What Do I need Exactly To Add A DVD Player To My PC?

[Salvador]

I'm wondering what I need? I know I need a drive, but do I need a compatible video card? What software if any do I need?

Also.. What's a good solid DVDROM to buy? I'm not looking to spend that much, but I want to get something decent. I figure I can always throw it in another system later.

TIA,

Sal

 

[Adul]

Video card doesn't matter, though the radeon line of card provide a much better playback of DVD video. To playback DVD, you need some software such has power DVD(is that right? I am brain dead this morning ). Or you can go with a hardware decoder such has sigma designs hollywood + DVD decoder. The nice thing about this card is that it gives you dolby digital output and excellent dvd playback on monitor or TV. (in my exoerience) Either option will give you a nice playback.

 

[Salvador]

Ok.. I need a dvd drive and basically just a video card, though some work better than others.. I also need a dvd decoder. Is that the software? How inexpensive is the DVD decoder and where can I find it?

I always wondered because when I was trying to configure a Dell system with DVD a few years back my configuration kept coming back as not being compatible with the card that I had chosen for the system when I added a dvd player.

Thanks again,

Sal

 

[LuNoTiCK]

You need an ide cable. You need a dvd drive. Now the video card doesnt matter, but if your processor is under lets say 400 mhz you might be better off going with the hollywood+ dvd decoder. It's a hardware decoder. If you have a good video card and a fairly nice processor I would say it might be better going with a software solution like windvd or powerdvd. Thats all you need.

 

[chuckieland]

you need dvd drive
ide cable
video card
a processor higher then 400mhz
dvd player software
and at least one dvd movies

 

[kgraeme]

The decoder can be either hardware or software. If your system is slower than 400 MHz, then you should get a hardware decoder. These can be found bundled with some drives. If your system is fast enough, you can use player software that can also decode.

In either case, you will need player software. Some video cards, like the Radeon and some GeForce cards, come with player software. However, if you buy a retail DVD drive you should get software as well as cables and a manual telling you how to set it up.

Based on your questions, I think that's the best advice I can give: buy a retail drive. You will find good deals on OEM drives, but you will likely just get a drive with no cables, software or manuals.

It's actually really easy to set up. If you have installed a CDROM or a hard drive, then this should be a snap.

Enjoy!

 

[MonstaThrilla]

I'd recommend Pioneer or Aopen (rebadged Pioneers) for kewl looking slot loading drives (like the ones in car stereos). They might be a bit loud, but oh so cool looking (especially when you paint them silver to match your aluminum case ). If you get a retail box of a DVD drive, it should come bundled with PowerDVD or WinDVD (both very good software decoders). I personally use PowerDVD because that came with my Aopen drive and Herc GTXP sound card...

 

[Salvador]

I have a 366 Celeron with 160 mb's of RAM running WinME. I think I have a 16mb ATI video card, but I haven't tried it out yet.

I understand the software decoders, but what exactly is a hardware decoder? Where does it go? PCI slot? I don't have any more of those.

I've got IDE cables and can find a manual online I think. I've also got PowerDVD 2.5. All I would need is a DVD drive and possibly a Hardware decoder then?

Sal

 

[kgraeme]

A hardware decoder is a PCI device, so you may be out of luck. Its purpose is to handle the processor intensive MPEG2 decoding. In your system, the hardware decoder card fits into a PCI slot. A short video cable runs from the video card's VGA to the decoder card, then the monitor VGA cable plugs into the hardware decoder. The audio is handled similarly.

Hardware decoders such as the Sigma chip in the Hollywood Plus purportedly provide better quality decoding and playback than software decoders. Personally, my experience is that with a fast system (800+MHz) and a good video card with excellent DVD features, I find the quality difference negligible to non-existent for most people. BTW, the 16MB ATI card is probably some form of 128Pro which would be fine for DVD.

I also experienced many more compatability problems with a hardware decoder and PCFriendly DVD features. And finally, the passthrough of the video card to the decoder card to the monitor does slightly degrade the quality of the display.

Bottom line: You don't have a free PCI slot, so you can't use a hardware decoder, and your system may not be fast enough to reliably use a software decoder. Thinking of upgrading soon?

 

[Noriaki]

Try reading here.

here is another DVD related bit, and yet a third.

The whole FAQ is good (see the link in my sig).

 

[Salvador]

Ok.. The card is a ATI Rage Fury 128 Expert 16 mb. I was reading somewhere on the ATI site where you could hook up a system through hardware, software or a combination. The hardware and software are explained by you guys, but the combination, if I understand it correctly, uses a the video card to take some of the burdon off the CPU. Will this work with my setup? I am so right on the edge with this 366 Celeron and I don't have a PCI slot to spare.

Thanks again!

Sal

 

[arod]

yeah the ATI card can support hardware DVD playback. If you only have 2 speakers I would use the ATI DVD player. It does everything but Dolby Surround Playback

 

[Salvador]

What do you mean by hardware DVD playback? Adding another PCI Hardware card or just adding the DVD drive and using the card and the player in conjunction with each other?

Thanks again,

Sal

PS.. Yes.. I only have 2 speakers and don't have any interest in tv out. My monitor is much better than my bedroom tv anyway.

A center channel is only needed if I'm not in the middle of my main speakers and I can live without rear fill or Digital Dolby on a computer system. If I really want the full experience, I will watch a movie from my HT system in the living room.

 

[arod]

Well this is what I'd do... Use you ATI 16 mb card with the ATI DVD player software.

I Ran a 32 mb Rage Fury with a k6-2 350 and ran just fine with the ATI DVD player.

 

[kgraeme]

Sal, you might want to check out the ATI DVD FAQ page. According to this, their minimum requirements are only a 200MHz Celeron. It looks like you're in luck! (I knew the ATI cards were better at DVD, but the party line has always been a 400MHz min cpu. Looks like ATI cards give a better boost than I thought.)

So go buy that DVD player, slap it in and give it a go!

My advice though, buy from your local retailer like CompUSA or Best Buy. They won't give you the best price, but if you need to return it they won't give you any hassle either. If I have any reservations about a purchase, this is the route I take. I'm more interested in returnability than price.

At CompUSA they have a generic brand called HiVal. When I bought my 6x DVD the HiVal was a Toshiba SD1212, a nice unit. I don't know what they are using now, but don't discount what appears to be a generic drive.

 

[Noriaki]

Your ATi Video card will have Hardware Motion Compensation and that will take some load off the CPU. Just make sure your player supports it (pretty much any should).