1. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon when executed by a processor, provide a media manager user interface (UI) for managing playback formats of a media system comprising at least one playback device and at least one source device configured for storing a plurality of media files, the computer readable medium comprising sets of instructions for:
displaying media file icons for representing the plurality of media files, each media file having a format defined by at least one format parameter value;
displaying at least one playback device icon for representing the at least one playback device, the at least one playback device configured for playing media files in a format defined by at least one format parameter value;
receiving a selection of a media file icon representing a selected media file and a playback device icon representing a selected playback device;
determining whether the selected media file is compatible with the selected playback device by using a media data structure comprising compatibility data indicating compatibility between the plurality of media files and the at least one playback device.
2. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the selection of the media file icon and the selection of the playback device icon indicates a user request for downloading the selected media file to the selected payback device, the computer readable medium further comprising sets of instructions for:
displaying a download queue for the selected playback device; and
displaying the selected media file icon in the download queue.
3. The computer readable medium of claim 2, further comprising sets of instructions for:
displaying a selectable begin-download icon;
receiving a selection of the begin-download icon; and
beginning downloading of media files in each download queue for each payback device.
4. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising sets of instructions for:
displaying an add device icon;
receiving a selection of the add device icon; and
begin registration of a new playback device for determining at least one format parameter value of the playback device that is stored to the media data structure.
5. The computer readable medium of claim 1, further comprising sets of instructions for:
determining, using the media data structure, that the selected media file is never compatible with a format of a particular playback device; and
displaying a modified icon for the particular playback device that indicates the playback device is never compatible with the selected media file.
6. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the media data structure comprises a plurality of media file entries for the plurality of media files, each media file entry representing a media file, wherein for each media file in the plurality of media files, the computer readable medium further comprises sets of instructions for:
determining compatibility data indicating compatibility of the format of the media file with the format of each playback device, and storing the compatibility data to the media file entry for the media file in the media data structure; and
for at least one media file, using the compatibility data in the media file entry for the media file to convert the media file to a format of at least one playback device.
7. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the media data structure comprises at least one playback device entry representing at least one playback device, wherein for each playback device, the computer readable medium further comprises sets of instructions for:
determining compatibility data indicating compatibility of the format of the playback device with the format of each media file in the plurality of media files, and storing the compatibility data to the playback device entry for the playback device in the media data structure; and
for at least one media file, using the compatibility data in a playback device entry for a playback device to convert the media file to a format of the playback device.
8. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein:
a format parameter comprises an encoding type, display aspect ratio, or display resolution; and
the plurality of media files comprises video, audio, image, or gaming media files.
9. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein a format of a playback device comprises zero or more required format parameter values and zero or more preferred format parameter values.
10. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein compatibility data for a media file indicates:
the format of the media file is compatible with a format of a playback device;
the format of the media file is incompatible with a format of a playback device and can be converted by a transcoder to the format of the playback device; or
the format of the media file is incompatible with a format of a playback device and can not be converted by the transcoder to the format of the playback device.
11. The computer readable medium of claim 1, wherein the media manager UI is configured for producing the media data structure, determining compatibility data for each media file and store the compatibility data to the media data structure, and use the compatibility data stored in the media data structure to convert the format of a media file automatically, without requiring user initiation, interaction, or intervention.
12. A media system for managing playback formats of media files, the media system comprising:
at least one source device configured for storing a plurality of media files, each media file having a format defined by at least one format parameter value;
at least one playback device configured for playing media files in a format defined by at least one format parameter value;
a media manager user interface (UI) engine coupled with the at least one source device and the at least one playback device, the media manager UI engine configured for:
displaying media file icons for representing the plurality of media files;
displaying at least one playback device icon for representing the at least one playback device;
receiving a selection of a media file icon representing a selected media file and a playback device icon representing a selected playback device;
determining whether the selected media file is compatible with the selected playback device by using a media data structure comprising compatibility data indicating compatibility between the plurality of media files and the at least one playback device.
