DVD: Do I need a hardware decoder card?

[Andrew]

Hello:

I have:

AMD 333
Voodoo3 2000
96MB PC100
No name 16 bit snd crd

I'm thinking of picking up a DVD ROM, and just wondering if anyone can provide advice whether a decoder card is necessary, and if I'll take a performance hit without it...I know the V3 has a doohickey on it called the "Digital Video Port" and wondering if it helps things at all...

Thanks in advance for the advice...

[BBA]

The V3 has a built in DVD decoder thru software with hardware support... if that makes sense!

The card should have come with a DVD player application like the Zoran Soft DVD or such.

If you just put the drive in, you can play DVD movies with it.

BBA

[kwai]

at least one of the ati cards with the 128 chipset were supposed to have good software dvd display. forgot what kind of cpu horsepower it needed though.

[Virus]

I'm in the same boat. Except I don't have a Voodoo3.

I got a bare Pioneer DVD-ROM drive. Got the demo copy of PowerDVD, but it will only play 6 min of video and only 3 of those minutes with audio.
My only options are to register PowerDVD or to go without DVD for another month until the G400 MAX is released.

The difference between Software and Hardware decoding is minimal with proper tweaking and 3DNOW support. But if you are going to be making a habit of watching DVD movies instead of VCR movies. Then a hardware decoder is the way to go.

[Stan]

Hey Virus

Check out this site...

http://windoms.sitek.net/~freeuser/dvdsoft.html

Tell me what you think...

Enjoy

Stan

BTW, my favourite is the Xing DVD Decoder (v 2.03, with the hacks/tweaks)

[This message has been edited by Stan (edited 05-17-99).]

[Virus]

I had all ready found another site just like it (not as informative thou).

dvd.imedia.com.pl/dvd/ (http://dvd.imedia.com.pl/dvd/)

Thanks for the new link.

I got PowerDVD 1.5 setup and I'll try out the others soon.

I am thinking this can't be done. but.. Is there a softDVD player for NT4.0, or will there be one out soon? I had to sratch a drive and install win95 just to watch a dvd. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/smile.gif

[everj]

Hardware and software decoders are pretty close, but hardware is better (I've seen more glitchy DVD video playbacks without hardware than with.)

The Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore is pretty kick-***. A gen3 6x drive and decoder card (with AC-3 & s-video outs) all for around 200 bucks.

[Stan]

Virus,

I don't think that NT4 has dvd support. So, you won't find any NT4 soft dvd decoder.

Stan

[800XL]

Try downloading the DVD software update from Diamond for their Monster Fusion and V550. It is Zoran SoftDVD. Seems to work just fine with many video 'cards' regardless of the maker. http://www.sysopt.com/forum/wink.gif I have some problems with the menus in some titles, but it plays well even on my Riva128/AMD 350.

[IlLogiK]

If this was a question on "who wants to be a millionarie" I would say that yes winDVD supports NT/4.0...

---------------
IlLogiK rules the WORLD!

[seti]

One other concideration should be multi-tasking. While the good softwear decoders will make it through movies without too many jumps and jitters...if you increase cpu load your playback will degrade accordingly. Also, the thing I hear most dvd owners rave about, is the sound quality. With a decoder card you have the option to have dolby digital (ac-3) output. You can plug it in to a dolby digital recorder if you'd like and watch (s-vid out) and listen to dvd on your home entertainment system. Personaly I wouldn't want to have friends huddle around my computer desk listening in stereo.

[plucky duck]

You don't have to buy a decoder card yet, just get the DVD drive, play some movies and see how well it goes. If you're satisfied, then stick with your config, if not then get the decoder card.

Its not a must-have for DVD-playback.

[Andrew]

Holy, someone pulled this post out of the grave; I got that dvd drive and Creative Dxr3 over six months ago...lol

That's funny...people really do go digging into the archives...

[johnl_006]

With my computer about 2 years ago i had Zoran's Soft DVD on it, but I haven't been able to get it to work and there was no Software reinstall CD with it! Now all it says is a load of jibberish in a pop-up box and won't start. I have never got it to work. Please help!