Before purchasing Marine Aquarium 3, we highly recommend you test the program to see if it works on your computer. You can do this by downloading the program and running it in demo mode as outlined HERE.

Yes.

In the interest of protecting your credit card and personal information, we have several layers of security to ensure that our sites are secure as possible. For more information, please see our security statement.

No.

We no longer manufacture CDs of Marine Aquarium, but you can find Marine Aquarium CDs at the following online retailers:

Amazon.com

Avanquest.com

NovaDevelopment.com

Windows system requirements for the download version of Marine Aquarium:

• Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP/2000
• 256 MB system RAM for Windows XP/2000
• 512 MB system RAM for Windows 7 (Higher is recommended)
• 1GB of system RAM for Vista (Higher is recommended)
• 6 MB hard disk space
• DirectX 9.0c or later
• 3D Accelerator video card with 64 MB VRAM
• The latest drivers for your video card. For more information, click HERE.

See HERE for Mac system requirements.

Yes.

Marine Aquarium 3 is compatible with recent versions of Windows. If you run into any trouble, please e-mail us with a detailed description of the problem.

Yes.

However, we highly recommend that you test the program to see if it works on your netbook or laptop. You can do this by downloading the program and running it in demo mode as outlined HERE.

Yes.

Marine Aquarium 3 supports widescreen AND multiple monitor displays. It will even stretch the aquarium across dual monitor setups, creating the illusion that your monitors are all part of the same tank!

For more information on the widescreen and multiple monitor features, see our entry HERE.

Marine Aquarium is an aquarium simulation program. It can be assigned as a screen saver, but it was primarily designed to emulate the elegance and serenity of watching an aquarium.

None whatsoever.

Our downloads do not include spyware or adware of any kind. Just a clean installation file for the program. However, there are companies and software pirates that grab popular online products and alter them to include invasive spyware and even viruses.

If this has happened to you, please contact us by e-mail and let us know the address of the web site that sold or offered you our product.

There is a free product called AdAware, that we ourselves use. This program gets rid of all sorts of spyware, etc. on your machine you might not know about. AdAware can be downloaded from LavaSoft.

• If you lost your keycode or never received a keycode you purchased go HERE
  
  
• If you don't recall the email you registered under or no longer have access to your old email account you will need to log into your account and modify your profile information as outlined in our FAQ HERE
  
  
• If you have an older keycode and wish to upgrade please see our FAQ entry HERE
  
  
• If you have an older keycode and are not interested in purchasing an upgrade, you can download the older versions of Marine Aquarium as outlined HERE

• View Cart - Lists any product purchase you have pending from our website.
  
  
• Checkout - Takes you to the checkout page where you can finalize your pending purchases.
  
  
• Modify Profile - Allows you to modify your personal information(including email), password, and mailing lists.
  
  
• Delete profile - Deletes your account. Warning Deleting your profile will remove all reference to your account from our server, making it impossible to retrieve your product in the future.
  
  
• Orders History - Allows you to view and search your product order history. You can retrieve your keycodes from here.
  

• The full name you registered under.
  
• The Order Number from your confirmation e-mail.
  
• Both the first four AND last four numbers of the credit card you used.
  
• Your email address at the time of purchase.
  
• Your old Keycode. (If you are upgrading from an older code)
  
• The store you purchased from.
  
• The date of your purchase.

1. Some characters in the keycode can be easily confused (i.e. capital O and zero, capital I and the number one, etc.). Try to copy and paste your keycode into the programs registration space to avoid any possible input errors. For detailed instructions on copying and pasting, see our entry HERE. Also, if you are upgrading from a CD you will need to make sure it is in the drive while entering the keycode.
   
   
2. Your copy of the program may have been corrupted during download or installation. Try downloading a new copy of the program and reinstalling it. Be sure to deactivate your anti-virus programs for the duration of the download and install.
   
   
3. You may be attempting to use your keycode in another one of our programs or an earlier version. Please make sure that the version you downloaded is the version you purchased. (i.e. - the Marine Aquarium 2.0 keycode will not work with the Marine Aquarium 3.1).
   
