XtreMe PCR requires the following to be installed before the software will work correctly:

• Windows 98/ME, or Windows/2000/XP/2003 -- Windows 95/NT4 is not supported.

• Internet Explorer 5.0 as a minimum (it's a good idea to upgrade to the latest version available on Windows Update, as many security patches have been issued by Microsoft... even if you are not using Microsoft Internet Explorer as your default web browser.)

• Microsoft Data Access Controls version 2.7 or later, if you will be enabling database logging.   (Windows XP ships with v2.7 already installed.)  Database logging is optional, and XtreMe PCR will run fine without this update.

• USB to Serial Drivers installed for your PCR.  These can either be installed by first installing the stock XMPCR software CD, or by downloading the driver directly from FTDIChip.com.

 
To install XtreMe PCR, follow these steps:

1. Download the file XtreMePCR_v100_Setup.exe to your desktop, or another folder on your computer.

2. After the file has finished downloading, double-click the file to begin installation. (If you are upgrading from a previous version, please make sure that XtreMe PCR is not running when you begin the installation!)

3. Follow the installation wizard prompts until the wizard is complete.

4. XtreMe PCR will install an icon on your Windows Desktop, as well as in your Start Menu->Programs folder.  A file called 'XtreMe PCR Release Notes' will also be linked from your Start Menu, which contains information about the features and functionality of XtreMe PCR, as well as miscellaneous notes specific for this release.

5. Start the software and begin enjoying your XMPCR in a brand new way!

After you have XtreMe PCR installed and functional, you may want to consider these additional (entirely optional) downloads:

• Get more Visualizations

• Get more XtreMe PCR Themes

Many users have requested a way to make a contribution or donation for the XtreMe PCR software.  Please note that making a donation is entirely optional.  The XtreMe PCR software will not be enabled with any additional features if you make a donation.  Any monies received will go directly to paying for the web hosting of the xtremepcr.com web site.  The XtreMe PCR software remains emphatically free for personal use.  Thank you!

 
You've ((( heard ))) XM.  If you've turned it up loud enough, you've probably ((( felt ))) XM.  Now it's time to ((( see ))) XM.  Introducing XtreMe PCR v1.00 -- a visual experience in sound.

XtreMe PCR v1.00 contains the following additions, changes, and fixes since v0.99:

Additions

• Support for visualization plug-ins has been added.  XtreMe PCR now supports many Winamp 2.x and 5.x compatible visualization plug-ins.

• XtreMe PCR now has theme support, allowing you to choose background images and color configurations to personalize your XMPCR player experience.  Over 20 themes are supplied, and more themes will eventually be made available.  Theme support includes the ability for users to create their own themes, and documentation for doing so is provided on the xtremepcr.com web site.

• New Help menu and context (right-click) menu item is available for the currently playing title.  Selecting 'Artist Information on AllMusic.com' will launch your web browser pointing to allmusic.com's web site information for the current artist.  This site contains biographical information, discographies, and much more.

  ** Please note that all searches are only as accurate as the artist and title information transmitted by XM.  If the XM artist/title information is misspelled, severely truncated, or someone got creative with the spelling or spacing within the names, the search will likely need to be 'fixed' up a bit in the browser window.

   

• Ability to select a navigation button style for the full-view player.  Large icons, small icons, text, no text, or no navigation buttons at all are supported.

• Support for multi-monitor configurations.  Window sizes and positions are now saved and restored across multiple monitors.

• Optional Windows caption (title) bar updates.  If enabled, the current channel, artist, and title is displayed on the caption bar.

• The Favorites Manager and Trash Manager windows are now resizable.  In addition, the window sizes and positions are automatically remembered between sessions.

• XtreMe PCR supports two automated play modes -- a primary/secondary channel scheme as well as a randomizing channel selector.  The primary/secondary channel scheme now allows staying on your current channel, but instead of switching to a secondary channel when trash begins playing, you can choose to mute the audio instead.  When this mode is selected, the audio is automatically unmuted when the trash title is finished playing.

• Optional reminder at program shutdown can be enabled when upcoming scheduled events are pending, to help prevent accidental shutdowns.

• New help buttons added for some of the more complex options in the software, including documentation on configuring the XMTracker services.

Changes

• If the system tray icon is enabled within the XtreMe PCR configuration screens, the tool tip displayed by hovering the mouse over the icon will now be multi-line.  The information now includes the current channel #, channel name, artist, and title.

• In order to support multiple-monitor configurations, a change was made to the way window positions are remembered and restored.  If you are upgrading from a previous version of XtreMe PCR, you will find that some window positions previously saved by v0.99 or v0.98 will be lost, and these windows will return to default positions.  This is a one-time inconvenience -- new window positions will be remembered on your second and subsequent sessions.

• Again, tweaks to the program shutdown were made to help alleviate a problem where some using the XMTracker services would find that the tracker server never received the "My PCR is currently off" message at program shutdown.

• Size of the favorite and 'now playing' notification popup windows was made a bit smaller.

• In some cases, it was possible for the XMPCR to not be fully "ready" after a power-on, causing an effect where some channel information would not update correctly.  The internals have been changed to do two full channel scans at power-on to help pick up any channels that were missed during the first scan.