Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
to go with it.

When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".

One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's? I
thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.
Does this card eliminate the need for software?
(It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
out. )

Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
with win98 let such a card work? Will DVD software from some other
vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.

Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
enough.

Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
average, is AGP better? (The card is not here right now, and I don't
remember the make or model. I can get it.)

Any helpful comments are appreciated. Thanks for any help.


Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

meirman wrote:
> My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
> to go with it.
>
> When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".
>
> One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's?

No, if the computer is powerful enough.

> I
> thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.

It will, if the computer is powerful enough to decode the DVD video on the
fly with software. And anything resembling recent manufacture will.

> Does this card eliminate the need for software?

Yes. It's purpose is to offload decoding from the CPU.


> (It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
> digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
> out. )
>
> Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
> video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
> with win98 let such a card work?

Unlikely Windows has built in drivers but who knows?

> Will DVD software from some other
> vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.

Throw a dart, toss a coin, or whatever means of guessing you prefer. With
no information at all one guess is as good as another.


> Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
> vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
> enough.

http://www.3dgw.com/review/pure3d/pure3dreview.htm
http://www.quake2.com/qw/Pure3D.htm

Probably too old to be of much use.

>
> Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
> average, is AGP better?

For 3D and gaming, yes. For 2D (office apps) is doesn't really matter (vs a
PCI card).

> (The card is not here right now, and I don't
> remember the make or model. I can get it.)
>
> Any helpful comments are appreciated. Thanks for any help.
>
>
> Meirman
> --
> If emailing, please let me know whether
> or not you are posting the same letter.
> Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

To keep things short and sweet, DVD hardware decoder cards were used back
when computers were slower (500 MHz P3's) and software decoding wasn't so
good. Now, computers are much faster and software decoding has come a very
long way. Basically, it's an obsolete piece of hardware.


--

Registered Linux user #378193

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 19:06:35 -0600
David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:

>meirman wrote:
>> My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
>> to go with it.
>>
>> When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".
>>
>> One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's?
>
>No, if the computer is powerful enough.
>
>> I
>> thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.
>
>It will, if the computer is powerful enough to decode the DVD video on the
>fly with software. And anything resembling recent manufacture will.

This new (to me) cpu is an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful enough?

>> Does this card eliminate the need for software?
>
>Yes. It's purpose is to offload decoding from the CPU.

Thanks. I get it. Like a real modem instead of a winmodem. (Except
that real modems are still better than winmodems, but people don't use
these cards much anymore)

>> (It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
>> digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
>> out. )

This one gave one long beep and three short ones, which I know you
know means bad video. I replaced the card with a simpler (older?)
one, and I've got video now. (When I get the rest working, I'll
revisit the video.)

>> Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
>> video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
>> with win98 let such a card work?
>
>Unlikely Windows has built in drivers but who knows?

I get it.

>> Will DVD software from some other
>> vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.
>
>Throw a dart, toss a coin, or whatever means of guessing you prefer. With
>no information at all one guess is as good as another.

OK.
>
>> Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
>> vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
>> enough.
>
>http://www.3dgw.com/review/pure3d/pure3dreview.htm
>http://www.quake2.com/qw/Pure3D.htm
>
>Probably too old to be of much use.

OK. I'm looking at the webpages anyhow.

>> Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
>> average, is AGP better?
>
>For 3D and gaming, yes. For 2D (office apps) is doesn't really matter (vs a
>PCI card).

I really don't do gaming or 3D. I didn't think the guy who gave me
these cards did either. (There was this one plus I found another
he gave me a year ago. This stuff is mostly from 1998, but it's
better than what I have.)

Thanks a lot.


Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:47:34 -0500
Ruel Smith <NoWay@NoWhere.com> posted:

>To keep things short and sweet, DVD hardware decoder cards were used back
>when computers were slower (500 MHz P3's) and software decoding wasn't so
>good. Now, computers are much faster and software decoding has come a very
>long way. Basically, it's an obsolete piece of hardware.

Thanks a lot.

Well, what I am assembling now uses an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful
enough?

Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

"meirman" <meirman@invalid.com> wrote in message
news:0e6j31hqroot37tuttg45jhcs4k1soeacd@4ax.com...
> In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:47:34 -0500
> Ruel Smith <NoWay@NoWhere.com> posted:
>
> >To keep things short and sweet, DVD hardware decoder cards were used back
> >when computers were slower (500 MHz P3's) and software decoding wasn't so
> >good. Now, computers are much faster and software decoding has come a
very
> >long way. Basically, it's an obsolete piece of hardware.
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
> Well, what I am assembling now uses an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful
> enough?
>
> Meirman
> --
> If emailing, please let me know whether
> or not you are posting the same letter.
> Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

I have a 300MHZ P2 that came with a software decoder. It doesn't even have
Fast Forward so I'm guessing it's the practical minimum.
HTH

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

meirman wrote:

> In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 19:06:35 -0600
> David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:
>
>
>>meirman wrote:
>>
>>>My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
>>>to go with it.
>>>
>>>When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".
>>>
>>>One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's?
>>
>>No, if the computer is powerful enough.
>>
>>
>>> I
>>>thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.
>>
>>It will, if the computer is powerful enough to decode the DVD video on the
>>fly with software. And anything resembling recent manufacture will.
>
>
> This new (to me) cpu is an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful enough?

Sure

>
>
>>>Does this card eliminate the need for software?
>>
>>Yes. It's purpose is to offload decoding from the CPU.
>
>
> Thanks. I get it. Like a real modem instead of a winmodem. (Except
> that real modems are still better than winmodems, but people don't use
> these cards much anymore)

That's a fair analogy.


>>> (It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
>>>digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
>>>out. )
>
>
> This one gave one long beep and three short ones, which I know you
> know means bad video. I replaced the card with a simpler (older?)
> one, and I've got video now. (When I get the rest working, I'll
> revisit the video.)

REALMagic doesn't have an '8300' listed on their web site but if I am
guessing right that's not a display card to begin with so it isn't
surprising you'd get beep errors. The usual way add-on 'decoders' work is
in conjunction with a display card, which is what the "vga in" you
mentioned is for. The display card does it's normal stuff and is "pass
through" connected to the decoder card which can then inject it's decoded
stuff into the video that comes back out the VGA connector to your monitor.


>>>Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
>>>video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
>>>with win98 let such a card work?
>>
>>Unlikely Windows has built in drivers but who knows?
>
>
> I get it.

Google can't find *anything* hardware related in conjunction with the name
"murex", much less a "3DVD", and nobody on ebay is selling a "murex"
anything in computer hardware or consumer electronics either (plenty of
murex sea shells though). A "murex" search on Windrivers.com,
winguides.com, et all, gets huh? If it's that rare a beast it's unlikely
Windows comes bundled with drivers for it.


>>> Will DVD software from some other
>>>vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.
>>
>>Throw a dart, toss a coin, or whatever means of guessing you prefer. With
>>no information at all one guess is as good as another.
>
>
> OK.
>
>>>Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
>>>vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
>>>enough.
>>
>>http://www.3dgw.com/review/pure3d/pure3dreview.htm
>>http://www.quake2.com/qw/Pure3D.htm
>>
>>Probably too old to be of much use.
>
>
> OK. I'm looking at the webpages anyhow.
>
>
>>>Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
>>>average, is AGP better?
>>
>>For 3D and gaming, yes. For 2D (office apps) is doesn't really matter (vs a
>>PCI card).
>
>
> I really don't do gaming or 3D. I didn't think the guy who gave me
> these cards did either. (There was this one plus I found another
> he gave me a year ago. This stuff is mostly from 1998, but it's
> better than what I have.)
>
> Thanks a lot.
>
>
> Meirman
> --
> If emailing, please let me know whether
> or not you are posting the same letter.
> Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

My friend doesn't do gaming, but he probably bought these cards so he
could connect his PC to the TV. That he does, up north and at his
mother's down South.

They are old, but I'm runing several years behind the times. I may be
able to use one or two of them.

