Do you need an extra card to play dvd's?

TorqueTorque
edited July 2003 in Hardware
Cuz my comp has this real magic card... that plugs into my vid card and my monitor plugs into my real magic card...

haven't seen this comp in ages and it baffles me... seriously

but for an lcd to go into dvi connection in my vid card... what would i have to do with this real magic card?

thanks

Comments

  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    If the system is up for it, just use Power DVD. What hardware are you running?

    Otherwise youll have to connect the monitor's analog input, to the DVD board, and the DVI input to the graphics card, and switch mode on the monitor. This will only be possible if the monitor actually has two inputs.

    What monitor is it?

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    Thats the thing... i didnt buy the monitor yet... but its gonna definitely be an lcd... prolly a samsung like 172t or such...

    currently there is a connection between my analog of my ti4200 to a small circlular connection (could u tell me what that is) on my real magic...

    if i do it the way u say... i would have to switch modes when i watch dvd's?

    whats power dvd... could u explain that further?

    thanks
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    PowerDVD is a software DVD decoder.

    Back in the days of Pentium 2 266, DVD playback with software was poor, so hardware solutions were used.

    But now, systems are powerful enough to decode DVDs without additional hardware.

    get power dvd here http://www.gocyberlink.com/english/products/product_main.jsp?ProdId=28

    What spec is your system?

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    im runnin win2kpro on a 1.4 athlon... but no use describing this old thing.. cuz im gonna upgrade the whole comp.. prolly to a barton 2.5 with a gig of ram and some more stuff...

    so ure just saying that if i get this software.. i can rip out the real magic card?

    How do i know if my dvd drive can work with this power dvd?
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Your specs sound fine for software DVD decoding.

    Power DVD, and any other software DVD player should work with any DVD drive.

    What DVD drive do you have?

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    this is the one i have... Pioneer DVD-ROM DVD-115

    i also have that card connected to my sound card... as well as this thin gray cable connecting it to my dvd drive and to the sound card again... (thats two connections to the sond card)...

    with this software... i can just remove all these connections?

    thanks
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    That drive will work fine with any software DVD decoder.

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    thats good to know... but just to make sure...

    having that software installed.. is it fine if i just take out my real magic card and all its connections... plug my monitor into my vid card and thats that?

    dont wanna mess anything up :)
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Uninstall the Real Magic card and all its related software, install PowerDVD, and hook up your monitor directly to your graphics card.

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    after uninstallin all the real magic software... can i physically take it out, with all its connections?

    thats might be what u meant when u said uninstall... but im a paranoid idiot
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    Ye, the card too.

    Unplug all the shenanegins from the card, take it out.

    mD
  • TorqueTorque
    edited June 2003
    i really appreciate all your help man!

    seriously... thanks! :)
  • dydxdydx Cymru, UK
    edited June 2003
    No problem dude :D

    mD
  • DarkjediDarkjedi
    edited July 2003
    the cool thing about the decoder card is that u can watch DVD's on your TV with it. I do that and use a remote control for the card's DVD playback software. It's great!
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