡ “Internet Explorer 5.1”‡ “Internet Explorer”, and open this application. The Classic environment should start to load. When complete, “Internet Explorer” for OS 9 should now be open on your computer.

 4. In the URL address field type in: file:///FMXtraining/site/index.html and hit enter. ** You must have your training disc in your computer for this to work.** (You may want to bookmark this page for future use)

 5. If you have Flash installed then you should see the full interface appear and you will now be able to view the training. If you do not you’ll get a plug-in error. Be sure to choose to “view plug-in page”.

 6. You’ll be taken to Macromedia’s website where you can download the Flash installer for Mac OS 9. Once downloaded and installed on Internet Explorer, please repeat steps 3 and 4.

 If you do not want to use Classic, follow these steps. Please note that this method will not allow you to view the training in an interface.

 1. Open up the FMXtraining disc.

 2. Scroll down until you see the “content” folder. Open this folder.

 3. In this folder you’ll find all of the lessons in Quicktime format. You can watch the training through these files.

Q: “I open up the training, but I don’t see any video.”

 A: You will need to first download an update patch. You can find this patch at http://www.hypercd.com/rti.html

 Once downloaded and installed, you should be able to see video. If you happen to still have problems seeing the video try moving the web browser over on your screen by a little (1 or 2 pixels over will do), and you should see and hear the video.

Technical Questions.

DMTS™ System Minimum Requirements

OS: Mac OSX / Windows XP (Varies with each product) 

RAM: 256 MB 

Disc Drive: 4x DVD-ROM Drive 

Minimum Resolution: 1024 x 768 pixels 

Installed Programs: QuickTime version 5.0

Important Notes:

1)  About the QuickTime requirement

Because all of our training videos are encrypted in QuickTime, you will need a QuickTime player installed on your computer.  If you do not have QuickTime, you can download the player for free at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download.

2)  About the DVD-ROM Drive requirement

Our videos are holstered in a self-contained interface tailored specifically for easier usability. A household DVD player is unable to read these files - a DVD-ROM drive is the only way to view the training properly.

3)  About the minimum resolution requirement

To ensure quality viewing, our videos are presented at a screen resolution of 800 x 600 pixels in size. If your monitor's resolution is at 800 x 600 pixels or less, you may get awkward clipping of the interface. We recommend that your monitor's resolution be set at 1024 x 768 pixels or higher to fully enjoy the presentation. For information on how to change your monitor's resolution, please go to the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section.

Getting Started

Our titles require no installation.  To get started, insert the DVD-ROM into your computer’s DVD-ROM drive. Locate the DVD-ROM drive in your computer system via the desktop on a Mac OS X system, or by accessing "My Computer" on a Windows XP system. Double click the DVD-ROM icon to open it. To open the training program, double-click on the DMTS™ icon with the proper label that corresponds to your operating system. The DMTS™ interface will load and you will be ready to begin.

Using the Interface

Welcome the DMTS™ interface! This interface holsters all of the training video lessons, and it controls all of the DMTS™-exclusive functions. The interface is broken down into two parts: the large main display screen on the right side of the interface, and the navigation bar of the left. The main display presents all of the informative materials of the disc such as the training videos, instructor bios, help pages, and other resources, while the navigation bar contains the buttons that lets you control which information  is presented. To start your first lesson, click on one of the titled chapters listed under the "Menu" button on the navigation bar. A short description of that chapter will appear on the main display. If the chapter has sub-chapters, they will be listed beneath the description, as well as on the navigation bar. To access a sub-chapter, just click on the sub-chapter you wish to view and the appropriate lesson will be presented in the main display. At the end of each sub-lesson, you will need to click on the next sub-lesson you wish to watch.

There are two ways to locate the video-based lesson you are interested in watching:

1. The main navigation under the “Menu” button is designed for viewers interested in finding lessons by subject category. Click on the main lesson, and a list of sublessons appears. Select a sublesson to watch by clicking and viewing.  

2. The Index is an alphabetical listing of popular features covered within the lessons. By clicking on any feature listed, you will be directed to the sublesson that contains training on that feature.

Controlling the Video

The benefit of video-based DVD-ROM training is that you have the ability to control what you watch, when you want to watch it, and the number of times you want to watch it. For example: Having difficulty grasping color correction? Can't remember that keyboard shortcut?  Want to hear the dulcet tones of our instructor's voice once again? You can always skip backwards or forwards during any lesson.

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Located beneath the video is the QuickTime video control bar.  If you've ever watched video off of a website, these controls should look familiar. Starting from the left, here are the controls: volume adjustment, play/pause button, timeline with a playback head, step backwards button, and step forwards button. 

The QuickTime video control bar is easy to use. The video will automatically play when you start a lesson. As the lesson progresses, the Playback Head will move from the left to the right on the Timeline bar, representing the passage of time in the video. To pause, click on the Play/Pause button once. To restart, click again. To replay or skip ahead to a certain scene, click and drag the Playback Head to the left to rewind, or to the right to fast forward. You can also go frame-by-frame by clicking Step Backward or Step Forward, as well as Slow Motion when you hold down each of these buttons.

DMTS™ Exclusive Functions

1) Keyboard Shortcuts

After watching the training lessons for a while, you may encounter one of our signature Keyboard Shortcut pop-ups. These are visual reminders of the keyboard shortcuts that are used in the creative software. They will appear in a small purplish box when mentioned during the video. Remember, you can always rewind in case you want to see something again.