   For a list of download links for older versions of Marine Aquarium, see our entry HERE.

1. Hold down the left mouse button and pass the cursor over the Keycode. This will highlight the code.
   
   
2. Let go of the mouse button and move the cursor to the center of the highlight without pressing any buttons.
   
   
3. Press the right-most mouse button and select "Copy" from the pop-up menu.
   
   
4. Start Marine Aquarium 3.1.
   
   
5. After the program start up, press the space bar. This will bring up the registration window.
   
   
6. Put the cursor in the registration window, press the right-most mouse button again and select "Paste" from the pop-up menu. The Keycode should appear in the registration box. Be sure to eliminate any spaces before or after the code so you can have a clean paste.
   
   
7. Press the Enter key. The program should start right up.
   

1. Click on the START button and select "Control Panel".
   
   
2. Double-click "User Accounts".
   
   
3. Select the task "Change an Account" and then click on the account to be changed.
   
   
4. Click "Change my account type" and read the instructions for changing each profile to Administrator status.

To install the the latest version of Marine Aquarium 3, please see our entries on Demo and Full installations.

To access downloads for older versions of the program please go HERE.

If Marine Aquarium is having problems and you want to re-install, follow the procedures we outline HERE.

To test Marine Aquarium, download the progam and activate the demo mode as outlined below:

1. Download the newest release of Marine Aquarium 3 from HERE.
2. After downloading, double-click the installer file.This will run the Setup Wizard. Read and follow the instructions to complete the installation.
3. Once the installation process is complete, there should be a new icon on your desktop. Double-click this icon to bring up the registration window.

4. Type TESTFISH into the registration window. This will unlock the demo mode and run Marine Aquarium.

Let Marine Aquarium run for a little while to be sure everything is working properly. If you have any problems consult the Troubleshooting section of our FAQ.

1. IMPORTANT: Before installing, be sure your anti-virus software is deactivated for the duration of the download and install.
   
   
2. Delete any old versions of Marine Aquarium on your system to avoid conflicts.
   
   
3. Download the newest release of Marine Aquarium 3.1 from HERE
   
   
4. After downloading the program, find the folder you downloaded to and double-click on the Marine Aquarium file. This will run the Setup Wizard, which will install Marine Aquarium on your computer, simply read and follow the instructions for installation.
   
   
5. Once the installation process is complete, there should be a new icon on your desktop entitled Marine Aquarium 3 with a picture of two fish over a starfish. Double-click the new icon to bring up the registration page.
   
   
6. If you are Upgrading from an older CD using a CD upgrade keycode, place your CD in the computer now. Click Exit or Cancel on any automatic window that may appear. If you are not upgrading from an older CD version, please skip this step.
   
   
7. Double-click the new Aquarium icon to bring up the registration page.
   
   
8. Copy and paste your keycode into the registration space to avoid any possible input errors (Some characters can be easily mixed up i.e. the letter O and zero, capital I and the number one, etc.) and press enter.
   
   
9. Once the program is running, you can press the space bar to change your settings.
   
   
10. Do not forget to reactivate your anti-virus software when you are finished.

1. Right-click on the Aquarium Desktop shortcut icon. A small menu will appear.
   
   
2. Select "Install" from the menu.
   
   
3. Confirm the installation by checking the screen saver list again.
   

1. Right-click on your desktop. This will bring up a small menu window.
   
   
2. Select "Properties" from the menu. This will open the "Display Properties" window.
   
   
3. Click on the tab along the top marked "Screen Saver"
   
   
4. Using the scrolling menu, select "Marine Aquarium 3". The Marine Aquarium logo should appear in the small computer monitor at the top of this window.
   
   
5. The length of time until the screen saver activates can be adjusted on this page as well.

1. Right click on your desktop. This will bring up a small menu window.
   
   
2. Select "Personalize". From the list of available personalization options, click on "Screen Saver".
   
   
3. Using the scrolling menu, select "Marine Aquarium 3". The Marine Aquarium logo should appear in the small computer monitor at the top of this window.
   
