Announcing Zoom Player v5.50 beta 1, Yes, it's here! Options

[Blight]

The new Zoom Player navigation UI (screenshot below) took a little bit longer than expected. We hope the end-result is well worth the wait (check out the attached screenshot).

Additional Navigation Styles:
Blue Chill (Previous default) :: Blue Chill for Tablet devices :: Charcoal (previously named "Black") :: Charcoal for Widescreen displays (16x9) :: Drapes HD :: Drapes HD for Widescreen displays (16x9) :: Drapes HD for Tablet devices :: Ivory (previously named "White") :: Ivory for Widescreen displays (16x9) :: LCARS (Star Trek theme) :: Mercury.

Note that there are HD versions of the new Drapes style (the new default navigation style). These HD versions are for Widescreen (16x9), Fullscreen and Tablet devices. The HD versions contain higher resolution background images which should make the navigation interface look sharper at higher resolutions (720p/1080p).

The tablet versions are for tablet devices which rely on touch-screens. They have bigger navigation arrows, so navigation is easier with finger-clicks.

Download Zoom Player v5.50 beta 1.

Changes from Zoom Player v5.50 alpha:

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  * Zoom Player can now communicate with uTorrent's Web UI interface
    in order to display download progress within the Media Library
    and File Browsing fullscreen navigation interfaces.  This feature
    is accessible under "Adv. Options / Interface / On Screen Display /
    Fullscreen Navigation / File Tracker".  Press the "?" button on
    this page for additional information.

  * Zoom Player can now keep track with eMule's temporary files directory
    in order to display download progress within the Media Library
    and File Browsing fullscreen navigation interfaces.  This feature
    is accessible under "Adv. Options / Interface / On Screen Display /
    Fullscreen Navigation / File Tracker".  Press the "?" button on
    this page for additional information.

  * New "Download Manager" navigation interface (Ctrl+"J"), allowing you
    to get an overview of your currently downloading files (compatible with
    eMule and uTorrent).

  * The Scene Cut editor has been simplified and enhanced.  The Scene cut
    editor no longer requires you to click on the save button, saving is
    done automatically now. A new edit button allows you to edit entries
    without having to remove an old entry first.  Lastly, the scene cut
    interface layout has been updated to make it simpler to use.

  * New Setting (Adv. Options / Interface / Video / Aspect Ratio)
    instructing Zoom Player "Derived" Aspect Ratio mode to Automatically
    Adjust (fix) the Aspect Ratio for badly encoded content.
    This would convert 4:3 content encoded as 720x480 to display as 720x540,
    720x576 to 768x576, 352x240 to 352x264, 352x288 to 384x288, etc...
    Badly encoded 16:9 content is also adjusted in a similar fashion.

    This setting also fixes small aspect ratio inaccuracies caused by a
    requirement made by video encoders for the video pixel width or height
    to be dividable by 16 (or 8 or 4).

  * New Setting (Adv. Options / Interface / On Screen Display /
    Fullscreen Navigation) allowing you to skip the "Library Filter Mode"
    page.  With this setting enabled, navigating left on the media library
    category list will go straight to the Main navigation menu.

  * New Setting (Adv. Options / Interface) allowing you to disable the
    delete key from erasing the currently playing file.

  * New Setting (Adv. Options / System / Paths) allowing you to select
    the Frame Capture (screenshot) format.  BMP, PNG and JPEG are
    supported.

  * The Zoom Player function selection dialog is now split into three
    categories: Content, Interface and Control.  The function list is
    also sorted, making functions easier to find.

  * New "IconScale" parmeter for the "ListData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to set the size of
    list line icons relative to the size of the line height.

  * New "ProgressColor" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    Skin-script command, allowing you to select which color will be
    used when displaying download progress within the Media Library,
    File Browsing and Download Manager fullscreen navigation interfaces.

  * New "PathColor" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which color will be
    used for the path text within the Media Library, File Browsing
    and Download Manager fullscreen navigation interfaces.

  * New "PathOutline" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which outline color will
    be used for the path text within the Media Library, File Browsing
    and Download Manager fullscreen navigation interfaces.