13. The media system of claim 12, wherein the selection of the media file icon and the selection of the playback device icon indicates a user request for downloading the selected media file to the selected payback device, the media manager UI engine further configured for:
displaying a download queue for the selected playback device; and
displaying the selected media file icon in the download queue.
14. The media system of claim 13, the media manager UI engine further configured for:
displaying a selectable begin-download icon;
receiving a selection of the begin-download icon; and
beginning downloading of media files in each download queue for each payback device.
15. The media system of claim 12, the media manager UI engine further configured for:
displaying an add device icon;
receiving a selection of the add device icon; and
begin registration of a new playback device for determining at least one format parameter value of the playback device that is stored to the media data structure.
16. The media system of claim 12, the media manager UI engine further configured for:
determining, using the media data structure, that the selected media file is never compatible with a format of a particular playback device; and
displaying a modified icon for the particular playback device that indicates the playback device is never compatible with the selected media file.
17. The media system of claim 12, wherein the media data structure comprises a plurality of media file entries for the plurality of media files, each media file entry representing a media file, wherein for each media file in the plurality of media files, the media manager UI engine further configured for:
determining compatibility data indicating compatibility of the format of the media file with the format of each playback device, and storing the compatibility data to the media file entry for the media file in the media data structure; and
for at least one media file, using the compatibility data in the media file entry for the media file to convert the media file to a format of at least one playback device.
18. The media system of claim 12, wherein the media data structure comprises at least one playback device entry representing at least one playback device, wherein for each playback device, the media manager UI engine is further configured for:
determining compatibility data indicating compatibility of the format of the playback device with the format of each media file in the plurality of media files, and storing the compatibility data to the playback device entry for the playback device in the media data structure; and
for at least one media file, using the compatibility data in a playback device entry for a playback device to convert the media file to a format of the playback device.
19. The media system of claim 12, wherein:
a format parameter comprises an encoding type, display aspect ratio, or display resolution; and
the plurality of media files comprises video, audio, image, or gaming media files.
20. The media system of claim 12, wherein a format of a playback device comprises zero or more required format parameter values and zero or more preferred format parameter values.
21. The media system of claim 12, wherein compatibility data for a media file indicates:
the format of the media file is compatible with a format of a playback device;
the format of the media file is incompatible with a format of a playback device and can be converted by a transcoder to the format of the playback device; or
the format of the media file is incompatible with a format of a playback device and can not be converted by the transcoder to the format of the playback device.
22. The media system of claim 12, wherein the media manager UI is further configured for producing the media data structure, determining compatibility data for each media file and store the compatibility data to the media data structure, and use the compatibility data stored in the media data structure to convert the format of a media file automatically, without requiring user initiation, interaction, or intervention.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of producing a partially calcified free fatty acid mixture, the method comprising the steps: preparing a molten mixture of: an amount of a free fatty acid; and an amount of a calcium-containing material comprising a calcium containing basic compound adapted to form a calcium salt of the fatty acid, the calcium-containing material being present in an amount in the range of from about 25% to about 55% of the amount of a free fatty acid based upon the theoretical requirement to accomplish total neutralization of all of the fatty acid; and maintaining the mixture at sufficient temperature and for sufficient amount of time so as to form a mixture of free fatty acid and partially calcium neutralized free fatty acid having an onset melt point of from 170\xb0 F. to 205\xb0 F.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the free fatty acid comprises tallow, non-tallow fatty acids, or a mixture thereof.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the free fatty acid comprises a non-tallow fatty acid comprising a fatty acid from palm oil, soy oil, fish oil, linseed oil, or flax oil.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture is maintained at a temperature in the range of from about 240\xb0 F. to about 260\xb0 F.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture is rendered to a solid form by a prilling process.
6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture is rendered to a solid form by a flaking process.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the mixture has a hardness of at least about 15 shore A units at 170\xb0 F.