Sony 12x DVD $68 Good Deal?

[koaptec]

While I have seen Raite 8x DVD for $68 this is the first time have seen a Sony 12x it is at www.edotdirect.com (http://www.edotdirect.com)

Question $68 is for the 12x DVD Sony only if want a Sigma design hollywood plus decoder card must pay $119 Is this a rip off?

[Kuasimodem]

That depends, what vid card do you have?

My Radeon DDR card has a DVD decoder built in. Not real sure on the other cards, but I would suspect that most of the top end vid cards have DVD decoders.

[AuraEdge]

The hardware decoder helps on older sub 400Mhz systems to play DVD. Anything higher, and software should do fine. There are also some video cards that dont come with software decoders, which cost 20-50 bucks by themselves, so might as well spring for a hardware . Also, you can see DVD on the bigscreen TV in your house with the Sigma Hollywood+. This is the best decoder card out there, so no issues about that, but not everyone needs one.
If you need a decoder, this aint a bad deal, but certainly not the best.
if you dont, then its a pretty ok to not so good deal.

for $5 more, you can get a Pioneer 16x/40x ATA/66 drive (Best name in DVD drives). for $11 more, you can get the slot loading version of that drive.

Actually MWave has the same sony drive for $65 - no obligation to buy anything else.
http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/ProdPIONEER.hmx?UID=&CID=&updepts=MM-CD&DNAME=%3Cb%3ECD+ROM%2FDVD%3C%2Fb%3E&back=ProdPIONEER.hmx?

Guess that pretty much sinks your deal, with or without the decoder.

[koaptec]

K and A ...Thanks for the comments! Glad you brought up the Pioneer 16x--would rather find out before purchasing than after! Was thinking of using it with a New sys...Celeron
600 or > and 810/810e chipset. Checked Intels site--says both have digital video out for TV and soft DVD playback so seems a decoder card Not necessary. With this type of sys is the bottleneck the DVD drive, CPU, or other? Was wondering because if buy a New sys do Not want to skimp on anything that will affect DVD playback....Thanks again

[Doerofway]

I have an 800 duron from amd and the slot loading dvd player is pretty good without a hollywood decoder. I would like the tv out feature of the board since my video card does not have it.

Mwave has the board for 55$ I have dealt with this company and had very good results.
<A HREF="http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doSearch.hmx?bop=and&scriteria=hollywood&UID=&CID=&Back=&n=1"" TARGET=_blank>http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doSearch.hmx?bop=and&scriteria=hollywood&UID=&CID=&Back=&n=1"</A> TARGET=_blank&gt;http://direct.mwave.com/mwave/doSearch.hmx?bop=and&scriteria=hollywood&UID=&CID=&Back=&n=1


P.S. have found issues with diamond s3540 extreme with the hollywood card. the monitor flashed constantly. I thought it was gonna blow up, lol.


[This message has been edited by Doerofway (edited 04-12-2001).]

[koaptec]

D... did you build this sys. Have read a lot of Good things about the Duron processor and motherboards--fast, inexpensive and upgradability so was looking for an inexpensive sys with it--did Not find one all the ~$300 sys I found were with celerons gen 600MHz as result am very undecided what to do!