   
4. From this page you can configure many different parameters including the length of time until the screen saver activates.

1. Manually remove any versions of Marine Aquarium 3.1 from your system. Click on the START button then select "Find" or "Search" and search for all copies of "MarineAquarium3.scr" on your system. When the list of files displays in the Find window, just right-click on each of the fish icons and choose delete.
   
   
2. IMPORTANT - Download THIS small utility program. This utility will delete all entries associated with the any version of our program from your computer's registry. Once the download is complete, double click on the program. Then click "YES" and"OK".
   
   
3. Re-boot your computer. Your computer should now be completely free of all Marine Aquarium 3.1 data.

1. Perform the long version of the Uninstall process outlined HERE
   
   
2. Install the program as outlined HERE
   

This is possible; however we will have to refer you to Microsoft's Support website for information on how to perform this procedure.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to read all of the instructions carefully as this procedure is for advanced users.

Click the link below to be taken to the Microsoft Support website.
How To Change the Windows Logon Screen Saver in Windows XP

Windows Vista does not currently support using 3rd party Screensavers in the Log on Screen. However, we have discovered that there are tutorials out there that outline workaround solutions.

IMPORTANT: We cannot recommend these solutions and advise you to use caution even if you are an advanced user.

A simple Google search for "Vista Log on Screensaver" should point you to one of these tutorials.

1. Press the spacebar on your keyboard while the program is running.
   
   
2. Right-click on the Aquarium desktop shortcut and select "Configure".
   
   
3. From your Display Properties/Screen Saver window, click the SETTINGS button.
   
   

Display Settings - Set the resolution for your Monitors

Program Settings - Basic settings.

Fish Settings - Pick your favorite fish.

Music Playlist - Set up and control your music playlist.




3. Display (Monitor) Settings

To bring up the display settings menu, press the spacebar on your keyboard while Marine Aquarium is running then click on the Display Settings button.

The Display Settings button allows you to set the program's monitor resolution and what displays are utilized during its operation (if you have mulitple displays).

Screen Resolution
For ease of use and compatibility we recommend leaving it on the "Automatic" setting. This setting matches the resolution of the program to your desktop resolution. However, if you prefer a custom setting, simply click on the drop down menu and select the resolution you prefer.

Multiple Monitors If you have mulitple monitors attached to your computer, you can configure the program to display on all or some of them.

Each monitor should have a tab associated with it. Cycling through these tabs will allow you to control the settings for each individual monitor.



4. Program Settings

To bring up the settings menu, press the spacebar on your keyboard while Marine Aquarium is running then click on the Program Settings button.

---

Exit on Mouse Move - If this is checked; you can exit the Marine Aquarium by moving your mouse or pressing a non-hotkey (see above) on your keyboard. If this option is not checked, you can only exit the program by pressing the ESC key or the Right Mouse Button.

Auto Pan - The slider changes the panning speed. De-checking this option will stop the Aquarium from panning entirely.

Start in Windowed Mode - Launches Marine Aquarium in windowed mode, will launch program as an individual Window on your Desktop, rather than filling the entire screen

Always on Top in Windowed Mode - When Marine Aquarium is in Windowed Mode (See "F" hot key above) this option will place the program window over any other program you are running.

Display Window Title Bar - Turns off the Title Bar in windowed mode for a cleaner look.

Bubble Column - Enables the Bubble Column in the Tank.

Show Crystal - Enables the Crystal rock in the Reef.

Bubbles Sound - Turns on the Bubble sound, volume is controlled using the slider on the right

Music - Turns on the Music Playlist. Music volume is controlled using the slider on the right. The playlist can be accessed through the Music Playlist button in the main Marine Aquarium settings window.


5. How do I select my fish and set up my tank?

Press the space bar while the program is running. This will bring up the Settings window. Click on the "Fish Settings" Button. This will take you to the Fish selection page of the Settings window.