  * New "PathExtraColor" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which outline color will
    be used for the extra path text within the Media Library, File Browsing
    and Download Manager fullscreen navigation interfaces.

  * New "PathExtraOutline" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which outline color will
    be used for the path extra text within the Media Library, File Browsing
    and Download Manager fullscreen navigation interfaces.

  * New "ConfirmColor" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which color will be
    used for the confirmation fullscreen navigation interface.

  * New "ConfirmOutline" parameter for the "ColorData" navigation
    skin-script command, allowing you to select which outline color will
    be used for the confirmation fullscreen navigation interface.

  * New Vista specific feature allowing you to make the entire
    Zoom Player window semi-transparent.  This also requires that
    you use a video renderer that would work (Haali's/VMR9/EVR)
    and that VISTA Aero is enabled.  To use:
    Alt+Ctrl+F4 = Fully visible window.
    Alt+Ctrl+F5 = 80% visiblity.
    Alt+Ctrl+F6 = 60% visiblity.
    Alt+Ctrl+F7 = 40% visiblity.

    You can also specify exact transparency values using the new
    "exTransWin" extended function.

  * New "exTransWin" extended function, allowing you to specify
    a transparency value (1-255) for the Zoom Player window.
    This function requires Windows VISTA with Aero enabled.

  + The default Audio mode skin now has a wider volume bar and
    includes a new button that opens the statio manager.

  + The Control Bar and OSD Pop-ups are now accessible even when the
    player window is set to "Stay on Top".

  + Pressing stop twice was set to resume playback from the position
    prior to the stop function being called.  This wasn't too clear so
    now a "Resume" OSD message pops up.

  + Newly supported file extensions: M4B, HDMOV.

  + The Navigation interfaces should work slightly faster, especially
    in situations where more complex navigation skins are used (skins
    with large transparency effects).

  + The skin selection interface behavior has been changed slightly.
    In order to apply a custom tint, you must now click the Apply Tint
    button.

  + The skin selection interface is now sorted alphabetically.

  + The Frame Capture Alt+"F" (screenshot) function should now work
    in all video renderers except Overlay Mixer, VMR9 Renderless
    (VMR9 Windowed and Windowles should work) and EVR.

  + Function descriptions have changed to make them easier to Read,
    Understand and Search.

  + The Girder Exported commands are now sorted and split into
    categories, making it easier to program remote devices
    and home automation systems.

  + Mouse left click while holding the Alt key now zooms in 10%
    instead of 50% (which wasn't as useful).

  + Ctrl+"C" now enables/disables closed captioning when used by
    media files (it was previously limited to DVDs).

  - With some file formats, the playlist would not update the
    total playlist duration properly.

  - Enabling the "Show Time Seek Position Over Timeline" feature
    would cause the Zoom Player window to become the top-most
    window if the mouse cursor hovered over the timeline.

  - Trying to open the Options dialog with the main window set
    to "Stay on Top" and Zoom Player set to only show an icon on
    the tray area would cause the options dialog to appear behind
    the main window.

  - Monitor Powerdown will no longer be disabled when playing
    in windowed mode (Powerdown will only be disabled when
    fullscreen).

  - Detaching the control bar would not snap its position to
    the previously saved detached position under some conditions.

  - Trying to play streaming content while in DVD Mode would not
    switch to media mode automatically and then fail to play.

  - The Context Navigator did not use the scripting parameters
    assigned to it correctly.

  - The Contact Sheet creation form didn't allow you to select
    the contact sheet color values.

  - Some navigation interface titles could not be translated
    into other languages.

  - The "exSetMode" function would not switch modes properly
    under some conditions.

  - Switching between Media/DVD/Audio mode could result in
    an Audio mode skin loaded in DVD mode.

  - The "Scrollbar Highlight" color for forced Playlist colors
    was not being saved properly.

  - If the internal screen saver got activated with the open
    file dialog already open, it could cause Zoom Player to
    become non-responsive.

Screenshot of the new fullscreen navigation style: