How to get the Xbox HD DVD addon player working on your PC in 5 minutes flat

[rdjam]

HI all - I now have the XBOX HD DVD player working on my Sony Vaio SZ330 laptop.

But it was a long slog, filled with problems, since the PowerDVD software is so new, and support thin, as the software was released so close to Chrismas and is very sensitive to the version of your video drivers.

HOWEVER, I can now install and run the thing in less than 5 minutes.

So I wanted to share my experiences so that none of you would have as hard a time as me.

Below - I'll start with Nvidia users and laptops....

In following threads I'll go onto ATI owners....

[rdjam]

Problems? There's a whole thread that's become almost dedicated to some of the issues surrounding the installation of the newly-released Cyberlink PowerDVD software.

Nevertheless, once it's installed properly, it works like a charm, so it's only right that everyone knows what to do and what to look out for.

I'm going to start by laying out some quick rules, based on my installation on my Sony VAIO, using the NVIDIA Geforce GO 7400 (a mobile NVidia chip) - yes, this chip is more than capable.

HELLO! This post involves MODIFYING your PC installs and can be looked at as an informative guide. Everyone's system is different and your should consider carefully what you are doing at every step of the way so you don't mess your system up. I have to say I am not responsible if you bugger something up, but I'd also like to think that a lot of folks feel I give pretty good advice on the whole.

PLEASE read this post through carefully in it's entirety before beginning, so you understand all the steps, what you may encounter and where you are in the process.

MAKE SURE to leave ALL default settings in the NVidia drivers AND the PDVD ULTRA software alone. This version of PDVD ULTRA is VERY sensitive to any changes and doing something wrong, unfortunately, will permanently mess up your install and you will have to re-install to get it working again - in my experience.

If you have very high CPU utilisation and/or stuttering, or mess up one of the steps here - try uninstalling everything (PDVD ULTRA, and ALL NVIDIA software) from the control panel, then following this step-by-step guide. I had to install my setup 4 times before I got the driver combo right! Argh

My HTPC is based on ATI, so I'll be able to get to this later on for the ATI version of this post.

FIRST RULE: You MUST use version 9.2.9.1 of the Nvidia drivers for this software. Yes, some of you MAY get lucky with another version, but mostly you'll have a lot of trouble. I've heard a few good things about version 8.4.6.9 but I haven't tried it and NVidia only recommends 9.2.9.1

NOTE - this version was recommended to me on a Cyberlink help page, that the "CyberLink BD/HD Advisor" program directed me to. I have been trying to find the page again, but have been unsuccessful so far. It is possible that this version was recommended to me because of my NVidia Mobile GPU (7400) in my laptop - don't know for sure.

If YOU have been successful with other NVidia Driver versions then please post that info here, and your config, and I'll start keeping a record for everyone to review.

SECOND RULE: When you get NVidia these drivers installed, do NOT change the default values - the PowerDVD software is very sensitive to these changes and even the slighest changes within the NVidia Control Panel will cause much bigger effects within the PowerDVD player than you would expect, or even non-operation. If you want to make changes, get a calibration tool like Spyder2 and run a new color profile, or just use the color profile tool within POWERDVD ULTRA, as described in the NOTES at the bottom of this post.

RULE THREE: If you mess up and the PowerDVD software is not working properly, remove the PowerDVD software and ALL Nvidia software from the Control Panel (Add Remove Programs) - and then reboot. THEN re-install the Nvidia 9.2.9.1 drivers - reboot - then reinstall the PowerDVD player (no need to reboot after installing the player)

RULE FOUR: Make sure that you have plugged in the HD DVD addon and that windows has recognized and "installed" it, before installing the PowerDVD software.

OTHER THOUGHTS: NVidia typically only releases their drivers with INF files for their mainstream cards/chips and do not include INF support for OEM or Mobile versions of their chips - but REST ASSURED that Nvidia Drivers work with all versions of their chips. I will be outlining in my instructions how to get modified INF files for the drivers from a site called Laptopvideotogo.

OK - now on to the step by step instructions...


SETUP STEP 1) Attach the HD DVD addon player to your PC. You may as well get this step out of the way first. Windows automatically recognizes it and adds it to the system - you may also see a message where Windows is asking to go to the internet for the latest driver, but mine didn't.

NOTE: You will, of course, need to connect this drive to a USB 2.0 port, as earlier versions of USB are not fast enough to send the HD DVD streams to the PC.

