DVD playback broken

[tatus]

TV-Server Version: 16764
MediaPortal Version: 16764
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: MCE 2005, latest updates
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 3500+
HDD: Samsung 40GB
Memory: 512MB
Motherboard: Asus
Motherboard Chipset: Nvidia
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 6200
Video Card Driver: 9.1.3.1
Sound Card: Creative Audigy 2 ZS
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: 5.12.4.1196
1. TV Card: Technisat Skystar2
1. TV Card Type: DVB-S
1. TV Card Driver: 4.4.1.5 (Technisat DVB-PC TV Star PCI (BDA))
2. TV Card: Hauppauge Nova-S
2. TV Card Type: DVB-S
2. TV Card Driver: 4.4.10.12. (Technotrend BDA/DVB-S Capture + Tuner)
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Nvidia Purevideo 1.02.223
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Nvidia Purevideo 1.02.223
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Astra 19.2
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: MS MCE Remote
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hi,

since quite some time I have major issues with watching DVD. With the latest SVN this is almost never possible. It is present since maybe half a year now, but it was working now and then (not not always).

What happens is that I insert a DVD, click on "DVD" from home, and then get a black screen, no sound. DVD drive loads data for a while then stops, or sometimes keeps doing something forever. MP unresponsive, have to kill process.

I have two different DVD drives, region code set to Germany, and trying to play German DVDs. The codec is okay, it works well with MS MediaPlayer. Tried different codecs as well (WinDVD 6 and 7, PowerDVD 7). No codec packs, the Windows install is absolutely clean (MCE, all updates, no other software installed on machine except MP and codec).

I know from some threads that some others have a similar problem but could not find it in bug reports.

Regards
Frank

[tatus]

TV-Server Version: latest (yesterday)
MediaPortal Version: latest (yesterday)
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: MCE 2005, latest updates
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 3500+
HDD: Samsung 40GB
Memory: 512MB
Motherboard: Asus
Motherboard Chipset: Nvidia
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: Nvidia GeForce 6200
Video Card Driver: 9.1.3.1
Sound Card: Creative Audigy 2 ZS
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: 5.12.4.1196
1. TV Card: Technisat Skystar2
1. TV Card Type: DVB-S
1. TV Card Driver: 4.4.1.5 (Technisat DVB-PC TV Star PCI (BDA))
2. TV Card: Hauppauge Nova-S
2. TV Card Type: DVB-S
2. TV Card Driver: 4.4.10.12. (Technotrend BDA/DVB-S Capture + Tuner)
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Dscaler
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Dscaler
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Astra 19.2
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: MS MCE Remote
TV:
TV - HTPC Connection:

Hi,

I have created log files, hope somebody can have a look into them.

I just inserted a DVD (purchased original, region code 3, identical region configured for both DVD drives). I just get a black screen, no picture, no sound, MP hangs completely. Attached is also a screenshort showing MP's process behavior. You can see that MP is using 100% CPU and is making lots of I/O transfer in an interesting manner. You can also see that MP does not refresh its windo area (I have switched to window mode to make the screenshot, but the behavior is the same in fullscreen). MPEG2 codec does not make a difference either, tried Dscaler, Nvidia, MPV/MPA, Intervideo. It is like this for quite a while, maybe 6 months.

Regards
Frank

[Spragleknas]

Are you by any chance using Nero DriveSpeed?

[tatus]

No. The system is totally clean, there is no other software installed than MCE2005, MS SQL, Nvidia decoder (currently), and MP plus Tvserver.

I use the MP internal drive speed control, should that make a difference?

Regards
Frank

[Spragleknas]

You could try switching it of. I remember that it gave me a hard time...

[tatus]

Thanks Spragleknas!

it now works although I have the impression that things are still not straight with the internal DVD player. The first times it hang with some crumbled picture after the first sequence, how I can play the DVD that I use to reproduce the problem before. Will try with other DVDs of course :-)

Regards
Frank

[Spragleknas]

Tip: I use Nero DriveSpeed + a batchfile to start and terminate DriveSpeed. This is the only way I can get DVD to work... silently.

[tatus]

This is currently the only blocking bug for me in 1.0 RC1. Are there any plans to get this working? For me, the fix is to disable the MP internal drive speed control. It really seems to be kind of timing problem. In my home, watching TV and DVD's are the most important tasks for MP, and the drives are really loud without spin control...

Regards
Frank

[tourettes]

Originally Posted by tatus

This is currently the only blocking bug for me in 1.0 RC1. Are there any plans to get this working? For me, the fix is to disable the MP internal drive speed control. It really seems to be kind of timing problem. In my home, watching TV and DVD's are the most important tasks for MP, and the drives are really loud without spin control...

Unfortunately there are lot of DVD drives that seem to be incompatible with the speed control that MP provides. As a workaround its easy to use some other 3rd party speed contol utility.

[Spragleknas]

A tip to those who are having problems with NeroDriveSpeed:
Try making a .bat-file that starts nerodrivspeed and then (after 10 sec.) kills the process. This made my Optiarc (NEC and Sony) work. If I did not kill the process, then no movies would play. (The drives will still be silent).

(Never got CDBremse to work).

If somebody wants my batch, I'll attach it "on demand"