Getting Started

Quick Start Workflow

1. Open a Directory — Select a folder containing media files
2. Analyze Files — Click on any media file to view details
3. View Bitrate Charts — Switch to Bitrate tab for visual analysis
4. Manage Streams — Remove unwanted audio/subtitle tracks
5. Export Data — Save charts or data for external use

Opening Files

Select Initial Directory

On first launch, Seer will prompt you to select a directory to browse. This directory will be remembered for future sessions.

Change Directory

• Use the folder icon in the toolbar
• Navigate using the path breadcrumb
• Use keyboard shortcut Cmd+O (macOS) or Ctrl+O (Windows/Linux)

File Browser

• Click on any file to view details
• Use arrow keys to navigate
• Press Space to preview
• Right-click for context menu

Analyzing Media Files

View File Metadata

1. Select a media file
2. File info panel shows:
   • File size and duration
   • Container format
   • All streams (video, audio, subtitles)
   • Codec information

Codec Details

For each stream, view:

• Video: Resolution, frame rate, codec, bit depth, color space
• Audio: Channels, sample rate, codec, bit depth
• Subtitles: Format, language, title

Bitrate Analysis

Generate Bitrate Chart

1. Select a media file
2. Click "Analyze Bitrate" or switch to Bitrate tab
3. Wait for analysis to complete (cached for future use)
4. Interactive chart displays bitrate over time

Understanding the Chart

• Y-axis: Bitrate in Mbps
• X-axis: Time in seconds
• Multiple lines: One per stream (video, audio, etc.)
• Hover: View exact values at any point
• Zoom: Scroll to zoom, drag to pan

Export Bitrate Data

Export as PNG

• Preserves current theme
• High resolution
• Suitable for reports

Export as JSON

• Full data points
• Includes metadata
• Programmatic access

Export as CSV

• Spreadsheet compatible
• Easy data analysis
• One row per time point

Stream Management

View All Streams

1. Select a media file
2. Streams panel shows all tracks
3. Each stream displays:
   • Type (video/audio/subtitle)
   • Codec and language
   • Bitrate and duration

Remove Streams

1. Select streams to remove (checkbox)
2. Click "Remove Selected Streams"
3. Job runs in background
4. Original file is backed up
5. Progress tracked in Jobs panel

Note: Stream removal is lossless (copy codec). No re-encoding occurs.

File Operations

Context Menu

Right-click any file for quick actions:

• Rename: Change filename
• Move: Move to another folder
• Copy: Duplicate file
• Delete: Move to trash
• Reveal: Open in Finder/Explorer

Bulk Operations

1. Select multiple files:
   • Click + Shift for range
   • Click + Cmd/Ctrl for individual
2. Right-click selection
3. Choose operation
4. Confirm action

Create Folders

• Click "New Folder" button
• Or right-click → New Folder
• Enter folder name
• Folder created in current directory

Settings & Preferences

Theme

• System: Follow OS theme
• Light: Always light mode
• Dark: Always dark mode

Initial Directory

• Set default startup directory
• Use "Set as Default" in folder picker
• Change anytime in settings

Cache Management

• View cache size
• Clear specific cache types
• Clear all cached data
• Cache location: App data directory

Keyboard Shortcuts

Navigation

• ↑/↓: Navigate files
• Enter: Open/select file
• Backspace: Go up one directory
• Cmd/Ctrl + O: Open directory

File Operations

• Cmd/Ctrl + R: Rename selected file
• Cmd/Ctrl + D: Delete selected file
• Cmd/Ctrl + N: New folder

Panels

• Cmd/Ctrl + 1: File browser
• Cmd/Ctrl + 2: Metadata panel
• Cmd/Ctrl + 3: Bitrate panel
• Cmd/Ctrl + J: Jobs panel

General

• Cmd/Ctrl + ,: Open settings
• Cmd/Ctrl + Q: Quit (macOS)
• Alt + F4: Quit (Windows/Linux)

Troubleshooting

FFmpeg Not Found

Symptom: "FFmpeg not found" warning on startup

Solution:

1. Install FFmpeg (see Installation)
2. Ensure FFmpeg is in system PATH
3. Restart Seer

Bitrate Analysis Fails

Symptom: Bitrate analysis errors or hangs

Possible causes:

• Corrupted media file
• Unsupported codec
• FFmpeg version too old

Solution:

1. Verify file plays in other media players
2. Update FFmpeg to latest version
3. Check Jobs panel for detailed error

Cache Issues

Symptom: Stale data showing for changed files

Solution:

1. Cache should auto-invalidate when files change
2. Manually clear cache: Settings → Clear Cache
3. Report issue if problem persists

Performance Issues

Symptom: Slow analysis or UI lag

Possible causes:

• Very large media files (>50GB)
• Many files in directory (>10,000)
• Low available RAM

Solution:

1. For large files: Seer uses smart sampling
2. For many files: Use subfolders to organize
3. Close other applications to free RAM
4. Clear cache to free disk space

Getting Help

• Documentation: You're reading it!
• GitHub Issues: Report bugs
• Discussions: Ask questions

Next Steps

• Explore Features for detailed capabilities
• Check Roadmap for upcoming features
• Star the project on GitHub if you find it useful!