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From Terra
terra is a win32 media player and manager. The most recent release is version 0.19 (3nd October 2008).
Contents |
Introduction
In two words, terra is a media player. If a few more words are allowed, then terra is rather more than that your typical run-of-the-mill media player. terra is an attempt to challenge the concept of the classic media player interface and create a new one to better reflect the concept of a modern user's media collection. Though of course only you can decide if it succeeds or not.
Terra is a win32 application (XP and Vista).
please note: this documentation is still very much under construction. There is currently little documentation, but if you are feeling bored or have some time then by all means go ahead and start writing! I will try to keep updates to this wiki frequent so that it will be reasonably complete eventually.
Key Features
Main page: Key features
- Fully tabbed interface.
- Plays any file-format: Uses your system's DirectShow codecs.
- New track-order modes: terra can pick tracks based on play-count of last-played-date.
- All media is Equal: Video files are just music files... except they have moving pictures attached.
- Mini-display: a minimalist and compact floating video window.
- Full-screen knows about multiple-monitors.
- Unobtrusive media library: Assumes the user already has their media collection organised how they want it.
- Integrated playback across all lists: gives a whole new meaning to “random play all”.
- Advanced playlist management: Playlists can be repaired to fix broken links, disabled or hidden in the archive tab to reduce clutter.
Is it right for me?
terra is not a typical media player. No solution will ever match the needs of all users. Also, terra has been designed to sacrifice “speed of learning” in favour of ease of use once you know how it works.
If, after reading the above description, you still think iTunes (or what ever your preferred media player is) sounds better, then for your it probably is. However, if you are even slightly taken by the above details then please give terra a try. Its system resource use is minimal and, if you don't like it, can be easily removed with out leaving a trace.
Getting started with terra
To start using terra:
- download it: Get terra.
- decompress in your preferred way and place all the files in a directory somewhere.
- i recommend using 7-zip and extracting the files to "c:\software\terra\".
- run terra.exe.
- for more details, particularly relating to adding media to the library, please see getting stated.
Further reading
Details on various terra features and functions.
- play-modes - what do all those different modes do?
- preferences tab - details on what all the shiny switches do.
This list will be greatly expanded as I find time to write the pages.
Help! It does not work!
if you have found a problem with terra or simply can not get it to work, please feel free to contact me (the author) via the contact page on my homepage.
coming soon
the following pages are on the todo list or are currently being written.
- play-back cue - make terra play some files in the order you chose, then go back to random.
- GUI Guide - what do all those shiny buttons do?
- Displays - the various places terra can display video and playback info.
- start-up options - command line switches, including passing of file names.
- playlists - "enable", "archive" and "repair".
- credits - all the people who have helped get this project off the ground.
- keyboard shortcuts - there are lots, but many are not labelled. Don't worry, they are easy to remember once you know them.
- something you are not sure about or want written up sooner rather than later? then please ask.
End note
Please see Author's laments.
