Thinkpads Forum

I just recently bought a used DVD drive. My CD drive went flaky.

Can anyone fill me in on what is the magic process to convince my 600x laptop to play DVDs.

My system runs Windows 2000. I don't think IBM really mentioned any details.

You need software to play a DVD. WinDVD typically comes with Thinkpads with DVD-rom originally installed. I prefer PowerDVD. Without Software, you won't be able to play DVD's. Otherwise, there is no "magic setup."

Does the "Enable Hardware Acceleraation" in PowerDVD work with 600x?
Or the best 600x can do is using software decode?

WinDVD website says it sells for $49.95 or $69.95. For that price, I could probably buy a DVD burner for a desktop. And if it you bought a DVD burner that never let you play DVD's, it probably wouldn't sell well. So, my guess is that'd give you all you need.

Am I just stuck until I cough up more money?

There is one room in the house where I have watched movies with a traditional DVD player. But now becoming summer weather outside, and so many windows in that room, there is too much glare on the screen most of the time.

If you buy a DVD-rom drive for your computer, most likely it will come with PowerDVD or some other software. Do you have a friend with this? To me, this is the best software. Also, there are free DVD players you can download. Cliprex is one such free software player (http://www.cliprex.com/). Maybe others here can recommend other free software.

Fragilexy, try this software on this page , scroll down to where it has a link to 2 different 16Mb MediaMatics DVD Express downloads .
http://forum.digital-digest.com/archive ... 888-1.html
I plan to buy a dvd . Let me know if it works. It seems to be software used by IBM and Compaq at the time and I scanned it there is no malware etc found. There is nothing on the IBM site except an upgrade, that will not work by itself.
Does anyone here have any definate info onDVD software for these 600s?
Is the video adapter an issue ?
Chris.

For 600 series, the video adapter is not an issue, but you will be able to play DVDs better with more CPU. I read somewhere that 300mhz CPU is really not quite enough, so you need more than this. My 400mhz 600E works great...I use PowerDVD.

That PowerDVD is too rich for me @ $70. Can you recommend some freeware to start with ? My cpu is 367Mhz with 192Mb ram so I think I'm Ok there.

Chris
PS- you forgot to paste the link on the 'exploded drawing' post . Thanks !

I have a 600X 650Mhz that came with Mediamatics DVDExpress and Windows 98 when it was new from IBM. I have the original CDs including the DVDExpress install CD. So when I installed Windows XP on it, all I had to do was put the DVDExpress CD in and install it again. Then I downloaded the upgrade off of IBM's site and it works great. I have tried other players, but I prefer this one because it works the best with this laptop. I don't know if it uses hardware decoding or software. I do know that my 600X's video is AGP.

I would recommend downloading the DVDExpress (not the best, but it will work) from the link above, then going to the IBM site and getting the update to it. I've read before on this forum that this works. Good luck!

Much appreciated . Ive got a bid in on Ebay for a drive and will let you know
if the setup works after its installed.
Cheers.

I just wanted to wrap up my hijack of Fragilexys thread, in case anyone does a search in the future.

I bought a bare bones Toshiba SDC2102, 4x DVd drive on Ebay for $14 and it fitted into the existing Cd rom drive caddy quite easily, except for the front panel with the blue eject button. This was difficult to remove but came off with some courageous but careful levering with a knife blade. The panel needed some serious trimming off of the tabs to make the panel button line up with the drive button; and some hobby plastic glue to re attach it.
(The CD's panels and drive front are slightly different from the DVD)

The DVD Express software and the IBM sites upgrade worked fine and DVDs play well with no jerkyness . The software will not allow a higher resolution than 800x600 to be used so I have to go into control panel/ display and 'turn it down' from 1024x768 each time, and back up again afterwards which is a bit tedious. The 800x600 playback looks just fine and I am happy with this very cheap upgrade.
Thanks to everyone for their help and input.
Chris.

Great, I'm glad the DVDExpress download and then the upgrade for the software at IBM worked. I had heard it does but never tested it.

The DVD Express software [...] will not allow a higher resolution than 800x600 to be used so I have to go into control panel/ display and 'turn it down' from 1024x768 each time, and back up again afterwards which is a bit tedious.

I have mine set to automatically resize the resolution and play all DVDs full-screen. There are two settings in DVD Options -> Display -> Screen Setting that you can check to force the player to automatically change your screen resolution and colour depth before playing your DVD at full-screen: check box for 800x600 and check box for 256 color mode. But I can also play DVDs without changing the resolution if I want.

I use DVDExpress version 5.01.04.164, but I think this setting exists in most earlier versions as well. This is with a 600X upgraded to a PIII 800MHz CPU.