What gets me is that he gives me the hardware, but never the CD that
came with them.

When I ask gently, that doesn't work, and it seems rude to be more
insistent.

Thanks again.

In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:46:11 -0600
David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:

>meirman wrote:
>
>> In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 19:06:35 -0600
>> David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:
>>
>>
>>>meirman wrote:
>>>
>>>>My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
>>>>to go with it.
>>>>
>>>>When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".
>>>>
>>>>One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's?
>>>
>>>No, if the computer is powerful enough.
>>>
>>>
>>>> I
>>>>thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.
>>>
>>>It will, if the computer is powerful enough to decode the DVD video on the
>>>fly with software. And anything resembling recent manufacture will.
>>
>>
>> This new (to me) cpu is an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful enough?
>
>Sure
>
>>
>>
>>>>Does this card eliminate the need for software?
>>>
>>>Yes. It's purpose is to offload decoding from the CPU.
>>
>>
>> Thanks. I get it. Like a real modem instead of a winmodem. (Except
>> that real modems are still better than winmodems, but people don't use
>> these cards much anymore)
>
>That's a fair analogy.
>
>
>>>> (It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
>>>>digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
>>>>out. )
>>
>>
>> This one gave one long beep and three short ones, which I know you
>> know means bad video. I replaced the card with a simpler (older?)
>> one, and I've got video now. (When I get the rest working, I'll
>> revisit the video.)
>
>REALMagic doesn't have an '8300' listed on their web site but if I am
>guessing right that's not a display card to begin with so it isn't
>surprising you'd get beep errors. The usual way add-on 'decoders' work is
>in conjunction with a display card, which is what the "vga in" you
>mentioned is for. The display card does it's normal stuff and is "pass
>through" connected to the decoder card which can then inject it's decoded
>stuff into the video that comes back out the VGA connector to your monitor.
>
>
>>>>Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
>>>>video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
>>>>with win98 let such a card work?
>>>
>>>Unlikely Windows has built in drivers but who knows?
>>
>>
>> I get it.
>
>Google can't find *anything* hardware related in conjunction with the name
>"murex", much less a "3DVD", and nobody on ebay is selling a "murex"
>anything in computer hardware or consumer electronics either (plenty of
>murex sea shells though). A "murex" search on Windrivers.com,
>winguides.com, et all, gets huh? If it's that rare a beast it's unlikely
>Windows comes bundled with drivers for it.
>
>
>>>> Will DVD software from some other
>>>>vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.
>>>
>>>Throw a dart, toss a coin, or whatever means of guessing you prefer. With
>>>no information at all one guess is as good as another.
>>
>>
>> OK.
>>
>>>>Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
>>>>vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
>>>>enough.
>>>
>>>http://www.3dgw.com/review/pure3d/pure3dreview.htm
>>>http://www.quake2.com/qw/Pure3D.htm
>>>
>>>Probably too old to be of much use.
>>
>>
>> OK. I'm looking at the webpages anyhow.
>>
>>
>>>>Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
>>>>average, is AGP better?
>>>
>>>For 3D and gaming, yes. For 2D (office apps) is doesn't really matter (vs a
>>>PCI card).
>>
>>
>> I really don't do gaming or 3D. I didn't think the guy who gave me
>> these cards did either. (There was this one plus I found another
>> he gave me a year ago. This stuff is mostly from 1998, but it's
>> better than what I have.)
>>
>> Thanks a lot.
>>
>>
>> Meirman
>> --
>> If emailing, please let me know whether
>> or not you are posting the same letter.
>> Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.


Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Ruel Smith <NoWay@NoWhere.com> wrote:

>To keep things short and sweet, DVD hardware decoder cards were
>used back when computers were slower (500 MHz P3's) and software
>decoding wasn't so good. Now, computers are much faster and
>software decoding has come a very long way. Basically, it's an
>obsolete piece of hardware.

On the Windows 95 CD there was a Rob Roy video. Back then I had a
386/486. I used that video as a benchmark while upgrading. I stopped
that years ago after more than about nine instances could be tiled
on the monitor all very smooth with audio going at the same time
(staggered to produce an echo). How sweet it is.