Fish Library - In the top right area of the window you will find a visual library of colorful Fish to choose from. Marine Aquarium 3 allows you to choose fish from twenty-nine different species (plus one Ochre Starfish) and supports a population of up to thirty fish in the tank at one time.

Selecting Individual Fish - To select a fish, just mouse over the kind you want and left click, a box will appear around it. The number to the lower left of the fish will tell you how many of this specific kind will appear in the tank, no number to the left of the fish means the fish is set to appear randomly. An "X" next to the fish means that this kind is "turned off" and will not appear in the tank until you turn it back on, as outlined in the Individual Fish Population section below.

Fish Information Box - On the top left you will find vital information on the fish you have just selected.

Populating the Tank


• Individual Fish Population - Directly below the Fish Information Box are settings to govern the population of the individual fish you have selected. Clicking on the arrow keys at the bottom of the fish information box will increase or decrease the population of this particular fish in the tank.
  
  
• General Fish Population - Below the Individual Fish Population settings are the settings for General Population. The upper number indicates how many fish in your tank are set to randomly appear, the lower number governs the total number of fish in the tank. Clicking on the arrows to the left of this number will correspondingly increase or decrease the overall population of the tank.
  
  

Setting Individual Fish to "Random" - Clicking the down arrow to none will bring up a “?” which sets the fish to “Random”. This fish will now randomly appear in the tank every time you start the program (assuming you have any random slots assigned, more on this below)

Setting Individual Fish to "Off" - Clicking the down Arrow past the "?" will turn the fish off, effectively removing it from the tank until you choose to change this setting. Alternatively you may simply click the "Disable Fish" box.

Setting all Fish on/off or Random - See Global Settings(below).

Fish Sets - Fish Sets allow you to save your favorite tank configurations for easy access later. Clicking the "New Set" button will allow you to name and save your current tank. Next to “Fish Sets” is the “Cycle Fish Sets” radio button. Checking this will cause the program to cycle through your saved Fish Sets.

Global Settings - In the lower mid to lower right section of the window are buttons that help you quickly set fish to all on, all off, or all random. This is good for quickly changing things around if you are bored and want a nice suprise, but don't forget to save your current configuration as a "Fish Set" before you do so or you'll lose it!!



6. How do I configure and control my music playlist?

Press the space bar while the program is running. This will bring up the Settings window. Click on the "Music Playlist" Button.

From this menu you may add or remove music from your playlist.

Adding Music

• To add music to your playlist click on the "Add" button. Navigate to the files you want and add them to the playlist. Currently Marine Aquarium 3 supports MP3 files as well as WAV, MP2, MPA, AIF, and AIFF formatted files.
  
  Removing Music
  
• To remove a file from your playlist simply click and highlight the file you want to remove and click the "Remove" button.
  
  Volume Control
  
• Below your playlist is a slider to control the playback volume level. The volume control can also be accessed through the Program Settings button
  
  Advancing to the next track during playback
• This function is not accessed through the settings menu. Rather, while the program is running you may hit the "F8" key to advance your playlist to the next selection. Your playlist will repeat once you have reached the end.

7. How do install a Custom Logo or change my Clock settings.

Press the space bar while the program is running. This will bring up the Settings window. Click on the "Clock and Logo" button

From this menu you may modify/add custom logo's and configure your clock.

• Click Logo, select the image you want to use and click OK. Ideally the image should be 256x256 pixels wide but it can be of any size or shape. Once you have imported the image it should show up on the playlist. You can remove items from the list by clicking on the item you want removed then clicking the remove button. To change the order of the image click on the image you want to move, the click up or down on the Move button.
  
  If you are having problems fitting the image in the desired space you will want to make the pixel count smaller.
  
  This can be accomplished via the use of image manipulation programs such as Microsoft Paint.
  
  
• Clicking any of the Clock buttons or Calender buttons will add the requested item to the playlist. Highlighting the item in the playlist and clicking Remove button will remove it from the playlist while clicking any of the Move buttons will move it up or down the list.
  
