Problems with PowerDVD in Win2k

[MerceD 0]

I run PowerDVD v2.5 under Windows 2000.

I can run movies, but they run bad, slow and the even locks up now and then.

 

Anyone know what the problem is?

Please, this REALLY bothers me, I accept any comments or ideas!

 

Thanx!

 

------------------

The MerceD has you...

 

Sys spec:

* P2-350

* 128RAM SDRAM PC-100

* Voodoo3 2000 PCI @156MHz

* SB AWE 64 Gold

* Quantum Fireball EX10.2A

* Hitachi DVD-ROM GD-2500

* OTI Hermes CD-ROM

* Win2k 2195

* ISDN with a ZyXel omni.net Plus

* HP DeskJet 720C

* Afga SnapScan 1212u

* Iomega USB-ZipDrive

[rbarbier 0]

Make sure you have DMA selected in the Device Manager. Start--Settings--Control Panel--System--Hardware--Device Manager--Your controller that you DVD Rom is on--Advanced Settings--Transfer Mode. Hope this helps.

[MerceD 0]

Yea, I thougth the DMA could have something to do with it, but I don´t know where to change it.

 

Sorry rbarbier, but in the place you describe I can only change region settings.

[rbarbier 0]

You are going to the wrong place. Don't click on the DVD Drive in device manager. Go to the controller card in Device Manager. It is where you change DMA.

[Reaper_uk 0]

I got a problem with changing my drive to DMA, i've set it to

"DMA if avialable"

but it alsways detects my toshiba 6x drive as PIO. So how can i get around this?

 

Also, with powerDVD in its options in the video tab the box to use a hardware accelerator is greyed olut and says is only available in stop mode. how do i get to stop so i can turn this on?

[rbarbier 0]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reaper_uk:
I got a problem with changing my drive to DMA, i've set it to
"DMA if avialable"
but it alsways detects my toshiba 6x drive as PIO. So how can i get around this?

Also, with powerDVD in its options in the video tab the box to use a hardware accelerator is greyed olut and says is only available in stop mode. how do i get to stop so i can turn this on?

What motherboard are you using? Check your bios. Check for newer drivers for you controller card. Check for newer drivers for your video card. Also make sure you are running the newest version of PowerDVD.

[Reaper_uk 0]

i've forgotten how makes my board but i know i have the latest bios for it. controller card? i juse use the IDE socket on the motherboard into which my bogstandard IDE cables are attached. (my hdd is detected as DMA though) the drivers i use for that are the ones that come standard with win2k and my voodoo3 has the latest drivers.

so, i'm still unsure as to why it won't detect as DMA. would it improve the DVD playback (i.e. will it make the movie less jerky)

and nobody said anything about enabling the hardware accelerator function in powerdvd

[rbarbier 0]

Quote:

Originally posted by Reaper_uk:
i've forgotten how makes my board but i know i have the latest bios for it. controller card? i juse use the IDE socket on the motherboard into which my bogstandard IDE cables are attached. (my hdd is detected as DMA though) the drivers i use for that are the ones that come standard with win2k and my voodoo3 has the latest drivers.
so, i'm still unsure as to why it won't detect as DMA. would it improve the DVD playback (i.e. will it make the movie less jerky)
and nobody said anything about enabling the hardware accelerator function in powerdvd

I am using the Voodoo3 3000 AGP with PowerDVD 2.5+ and with DMA unchecked playback WILL be jerky. Even with a hardware DVD card. I have 192 meg ram and only a 2x DVD but playback is perfect (even with the SBlive). Go to the controller card in the device manager and if it is on the Primary click on that option of if it is on Secondary click that option to enable DMA. Also maybe if the Harddrive is on the same cable you might want to move the DVD to its own cable. They recommend that also.

[rbarbier 0]

I am unable to enable Hardware accel. also but it runs perfect in PowerDVD.

[Reaper_uk 0]

Ok, so if i get my DVD drive to use DMA it should run smooth, cool. only problem i went to the toshiba website to check out my DVD drive, Toshiba 6x (SD-M1302), and in the specs page i found that it had a,

 

Burst Data Transfer Rate:16.7MB/s (PIO Mode 4)

 

And i couldn't find anything saying DMA mode, so this i suppose menas it won't support DMA. But how come, its the companies newest, dvd drive model. and somebody here got DMA to work on a 2x DVD drive. there must be something i'm not doing right here.

 

I've got my drive on the same cable as my creative 48x CD-ROM drive which should also support DMA, yes? but no thats still on PIO mode.

any advise?

[rbarbier 0]

I have my DVD drive on the same cable at my CDRW. When you go to Device Manager and click on IDE ATA/ATAPI controllers, what is the first item listed? I am curios as to what Bus Master IDE controller you are using. Should say something like Intel® 82371AB/EB Pci Bus Master IDE Controller then Primary IDE Channel then Secondary IDE Channel.

[rbarbier 0]

My DVD-Rom is a Toshiba SD-M1102. (2x DVD and 20x CD-rom).

[Reaper_uk 0]

i'm using an ALI V chipset so i get

ALi M5229 PCI Bus Master IDE Controller.

 

At the moment its only my hard drive (Maxtor 10.8gb ATA33) using DMA.

My internal zip drive, toshiba SD-M1302 6x dvd 32x cd-rom, and creative 48x cd-rom all use PIO mode.

 

I'm not concerned that the zip drive doesn't use DMA (not even sure it can) but i'm about 95% sure that my DVD and CD-ROM should use DMA.

[slkh 0]

Your system seems a little below the spec. (Actually to run smooth, you need PII 400 or equalvalent).

 

Unfortunately again, your Voodoo does not support Moment Conpensation.

 

These might explain why you get bad performance.

 

Try lowering your resolution and see if it works?

 

One more thing, you need to update the IDE ATA/ATAPI controller with the one that provided by the CD that came with your mainboard in order to enable the UDMA mode (IINM). Or better still, go and download the newest version from your motherboard manufacturer.

 

Good luck

[Reaper_uk 0]

isn't an amd k6-2 500 at least = to a PII 400 for dvd playback?

Also i have UMDA becuase my hard drive uses it.

any other suggestions?

[rbarbier 0]

I just have a celeron 300a at 464 with a Voodoo3 3000 and DVD is perfect. I would say look for newer drivers for your controller card. I am sure that if you enable DMA that would double your performance. Just for sake of argument I disabled DMA and my DVD playback was very choppy. I quickly enabled DMA and everything is a-o-k. I have heard of people using Intel Bus Mastering drivers with that chipset but I don't want to say to do that but it could be worth a try.

[Reaper_uk 0]

Ok i've solved my not able to get DMA problem, a new bios version was out a couple days ago for my motherboard although in the description it didn't say anything about my prob it seems to have worked, yeah!!

BUT, now none of my players detect the DVD movie in the drive.

powerDVD just sits their and i can't do anytihng with the system, nothing works except manual reboot.

Using the software that comes with the hollywood+ it tries to access drive but after abou 10sec it says there is no disk in the drive and ejects the disk!

using pcfriendly it can't start the movie, and says my drive may not be able to play that type of video.

So, i'm forced back to PIO mode, what a complete an utter C%*T!!!

[slkh 0]

ReaperUK,

 

What version of PowerDVD are you using?

I experience the same problem as you with any other version other than 2.55.

[Reaper_uk 0]

i'm using 2.55

but, strangest thing has happened. i'd tried like 5 discs afew times each and it just wouldn't work, then i put in another disc (american pie) so to write down the error i get and it worked, checked all my progs and they all worked now, weird, but i'm happy!