Leave the HD DVD player connected for the rest of the steps. If it is not present during the PowerDVD Ultra install, then PDVD installs the Bluray version of the software instead...

SETUP STEP 2) What version of Nvidia drivers are you using? Chances are it is not 9.2.9.1 - so you'll need to download that now from here Nvidia9291

Alternatively, it can be downloaded here at LaptopVideo2Go. Save it, then run it, and it will uncompress to C:\NVIDIA\Win2KXP\92.91

You can then go to you display properties, choose the driver tab, choose update driver, say "No" when windows asks to go to the internet, choose to install from a specific location, then click on "HAVE DISC" and point the "browse" button to C:\NVIDIA\Win2KXP\92.91 - or wherever you uncompressed the driver pack.

If you are using an older version of NVidia Drivers, you can install over it - if you are using a more recent version, uninstall it before you install 9.2.9.1

As SOME of you may have found, NVidia does not include support for some of their OEM or Mobile GPUs in their standard INF files for their drivers. But the drivers do actually run with all chips. If you get a message saying something like "could not find a supported chip", then download the "modified INF" from the same LaptopVideo2Go link above, and copy it over it's namesake in the C:\NVIDIA\Win2KXP\92.91 directory before you run the install.

You may experience another issue also. If you get an error message during the install saying something like "Cannot find file NVDispSR.dll" then you have a problem due to use of English US vs. English UK files.

This is easy to fix. Don't abandon the install - just open a File Explorer window and go to the C:\NVIDIA\Win2KXP\92.91 directory. Find the file NVDispS.dll, right click it, then paste, the rename the "copy of NVDispS.dll" to "NVDispSR.dll" - note that you are adding an "R" to the NVDispS file.

There are several files that will pop up because of this error, but you can fix them all on the fly this way. BE CAREFUL, as a lot of the files have similar names - sometimes with one S, sometimes with two. You will be looking for the files that are exactly what is being asked for by the install, minus the missing "R".

If you were running a newer version of the drivers, you'll also get a message that the file being replaced is newer that the update you are applying - you should tell it to go ahead and copy over the newer file with your 9291 update.

SETUP STEP 3) REBOOT the PC after the NVidia driver install

SETUP STEP 4) Install POWERDVD ULTRA

SETUP STEP 5) Insert HD DVD disc and enjoy the show!!


NOTES: If your display is not calibrated, you may get worse color than you think you should have expected (I did). I highly recommend calibrating your display with Spyder2, or somesuch. However, for the quickest fix, right-click on the PowerDVD screen, choose Configuration, then choose the "Video" tab, and click on the button "Use Color Profile" - then click advanced and adjust your color properties. If your system is not calibrated, this may not be perfect, for instance you may get the colors right for the mid-tones, but dark and bright scenes may still drift into greens and reds.

In MY INSTALL, the "Enable Hardware Acceleration (nVidia PureVideo)" button is unchecked by default, yet the software is still using the hardware decode from what I can see. Checking this button (in my setup) causes everything to "munge up" and it stops working. I thought I'd mention this in case you have the same problem...

[rdjam]

This section is reserved for the ATI section...

EDIT: Hi all - I sat down to do the ATI version the other night and got a bit of a surprise. The ATI card I have in my HTPC is older than I thought and PowerDVD doesn't like it.

I am waiting for a new card to arrive now...

[rdjam]

This section is reserved for Audio help - getting multichannel lossless audio out of various devices, including laptops...

[wittangamo]

Thanks. Looking forward to the ATI section. I have an HDTV Wonder, Theater 550 and X800 Pro in my HTPC, running MCE over a wireless network to my Xbox 360 with HD DVD.

I'd been toying with the idea of a second add-on for the PC, and appreciate hearing from someone who has already taken the plunge.

[hdmi4ever]

Where is the 9.2.9.1 version? I can only find the 93.71 version.

[Jimwesternguy]

My MSI 7900GS-HD (HDCP compliant) on a C2Duo system works fine with the NVidia 93.71 drivers.

[halokilla77]

I got an ATI Radeon X300, can't wait to read your ATI tutorial...thank you so much!

[laric]

rdjam, can you tell us why you recommend 92.91 although Nvidia annouce Pure Video HD support only in 93.71 (WHQL) and 93.81 (beta) ??