  

Troubleshooting

1. Basic Information - Please Read


The graphics used in Marine Aquarium require a fairly up-to-date computer with a strong video card. Our realistic graphics use the same system resources as some video games. If you do not have your computer set up for this kind of activity, do not worry, 99% of all graphics problems can be solved by simply updating your computers video card drivers. See the driver update section HERE.

The best way to test Marine Aquariums compatibility is to download the program and run the demo version as outlined HERE.


2. Your video card and its driver


The video card (or chip, or processor) is the graphics workhorse of your computer. If it does not have enough video memory, it will not be able to perform smoothly. The same is true if the video driver your computer is using is out of date or corrupted. To check your video card's memory and driver do the following:

1. Close all programs that are running.
   
   
2. Windows XP users click on the START button and select "Run". Windows Vista users may need to click start and then enter “Run” into the Start Search Field.
   
   
3. Type dxdiag into the box that appears.
   
   
4. This will bring up the DirectX Diagnostic tool. Wait for it to fully load.
   
   
5. Click the "Display" tab.
   
   
6. All the information on your video card is in the upper left under the heading Device. You will want to write down the following information:
   
   
   • Name
   • Manufacturer
   • Chip Type
   • Approx. Total Memory
   
   If the Approx. Total Memory is below 64MB (megabytes), your video card does not have enough video memory to run Marine Aquarium 3.1 and you should e-mail us to let us know.
   
   
7. All of the information about your video driver is on the right-hand side under the heading Driver. You will want to write down the following information:
   
   
   • Version
   • Date
   
   If the date is more than six months old, you will want to update your video driver as outlined HERE.
   

IMPORTANT: If you have a laptop, you will want to go to the laptop manufacturer's website to find a new driver.




3. Updating your video card driver.


It is important to make sure you have the latest driver for your video card from the manufacturer. We have found that outdated drivers are the number one reason for many problems.

IMPORTANT: If you have a laptop, you will want to go to the laptop manufacturer's website to find a new driver.

PLEASE NOTE - The Windows update function is often not sufficient for updating your video card drivers.

Video card manufacturers update their drivers once every THREE to SIX months. These new drivers can usually be found on their websites. Using the information you gathered HERE about your video card, you should search the Internet for the manufacturer's website and download the driver from there.

Read the installation information on the manufacturer's site very carefully. There is no standard way to install new drivers.


If this update does not solve your problem, please contact us using the Tech Support page HERE.




4. The fish swim slowly and/or Marine Aquarium freezes.


Slow animation, jittering, or freezing can be caused by a variety of things. Let's try a few of the basics and see what might be causing the issue:

1. IMPORTANT: Be sure that your video card has 64 megabytes or more of video memory and an up to date driver. Do not skip this step! Even if your computer is brand new or you have recently updated drivers, there can still be problems in this area.
   
   Click HERE for more information on your video card and how to check it.
   
   
2. Start the program, hit the “S” key. This will display a number of statistics in the upper left hand corner of the aquarium. Locate “Sleep”.. Using up arrow key on your keyboard raise this setting to thirty (30).
   
   
3. Examine the programs in your System Tray (The area just to the left of the clock on the Taskbar). Placing your mouse cursor over the icons will give you the full names of the items. If you have Windows XP you may have to "Show hidden icons" using the small circle and arrow button to the left of the System Tray.
   
   If the icon is Windows or another program waiting to update, run the updates then continue.
   
   If the icon is not one of your basic system functions (volume, task manager, mouse, video card, printer, etc.) exit, disable or close the program. Right-clicking will usually give you options. Then, check if Marine Aquarium exhibits the same behavior.
   
   
4. Double-check your computer for spyware or viruses.
   

If none of the above solves your problem, please contact us using the Tech Support page HERE.




5. Marine Aquarium displays a black screen but I can hear the bubbles.


There are two reasons that this can happen:

1. If Marine Aquarium runs for a while then goes black, this can be caused by the monitor going into sleep mode. Check your Power Options in the Windows Control Panel.
   
   
2. If Marine Aquarium goes black as soon as it activates, this can be a problem with your video card driver. Click HERE for more information on updating your video card driver.
   

