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Mac OS X Leopard to sport next-gen DVD Player software (images)

A major upgrade to Apple's DVD Player software due to ship with the upcoming Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard operating system release will pack oodles of new features wrapped in a sleekly overhauled user interface, AppleInsider has learned.

People familiar with the latest pre-release builds of Leopard confirm it to include DVD Player 5.0, a significant upgrade to the version include with Mac OS X Tiger in regards to both functionality and aesthetic.

Most prominent of enhancements is a sprawling fullscreen chapter navigation interface, set — like the remainder of the application's interface — in a pitch-black motif with satin platinum highlights.

Users of the software will no longer have to exit fullscreen mode to jump between chapters, those familiar with the software say. Instead, DVD Player 5.0 captures a screenshot of each chapter that it then displays in the new fullscreen navigation interface, which runs horizontal across the top of running flicks, fading in and out on the user's cue.

Similarly, Apple has built in a chapter navigation interface for when viewing films in window mode, which floats vertically in its own separate window.

Whether in fullscreen or window mode, the new version of DVD Player reportedly delivers a long sought after feature — a time bar for visual scrubbing and time jumping. It also features satin platinum highlights, as does a more refined and less cumbersome fullscreen bezel-interface controller.


Artist's rendition of DVD Player 5.0 fullscreen chapter interface

User interface characteristics aside, DVD Player 5.0 will include a plethora of other improvements sure to delight movie buffs. Those familiar with the software say a DVD audio equalizer is among the other new features aimed at enhancing the DVD experience on a Mac.

Meanwhile, new menu items that have cropped up in the application include "Viewer Above Other Apps," "Custom Jacket Picture," and sleep timer options.

Apple DVD Player 5.0
Artist's rendition of DVD Player 5.0 window mode chapter interface

Thus far, no documented support for HD-DVD or BluRay discs is apparent in the new player, though old HD settings/limits from previous versions reportedly remain valid.

DVD Player 5.0 and Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard are due to ship either this "spring" or "late first half of 2007," depending on which localized version of Apple's webpage you happen to be reading.



92 Comments

feynman 20 Years · 968 comments

Nice to know Tiger will get these new features

dm3 19 Years · 168 comments

Title is wrong on the website, should be Leonard, not Tiger.
--- already fixed. I don't see a way to delete my post. is there?

confirmed 24 Years · 69 comments

Quote:
Originally Posted by AppleInsider

User interface characteristics aside, DVD Player 5.0 will include a plethora of other improvements sure to delight movie buffs. Those familiar with the software say built-in zoom, de-interlacing, a DVD audio equalizer, and color/brightness correction, are just some of the new features aimed at enhancing the DVD experience on a Mac.

the items in bold are all already implemented in DVD Player

MacPro 19 Years · 19854 comments

Can anyone say "Gestures'? This just maybe designed to be finger friendly for up coming Macs that support the same iPhone UI (as well as mouse and keyboard), something small, compact and portable ... like a Mac tablet that Steve says he will never make ...