[bbobbo]

i currently have a myhd mdp-120, and for the life of me, i cannot get stable dvd playback using zoomplayer or any other player when the card is installed. by "stable", i mean that if the card is installed, dvd playback will freeze the machine randomly--sometimes after 20 minutes, sometimes after an hour, sometimes a whole movie will play fine but the second movie will freeze, etc.


the problem is definitely the mdp-120 (the mdp-100, which i also have, also causes the freezing), because when i pull out the card--not even uninstalling the drivers and myhd application--dvds will play back fine. i've tried the card in different slots without any success. if you want a more detailed write-up of all the testing i did to isolate the problem, read this thread on the inmatrix zoomplayer forum (i originally thought the problem was with zoomplayer):

http://forum.inmatrix.com/ikonboard/...=ST;f=7;t=1879


actually, i shouldn't say that the problem is the mdp-120. rather, the motherboard i'm using--an asus p4b266--doesn't seem to work well with the mdp-120. i haven't seen anyone else complain about this problem, so i'm guessing it must be my motherboard. anyway, i've given up on the p4b266. right now i have to pop out the mdp-120 card and switch the dvi cable from the mdp-120 daughterboard to my radeon when i want to watch a movie, and then reverse the process when i want to watch hdtv. real pain.


what i want to know is, can someone recommend a motherboard that they are successfully using with both the myhd mdp-120 and can play back dvds (not using the myhd app)? successful means stable, no freezes. also, if you're using both successfully, could you list your hardware, software, and os?


if you aren't using both, please don't recommend a motherboard. thanks.


bob

 

[bugman72]

I am having the exact same problem! I have an ASUS K7V-m mobo. I'm not sure if this is an ASUS problem (seems awful conincidental if not). As long as my MDP-100 is physically out of the PCI slot, playback is flawless with ZP.


I have a query about this problem in the Official MDP-100 thread, in case you are interested. As of this precise moment, I don't have a reply.

 

[vfrjim]

Bob,

It is definitely not the P4B266 because I use the same board with my MDP-120 with success. I just did a reinstall of WinXP (My harddrive crashed) and did a clean install with SP1, did all the windows updates, DX9.0b, etc. I did NOT use the intel .inf chipset drivers though. I do not use Zoomplayer and use the MyHD app to play back DVD's when I want to use the MyHD card to play them back but other then that I use TheaterTek to play back DVD's. I know that you wanted people that had both, but I figured that I would respond because I have the same hardware as you and playback is fine.


Jim


PS: Using the .13 beta drivers for the MyHD card

 

[bbobbo]

jim,


thanks for responding. i should have written "successfully using with both the myhd mdp-120 and can play back dvds (not using the myhd app)?", since the problem occurs with other dvd players besides zoomplayer. i've edited the original post.


well, i'm glad to know that the p4b266 works for you--it gives me hope! i know this will be kind of a pain for you, but i've been frustrated so long i have to ask: can you list all your hardware and software? also, what are the intel .inf chipset drivers? i don't recall having to install that. do you mean the intel application accelerator?


here is my hardware:


asus p4b266

1.8a p4 northwood

512mb crucial ram

radeon 9000 pro 64mb

mit mdp-100/120 hd card

onboard c-media sound via spdif

nic pci card (not sure what brand)

matrix orbital lcd (connected via serial port)

gyration keyboard and mouse (connected via usb)

40gb seagate barracuda iv

pioneer 106s dvd-rom


here is my list of software and the order in which they were installed:


1 - c-media drivers v5.12.1.629

2 - asustek usb drivers v2.0.2100.2000

3 - ati drivers v6.13.10.6102 (catalyst 2.1)

4 - ati control panel v6.13.10.3015

5 - install plv70.inf files for monitor driver (created previously in powerstrip)

6 - powerstrip v3.40

7 - make dell monitor primary (for testing)

8 - sonic cineplayer codec v1.5

9 - zoomplayer v3.10rc3 professional

10 - daemon tools v3.23

11 - myhd drivers v1.62.1-e

12 - myhd app v1.62.1-us


the myhd version doesn't seem to matter, either--dvd playback freezes when v1.55.3 is installed. actually, the dvd playback freezes even when no myhd drivers or apps are installed but the mdp-100/120 card is plugged into a pci slot.


i'm very eager to see the details of your setup--maybe i can solve this mystery once and for all!


bob

 

[Cliff Watson]

"20 - intel application accelerator v2.3"


This could be causing some of your problems. Why did you install it?