6. Marine Aquarium does not appear on all of my monitors.

If you own MA3, please check the Marine Aquarium settings menu. From the Settings menu click on the Display Settings button, each monitor should have a "Tab".

Please makes sure that you have “Display screen saver on this monitor” selected on each tab. Make sure you cycle through ALL your monitor tabs when checking this setting.

If you have Marine Aquarium 2.5 or 2.6, please look in the Marine Aquarium settings menu. Double-check you do not have the "Black" option checked for any of the monitors that are giving you trouble. Scroll through the monitors list and check each one individually.

If you have Marine Aquarium 2.0 or Marine Aquarium TIME 2.0, you will want to download and install the special MD version that includes the features above:

Marine Aquarium 2 MD

Marine Aquarium Time 2 MD




7. Marine Aquarium minimizes or does not launch as a screen saver


We have found that Marine Aquarium can be stopped or minimized by Windows when another device or program steals priority from your system's processor. This can be caused by any combination of the following:

1. Wireless hardware, like mice and keyboards, send signals to the computer that can prevent Windows from calling up a screen saver. Try updating the drivers for your wireless devices.
   
   
2. Programs running in the background. Nearly all computers have programs and utilities running in the background, not noticed, but requiring resources to operate. Some of these programs are less obtrusive than others.
   
   Examine the programs in your System Tray (The area just to the left of the clock on the Taskbar). Placing your mouse cursor over the icons will give you the full names of the items. If you have Windows XP you may have to "Show hidden icons" using the small circle and arrow button to the left of the System Tray.
   
   If it is not one of your basic system functions (volume, task manager, mouse, video card, printer, etc.) exit, disable or close the program. Right-clicking will usually give you options.
   
   
3. Windows or another program is trying to update. Be sure that ALL programs on your system have been updated or do not update automatically.
   
   
4. Viruses and spyware can steal a lot of system resources; in fact this is one of the symptoms of being infested with this malevolent software. Update and run your antivirus program. Do a full system scan to be sure that your computer is clean.
   

8. When Aquarium runs, I have no sound.

1. If you are not hearing sound when the program starts please check the Program Settings as outlined HERE. Make sure there are checks in the boxes next to Music and Bubble Sound.
   
   
2. If you still cannot hear any sounds please make sure that your speakers are properly connected and set up.
   
   
3. Failing that you will need to try updating or reinstalling your sound card driver.
   
   

9. When I run the Aquarium from the shortcut on my desktop, my computer launches a different program.


AutoCAD or some other program has changed the association of the .scr file type, meaning Windows no longer sees files with the .scr extension as screen saver files, but as another type of file. While Marine Aquarium will run normally as a screen saver, you cannot use the Aquarium shortcut on your Desktop. Here is a way to work around that:

1. Open your My Documents folder and select "View" ("Tools" for Windows XP) from the Menu Bar then click on "Folder Options..."
   
   
2. Click the "View" tab, uncheck "Hide file extensions for known file types" and click the "Apply" button. This will allow you to view the file extensions for all files.
   
   
3. Close your My Documents window.
   
   
4. Right-click on the Marine Aquarium 3.1 desktop shortcut and select "Properties". This will bring up the Shortcut properties window.
   
   
5. Click the FIND TARGET... button at the bottom of the Shortcut properties window. This will take you right to the MarineAquarium3.scr file on your hard drive.
   
   
6. Right-click the MarineAquarium3.scr file and select "Copy".
   
   
7. Go back to your Desktop, right-click any empty space and select "Paste". A copy of MarineAquarium3.scr should appear on your Desktop.
   
   
8. Right-click on the new MarineAquarium3.scr icon and select "Rename" from the menu.
   
   
9. Change the icons name to MarineAquarium3.exe.
   
   
10. Delete the old Marine Aquarium 3.1 shortcut from your Desktop.
    
    
11. You can now run Marine Aquarium 3.1 manually by double-clicking the new icon.
    
    
12. If you are using an older version of Marine Aquarium, the above instructions are the same except for the program's file name. To see a list of the Marine Aquarium file names, click HERE.
    

