dvd playback is not smooth

[FOH]

When I play a DVD the video pauses for just a split second then continues. It does this every 2 or 3 seconds. Here is my setup:

Abit KR7A 133R Motherboard
AMD XP 2100
Pioneer DVD player
ATI Radeon 8500DV
Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum

I'm sure it is something simple but I haven't had any luck finding it.
Any Ideas????

 

[DIRTsquirt]

Check and see if you have dma enabled for the dvd, in windows and in the bios
I am sure there is a faq in the faq link on The Anandtech home page

 

[FOH]

Thnaks for the reply. I forgot to say that I am running Win2000. I know in Win98 you can check the DMA in device manager but I can't find it in Win2000. Do you know if, and where it can be found in Win 2000?? I have already checked in the BIOS and couldn't find anything there either, maybe I missed it, I will check again. THANKS for your help!!

 

[FOH]

I looked in the FAQ and found how to change the DMA. I looked and it was already set to use DMA if available. Any other suggestions??? THANKS!!!

 

[DIRTsquirt]

I dont have an aswer but perhaps some snoopin around ant rage3d.com will turn up something.
I had the same setup you did but I had a gts 2 and i couldnt watch dvds either.. but that was a video card win2 issue
actually i had to buy hollywood decoder and all was well.
since switching to the 8500 all is well without teh decoder. except there are issues in some games (TRIBES, SERIOUS SAM SE)
good luck

 

[sandorski]

What DVD software are you using?

 

[FOH]

Thanks for the help all. I will look around rage3d.com when I get some time (I'm way too busy!!). As for the software, I am using the software that came with the Radeon 8500DV. When I start the program, all it says is ATI DVD Video 7.5.

It also says "Watch smooth, flicker-free, full frame rate, DVD movies on your PC."

 

[sandorski]

Try finding an updated version then or try PowerDVD/WinDVD. There certainly is no reason, hardware wise, that you should not have good playback.

 

[spanner]

Try different software, free up some system resaurces, check you hard drive, clean the dvd, do divx files play well? there is some kind of bandwith bottleneck somewhere

 

[Instagib]

<< Try finding an updated version then or try PowerDVD/WinDVD. There certainly is no reason, hardware wise, that you should not have good playback. >>

 

[FOH]

Thanks for all the replies !!! Here is what I have tried so far:

I downloaded the newest player from ATI (version 7.6). It says it is made for Win 2000 and ME, XP. I am running 2000. The first time I turned it on, I thought it worse-- it locked completely within 10-15 sec. I had to restart then it played about the same (choppy) for about half of the movie then locked again.

I put the DVD player on the secondary IDE channel as Master (as per ATI's recommendation) -- no difference

I completely uninstalled all ATI components and reloaded just the DVD player -- no difference

I uninstalled all again, then reinstalled all of ATI components -- no difference

I double checked all the DMA settings and BIOS settings -- no difference

I experimented with other settings in BIOS (things that shouldn't make a difference, but I thought I would try anyway) -- no difference

Tried different DVD's -- some brand new -- no difference

And finally I e-mailed ATI's tech support (since this is a new (and expensive) card, I thought they would help). They promised a reply in 24 hrs. -- That was 48 hrs. ago and counting. :|

This is a brand new system -- everything is new-- and all I have installed is the OS and am now working on the video card and all of its components (i.e. the DVD player) I wanted to make sure the basics work before loading all of my other programs and files. SO basically the system is empty and new -- it should have PLENTY of resources to run this VERY easily. I must have something set wrong, but I can't seem to find what it is. :frown:

Any other suggestion on what to try or look for would be MUCH appreciated!!! THANKS!!!!!!!!

 

[Instagib]

Try using power dvd not ATI player

 

[DIRTsquirt]

is there any cards in pci slot 1 (first one after the agp)?

 

[FOH]

DIRTsquirt:

I don't have anything in slot 1. I have the audio card in slot 3, and two modems in slots 5 and 6.

Instagib:

Thanks for the advice, I am not ignoring you -- honest You are probably right, using power dvd or some other program would probably fix it, but when you spend 300+ dollars for a companies "best" consumer video card, you expect it - and the software - to work. I am not ready to give up on it yet.

I would think that somewhere out there, someone has gotten this to work. I wouldn't think ATI would send software that they know won't work. HUMMMM come to think about it, maybe they would.

 

[DIRTsquirt]

Like I said check out rage3d go to the forums those hard core ATI fanboys should have a cure!

 

[Instagib]

<< DIRTsquirt:

I don't have anything in slot 1. I have the audio card in slot 3, and two modems in slots 5 and 6.

Instagib:

Thanks for the advice, I am not ignoring you -- honest You are probably right, using power dvd or some other program would probably fix it, but when you spend 300+ dollars for a companies "best" consumer video card, you expect it - and the software - to work. I am not ready to give up on it yet.

I would think that somewhere out there, someone has gotten this to work. I wouldn't think ATI would send software that they know won't work. HUMMMM come to think about it, maybe they would.

>>



ok

 

[Acanthus]

I have found that FSB overclocking can also effect DVD playback, while my whole system acts normal at a 163mhz bus (326ddr) i cannot playback dvds for some freaky reason, i get the problems you described above. If i reset my fsb to 133, instantly fixed.

Also on win2k pro (service pack 2)