MagicScroll for Windows FAQs...

1. I have the hardware key (dongle) connected, but MagicScroll will not go into scroll mode... it displays the splash screen that says the hardware key cannot be found.

For users with Parallel port security keys, the port is 'load' sensitive, so that if you 'loaded' the hardware key on after you started the computer, it will not be detected by the system and MagicScroll. You will need to reboot the computer in order for the hardware key to be recognized.

2. There are ripples in the scrolling output of MagicScroll, or the scrolling is not smooth.

Perhaps your computer has not been optimized for use with MagicScroll. MagicScroll for Windows is designed to be universally compatible with all PCs so long as they are VGA compatible, and running at speeds greater than 33 Mhz on a 486 machine.

There are several ways to optimize scrolling smoothness, all of which are outlined in both the Manual and the Read Me file included with both the Demo and Full versions of the program.

A quick review of those set-up items is as follows:

A. Set your Display Settings in Win95/98/2000 to
either VGA, SVGA, or 16 bit "high-color." If you have
alot of VRAM (video memory), or a brand new computer,
you maybe able to scroll smoothly in 32 bit mode, aka
"True color." These settings can be accessed from the
Control Panels/Display/Display Settings/ in Windows
95/98/2000.

B. Reset your scoll sensitivity settings. These
settings(slow/medium/fast) can be accessed from the
Preferences menu within MagcScroll, or by using the
Function 1,2, or 3 keys on most computers.
Recommended setting: Medium.

C. For machine specific scrolling, adjust your
scrolling smoothness by depressing the left or right
arrows, while using a standard size font (48, 52, 58,
etc.). Settings range from 33 to 166.
Recommended setting: 166.

Upon initial installation, MagicScoll will prompt you to optimize the scroll setting through a pop-up display, however you may change this setting whenever you wish. The selected rate will appear in the upper right corner of your display.

3. I've checked all the adjustments outlined above, but the performance of MagicScroll is still slow.

One of two things are going-on here.

One, if you are using a laptop, perhaps the battery savings, or power savings mode is enabled. In order to check that, most name brand name laptops have a Set-Up Manager available at the BIOS level of your computer and you can access this during start-up. Refer to your Owner,s Manual for the right Function Key combination for your computer. Often it,s F2.

Two. You have a corrupted file, or font, which has in turn caused problems with the Paige.DLL in the MagicScroll folder. There are not too many ways to check this, however check through your Windows System folder to see if some other operator may have accidentally saved a MagicScroll file there (look for .MSS extensions). This will cause problems with MagicScroll. If you have a file there, either move it to your Scripts folder, or delete it, if it,s no longer necessary. Lastly, you may need to reinstall the Paige.DLL from your installation disk to remove any finals signs of 'buggy behavior' by MagicScroll. (Note: If you cannot find the Paige.DLL in the Magic folder or installation disk, it maybe because you have not set your Win. 95 system to 'see' all types of files. Go to Explorer/View/Options/Show All File Types in order to display 'hidden' files.)

4. Why does MagicScroll scroll along fine, then pause (as-if it hiccups), and then speed-up again?

Generally, this is due to the Hand Controller function being enabled, and you are not using a MagicScroll supplied Hand Controller connected to your Serial Port. You can check this by going to the Edit menu and highlighting Preferences. In Preferences you can change the Hand Controller button to select None, if you are not using a MagicScroll supplied Hand Controller (i.e. a mouse, trackball, or glidepad), or Auto-Locate if you are. This behavior will persist even if you are using the MagicScroll Hand Controller, and have selected the incorrect Communications Port as your Serial Port. i.e. you have selected Com 1, but the Com Port for you particular machine is actually Com 4. The best way to not get into this predicament at all is to use the Auto-Locate feature, that way MagicScroll will find the correct Communications Port for you, if you need it.

5. I have scrolling on my operator monitor, but I do not have any output to my NTSC/PAL or SECAM monitor.

Be sure that you have enabled the hardware Function key combination that will allow your PC to 'see' both the internal (your) display and an external display - the video monitor. The Function keys will vary between manufacturers - Digital uses a Function F4, while WinBook uses an Function F6 (called Simultaneous, or Sim). Check the icons on the Function number keys, or refer to your computer owner,s manual for more information. On some systems there is a software equivalent to the Function key combination, you may want to explore that option as well. See your Owner's Manaual for more on this.

6. I have everything correctly hooked-up from my computer to my scan converter, I have the display set to simultaneous laptop and external monitor display, but I still do not have any output to my video monitor.

Some scan converters will take different types of computer feeds. Most use a standard VGA connector that will give you a composite video out feed. However some use RGB inputs that look like VGA inputs (15 pin), but they will not 'see' the output of your computer. Be sure you laptop is connected to a VGA card or comparable input on your scan converter, otherwise you will not be able to feed the computer video forward to the video/prompter monitor.

7. I have 'Linking' on, but my scripts do not flow from one to the other.

You must click (and activate the checkmark) next to each script you want to linked in the Script Queue Window (under Views). This enables Linking to occur, otherwise MagicScroll will not know which files you wish to Link. Also be sure that you are currently in the first script in your Queue, and not the last, as the last script will not scroll beyond the last line in it.

8. My script keeps jumping around while scrolling.

Make sure you do not have the 'Loops' feature enabled. Loops will cycle any script that has predetermined Bookmarks number one and two between the those marks. Turn off Loops on the MagicScroll Control Bar to stop this. Also, Loops will not work on scripts that are checked for Linking in the Script Queue Window (see above).

MagicScroll for Mac FAQs...

1. Can I use a G4 Powerbook with MagicScroll?

Under both OS 9 and in Classic on OS X, we currently have unresolved issues that cause some jitteryness in the scrolling. The new OS X native version due in fall of 2004 will fix these issues.