DVD players

[onbelay]

I'm running with a p3-450, a g200, and a CL DVD and I do not want to use the Dxr3 unless I have to. Limited pci slots. Does anyone have an idea of a good player to work with the matrox card? I was looking at the cinimaster but I know that there are many others out there.

Thanks
OnBelay

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p3-450, 128meg, g200-8meg, HP CDRW 8200, Creative Labs 5xDVD (no Dxr2) Vodoo2 16meg, GVCnicDSL modem

[Echo|Fox]

Honestly ... you should use the Dxr3. The only reason i didn't buy a decoder card when I got my DVD-rom was because I had a G400 and the dualhead DVDmax features was of use to me.
While software DVD on a fast CPU, like yours, is reasonably good, hardware decoding does look noticably better.
Still, the G400 uses the cinemaster player, and it seems to work just fine. No complaints here.

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P3-450@558mhz@2.1v, ABit BE6, 128megs 7.3125ns PC133 SDRAM, SB Live! Value, G400 32meg Dualhead (@120%), Acer ALN-201 PCI 10bT NIC, 6.5gig Seagate Medalist Pro 7200rpm, 13gig Quantum Fireball CR, Yamaha 4416e Burner, Pioneer 10x DVD-ROM, Panasonic e70 17" Monitor, Antec KS-188 24" Tower, 6 year old Honeywell-SUH 101key Keyboard, Logitech Trackman Marble+

[Zwisch]

you can always try software programs such as windvd or powerdvd and if you're happy with them, then voila! you just freed a PCI slot

[Pappy]

I have a Dell P2 400 with 128 mb ram, Sblive (platinum), G400 MAX. When I got my system it had a QI cinemaster hardware decoder. I also have use for the dual head features so i cannot use the hardware decoder. The DVD software that i use is from Matrox ans believe it or not it is much higher quality picture than my hardware decoder. I run my movies at the highest res i can with 32bit color depth it is beautiful and smooth...

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[onbelay]

Thanks for the suggestions.
I will try the Cinimaster and see how it goes.



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p3-450, 128meg, g200-8meg, HP CDRW 8200, Creative Labs 5xDVD (no Dxr2) Vodoo2 16meg, GVCnicDSL modem

[RAB]

Rather than waste $50 on Cinemaster, why not use it toward a new G400 SH 16meg. They are only about $120 and you get 1) a better videocard with bump mapping, 2) Matrox's version of Cinemaster and 3) you can pull out your old Voodoo2 to free another PCI slot. The DVD player with the G400 works great without a hardware decoder. 1024x768x32 will work without any detectable skipping.

Just an idea, but it seems to me to be a better deal than just buying Cinemaster.

RAB

[onbelay]

Very good idea Rab. I was just waiting a while, to see people's full opinion of the g400. Also giving the drivers a short time to settle. But it's been out for some time now, an without looking at the max availability issue, I would like to consider purchasing a 400. A new question however, How does the 16 meg single head compare to the 32 meg single head? And is the dual head the only difference in the two 32meg non max cards.

Btw, I now have a 17inch panasonic monitor and a 15" mag. I do not see me getting anything bigger for quite a while.

Thanks for your help again.

OnBelay

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p3-450, 128meg, g200-8meg, HP CDRW 8200, Creative Labs 5xDVD (no Dxr2) Vodoo2 16meg, GVCnicDSL modem

[RAB]

Two monitors? Sounds like you need a dual head. Here in Atlanta I've seen the 32 meg DH for around $170. The other guys here might have a better idea about the speed difference between the 32 and 16, but I would guess the real difference is in resolution - not speed. With a 17" monitor, you won't be going above 1024x768 and a 16 should handle that just fine. But if you go with the DH, I don't think you will find it in 16 - only 32. The only OEM choices I could find locally were 16SH, 32SH and 32DH and no MAX's. If you play games, the idea of using a second monitor as a "rear view mirror" sounds like fun. I ended up with the DH but haven't tried it yet.

Just like everything else in life, it all comes down to budget. But whatever choice you make, it will be a worthwhile improvement on the G200. But don't throw the G200 away. I'm sure you can find a deserving friend that needs a good cheap card for his second hand computer.

RAB