Thinkpads Forum

If anyone has the install CD for the 12J0411 Enhanced Video Adapter DVD RAM and video capture card, I'd appreciate a copy of it! It would have the driver and the Mediamatics DVDExpress software.

Actually, I believe the driver is available for download on IBM/Lenovo's site (MPEG/video capture??) but I cannot for the life of me find the DVDExpress software.

I'll compensate you at your discretion!

Thanks!

Thanks a lot for this!

I tried installing but it says I have to have supported hardware installed first. I guess I have to wait until I get the DVD RAM card I bought off eBay ;o)

I'll report if I have any issues when I get it, install it and try again...

OK, received and installed the DVD decoder card. I used the MPEG IV driver from the IBM/Lenovo site and it shows up as an audio/video device.

I then tried to install the Mediamatics DVDExpress software available for download at the Compaq site (recommendation from above-linked thread). When trying to do so, it reports I'm missing "Supported system hardware" and will not install.

I'm not sure how to proceed from here!

Thanks.

Sorry, I've no experience with your hardware selection. I've only used DVDExpress with a standard Thinkpad DVD drive to watch movies. For this use the Compaq software works fine. Good luck.

ftp://thinkpads.com/pub/
Burn the iso on a CD, install the drivers from the DEVA-Card, reboot, install the software, reboot, do not run the software, install the update from the IBM-site, reboot, enjoy.

MFG
el-sahef

Thanks, el-sahef, that worked swimmingly!

Problem now is I'm trying to play a DVD and it says "This DVD disc is for a region that cannot be viewed with this player". It's a commercial region 1 DVD (I'm in the US) and when I open the settings in DVDExpress under DVD Options --> DVD Region, it says "This drive does not contain DVD region information. When playing a DVD-video from this drive the DVD decoder's region will be used, but no decoder is currently available". The DEVA shows up as IBM DVD Decoder Card under Sound, Video and Game Controllers in the Device Manager. I've tried the other driver for the card I could find where it shows up as IBM CD1M MPEG-2 Decoder Card and got the same results.

I scanned the DVD drive with a drive region info utility and it comes up with no region and no region protection. Therefore, if the drive has no region info, can you set one through the DEVA? If so, I can't find a way to do so. Lastly, I downloaded TPZoneChanger which apparently was designed for Thinkpads...it reports Region 1.

Any idea what I should do?

Thanks!

This has never happened to me. Maybe you can set the region code again in the device manager when openening the properties-page of the deva or the dvd-drive (even if it already reports the right region)?

There is no way I can find to set the region for the DEVA in the Device Manager or any other way. Nor can I find a way to set the region for the DVD other than through the Thinkpad 770 Region Change software I found. Even then, it's stuck at Region 1 and when you change it, it changes back.

Not sure how to proceed...

Update:

I uninstalled the updated DVDExpress software and tried the original version and that works (kinda). Some DVDs play and others hang. Maybe a P233 doesn't do well with DVDs even with the DEVA...

You might be running in to problems related to your DVD player, not the DEVA. Old DVD players (including some that shipped with the 770 series) used to have the region code stuff hard-coded into the DVD player. Maybe that is why you weren't able to change the region settings via the software settings.

Also, some of those old DVD players don't play all DVDs so well. If you have an old player, you may have difficulties especially with "dual layer" DVDs, DVD-R, DVD-RW, and/or DVDs that are scratched or otherwise less than perfect.

Phil.

landsmarra wrote:Update:

I uninstalled the updated DVDExpress software and tried the original version and that works (kinda). Some DVDs play and others hang. Maybe a P233 doesn't do well with DVDs even with the DEVA...

You can play DVDs with a 233 MHz 770. For reliable operation, you should shut off internet, antivirus, etc. Make sure that you have all the latest drivers including the modem(?) and audio drivers and MPEG drivers. Load the basic version of DVD Express and then the update (which is a whole new version). Do a search here for more info.
(I have not used that 770 to play DVDs for many years and I know that there have minor changes in DVDs encryption, so not sure if there is a problem now.)

Phil/Roger,

Your points are well taken...

As to DVDExpress, the updated version won't play any DVDs at all. I tried uninstalling/reinstalling twice. It says it looks for a region code from the DVD drive and when it doesn't see one, it looks to the DEVA, but doesn't see it. The old version of DVDExpress asks on the first use what region code you want. But then it works with only a few DVDs. I assume the DEVA to be installed correctly or no DVDs would play. I realize we're talking old equipment trying to play newer DVDs that it was never designed to play...

That being the case, are there any other newer, more reliable internal DVD drives that work (or can be made to work) in the 770?

By the way, I am running the latest Win98 drivers for audio and MPEG (no modem installed). I have also tried ejecting the WLAN card before booting so it's not using any resources. I currently have no antivirus software installed.

I have tried enabling DMA for the DVD drive also. I'd consider Win XP where I can apparently have WMP work with the DEVA but not with a P233

Update:

Call me crazy but I decided to upgrade the computer to Win XP Home! It actually runs OK after disabling some services...anyway, reinstalled the DEVA Win2K driver and WMP plays DVDs just fine!

Except now I think the hard drive is hosed as it won't successfully pass a scandisk and I can't chkdsk /f it (even in Safe Mode).