unmei220 wrote:

Did anyone even bothered reading my post/question ? Thanks.

Yes and I have a DXr2 in a running system.
Though I use the DVD Player from Creative (that also plays MPEG2 Files). I haven't found another player with support yet.
It is a P166MMX system though.

Zup wrote:

sprcorreia wrote:

I still have my Encore 5x kit, with the DXR2 and a 5X DVD drive. I remember that back then it was great to have one of this kits. I believe Space Jam DVD came bundled.

And you did NOT go into a killing rampage?

Almost!! 😁
But movie apart the image quality back then was great compared to VCD.

To answer my own question, yes you can play DVD movies on a pci-based 486 using a Creative DXR2. My 486(s) have the UMC 8881/8886 chipset. I used a Cyrix 5x86-120 during this test.

I tested the card in Windows 98SE and Windows NT4.0 with a SCSI DVD-ROM and an IDE DVD-ROM. The SCSI DVD-ROM was SCSI2 and the IDE DVD-ROM was in PIO-4 mode using the onboard IDE connector (M919 motherboard).

In Windows 98SE, the resource meter showed about 44% cpu usage when playing a DVD with the IDE drive, whereas 20% with the SCSI drive. In Windows NT4.0, I only tested the SCSI drive and task manager did not show any cpu usage above that of an idle task manager. I had no issues with sound. My default resolution is at 1024x768, however I also tested DVD playback at 1280x1024 which also worked, but was not as clear. At 1280x1024, the VGA pass-thru isn't as crisp even when browsing around Windows, but not so bad that it would be noticed if using a CRT monitor.

From the incredibly low CPU usage, I wonder how slow a 486 CPU DVD playback will work with? I wonder why Creative set the system requirements to a Pentium 100; the pentium instruction set doesn't appear to be used in the Creative DVD Player's software.

At 1024x768, the DVD playback quality is quite good. If I playback at full screen, and sit back about a meter, I don't think I could tell the difference between that and software based playback on a P4+.

Unfortunately, PCI real-estate on a 486 is expensive. I don't think I can give up my 10/100 PCI network card for a DVD-decoder card, nor my PCI graphics and SCSI cards. The 10/100 ISA card just doesn't seem to cut it compared to PCI. Oh well -- it only cost me $7 to answer a question I've been wondering about for years. And you all get the answer for free!

This thread makes me wish I had held on to my Creative DXR3. At the time though, our slowest working computer was a PIII-800, and our fastest was a P4 2.8ghz. All had a Geforce 256 or better in them (except my dad's laptop). Add to that the fact that one couldn't easily get XP drivers for the Creative card and it all seemed moot.

IIRC, the DXR3 had gone into my PIII 600EB with a Geforce256. It wasn't needed then either but the ultra low CPU utilization was certainly nice. Decoding with the Geforce didn't get good for a year or two later too, as PowerDVD didn't support it too well.

Oh and I came across something REALLY interesting just now. Sliderrider is right, there were ISA decoders on the market. I found one. It's the IBM realmagic 3800. It's an ISA 10/100 network MPEG decoder card. It sounds like it's a NIC and MPEG (doesn't say which layers) decoder card in one package, but I can't pull up close enough shots of the backplate to see if it's got an RJ45 port on it or not. I know people are skeptical, but I'm pretty sure the EISA bus can deliver enough data to do this properly provided audio + HDD +CD access doesn't swamp it at the same time.

feipoa wrote:

I wonder why Creative set the system requirements to a Pentium 100

My guess is they did this because of the rapid improvement in ATA controllers. Pentium systems with 430NX, 430MX and 430LX have PIO-only IDE controllers. I think they may even have an ISA secondary IDE controller which the DVD may be attached to. Pentium 100 was right around the time of 430FX's arrival, with the first PIIX controller. Without DMA the CPU usage of a continuous 1.5 MB/s transfer isn't going to be trivial.

swaaye wrote:

feipoa wrote:

I wonder why Creative set the system requirements to a Pentium 100

My guess is they did this because of the rapid improvement in ATA controllers. Pentium systems with 430NX, 430MX and 430LX have PIO-only IDE controllers. I think they may even have an ISA secondary IDE controller which the DVD may be attached to. Pentium 100 was right around the time of 430FX's arrival, with the first PIIX controller. Without DMA the CPU usage of a continuous 1.5 MB/s transfer isn't going to be trivial.

Well they were playing it safe. It's better to ask for more than you need hardware wise than to not ask for enough. The decoder card pretty much takes over for the DVD portion of things, so as long as the CPU can keep up with the data transfer side of things, it should work. A poorly designed 486 system is going to have trouble bandwidth wise though if everything in it is ISA. I'm still floored that hardware MPEG decoder cards were made for the EISA bus.

I remember the Reelmagic cards. Space Ace MPEG edition, etc.

Instead of postage stamp unrecognizablee low color depth obviously keyframed video, you can enjoy full screen grainy blocky MPEG1 that gives VHS a run for its money!!!! 🤣 Paying big for an upgrade in video quality for those nauseatingly awful FMV games that I love looking up on Youtube so much!

Fond memories of these. My brother still has his Sigma Designs REALMagic Hollywood Plus decoder card. Was in a ton of his builds. I used it myself in a P133 for a while and it played DVDs well. The quality (both on VGA and TV out) blew software decoding out of the water and even surpassed some DVD players. Later I also had a Hollywood 2, although it was problematic and the quality was terrible. Brightness was off and I remember calibration rarely working. I'll have to try the REALmagic EM8220 Daughter Card I have for my Intel i740.

