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glossary
Plug-ins
Winamp plug-ins allow you to produce a wide range of affects on your audio files. Most plug-ins add only a visual component, but some plug-ins alter the sound. Others affect the Player interface. There are five basic categories of plug-ins:
This page contains instructions on downloading, playing/configuring and managing plug-ins.
Downloading Plug-ins
To browse and select plug-ins, connect to the Internet and go to www.winamp.com. You'll find featured plug-ins and a complete list of plug-ins, grouped by type.
- Choose a plug-in. A full description of the plug-in, including its size, the author's email information and a quick summary of the plug-in, appears.
- Click Download. A dialog box appears.
- Select "Run this program from its current location" and click OK. Depending on the size of the file and your Internet connection speed, the actual downloading could take anywhere from a few seconds to 10 minutes.
- When the download finishes, a "Security Warning" box appears. You are asked if you would like to install and run the download. Click Yes.
- A "Read Me" notepad document opens. Read and then close this document. (This usually includes an overview of the plug-in, the system requirements, some installation instructions and sometimes a troubleshooting section. If there are specific instructions in the Read Me, follow them. If your computer does not have all the required supporting software, the plug-in will download but you will not be able to install it.)
- Close all open programs.
- Find the installation shortcut to the newly downloaded program on your desktop and open it.
- Follow the installation instructions.
- Once installed, open Winamp and press Control + K. The plug-in preference page appears.
- Select the new plug-in and click Start.
Playing/Configuring Plug-ins
Start, stop, configure or select a new visualization plug-in by clicking Visualization on the Winamp Menu and then clicking Stop/Start, Configure or Select.
Visualization plug-ins are the only type that can be opened on command. All other plug-ins automatically function. To configure any Input, Output, DSP/Effect or General Purpose plug-in:
- Click Control + K to open the Winamp Preferences dialog box.
- Click the type of plug-in you are looking for.
- A list of plug-ins appears to the right. Select one and either doubleclick it or click Configure. A Configuration box appears.
Managing Plug-ins
Management of plug-ins is done through Winamp Menu > Options > Preferences.
From the Preferences list, click Plug-ins. This box appears:
Visualization Plug-in Directory:
Clicking this produces a dialog box. If you want the program to search for plug-ins in a folder other than the default Plug-in folder, select that folder here. This is helpful if you want to keep plug-ins in specific, custom folders.
DSP/Effect Plug-in Directory:
This feature lets you create separate folders for DSP/Effect Plug-ins. It operates identically to the Visualization Plug-in Directory.
Visualization Plug-in Priority:
Use this slide bar if the visualization is not in sync with the audio. Move it up or down from the default, Normal setting.
Auto-execute Plug-in on Play:
This box is unchecked by default. Checked, the selected visualization plug-in opens as soon as a track begins.
Disable Built-in Visualization when Visualization Plug-in Active:
Checking this box turns off the main player console's visualization when any visualization plug-in is running.
Flush Plug-in Name Cache:
This flushes the plug-in cache of plug-ins no longer installed. It also updates newly revised plug-ins. It is good practice to click this button periodically.
Subcategories:
The five types of plug-ins, Input, Output, Visualization, DSP/Effect Plug-ins and General Purpose, are listed under Plug-ins as subcategories in the Preferences Box. Click any of them to do advanced configuration and or to get more information about them.