10. When I install Marine Aquarium in Windows Vista 64 the program does not show up in my list of available Screensavers.

Due to the extra security and new file structure of the 64bit version of Windows Vista, you will need to perform one extra step to install the Aquarium on your computer:

1. Right-click on the Aquarium Desktop shortcut icon. A small menu will appear.
   
   
2. Select "Install" from the menu.
   
   
3. Confirm the installation by checking the screen saver list again.
   

If this does not solve your problem, please contact us using the Tech Support page HERE.




11. What are the Marine Aquarium file names and locations?


By default, Marine Aquarium is installed into the C:WINDOWSystem32 folder. This can be changed during installation.

Different versions of Marine Aquarium use different file names that you may need to know for reinstalling the program or altering the file extension.

Marine Aquarium 0.99 - fish.scr

Marine Aquarium 1 - Aquarium.scr

Marine Aquarium 1.5 - MAEncore.scr

Marine Aquarium 2.0 - MarineAquarium2.scr OR Marine Aquarium 2.scr

Marine Aquarium 2.0 MD - MarineAquarium2MD.scr

Marine Aquarium TIME - MarineAquariumTime.scr

Marine Aquarium TIME 2.0 - MAT2.scr

Marine Aquarium TIME 2.0 MD - MarineAquarium2MD.scr

Marine Aquarium 2.6 - MA2_6.scr

Marine Aquarium 3 - MarineAquarium3.scr

Marine Aquarium Crystal "The Fish" - AMCrystal-theFish.scr

Microsoft Plus! Marine Aquarium Demo - plusaqar.scr




Screen Savers & Burn-in

1. What is burn-in?

Burn-in is a generic term for a ghost-like image that appears on a monitor or television after displaying an image that does not change for a long period of time. Burn-in is also called ghosting or image persistence. While the exact cause is different for different types of monitors, the result is the same, a light or dark area of the screen where the non-moving image was displayed. Due to improvements in technology, energy saver options, and screen savers, burn-in is much less of a problem than in the past. However, any program, even a screen saver, can cause burn-in if left running long enough.


2. Screen savers

Screen savers were originally designed to help avoid the effects of burn-in by automatically changing the images on the screen when the computer was not in use (thus "saving" the screen from burn-in). They are usually set up to launch automatically by the computer's operating system, waiting a specified amount of time after the last keystroke or the last mouse movement made by a user. The screen saver then blanks the screen, or more commonly produces animation effects, thus avoiding any "fixed" images.

Modern monitors are much less susceptible to burn-in than older models due to improvements in technology and the addition of energy saver options . For these reasons, screen savers today are primarily decorative or for entertainment, and usually feature moving images or patterns and sometimes sound effects.

Our LifeGlobe and SereneScreen products are hyper-realistic simulators. They model real creatures in real environments. They are completely unpredictable, and follow behaviors modeled after their real life counterparts.

As a result, the background can remain on screen for long periods of time without change.

By default our simulators ship in a mode that cycles the background and/or lighting. Changing these options can effect some monitors over a long period of time. If you are concerned about burn-in, do not turn off this cycle.


3. How can I prevent burn-in?

Most computers have several layers of protection against burn-in:

Better technology

Advancements in monitor hardware and software mean that todays monitors are less likely to burn-in.

Energy saver options

To save electricity, monitors will switch to an energy saving mode after a period of time, either reducing the brightness of the display or turning off the display entirely.

Screen savers

Finally, there are an incredible number of screen savers that display moving images to reduce the persistence of a single image on the screen helping to avoid burn-in.

However, even with these advancements and options, in rare cases, burn-in can still occur. To prevent burn-in, we recommend the following:

• Different monitors have different needs when it comes to burn-in. You should check the users manual for specific information, or even contact the manufacturer, just to be sure what steps you can take for your specific monitor.
  
  
• Set the energy saver options to turn off your monitor when not in use for a long period of time.
  
