Haig - DVD help?

[Tommen]

up

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Tom Trix

[GlowStars]

up?

What's that supposed to mean?

[cods]

'Up' was inserted by myself, and I assume by others, because of the lack of updates, and to keep the thread in view of people who should know what is going on, rather than on page 4+ of the thread.

[This message has been edited by cods (edited 09-01-1999).]

[cods]

Up again.
Has someone used the patch from Zoran as yet, or havn't they delivered? (Matrox should have it by now, surely).
Haig, are you back, and have you got anything from Zoran?

[Haig]

Hi guys,

Good news is that the patch and a new build from Zoran works fine for the softDVD.

Don't know when it will be released.

Bad news is that we are still waiting to see if anything will be done about the hardware module.

Once I get news on that, I'll let you all know.

Haig

[jedimasta]

So in the meantime, how do we initially set the region. I can't get past the install (not a scsi drive). I get the error asking me to use the matrox utilities to set the region which is currently at 0. Is there a reg key or ini file that can be edited to fix this?

[Angel2167882]

I saw you guys having the same kind of problem of me, so there is what Matrox told me: (have'nt tried yet)


Hello Sir,

I need you to remove the video tools, display drivers, Zoran DVD players, video card and the DVD module from the system. pretend that you just got the cards anew. Install the video card and the DVD decoder card (attached to video card), its display drivers, its video tools and then the DVD player version 1.10 that came with the DVD decoder card.

Keep in mind that you should be using the 433m drivers and the VT121 video tools.


Saad

At 04:42 PM 9/9/99 , you wrote:

/*
Hi! I've just receive my new Hardware DVD add-on. I've install it (physicaly), start-up the PC and the powerdesk found it instantly. Now, I've installed the driver/player with the CD included.

1) The program ask me to choose a region
2) The program restart my computer
3) The program installed SoftDVD
4) The DVD was playing correctly

But, there was a problem with the subtitle. There where no way to remove it. It have two "kind" of subtitle:
- The normal one included "on-screen" with you can change the language and that you CAN remove with the DVD menu or the SoftDVD setting
- The weird one with text in black box (like Close Caption on TV) that CANNOT be language changed or removed at all. (I've noticed at the begenning of the movie it was said subtitble was a courtosy of Regency bla bla... in the same black box at left-upper of the screen)

Anyway, this is just part of the problem.

I've noticed there on my Hardware DVD CD that the Zoran SoftDVD included was older than the one who come with my Matrox driver. So to try to fix the problem, i've try to make a kind of upgrade.

Installing Zoran SoftDVD2 (2.5 23_2.07) was a mess. First, it ask me to choose a region again. After coping files, got blue screen and GPF in the installation. After, i've play a bit in the configuration of SoftDVD2. I've noticed that there where more option enabled than with the "Hardware version".

Anyway, it was refuse to play DVD. So i've uninstall it. I've deleted all files in the corresponding folders.


There is where the problem REALLY BEGIN

I've put back (after rebooting) my Matrox Hardware DVD CD to reinstall the player correctly.

1) The install DID'NT ask me for a region
2) The install DID'NT rebooted my PC
3) The install start the Matrox DVD software (SoftDVD "hardware version")
4) I've got the following message box: <STRONG>Your graphic board doesn't contain valid region
information</STRONG>
5) Pressing ok, and the install shut-down.

I've try lot and lot of things:

- Reflasing the G200 BIOS (ver. 2.6)
- Reflasing my DVD drive firmware
- Delete all the "zoran" & "softdvd" key with regedit
- AND restoring (3 times) my GHOST file (backup utility) i've made just before all this and trying to re-install the hardware version.

But no one work, I always get the message Your graphic board doesn't contain valid region information

I think that the Hardware DVD dautherboard contain some kind of eeprom where is store the region. I don't know how it mess up, but if there is a way to reset this, please let me know!

So, I've payed 129$ CND but it not working anymore (it has work)


DESCRIPTION OF MY PC (HARDWARE / SOFTWARE)

***HARDWARE***
CPU: AMD K6-III 450MHz @ 100x4.5
M/B: AOpen AX59Pro rev. 1.5 (VIA MVP3 rev. CE chipset) with lastest bios 2.26
RAM: 192MB PC-100 (64x3)
HDD: 3 WD Caviar set on Primary master/slave and Secondary master
DVD-ROM: MATSHITA DVD-ROM SR-8583 firmware C61f on secondary slave
VIDEO: Matrox Marvel G200-TV AGP 16MB SDRAM with bios 2.6 - 20
NETWORK: Linksys LNE100TX PCI ethernet card
MODEM: SupraExpress 56i ISA
SOUND: SoundBlaster AWE64 Value ISA
and all the rest, floppy, printer, etc...

