X21 - Dreadful DVD playback speed (SOLVED, used IBM player)

[bhtooefr]

I've tried to watch some DVDs on my X21 (see sig), and the performance was downright awful - stuttering ranging from every 5 seconds if there wasn't much action, to about every half second if there was a lot of action.

I was using the VideoLAN Client, because I can't afford commercial DVD player software, and would rather not pirate it. The movie was Matrix Revolutions (STOP LAUGHING!) in widescreen - no scratches that I could see, and it works fine in my regular DVD player.

Are my problems connected to VLC, a problem with the laptop, or something else entirely?

If they ARE connected to VLC, can someone suggest a good player? I know IBM had one, but I don't have it, seeing as my HDD was blank when I got this thing.

[pphilipko]

Is this the first time you put a DVD into your laptop?

[bhtooefr]

Well, I've tried it twice with the same DVD, and once with the LOTR:FOTR special features disc (I was going to test with LOTR:FOTR disc one, but it's scratched to hell, due to being in a disintegrating free DVD player)

It's worse at 500MHz, FWIW (to be expected, though, if VLC is using the CPU to decode the DVD).

It's also MUCH worse with the LOTR:FOTR special features disc. The sound is also loaded with static, and skips. No scratches on that, either.

Edit: If it matters, the DVD drive is FRU 27L4167. Internally, the drive is a Hitachi GD-S200 rev. A5 manufactured March 2001.

[dmdsoftware]

I have absolutely no problems watching DVDs on any of my X20s or X21s using WinDVD.

[bhtooefr]

I specifically didn't want to try WinDVD, because I don't have hardly any money

I'm downloading the trial, though. (I love having my parents' cable!)

However, come to think of it, I've got a copy of PowerDVD XP at the old house... Does PowerDVD tie itself to a specific computer? If not, then I'll also try that.

Another thing: IBM shipped Mediamatics DVDExpress with some of the DVD drive equipped ThinkPads. I don't have it. Is it possible to get it for free somehow?

Edit: Arrgh... It needs WMP9. I don't want WMP9 - I prefer to avoid it like the plague. I have a perfectly good WMP6.4 install.

[dmdsoftware]

I specifically didn't want to try WinDVD, because I don't have hardly any money

I'm downloading the trial, though. (I love having my parents' cable!)

However, come to think of it, I've got a copy of PowerDVD XP at the old house... Does PowerDVD tie itself to a specific computer? If not, then I'll also try that.

Another thing: IBM shipped Mediamatics DVDExpress with some of the DVD drive equipped ThinkPads. I don't have it. Is it possible to get it for free somehow?

Edit: Arrgh... It needs WMP9. I don't want WMP9 - I prefer to avoid it like the plague. I have a perfectly good WMP6.4 install.

I used WinDVD without WMP9. I don't like WMP9, so I refuse to install WMP9.

I know the IBM restore image of my X30 came with a fully licensed copy of WinDVD - so every X30 comes with WinDVD whether it came with a ultrabase + DVD or not.

I won't get into the details of where I got WinDVD for my X21.

[bhtooefr]

Well, I found a copy of "SoftDVD" (which is really Mediamatics DVDExpress) for the Roverbook N20U.

I'm downloading it, and once it's in, I'm installing it. I figure that even if it doesn't actually PLAY the DVDs, it'll probably let the IBM update work.

FWIW, I tried changing some stuff in the IBM update's INI file so that it would just install (changing "CheckForDVD" and "RequireDVD" to 0, like the "SoftDVD" has it's MMSETUP.INI).

And, the demo of WinDVD 7 that I tried to install refused to install unless I would install WMP9.

[bhtooefr]

This "SoftDVD" runs, but slightly worse than VLC. My theory is that it's tuned to the DVD codec chip in the Roverbook laptop, and it's incompatible with the one in the X21, so it's reverting to software rendering.

It's Mediamatics DVDExpress 5.00.00.39, FWIW.

I'm installing the IBM update to DVDExpress, which takes it to 5.01.04.164.

It wants to reboot, so I'll do that, and post AGAIN...

(Hint: not rebooting simply doesn't work. It gets a REALLY ugly picture, and forgets to scale to widescreen resolution.)

[bhtooefr]

Update time...

The IBM version gets really good framerates, with about 70-80% CPU consumption.

And, I found out how to get it to autoscale to widescreen.

Change the key "UpdateWindowSizeForAspectRatio" in "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mediamatics\DVD Express\Mediamatics DVD Player" from 0 to 1. That gets that fixed.

I'd still like to figure out the correct way to install DVD Express from the IBM update, without having to install a previous version.

However, here's how to do it the way I did it:

1. Download this entire directory: http://ftp.roverbook.com/NoteBooks/N20U/SoftDVD/
2. Install it
3. Download this update from IBM: http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... IGR-4GV37K
4. Install it
5. Run Software Installer and let it do it's magic, or run C:\DRIVERS\WIN\DVD\SETUP.EXE
6. Reboot
7. Run regedit, and change the registry key mentioned above - that'll make things much nicer
8. Enjoy!

[The Spirit of X21]

Awesome! Thanks bhtooefr!