--Patrice

[ashwincr]

I've a 7900GS with 93.81 beta drivers working perfectly with PDVD ultra and PDVD HD6.5 was working well before I got the Ultra too. I didn't have any trouble with 93.71 drivers either.

[Vern Dias]

I have a Leadtek PX8800 GTS TDH and the 97.44 drivers worked for me with no issues. I have set up a dual boot PC using an Asus P5B deluxe mobo and a core duo 6700 CPU. I have both a BD drive and the XBox add on, each one made available to only one of the partitions.

With HD assist enabled, both of my CPU's run at less than 25% decoding VC-1.

The only issue I have seen so far is a crash on the 1976 version of King Kong when the video and audio adjustment introductory test screen is displayed.

Vern

[yang88she]

I got it to work on my ati x1800go

I'll post pictures and a write up here as well...the only issues that I've ran into so far...is trying to get it to display on an external LCD

dvi to dvi isn't working

so i'm going to try dvi to a dvi/vga adapter and connect to an analog signal on my LCD

great write up to the OP

[VBlew]

I also am very interested in the ATI setup. I have the Powercolor X1600 Pro HDMI PCI-E. Same as the Sapphire version that others are using without success. It is working well out VGA, but will not run HDMI-HDMI on my Sony HS51

[JohnHWman]

Same as VBlew : got a Sapphire X1600Pro HDMI PCI-E and got not HDMI playback. Working fine from VGA.

[yang88she]

how does it look w/ the VGA?

i'm just hoping that the "HD" effects won't be degraded b/c of the analog signal

[Tedd]

Apparently there are two versions of the Saphire card. The HDCP compliant card has a DVI and hdmi out, with no vga. It has a HDCP compliant sticker on the box.

[yang88she]

well i got everything to work over vga

setup

laptop w/ 2.0 c2d, x1800go, 1gb ram, 24" gateway hd lcd
-the gpu is hdcp compliant, but will not work over dvi (only vga)

[Ruined]

The question is, how will it perform on a P4 3.2GHz with 6800GT AGP (*no* VC-1/H264 hardware accel)? I'm guessing VC-1 & MPEG2 titles will work fine but H264 will choke.

[jji666]

Great thread! Please post the ATI information quickly as I'd like to make a really good go at this prior to the return deadline for my hardware. I have a Sapphire x1600 Pro HDMI (the one with an HDMI->DVI port and a VGA port, the PCIe x16 version), and, NO, it does not have an HDCP compliant sticker on the box, but the Newegg website said it was HDCP compliant, and several threads list this model number as being HDCP compliant. I have been able to output movies in 1080p from the VGA using PowerDVD Ultra and watch the 2 HD DVDs I have. As far as I can tell they are full resolution. However, on my 47" 1080p Westinghouse LCD, the DVI input is clearly the cleanest (it took Powerstrip to get a decent picture on the VGA input of this LCD) and thus I want to get PowerDVD running on the HDMI->DVI output of the card.

When I install the latest ATI drivers alone (6.12) the card doesn't work at all on HDMI or DVI - blinks and the whole OS seems to be slowed -- but with Sapphire's latest HDMI drivers the HDMI->DVI output is beautiful (incidentally, the HDMI output sticks black bars around the whole outer edge of the display when not used with the DVI adapter -- any resolution for this?). But of course PowerDVD Ultra won't do the HDCP dance over this connection -- blinks like everyone reports until you change resolution -- and thus the only way to get the XBox HD DVD and PowerDVD Ultra output is over the VGA. Given that Cyberlink's own website recommends use of a DVI or HDMI output, I gotta believe that it is theoretically possible to get PowerDVD ultra running to the DVI of this TV. Anyone succeeded in doing that?

(WinXP SP2, AMD 4600 dual core)

Thanks in advance for the help!

[jji666]

Sorry for the dual post. Incidentally, I should mention, that Cyberlink HD/BD advisor gives me all greens, including referencing a digital display connection, when the Sapphire x1600 pro HDMI is hooked up via the HDMI->DVI port. I don't understand why the tool created by the same company acts differently than the player.

[jji666]

Just to update my questions and for others who have asked similar questions, I got a response back from Sapphire today which stated very clearly that the Sapphire x1600 HDMI Pro (and I specified the PCIe version) is indeed HDCP compliant and they don't know why it not functioning with HDCP on the HDMI->DVI output with PowerDVD Ultra.