I think the player will allow you to set whatever resolution you want (minimum 800x600), and the primary reason to downgrade your resolution is if your DVDs play jerkily, in which case switching your resolution to 800x600 at 256 colours may help minimize the memory/processor overhead used by the rest of your system while the DVD is playing.

[2nd edit: To rodgermcliff: I edited my post while you were posting, and added note about leaving it in 1024x768 resolution]

Phil.

parangles wrote:The DVD Express... software will not allow a higher resolution than 800x600 to be used so I have to go into control panel/ display and 'turn it down' from 1024x768 each time, and back up again afterwards which is a bit tedious.

Is this just on the 600 series? My 770's work just fine with DVD Express on full resolution (1024x768).

Thanks pkiff- I'm running the same version but in Options the resolution choice is shown, but its not active/greyed out- ie selection cannot made.
Same thing under 'audio output' options.I tried a reinstall but no change.
rogermcliff- Mine just will not run at all on 1024- an error message comes up- it doesn't even try to play.
Hey! What do I want for $14 ?
Chris.

I'm running the same version but in Options the resolution choice is shown, but its not active/greyed out- ie selection cannot made

Mmmm...that's interesting. I'm not sure what parts of the original posters system matches yours, Chris. I'm running Windoze 98SE on a 600X with the latest BIOS and video updates from IBM. Maybe there is some other difference between our machines?

Phil.

Good idea ! I'll check on the video updates .Display driver installed is NeoMagicGraph256AV. I saved the drivers that were on it coming from Ebay and then reinstalled them after a format and install of Win 2000 Pro. I think the BIOS is the latest - I'll check on Monday.
What CPuU do you have ? mine is 367Mhz with 192 Ram. A bit slow, but this DVD and software was in use on even older machines- ( I think).
Maybe it can't deal with Win2000.
Cheers,
Chris.

A couple things to check I think.

Drivers:
If you want the most recent video update for your ThinkPad you should use the IBM site. I can't tell from your posting if you have a ThinkPad 600 or a 600E or a 600X because I'm not familiar enough with the different hardware of the different machines. Different models actually require certain different drivers for certain items. Check the list on IBM at Software and Device Drivers - ThinkPad 600.

Windows 2000:
If you've got an install disk and license for Windows 2000, then you should follow the IBM instructions for loading your OS from scratch. For e.g., if you have a 600E, follow these instructions: Installing Windows 2000 onto a blank hard disk drive - ThinkPad 600E.

DVDExpress:
Again, which update you use for DVDExpress is I think related to which model you have. The DVDExpress version you and I are both running is compatible with 600E and 600X but not with the plain vanilla 600 I think (or at least, that is what the documentation says).

What CPuU do you have ?

My primary machine:
600X (Model: 2645-9WU, BIOS: ITET55WW), PIII 800MHz, 576MB RAM, 48GB 5400rpm drive, Toshiba SD-R6372 CD-RW/DVD-RW multiburner, Windows 98SE.

Obviously, our experiences playing DVDs with DVDExpress will be different! My current trouble these days is trying to get my machine to play DVDs with 5.1 Surround Sound when it is in my SelectaDock III -- attached to a SoundBlaster Live! 5.1 card and surround speaker set-up. DVDExpress won't help with that (no 5.1 output), so I am trying different DVD players until I find one that will play in full surround sound without skipping. For some reason, I get video skipping under WinDVD v.3.1. I'm hoping that PowerDVD will eliminate that, but have yet to test it. There is no video skipping on my laptop when it is not docked using either DVDExpress 5.01 or WinDVD 3.1.

Phil.

I don't know how you guys find all that stuff on the IBM site! I just spend a
half hour there being sent around in circles till I give up.
I installed a video driver from elsewhere on the site, but its older thanthe one at that link you gave me. I'll get onto installing that soon.
re BIOS- I'm too old to mess with flashing BIOS anymore. My nerves are not up to it any more ) Anyway, I feel pretty sure I have the latest version, but will have another look soon.
My TP is a 600e 26458AU.
I'll try to report back next w/end..... appreciate your help.
Chris.

Yet another final note in case someone does a search on this topic.

I installed Power DVD Ver 4 which was Ok, and then Ver 3 which was better
for me. Its for "350Mhz and up/OS up to Win 2000 -not XP " and it automatically reduces the screen resolution down to 800x600 and back up afterwards when it closes. Some barely noticable jerkyness like in sceens where someone is running, but not annoying. " a pleasurable viewing experience" as the advertisers would say. Thanks to you all !

Chris.