I remember my brother having an application that would somehow use the TV out on the REALMagic card and play DivX videos through it! This was awesome at the time when he had a V3-2000 without any other form of TV output 😁

Also IIRC the DXR2 is a rebranded REALMagic Hollywood Plus/EM8300. I seem to remember my brother using DXR2 drivers in Windows XP when the REALMagic ones interferred with Microsoft Office software and caused a BSOD.

UPDATE: After seeing this thread I thought I'd finally got around to actually trying the DVD decoder daughterboard for the Intel i740. Quality is good, although not as good as the DXR2/Hollywood Plus. You can clearly see interlacing on this board, although it could possibly be my source material which are VOBs copied onto the HDD; I'll try a DVD when I put a DVD drive in there. I'll update this post with a pic of the card and some screencaps of videos playing!

REALMagic Hollywood Plus could not Play any DivX file how ever the REALMagic Xcard can.
RichB93 that wrong that was a DXR3 that was rebranded REALMagic Hollywood Plus the DRX 2 come with AuraVision decoder.
The best are
1: Quadrant Cinemaster or ATi DVD DL Decoder
2: Creative Encore DXR3 or REALMagic Hollywood Plus
The best of all them is REALMagic Xcard
The 486 really is to slow for DVD/MPEG2 steams even if come with PCI the problem was with IDE speed wasn't fast enough the feed the decoder that why need min of UDMA 33 so something like a Promise Ultra 33/66 card should do the trick how ever can you try PIO mode 4 if your motherboard support it and don't used old DVD drive that half a$$ working get bew one it should work with any IDE port even the one's found on sound card just matter of finding the rigth dos drivers if needed go here
http://www.hiren.info/downloads/dos-files

One last thing RichB93 the REALmagic EM8220 is not a Daughter Card it a Add-on Media device.
This what a Daughter Card is something like a Wavetable Card, MIDI card or Apple DVD Decoder Card which plug in to ATI Video Card VIP/MCI port.

shspvr wrote:

REALMagic Hollywood Plus could not Play any DivX file how ever the REALMagic Xcard can. RichB93 that wrong that was a DXR3 that […]
Show full quote

REALMagic Hollywood Plus could not Play any DivX file how ever the REALMagic Xcard can.
RichB93 that wrong that was a DXR3 that was rebranded REALMagic Hollywood Plus the DRX 2 come with AuraVision decoder.
The best are
1: Quadrant Cinemaster or ATi DVD DL Decoder
2: Creative Encore DXR3 or REALMagic Hollywood Plus
The best of all them is REALMagic Xcard
The 486 really is to slow for DVD/MPEG2 steams even if come with PCI the problem was with IDE speed wasn't fast enough the feed the decoder that why need min of UDMA 33 so something like a Promise Ultra 33/66 card should do the trick how ever can you try PIO mode 4 if your motherboard support it and don't used old DVD drive that half a$$ working get bew one it should work with any IDE port even the one's found on sound card just matter of finding the rigth dos drivers if needed go here
http://www.hiren.info/downloads/dos-files

One last thing RichB93 the REALmagic EM8220 is not a Daughter Card it a Add-on Media device.
This what a Daughter Card is something like a Wavetable Card, MIDI card or Apple DVD Decoder Card which plug in to ATI Video Card VIP/MCI port.

Found it here. Obviously the card couldn't decode the DivX but it was decoded on the CPU then dumped into the framebuffer on the card I'd assume. My mistake on mixing up the DXR2 and 3! My EM8220 Malibu is a Daughtercard, it connects to both Vesa connectors on an Intel i740 😉

Oh that was know as Asus 740DVD Daughter Card which only work with Asus v2740 Video card and few other i740 clones but min didin't come with port or pins where not solder on oh I recall that Daughter Card.

According to the FCC ID (FQII740AGPSD) it's made by Joytech Computer Co Ltd. I'll take some pictures of it soon.

Here's a screencap from the DVD Station software

Only played around with it for 15/20mins. I expect that I used the DVD part for the first time, as the card came from a workstation at my dads work that wasn't used for DVD playback at all... Has a date code of the 34th week of 1998 for the Malibu decoder and 35th of 1998 for the i740 itself. I doubt I'll use it much as the machine I had it in now has my ATI Rage Fury MAXX in there which I received in the post today 😎 😎

Joytech made a lot of diff video card in hey days even thing from 3dfx, ati, nvidia, intel, sis, trident, s3 just name a few

Pictures:

Apologies for the average quality, these were quickly taken on my phone.

That still the Asus 740DVD Daughter Card there only one that ever made that Daughter Card far I know other then a few protype from Sigma Designs.
See this
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/vga/agp/v2740/740dvd-100.pdf
As I said before they work any i740 video card that has both port on the video card

shspvr wrote:

That still the Asus 740DVD Daughter Card there only one that ever made that Daughter Card far I know other then a few protype fr […]
Show full quote

That still the Asus 740DVD Daughter Card there only one that ever made that Daughter Card far I know other then a few protype from Sigma Designs.
See this
ftp://ftp.asus.com.tw/pub/ASUS/vga/agp/v2740/740dvd-100.pdf
As I said before they work any i740 video card that has both port on the video card

I'm still of the opinion that this is an OEM card that was bundled with the decoder, as the PCB colour differs to that of the ASUS and furthermore it matches the colour of this Joytech card. Saw the ASUS drivers etc on their FTP, they appear to be the same as stock drivers.

I recently bought a DXR2 card for my Pent 1 233mhz rig with win95 but I cant seem to find drivers for it. I either find dead links, Linux drivers or drivers that tell me they are expecting a later operating system. anyone help me out?

Maybe this ftp://78.46.141.148/driver/Creative/PC-DVD_DXR2/

elianda wrote:

Maybe this ftp://78.46.141.148/driver/Creative/PC-DVD_DXR2/

Awsome, thank you!