But, they did have a different tech support email address for me to forward my question to at Sapphire to see if they have updated drivers. Wasn't it considerate of them to tell me to contact someone else in their own organization?

The problem is that the Nvidia based cards that successfully implement HDCP all seem to be well over $200, so the x1600 is the best budget card, but only if it works.

[yang88she]

well although my x1800 is stated as being HDCP compliant, i still have to connect my display through analog vga in order for it to work..

but it still looks incredible..

[BuGsArEtAsTy]

Originally Posted by yang88she

well although my x1800 is stated as being HDCP compliant, i still have to connect my display through analog vga in order for it to work..

but it still looks incredible..

Is it working at 540p or 1080p?

I have an iMac Core 2 Duo with GeForce 7600 GT. It's is NOT HDCP compliant but I can connect it up to a 768p LCD TV via VGA.

[jji666]

Originally Posted by BuGsArEtAsTy

Is it working at 540p or 1080p?

I have an iMac Core 2 Duo with GeForce 7600 GT. It's is NOT HDCP compliant but I can connect it up to a 768p LCD TV via VGA.

How do you tell if it is 1080p vs 540p other than eyeballing?

[rdjam]

Hi All - sorry - I had a bad connection while travelling over Christmas and it looks like the entire post never made it! Yikes.

I'm going to retype all the instructions from scratch over the next hour or so - bummer

My full post had the links to 9291 on the laptopvideo2go site, as well as the page on Cyberlink's home page recommending 9291.

It'll be up soon...

[MeWhoElse]

Easiest way to install PowerDVD 7 Ultra for HD DVD...
Since if HD DVD playback ability is not detected, the default/Blu-ray version is installed, simply rename the Blu-ray/default version (eg PDVDBD > PDVDBD.old) and rename the HD DVD version to the Blu-ray/default versions directory name (eg PDVDHD > PDVDBD)

Run the setup, HD DVD version installs regardless if you have the drive connected or "correct version drivers" running.

Works fine that way with 93.81 (even tested a DVD9 HD DVD on the DVD ROM drive)

[rdjam]

OK - the re-posted Nvidia/Laptop piece is up.

Hope this is helpful to everyone here and feel free to ask questions.

I find these install very quick and easy now, so I can try to duplicate some situations to help resolve them.

Right now I am working on a problem to do with Analog versus digital displays from the Laptop. I installed the software using my digital laptop display - and now the PDVD Ultra will not output to VGA analog, even though others are reporting it works fine for them.

I suspect that the software is usibg the install configuration as a minimum standard. So I'll be testing an install with the laptop configured as only outputing VGA analog (laptop display disabled) to test this theory.

I'll post the solution in the same NVIDIA/Laptop thread at top.

I'll have the ATI section tested out over the weekend.

Happy New Year, everyone!

[rdjam]

Originally Posted by MeWhoElse

Easiest way to install PowerDVD 7 Ultra for HD DVD...
Since if HD DVD playback ability is not detected, the default/Blu-ray version is installed, simply rename the Blu-ray/default version (eg PDVDBD > PDVDBD.old) and rename the HD DVD version to the Blu-ray/default versions directory name (eg PDVDHD > PDVDBD)

Run the setup, HD DVD version installs regardless if you have the drive connected or "correct version drivers" running.

Works fine that way with 93.81 (even tested a DVD9 HD DVD on the DVD ROM drive)

Hi MeWhoElse - Does what you are describing give you both HD DVD and BR versions of the Ultra software on one PC? So that you can run either or as you please?

If so, can you describe wjhat you are saying in more detail, so I can add it to the top posts?

Thanks!

[MidnightWatcher]

Originally Posted by BuGsArEtAsTy

Is it working at 540p or 1080p?

I have an iMac Core 2 Duo with GeForce 7600 GT. It's is NOT HDCP compliant but I can connect it up to a 768p LCD TV via VGA.

It will be 1920x1080.

[chlngr1970]

I just want to thank you for all your information. I will be picking up an HDAO when I go to Boise in February, and the required Vid card as well. You can bet I will be book marking these instructions for when I have all the parts!

My setup will be as follows

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
• Intel D965DH ( I think )
• HDCP Compliant Video Card
• 1G PC2 533
• 80G HDD
• 1TB HDD ( 2 X 500 SATA 300 RAID )

j