"21 - dvd decrypter v3.1.6.0"


This could also be causing a conflict. I upgrade AnyDVD software recently and had problems play DVDs thru MyHD. Reverted back to an older version and all work properly including software DVD decoders (TT, PowerDVD, WinDVD).

 

[bugman72]

White there might be SOME correlation to #20 and bbobbo's problem, I don't think that #20 could be my problem. I am using an AMD-based machine and as far as I know I don't have it nor have a need for it, unless I am misunderstanding the purpose of the application.


It seems strange that I and bbobbo are experiencing the same exact problem when we are using two different chipsets. About the only things that we have in common with our setup besides the obvious myHD card and ZP is the fact that we both use an ASUS board and are running WinXP. As bbobbo mentioned, I don't think WinXP has anything to do with it, as I was experiencing the same problems in a Win2K environment.

 

[bbobbo]

cliff,


i knew i shouldn't have included steps 11-25--it would just confuse people. i've taken them out now. as i wrote in the unedited version, installing the myhd drivers and apps even after step 10 causes dvd playback to freeze up. even just inserting the card and not installing the drivers and apps causes the dvd playback to freeze up.


bob

 

[bugman72]

That's exactly my problem, also. As long as that pesky myHD card is physically installed in the PCI slot, I have lockups. Take the card out and I have flawless DVD playback.

 

[vfrjim]

Well, this is where are differences occur, my hardware is much different then yours, but at one point I did have a Radeon 7500 (cat 3.4 drivers) and did use the on-board sound card with the latest drivers from Asus's site, but currently I am using the following devices/drivers:


Nvidia FX5600U video card with 52.16 drivers

Powerstrip v. 3.46 build 423 (custom resolution of 1248x698 to remove overscan)

AnyDVD v. 1.4.4.1

M-Audio Delta 410 Soundcard with 5031 drivers

IOmagic PVR tunercard running Dscaler (latest beta's)

MyHD MDP-120 running .13 beta's

PowerDVD5

TheaterTek (1.5.0.56)

J.River's MediaCenter (9.1.316)

RealVNC v. 3.3.7

HotKeys Master v. 1.7 (I do not need girder/IRman anymore and this app works perfectly for me with the airboard keyboard)


When I reinstalled WinXP pro, I did not install Intel's Application Accelerator (I've had headaches with that in the past) or the chipset drivers from Asus, the default chipset drivers for the P4B266 worked fine from WinXP. I am running the latest Bios (1010)


If I forgot anything, just ask and if you want to chat, PM me, we are pretty local.


Jim

 

[bbobbo]

hmmm...i doubt nvidia versus ati is the solution, since the majority of people on avsforum seem to use radeons--surely someone else would have run into this problem.


the one things that sticks out is that you have an m-audio delta 410, which uses the via envy24 dsp chip, while i'm using the onboard c-media 8738 sound, and bugman72 is using the zoltrix nightingale pro 6, which also uses the c-media 8738 chip. maybe i'll have to try a different audio solution. do you remember if you had the mdp-120 when you were using the onboard sound?


one other thing--do you have a nic installed? if you don't, then that's another possible culprit. although, it seems like you have one since you installed sp1.


bob

 

[Rob]

I am having the same problem wiht my set up. It is a P4B266-C MB - 1.6A P4 - ATI 7200 - 60 GB Maxtor HD - M Audio 2496 - D-Link Wireless Nic Card - Pinncle capture card. The OS is XP - SP1 with ZP - sonic decoders - ffdshow - reclock & Dscaler.