***SOFTWARE***
O/S: Windows 98 SE French 4.10.2222 (fresh install)
AGP driver: Lastest VIA GART ver. 3.55 installed in turbo mode (report to be at AGP 1x only by PCIList)
Display driver: 4.11.01.2130
Mini-VDD: 4.11.01.2130
Powerdesk: 5.15.022
Video Tools: 1.50b
DirectDraw/3D: 4.11.01.2130
Microsoft DirectX: 4.06.03.0518 (formaly DirectX 6.1a who come with Win98SE)

- NO powerdesk registry hack where used and no form of hacking too.
- A GHOST file was made in pure DOS before installing all this and this and did'nt help, so that's why I think this is a hardware problem.
- The movie tryed in my test was "Heat" witch is a dual-layer DVD


So if i took the time to make this message to you (Matrox Tech Support), please have the time to reply me.



Laurent Martin, Blainville (Québec)

e-mail: angel2167882@hotmail.com
phone: (450) 478-xxxx ext. 8161 (day)
(450) 434-xxxx (after 4h30 pm)


P.S. If you need my serial number(s) of the Marvel and/or the DVD add-on, just ask me

P.P.S. Sorry about my english, i'm a french guy
*/


Please email me with the result/outcome of the procedure.

Thank you kindly for your cooperation.

Saad Khoury
MGI Technical Support

Matrox Graphics Inc.
1025 St-Regis Dorval, Quebec CANADA H9P2T4
e-mail: skhoury@matrox.com
Fax: 514-822-6363
Please quote all previous messages when sending replies.
If you want more information please visit our TECHNICAL ON-LINE WIZARD AT : <A HREF="http://www.matrox.com/cgi-bin/mga/tech_support/wizard/tech_wiz.cgi]http://www.matrox.com/cgi-bin/mga/tech_support/wizard/tech_wiz.cgi[/URL" TARGET=_blank>
You should also go through our helpful faq's at : [URL=http://www.matrox.com/mga/tech_supp/faq/home.htm]http://www.matrox.com/mga/tech_supp/faq/home.htm</A>



[This message has been edited by Angel2167882 (edited 09-15-1999).]

[cods]

It does appear as though the DVD module for the G200 is doomed.
It was a cruel move by Matrox/Zoran to limit region changes in the module BIOS to 3 changes, in something that cannot currently be fixed/flashed.

While on the subject of BIOS, don't they all need a recharged cell to keep memory? Very tempting to try something with the cell so all BIOS updates are lost. May as well, cause the units useless now, and for what seems to be a long time into the future (if ever!). Haig's latest comments are not very re-assuring. "Bad news is that we are still waiting to see if anything will be done about the hardware module."

Also, take into account that the DVD module is not supported in any driver since 4.33/VT121, things aren't looking rosey for us G200 users with all addons.

Angel2167882, I got a similar reply from Saad some months back. I am now in the same predicament as you. I paid AUS$200 - and it hurts now.

my h/w
IWILLBD100 - PII450 - 256MPC100 - MMillG200 16MSGRAM - RRG200 - G200 TVout module - G200 DVD module - DiamMonster2 SLI - SBLIVE

[Rafael Martinez]

Any news about when the patch will be released?

I'm suffering this problem and I can´t watch my DVD collection.

Thanks
Rafael

[Haig]

No news yet Rafael.

Haig

[El Mariachi]

When will we ever see something from Zoran?

Is there a newer version of the MatroxDVD ? Newer than 1.10 ? Which is the shipping version....

Plz, the Zoran DVD player is the worst DVD player ever! If anyone knows where i can get a newer version, mail me! I'm getting frustrated!

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El Mariachi

[cods]

I've requested a refund, and Matrox Tech support have suddenly stopped replying to my mail.
I could not imagine a more unprofessional attitude and lack of experience coming from a major company's tech support group. I am now seeking 'external' advise. I suggest all DVD module owners do the same.

Matrox make this sound like it is Zorans fault/problem to fix, but Matrox prove their disinterest by releasing PD 5.25 and VT 1.51 drivers, which don't support the DVD module!

Not a great deal of help is coming from this forum either....MURC seems more of a social forum rather than support for real customers.

[This message has been edited by cods (edited 21 October 1999).]

[Rags]

Not a great deal of help is coming from this forum either....MURC seems more of a social forum rather than support for real customers.

Leave then. We don't serve customers, we ARE the customers. We have a common interest and we try to help everyone we can. When was the last time you contributed??

Rags

[Haig]

Hi Cods,

"I've requested a refund, and Matrox Tech support have suddenly stopped replying to my mail."

This is because tech supp DOES NOT deal with refunds. Whenever someone requests for a refund, it gets forwarded to customer service.

Haig

[cods]

Haig - I have seen neither hide nor hair of Customer Support since my communicae with Matrox Tech support, but Saad has replied and apologised for not replying as he was waiting for dates, but none are forthcoming.

Rags(!) - The last time I contributed was yesterday, and I will not leave - I will be here for as long as I am still in possession of this seemingly redundant hardware.
Sorry about the swipe at MURC, but you really do have to wade through alot of bullshit 'fun' threads to find key information.