Ok.. sorry for the newbie question.. But I was wondering....

I have been having alot of issues with playing DVDs from my harddrive... Ive tried all the software decoders i can think of and still have issues. So my question is, am i better off getting a hardware Mpeg2 decoder? If so, can someone suggest one they know will work?

I am strictly using this box to view tv shows and for my DVD collection i recently ripped to harddrive..

Thanks

 

MCE requires a hardware mpeg decoder for watching TV. Of course you're talking about MCE2005, right?

I was referring to watching DVDs and DVDs located on my HD.. I will not be using this for TV watching yet if ever.. It is strictly for watching DVDs..

I am only asking b/c ive had alot of issues with stuttering with all the software decoders and am getting pretty frustrated with em..

Thanks

hardware specs?
software/driver versions?

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http://www.spore.com/view/profile/Vengence_IRL

This is going into my current MediaCenter PC...

Windows MCE 2005
AMD 5600 X2 Dual Core CPU
Nvidia 8400GS video card OR ATI 1GB 3650
HDA Xplosion 7.1 Sound
ECS 6100SM-M Mainboard
4 x GB DDR2
200 GB 7200 SATA HD
10/100/1000 NIC

Well, there's no such thing as a hardware MPEG decoder (at least, none that I'm aware of), nor would Media Center know how to use it.  It does, however, care about the MPEG decoder software(s) that you have installed.

As for the stuttering problems:  have you yet installed the latest AMD dual-core optimizer for XP?  If you haven't, please do so - your stuttering issues should magically disappear.
And, yes, this is a legit deal, straight from AMD  (they have issues with core-core timing under XP, under certain circumstances.  MPEG playback in MC is one of those.)

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~Chris
'nearly every day of my life is some kind of computer hell'

Desktop: Shuttle SN41 (AthlonXP 2700+), AIW, T550, PVR-USB2, HDHR; server: Intel E6400 on I965P mobo, 2GB RAM, 2x 500GB WD, PVR500, NV DualTV, Saber2020, 2xHDHR; Xbox MCX, Xbox360

oops

I was referring to something like the old hardware DVD hardware decoders from back in the day.. that was an add-on to video cards.. I forget the name of the company that made em... eitehr ways I figured most modern video cards have some sort of hardware acceleration so that i do not need the card..

As for the AMD fix, i did try the older and newer patches.. I ruled this out because the same thing happens on my Intel system. I tried a fresh install of MCE with an Abit P35 chipset mainboard and quad core Intel chip with all other hardware the same... Same stutter issues, even with the Microsoft multi-core patch...

At this point, i am pretty sure its an issue with either an update to windows, driver version, or decoder version.. I say this because i am pretty sure i ruled out hardware from the various testing ive done..

Can anyone tell me what software decoder and version of the decoder they are using along with which VGA card they are using?

i actually do have an mpeg2 decoder board made from this company's chipset:

http://www.sigmadesigns.com/public/index.html

the card is a NetStream 2000.  I've tried it before, and it works great, but of course, you are limited to watching using an S-Video connector from the card itself.  and you would need to have your computer connected to the tv and your monitor because the desktop does not display thru the S-Video connector on the card.

but anyway...

you mentioned in your first post that you've tried several software decoders and that they all had issues.  i know from my own personal experience that i've had the most luck with the nvidia nvdvd decoder.  when you install the decoders, did you run the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility?  that will verify that the decoder you are using is media center compliant.  also, it will allow you to change which decoder is your default decoder.

also check to make sure that you've got hardware acceleration enabled during dvd playback.  that's a software setting for your decoder.  i know with the nvdvd software, the only i've found to change settings is to actually watch a dvd and minimize the video so that i could get to the nvdvd icon in the system tray.

salvador