DVD Rom drive question...

[gyoung]

Anyone know anything about DVD Rom drives? I am looking to replace my CD-Rom drive (actually put it into another computer) with a DVD drive.

Looking for some guidence. I found this one at buy.com.
http://www.us.buy.com/retail/product.asp?sku=10250639&loc=101

[jman01pa]

I think Toshiba is pretty good. I am certain Pioneer is the best.

J http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[Gomer]

http://www.goroyalpc.com/CD.asp?id=203

$149.99

Package Contents
REALMagic Hollywood Plus DVD/MPEG-2 PCI Playback Card
Pioneer 16X/40X Internal ATAPI DVD Drive
9-Pin VGA Loop-back Cable
S-Video/Composite TV Out Cable
S/P DIF Connector (Dolby Digital Surround Sound)
Installation Disks (2: Application and Driver)
User Manual & DVD Sampler Disc(s) (Movie: Telling Lies in America.... Kevin Bacon flic, nice movie)

I own this package and really like it. It is one of the best drives on the market packaged with one of the best decoder cards. Both items have received great reviews!

[Warthog]

I want to get the slot loading drive BUT I can only find it as "bare OEM". I don't need a hardware decoder card because I don't want/need the TV out feature (have 19" FD Trinitron monitor, SB Live and nice stereo all in my room) and have a 64mb Geforce2 GTS.

Specifically, what cables do I need to hook up this drive (exact names)? What about the drivers?

Thanks!

Warthog

[TechJumper]

DVD ROM is simply NEWER, faster, and more efficient then conventional CD-ROM drives. While I know no specifics, I can tell you my DVD ROM is a blessing, it turns my computer into a central entertainment LIFE!

Michael Morelli
TechJumper

[gyoung]

Gomer,

I have a question about the decoder card. Does it need to be connected to the video card. I have an ATI Radeon 32DDR with no outputs.

How do you get the signal to a TV?

[Gomer]

The video card is attached easily. There is a cable which plugs into the back of the decoder card on the exterior of the case. This cable is then hooked to where you usually hook your monitor into your video card. The monitor is then hooked into the decoder card. Can you follow that?

There are two ways to get the signal to the TV. If it is a newer tv you can use an S-Video cable to hook it directly to the TV. If your TV doesn't support S-video, then you can use an RCA type cable to hook it to your TV. Just like the standard cable that your VCR uses for video in, sound in etc. Your TV must have a Video IN jack on it in order to do this. If it does not there is still a way to do it. There is a thing called an RF adapter/modulator (I think). What it does is take the video in signal from the RCA cable and converts it to a signal that can be broadcast to the TV via channel 3 or 4. S-video provides a better picture but it is not too great of a difference over composite video.

It may sound complicated but is pretty straightforward. Feel free to ask any other questions if you need to.

[gyoung]

Okay, I get it. You really just daisychain the video card to the decoder card (using the Monitor out on the video card to the video in on the decoder card) and the decoder card to the TV (using the S-Video out on the decoder card to the S-Video in on the TV). Now I would plug my Monitor into the Decoder card, right?

Is there any impact on graphics when using my computer now that I have a middle man handling the video?

Also, since I have a Radeon (which does decoding for DVDs) which will do the decoding, the Radeon or the Hollywood? Can you turn one off?

I guess what I'm asking is this. The Radeon will decode DVDs. The problem is the Radeon I bought doesn't have a TV out. Is there something I can get that will allow me to do this? It looks like the Hollywood would do this for me.

[Gomer]

To the best of my knowledge the middle man only handles the DVD with no impact on any other video. All other signals just pass through the decoder with out being touched.

Not sure about a conflict between the Radeon and the Hollywood. When you use your video card as a decoder I think you have to hook the DVD directly to the card somehow. Maybe I am mistaken.

[gyoung]

How is www.goroyalpc.com? (http://www.goroyalpc.com?) Have you ever bought anything there? Their resellerratings don't look that good.

Thanks for all the input!! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

[flash4master]

warthog - for an bare drive (no hardware decoder) just plug it in like a normal cdrom drive and install some dvd software

[sys-eng]

Pioneer is the fastest drive but beyond that it handles the disk MUCH safer than other drives. 16X $120

I expect other drive makers to lease Pioneer's patent on the disk transport.

[Warthog]

Ok, an CD-ROM audio cable. Thanks! http://sysopt.earthweb.com/forum/smile.gif

Warthog

[Warthog]

Gomer, what are the names of the cables I would need to buy to hook up an OEM DVD drive?

Warthog

[AuraEdge]

To software decode an DVD, All you need is a Software DVD player, and a DVD drive, with an audio cable going to the sound card (same one that you play audio CD's on). Thats it.
On a hardware decoded one (I have owned a RealMagic Hollywood plus, so Ill use that as an example), You need the connector from your Video card to your Decoder Card, thru the monitor out on the Video card.
You also need a Cable from the Decoder card to the Sound card, also externally connected.
Then youll need a S-Video cable from your Decoder card to your TV, if you want to play DVD on your TV.
All the cables are included with the Hollywood Magic card.
With any Pentium III or Athlon CPU, I dont think you need a Hardware Decoder, as Software will do it just fine.
If you have a P3 or Athlon, just get a Bare Slot loading Pioneer drive (personal fav. I own a 10x/40x (104s) and recommened a 6x/32x (103s) to one friend and a 16x/40x (105s) to another, no complaints!), and buy an audio cable for a buck or 2, or use the one from your old CD drive.

As for the other questions.
Daisychaining the VGA connector has no impact on your framerates or image quality.
If you would like to play DVD's on your TV, then I would recommend the RealMagic Hollywood Plus Decoder card, since its the easiest way to add TV out to your Video. Bonus is that it offloads DVD decoding off your CPU onto the card.

If you have the Radeon and a Hollywood, the Radeon will no longer handle the DVD playing, the Hollywood will. The DVD Decoder doesnt in any way connect to the video card except though the passthru VGA cable


[This message has been edited by AuraEdge (edited 10-27-2000).]

[Donkey]

If you have a radeon you won't need another decoder card at all. ATI has some of the bes t on card DVD decoding around. I'm totally impressed with my rage fury and toshiba sdm 1402 combination.
Don't waste money on a seperate decoder just let your graphics card do the work
Rod

[Warthog]

I told my mother I was going to get a DVD drive soon. She thought I was talking about a home audio DVD player. She seemed kind of disappointed when I said I wasn't.

sooooooo...maybe I will get a decoder card...eventually. I don't think my Geforce2 GTS has tv out capabilities.

Warthog

[Gomer]

I bought 2 of those packages through goroyalpc and they both came on time and packeged very nicely. No problem whatsoever.

[gyoung]

I went out to www.microx-press.com (http://www.microx-press.com) and bought the tray loading pioneer 16x DVD drive. I wanted it fast and since they are located in Indy I just drove up there and picked it up. Since I don't have a TV near my PC I am going to hold off on the Hollywood plus.

The Radeon does an excellent job of software decoding. It will do for now. Any plans for games coming out on DVD?