This unit will exhibit the same problems. With or without FFDshow running. It will freeze at any time or play the complete DVD. After pulling out the rest of my hair Im at a loss as to what the problem is. I am figuring to change the power supply as it is a no name noisy 300 watt job which introduces a high pitch whine during audio playback. (Maybe Ill get lucky here)

This is a strange problem as the system has never crashed in the 2 years that I have used it. IT does work considerably slower with FFDshow and sometimes stalls for long periods of time during the start of a movie.

I was considering trying TT over ZP but since reading this thread I will anxiously await some direction before I decide.


Rob

 

[bbobbo]

rob,


i just want to clarify--you also have an mdp-100 or mdp-120 installed in your machine which causes the machine to freeze during dvd playback? or your dvd playback freezes even though you don't have an mdp-100/120 installed?


bob

 

[vfrjim]

I never tried the MDP-120 when I used the C-media card, I was using my HiPix (no problems then) and yes I have a NIC, I am running a LANReady Gigabit adapter (I gotta have my speed )


Jim

 

[Rob]

bob,


No, I dont have an mdp- 100 or 120, my machine exhibits the same problem. It is a random occurrence which I have little luck in fixing. I thought that maybe my NIC card was interrupting play back so I disabled it. No Love there. DVD playback still freezes. I have posted several times on this forum regarding this problem without a response. I figured that my wording was not clear.

Im desperate for a solution because it is embarrassing during movie night when the show stops. But when its going the show is very good.




Rob

 

[Karnis]

Intel 845WN mobo w/ P4 2GHz ...barebones mobo but rock solid.

Never a problem, and interestingly enough, it had BETTER PICTURE QUALITY than my previous ASUS CUSL-2.....whiter whites, deeper blacks and less noise, probably due to better components on the mobo.


Using MyHD 120 & Theatertek, never a problem. I dont use Zoom (dont hate me or flame)...I tried it very recently & found it to be very twitchy, bloated and just too much for my tastes....very little return for all that...stuff. It would crash anytime/everytime I tried to switch resolutions during playback. TT, WinDVD and even WMP9 handled this with ease.

I prefer simplicity over complexity...which may say more about me than ZP.

 

[bbobbo]

rob,


your problem may be related to bugman72 and my problem, but it's not exactly the same, since we both can get rid of the dvd freezes by removing the mdp-100/120 boards from our machines. my only suggestion to you, which may be a lot of hassle if you don't have a barebones os ghosted, is to start from scratch without the pinnacle card or the nic installed (hardware or software) and see if dvd playback still freezes.


i can sympathize with the embarrassment thing--i was going through the same thing until i finally figured out that the myhd card was the problem. popping out the mdp-100 before movies wasn't too bad, but with the mdp-120 i have to pop out the card and switch dvi cables, which is a real pain.


bob

 

[bbobbo]

jim: i'm strongly leaning toward the soundcard being the problem. i think i'll have to order the m-audio delta 410 to see if that solves everything for me.


karnis: what kind of soundcard do you use?


bob

 

[bugman72]

Does anyone know if this card uses the C-Media chipset? I don't want to get rid of my Nightingale Pro 6, but if I have to I want to get an inexpensive, yet fully capable sound card.

 

[vfrjim]

If I am not mistaken, the SPDIF from the MyHD card is used for the output when playing back DVD's when using the MyHD app for playback, I will have to verify that, but if I am not mistaken that is correct.


Jim

 

[bugman72]

I think that you are correct on this, but I don't want to have to use the myHD software for DVD playback. I like Zoomplayer a lot and need the added filters that ZP can use. Besides, according to what I've read so far on AVS, DVD playback isn't foolproof and always reliable.


If there was some way that I could use the SPDIF output of the myHD card for general HTPC operations, including DVD playback with 3rd party software, I would be all for it.