DVD Problem - Please Help!

[Guest]

Hello all...

I got a Samsung 8x DVD drive for Xmas, and i have stuck it
in my PC and all works fine and dandy... until i try and
watch a movie that is...

I have a problem on movie playback, the movie freezes after
a few seconds and plays no more... :-(
I have tried several software players, from Hollywood Player
that came with the drive, the PC Friendly DVD software that
comes on some DVD's and Windows Media player 7.
I will try to pull down WinDVD, as everyone seems to be
raving about it, but i am not filled with confidence...

The DVDRom stuff works fine (i.e. i can access the disk
to read files etc).

I have an AMD k62 400 chip,
128 mg ram
Voodoo 4500 32mg agp vid card
gigs of HDD Space

Anyone got any Ideas?

Thanx In advance

 

[Guest]

You may have a couple of different problems. i too am running a DVD drive and have been for 1 1/2 years on a k6-2 machine. I had lots of problems initially, most of which i have ironed out. Here is a few things to try and a couple of questions.

1. Do you have DMA enabled? If you look in the control panel under cd-rom devices (or under the system tag) and bring up your DVD there should be a check box. A lot of systems require DMA to be enabled to use the DVD to play movies. DVD's use a lot of data throughput and DMA could be your problem.

2. Hollywood player? Are you using a Realmagic Hollywood plus decoder card? If so make sure you check out their site for the newest version of their program and driver. I use a Realmagic card, and it was pretty flakely until I got the improved program and new drivers. Be warned the Realmagic site (the last time I looked) sucked a** as far as user functionality. More of a marketing site then a tech support site... but the stuff is in there somewhere.

3. What chipset does your motherboard use? This is an important aspect for K6-2 boards. The Alladin V chipset has some flakey aspects to it, although pairing one with a Voodoo card helps somewhat. Make sure you have the latest BIOS from your motherboard manufacturer.

4. PC Friendly? i never could get it to work worth [-peep-]... gave up on it a long time ago...

5. WinDVD... a K6-2 400 is pretty low end to be using a software DVD player... you can give it a try, but your box may be a little under powered to run it well.

6. If you are using a software DVD player (as opposed to a DVD card) you may wish to try and pickup a DVD Hardware card. I've had good luck with the realmagic, especially since getting the new drivers and program...

If none of this works post some more info on your box, and I'll see if I can dig up some more info for you (ie what motherboard, and operating system)

Good Luck

K6-2+ 550

 

[Guest]

Hi Sevrum,

Thanks for your Advice, most of it I have already tried before,
but i will address each of your points in turn...

1) The DMA checkbox for the drive is checked
2) The Decoder card is the Real Magic Hollywood Plus Card
and i am using their latest drivers (1.8.2) and software
(1.8.2)
3) Motherboard chipset... dunno.. never looked and never
updated it.. never had to (before now) will try that when
I get home tonight.
4) PC Friendly - Dumped it already
5) WinDVD - Couldnt be arse to wait for the Download, so
i havent tried that yet, I would prefer to go through the
Hardware, not use a software decoder... as you stated my
PC isnt a beefy one... (it does me thou
6) Decoder card - Yes, see point 2

O/S Windows 98 - Full version, recently built from scratch
when i had problems with DirectX in December, so the Machine
is a clean, almost a virgin build, PC.

I am considering taking the DVD and Card back to the shop
and exchanging it for an alternative... anyone got any suggestions?

Thanks In advnace.

Wayne

 

[Bubba]

I had the same problem. Its because the H+ card is sharing IRQs with some other card. Update to latest VIA drivers and move your H+ card to a different PCI slot (preferably not the first PCI slot because it shares with the video card).

 

[Guest]

Wayne, I'm going to agree with the last guy completely. Update to the latest drivers from VIA for the motherboard chipset, if it is VIA?! I have encountered numerous hardware problems until the motherboard drivers are installed, especially with non-standard equipment such as a SCSI card or DVD Decoder card. Also move it to another PCI slot to rule out any conflicts. Just because they a conflict is not listed within Windows does not mean that it does not share resources, like memory or something. I have the Real Magic as well, but have not encountered the problems you have, but if it were my system I would go straight for the Motherboard Drivers.

 

[Guest]

THANXS People,

I went searching for Motherboard drivers and found them,
installed the cheeky little buggers and hey-presto My DVD
drive plays movies sweet as a nut!

I just wanted to say, Thanks all!!!

Wayne