2) Open Lesson in Separate Window

Beneath the video lesson, at the bottom of the main display, you will notice a button labeled, “Open Lesson in Separate Window.” This button reduces the display space taken up by the navigation bar on the left side by condensing the entire interface to a slimmer version. This opens more display space on your monitor so that you can launch software and work alongside with the instructor.

While its appearance is somewhat different, it’s still the same training software, with a more limited functionality. The QuickTime video control bar operates as before, with the ability to pause/play, rewind, and fast-forward inside the video lesson. The navigation between video lessons has been reduced to two buttons, a “previous sub-lesson” button and a “next sub-lesson” button. There are also two additional buttons labeled, “Hide Main,” and “Show Main.” To return to the original interface, simply close the slimmer interface window.

*Note:  The slimmer version of the interface cannot be resized.

3) Index

The “Index” button, located on the bottom left-hand corner of the interface, is your quick access to important concepts. When you click on this button, an alphabetical list of key concepts will appear on the main display.  From here, you can click on any item and it will lead you directly to that concept in the training software.

Q. “Why won’t my DMTS™ training DVD-ROM play on my home DVD player?”

 A. DMTS™ training products are not compatible with home DVD players.  Our training products are tailored to an on-screen interactive interface. They will work only in a DVD-ROM drive on a computer.

Q. “I’ve inserted the disc into my computer, but why doesn’t the drive recognize the disc?”

 A. If your computer is having difficulty recognizing our DMTS™ disc, please make sure that your disc drive is a DVD-ROM drive. Most computers are equipped with a CD-ROM drive, which is incapable of understanding DVD-ROM discs.

Q. “My computer can locate the disc, but why can’t it open some of the files?”

 A. Most of our DMTS™ training titles are operating system specific, meaning that they will work only on a Windows XP operating system or a Mac OS X operating system. Please refer to the back of the product box or case, and look under the product’s system requirements to determine which operating system is needed to run our training software.

Q. “I’ve started the training software, but why is the interface larger than my screen displays?”

 A. This problem is most likely caused by your monitor’s screen resolution. Our training software requires a minimum resolution of at least 1024 x 768 pixels in order for the software to display properly. Seeing the interface extend farther than the screen is a sign that your monitor’s resolution is less than 1024 x 768 pixels. For more information on how to change your monitor’s resolution, please proceed to the next question.

Q. “How do I change my monitor’s screen resolution?”

 A. On a Mac OS X system:  <image here>

 1.  Click on the Apple icon on the upper-left hand corner of the display to access the system menu.  Once the pop-up appears, click on the “System Preferences” option <image here>

2.  When the “System Preference” window opens, double-click on the “Display” icon. <image here>

3. The Display option menu will then pop-up, and from there, select a resolution of 1024x768 pixels or higher from the left side of the menu. Close the menu when you are satisfied with your selection.

* Note: If your Display options do not have the option of 1024 x 768 pixels, it means your graphics card cannot support this resolution.

On Windows XP; <image here>

1 Click on the Start menu. From here, click on “Control Panel” option.

2 Double-click the “Display” icon.

3 Under the “Settings” tab, the “Screen Resolution” slider will display on the right side of the pop-up. Click and drag the slider to a resolution of 1024 x 768 pixels or higher. Click “Apply” to change the display to the selected resolution.

4 After the screen adjusts, select “Yes” to keep these display settings.

* Note: If your Display options do not have the option of 1024 x 768 pixels, it means your graphics card cannot support this resolution.

Q. “My display preferences does not have the option for 1024 x 768 pixels or higher. What should I do?”

 A. As mentioned above, some graphics cards are limited in their display power, thus restricting various display abilities. You may need to upgrade your graphics card. There is, however, a less optimal but still functional method of watching our training software without modifying your computer’s hardware. Please continue reading to find out more.

Q. “Is there a way I can view the training videos without the interface?”

 A. There is a way to view each training video without the interface, but it’s a far less preferred method. This second option will display each training video inside a normal QuickTime window using the QuickTime player. First, navigate to your DVD-ROM drive and open it. There should be a folder alongside the “Additional Materials” folder called, “*Title*_movies” (*Title* being the abbreviated title of the training software). When you open this folder, you will see a multitude of QuickTime movie files. Each will be named, “les,” followed by the number of the chapter, an underscore, and then the number of the sub-chapter.  Double-click on the lesson you wish to watch, and when the QuickTime player launches, you can select a smaller frame size via the “Movie” options.

Q. “I see the interface, but how come instead of a movie I only see a box with an X or I only see a control bar with no movie?”

 A. If you are having this problem, you may need to install the latest version of the QuickTime player.  You can download the QuickTime installer at http://www.apple.com/quicktime/download.

Please make sure you actually run the QuickTime installer before trying to run the training again.

Q. “I'm on Windows XP and I can hear the training, but I can’t see the training.  What should I do?”

 A. If you can hear the training but you can’t see it, simply drag the entire interface by a few pixels. This will refresh your screen and show video.

Q. “Where can I find more DMTS™ titles?”

 A. Our entire DMTS™ product line can be found at our website, http://www.digitalmediatraining.com.

Q. “I like your training programs, but I’m looking for one that doesn’t appear to exist in your catalog. How do I request a new program title, or find out what’s in the works?”