Some Quick Questions

[bhylenski]

Hello All, I am new to this forum. I just started learning about DVD, divx, and a variety of technology's that will allow me to make and edit DVD's. I have read thru the initial "stickies" posted to this forum. I have POWERDVD player and another called Roxio DVD that came with my external DVD writer. I have downloaded FFDSHOW and Gspot to be sure I have the correct video codecs.

I am from the states but living in Japan for a few years and trying to learn a variety of this just via the internet. My access to a variety of hardware/software upgrades are via the internet. But am not sure what I will need.

I have spent the last few weeks reading thru a variety of forums and manuals trying to learn about the following two items:

1. How to play new DVDs on my existing PC?

I have a plextor PX708UF 8xDVD+R, etc. But when I play new DVD's via my notebook, the sound and video skips. Yet when playing on my DVD player via tv it works beautifully.

System Specs:

Dell Inspiron 5000e
Win 2000k pro
196mbs RAM
x86 Family 6 Model 6 Stepping 2 AT/AT COMPATIBLE 600mhz processor
5GB hard drive, with 120 GB external Hardrive.
I Have attached a txt file with some information regarding my display capabilities.

I wonder if most of my problems are because I am using a notebook that just is not capable of DVD functionality. If so, what are some processors/Graphic cards/video and audio card upgrades

2. How to play .avi files on my existing system. I have tried a few downloads and my system will play mpegs, mov, etc. but .avi files it just shows a black screen. FFDSHOW says I have all of the correct codecs and Gspot confirms it, but still no sound or video. I have checked a few files and they seem to contain data, but not sure if someone has a small .avi file that I can use to test my system.

Thanks again for your time, let me know what data I should update this thread with or if you have any recommendations for setting up my system.

[gd_nimrod]

You might want to invest in a whole new CPU because 600mhz is close to the bare minimum of ~500mhz which is needed to process dvd's perfectly - even then it might skip...

[bhylenski]

Thanks, I will look into that, any ideas on the graphics/display card. I doubt a new processor all together will play .avi's, and quick things I should know that I didn't outline above about my attempt at playing .avi's?

Thanks

[TNT]

I know this is kind of basic, but did you try upgrading your video driver? I had a similar problem and upgrading fixed the problem.

[sfheath]

avi's I thought were part of the basic Windows. Have you looked into Windows Setup/Multimedia to make sure video and audio compression is enabled?

[bhylenski]

Based on the reply's I have received both on this string and outside of the string. I have learned that my processor may be the main problem, along with a few other upgrades I could use. It looks like the .avi files I was using were fake files. I have finally been able to play back .avi files, but they still skip. I believe my Windows setup is correct. I was not able to find a specific setting for Audio and Video compression (win 2k), if you have a link for how to find or any tips, I can check that.

the problem with upgrading my processor is, it looks like it will require me to upgrade my motherboard. Which seems to be quite expensive. Dell in 98 started using a non-standard atx pin connector in there motherboard, so if I replace the motherboard, I also need to replace the power source.

Therefore an upgrade of this computer will be tough/expensive. Might be better to just by a new one. Anyway, thanks for everyones help. Do to my circumstances, I will probable just convert avi's to DVD's so I can watch them on the TV Player.

Any tips for upgrading a Dell Inspiron 5000e would be helpful. Thanks again!

[Deathangel]

I've built about half a dozen PCs and I think I can tell you with fair confidence there'd be singularly no point in upgrading a 600 Mhz PC - the money you spent would be better invested in a new motherboard/processor entirely. The basic spec machine I built for a friend recently (motherboard with on-board sound, LAN, GF2 Gfx, 256MB Ram, modem, DVD Drive, 40GB HD, case, PSU) was about £220 (about $330...?) - that's everything apart from the monitor, and that was an Athlon 1800, the slowest I could find new. I'm quite sure that the price will have fallen and the minimum spec increased since then.