DVD playback on SAM440-system?

[Amiga_CDTV]

Hello!
I have an Amiga OS 4.1 system running on SAM440ep, bought from Alinea Computer. The setup includes a DVD-drive but I cant get any of my DVDs to play. When I insert the disc it mounts on the desktop. When I open DVplayer (the one that came with ths OS) and select "Open DVD/VCD" the drive light starts flashing like its be trying to read the disc but it never gets any further. After that the DVplayer usually fails completely with Grim Reaper -notification. With newer DVplayer demo it (in most cases) gives my an error per every track of the disc complaining it cant open them.

The drive itself does work as I can play music-CDs with it and use data-cds. Also burning CDs works.

Should I have some extra stuff installed or am I just missing something? (This is my first OS4 system, which I have used for only a week now so its more than likely that I am missing somethings here!).  I have downloaded an utility to change the region setting of the drive, its 2 as it should. I have also installed Update 1 and 2 of the OS.

[Iggy]

Maybe you should post this somewhere where more OS4.1 user post.

My first reaction with a SAM based system is to suggest that its CPU isn't up to the task of DVD decoding, but that doesn't seem to be your problem (your problem appears to be software related).

Common guys! Any suggestions, alternative playback software, etc?

[Amiga_Nut]

Maybe you should post this somewhere where more OS4.1 user post.

My first reaction with a SAM based system is to suggest that its CPU isn't up to the task of DVD decoding, but that doesn't seem to be your problem (your problem appears to be software related).

Common guys! Any suggestions, alternative playback software, etc?

CPU is fine, technically a Pentium II 266mhz plays DVDs without dropping a single frame.

There was something you had to set in the old days for DVDs to play, DMA mode or something if I remember. Perhaps there is a similar setting on OS4 and the DVD drive is too slow in PIO/standard modes etc?

[JC]

you may want to try posting this question on amigaworld.net but there are some needed extra files and I do not remember what they are or where you are supposed to put them sorry, I have a 800mhz Samflex that i bought from Amigakit with same issues

[Amiga_CDTV]

Thanks for the ideas.

After searching the amigaworld.net I finally came across this nice little guide:
http://amigaworld.net/modules/features/index.php?op=r&rev_id=147&cat_id=4

After installing all the stuff mentioned there it works! Now DVDs play, perhaps a bit jitterly (not quite as smooth as I think it should be) but anyway it works. DVplayer doesn't seem to understand such thing as dvd menus (the menu is shown but it doesn't allow clicking on it so all I can do is to press skip to reach the video).

[Iggy]

Good work! Nice seeing someone figuring out a problem and posting the link to a solution.

Software may improve as OS4 matures and Hyperion learns more about using GPU based acceleration. Plus other software may suplant the media player you're using.

[Amiga_CDTV]

Thanks!

BTW; I came across this thread where the DMA mode is mentioned. After checking the status of my devices with "idetool -l sii3114ide.device" (showing best PIO) and changing it (as per the instructions on the thread) it now shows UDMA5 for the DVD drive. (Best pio vs. UDMA5 is 16 MB/s vs. 100 MB/s!).

I am not sure if this helped the DVD-playback jitter (too late to test now, 0:15 here) but at least this sounds like something that might speed things up in general?

EDIT: btw, the CPU seems to be at about 100% usage during DVD play. But as there are no settings for quality etc. in DVplayer I don't see much that I can do about it?

[Iggy]

The near 100% CPU utilization would point to a lack of GPU utilization.

I'm glad you've got it up and running.

I haven't had to make sure DMA was enabled on anything since I used an Alladin IV Socket 7 motherboard.

I'm impressed how quickly you and the person that suggest this got it together.

[Amiga_CDTV]

I wonder if there is something big still missing. As simple thing as running a screensaver full-screen ("Galaxy" from OS4depot) raises the CPU usage to almost max. Even the preview of the screen blanker shows about 50% CPU usage! :angry:

[Iggy]

That doesn't sound right. Are you sure that  CPU usage software reas correctly?

[Amiga_CDTV]

I am using an AmiDock- based CPU usage meter, just installed CPUinfo which is a bit newer than the one I used. It shows a bit more precise readings.

Some readings: workbench, no other programs running: around 2%, previewing ScreenBlanker: around 37%, running full-screen: around 80%, dvd-playback: constant 100%. During DVD-playback the value does relate to the video content, during black pauses or with little movement the CPU usage drops to 80-95%.

[Amiga_Nut]

What is the CPU/speed of your system and the RAM?

Even some 366mhz pathetic laptops with no graphics acceleration beyond 1995 VGA ISA card chipset levels  can play back DVDs via Windows XP and 192mb of RAM (or 128mb and Win2k) so I would be astounded if you can't get smooth DVD playback on a PPC board.

[redrumloa]

I would think it should be able to handle DVD playback. There's got to be an explanation.
 
Back in 2003 I was easily able to watch DVDs on a Pegasos I (600Mhz). On the PC side at least since I had a K6-2 400Mhz, probably much earlier but my memory is weak.

[klx300r]

DVD playback works fine with my Samflex@800 and AmigaOS4.1 Update 2..I never really did anything special other than install the OS and the updates really and it worked fine out of the box (I assembled my system)...actually I dual boot my Samflex with Debian-Linux and DVD playback works fine under Debian too though the system is more responsive under AmigaOS.

[Amiga_CDTV]

The CPU and RAM as per the Vesalia page ad. I will be back to the machine in a few days and I'll some more troubleshooting.