Do I need this DVD decoder for playing games? \ VOGONS

Do I need this DVD decoder for playing games?

Topic actions

First post, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2024-06-08, 05:04

Kahenraz Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 4585
Joined: 2004-01-22, 04:57

I've never had a need for one of these and didn't know their use case. Are these ever needed for games?

I'm never going to watch DVDs on my retro machines, but maybe some games need it? How slow of a processor is needed to make these useful and are there any DVD titles that will even run on that low end of a machine?

The attachment 20240608_005630.jpg is no longer available

Reply 1 of 3, by Matchstick

Posted on 2024-06-08, 05:30

Matchstick Offline

Rank Newbie

Rank: Newbie
Posts: 71
Joined: 2021-11-30, 17:27

Depends on the video card that you have.
Basically any video card after 1998-ish started implementing HW DVD (mpeg-2) decoding.
ATI Rage II+
nVidia RIVA TNT
3Dfx Voodoo Banshee

The biggest game title to make use of the DXr2 was Wing Commander IV DVD edition. Which if not patched requires that card.

Reply 2 of 3, by demiurge

Posted on 2024-06-08, 13:13

demiurge Offline

Rank Member

Rank: Member
Posts: 144
Joined: 2024-01-21, 03:06
Location: Onterrible

Matchstick wrote on 2024-06-08, 05:30:

The biggest game title to make use of the DXr2 was Wing Commander IV DVD edition. Which if not patched requires that card.

There were games that did require it but very few. Most of which shipped with the cards of this type themselves. There was the DXR2 and the REALmagic versions (the DXR3 was just a rebadged REALmagic).

LGR goes over that card in particular.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Amhqdbj0vpQ

Reply 3 of 3, by Kahenraz

Posted on 2024-06-08, 13:18

Kahenraz Offline

Rank l33t

Rank: l33t
Posts: 4585
Joined: 2004-01-22, 04:57

Matchstick wrote on 2024-06-08, 05:30:
Depends on the video card that you have. Basically any video card after 1998-ish started implementing HW DVD (mpeg-2) decoding. […]
Show full quote

Depends on the video card that you have.
Basically any video card after 1998-ish started implementing HW DVD (mpeg-2) decoding.
ATI Rage II+
nVidia RIVA TNT
3Dfx Voodoo Banshee

The biggest game title to make use of the DXr2 was Wing Commander IV DVD edition. Which if not patched requires that card.

Ironically, this came bundled with a RIVA TNT that was pulled from the same system.

Go to top of page Go to top of page

Back to General Old Hardware