Drivers, Codecs, and Filters
By default, the necessary drivers, codecs, and filters to play MPEG-2 files are not installed with Windows XP.  In order to get these installed on a machine, it is necessary to install a third-party project that provides them.  One product that does this is the LEAD Tools MPEG2 CODEC.  Another solution is InterVideo's WinDVD which is occasionally bundled with various graphics cards and systems.  It can also be purchased online from www.intervideo.com  Note: WinDVD should only be used if you also wish to play DVD movies from SSP.  Otherwise the Lead Tools Codec file is the prefered option.

CyberLink's PowerDVD, does not install compatible DirectShow filters that work with SongShow Plus.  This may be remedied in the future.

Other products may also provide the necessary drivers, but we have not tested any.

Video Resolution
MPEG-2 files support a few resolutions: 352x288, 720x480, 720x576, 1440x1152, and 1920x1152.  Typically, you'll likely see 720x480 used.

Other Issues
In versions 5.3 and earlier, when using an MPEG-2 file, the users does not have the capability to seek to a specific frame in the video file.  This also means that specifying start and stop positions is not supported. This has been remedied in versions 5.5 and 7.0.

 (MI002)