  
• With any of our products older products, the background and foreground lighting change constantly on an automatic cycle. If you are concerned about burn-in, do not turn off this cycle.
  
  MA3 is different than the MA1 or MA2 series of our products in that it does not have an automatic light cycle, instead the program pans from right to left which create a constantly moving background which should help your monitor prevent burn in. Changing this setting, or stopping it will increase the risk of burn in and should be done so with caution.
  
  

4. How do I fix burn-in?

This depends on the kind of monitor you have.

CRT

Unfortunately, once burn-in occurs on a CRT monitor, there is no fix as the actual process that produces the image has been damaged.

LCD & Plasma monitors

The approach to fixing burn-in on plasma and LCD monitors is the same: Display a white screen on the display for a length of time equal to the image that burned-in.

Apple has an excellent article on how to go about this:

Apple: Avoiding image persistence on Apple LCD displays

This process will work with any LCD, not just Apple LCD displays.

Miscellaneous

1. What are the types of fish that come with Marine Aquarium?


Marine Aquarium currently includes the following twenty-nine fish:

Copperband Butterflyfish
Achilles Tang
Powder Blue Tang
Yellow Tang
Clown Triggerfish
Picasso Triggerfish
French Angelfish
Threadfin Butterfly Fish
Queen Angelfish
Purple Tang
Forceps Fish
Addis Butterflyfish
Royal Gramma
Blue Damselfish
Squarespot Anthias
Percula Clownfish
Flame Angelfish
Three-Stripe Damselfish
Regal Tang
Koran Angelfish
Regal Angelfish
Redfin Butterfly Fish
Blue Ring Angelfish
Rock Beauty Angelfish
Longfin Bannerfish
Emperor Angelfish
Clearfin Lionfish
Volitans Lionfish
Ochre Starfish

For more information on the Marine Aquarium fish, see our ichthyology page.

Additional information and a full color guide to the Fish can be found at the SereneScreen fan site




2. How do I register my SereneScreen Product?


If you purchased a CD from a retail store or from Encore Software, you can register this product using the link below:

Encore Software Registration Page

Products purchased directly from our website as an electronic download do not need to be registered, all of your information was entered into our database at the time of purchase. However, if you did not check any of the mailing list options when you made your purchase then you will receive no notices regarding updates or special offers.




3. Screen savers

Screen savers were originally designed to help avoid the effects of burn-in by automatically changing the images on the screen when the computer was not in use (thus "saving" the screen from burn-in). They are usually set up to launch automatically by the computer's operating system, waiting a specified amount of time after the last keystroke or the last mouse movement made by a user. The screen saver then blanks the screen, or more commonly produces animation effects, thus avoiding any "fixed" images.

Modern monitors are much less susceptible to burn-in than older models due to better technology and energy saver options . For these reasons, screen savers today are primarily decorative or for entertainment, and usually feature moving images or patterns and sometimes sound effects.

Our LifeGlobe and SereneScreen products are hyper-realistic simulators. They model real creatures in real environments. They are completely unpredictable, and follow behaviors modeled after their real life counterparts.

As a result, the background can remain on screen for long periods of time without change.

By default our simulators ship in a mode that cycles the background and/or lighting. Changing these options can effect some monitors over a long period of time. If you are concerned about burn-in, do not turn off this cycle.


4. Can I make my own Fish for Marine Aquarium?


Currently we do not permit people to create or add custom fish for Marine Aquarium. There are many reasons, but the most important is that while we trust an artisan would be motivated, and even capable of creating a truly wonderful masterpiece, there are others that might not, and a version were to get out that was less than the highest quality, it might reflect poorly on us.

If you are interesting in creating fish or wildlife for our company, we are always seeking talented artists. Please e-mail us samples of your work.

Thank you for your support.




5. Where can I get information on new releases/features.


The best way to keep up with our products is to check out the Fan Site. This site is complete with wish lists, a fish library, and discussion forums.

Specific information on the dates and version numbers along with added feature lists for the beta test are also available on our sitesite.