I wonder why Microsoft stopped allowing multiple instances of Media
Player.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

meirman wrote:

> My friend doesn't do gaming, but he probably bought these cards so he
> could connect his PC to the TV. That he does, up north and at his
> mother's down South.

Certainly makes sense.

>
> They are old, but I'm runing several years behind the times. I may be
> able to use one or two of them.
>
> What gets me is that he gives me the hardware, but never the CD that
> came with them.
>
> When I ask gently, that doesn't work, and it seems rude to be more
> insistent.
>
> Thanks again.
>
> In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Thu, 17 Mar 2005 11:46:11 -0600
> David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:
>
>
>>meirman wrote:
>>
>>
>>>In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 19:06:35 -0600
>>>David Maynard <nospam@private.net> posted:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>meirman wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>My friend gives me a lot of old hardware, but usually no explanation
>>>>>to go with it.
>>>>>
>>>>>When he upgraded many computers he gave me various "video cards".
>>>>>
>>>>>One is labelled DVD/MPEG-2 decoder. Do I need this to play dvd's?
>>>>
>>>>No, if the computer is powerful enough.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>I
>>>>>thought if I had a DVD drive and the right software, that would do it.
>>>>
>>>>It will, if the computer is powerful enough to decode the DVD video on the
>>>>fly with software. And anything resembling recent manufacture will.
>>>
>>>
>>>This new (to me) cpu is an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful enough?
>>
>>Sure
>>
>>
>>>
>>>>>Does this card eliminate the need for software?
>>>>
>>>>Yes. It's purpose is to offload decoding from the CPU.
>>>
>>>
>>>Thanks. I get it. Like a real modem instead of a winmodem. (Except
>>>that real modems are still better than winmodems, but people don't use
>>>these cards much anymore)
>>
>>That's a fair analogy.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>> (It's a REALmagic 8300. It has a lot of jacks. Line out,
>>>>>digital out, tv out, and vga in (in addition to the 15 pin monitor
>>>>>out. )
>>>
>>>
>>>This one gave one long beep and three short ones, which I know you
>>>know means bad video. I replaced the card with a simpler (older?)
>>>one, and I've got video now. (When I get the rest working, I'll
>>>revisit the video.)
>>
>>REALMagic doesn't have an '8300' listed on their web site but if I am
>>guessing right that's not a display card to begin with so it isn't
>>surprising you'd get beep errors. The usual way add-on 'decoders' work is
>>in conjunction with a display card, which is what the "vga in" you
>>mentioned is for. The display card does it's normal stuff and is "pass
>>through" connected to the decoder card which can then inject it's decoded
>>stuff into the video that comes back out the VGA connector to your monitor.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>Another is labelled Murex 3DVD Rev. 2.0 but googling on "Murex
>>>>>video" gave nothing related to computers. Will the drivers included
>>>>>with win98 let such a card work?
>>>>
>>>>Unlikely Windows has built in drivers but who knows?
>>>
>>>
>>>I get it.
>>
>>Google can't find *anything* hardware related in conjunction with the name
>>"murex", much less a "3DVD", and nobody on ebay is selling a "murex"
>>anything in computer hardware or consumer electronics either (plenty of
>>murex sea shells though). A "murex" search on Windrivers.com,
>>winguides.com, et all, gets huh? If it's that rare a beast it's unlikely
>>Windows comes bundled with drivers for it.
>>
>>
>>
>>>>>Will DVD software from some other
>>>>>vendor work with this card -- I mean a best guess answer.
>>>>
>>>>Throw a dart, toss a coin, or whatever means of guessing you prefer. With
>>>>no information at all one guess is as good as another.
>>>
>>>
>>>OK.
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Another one is a Canopus PURE3D. It only has the monitor out jack and
>>>>>vga in, but if I'm not going to use other jacks, I guess that's
>>>>>enough.
>>>>
>>>>http://www.3dgw.com/review/pure3d/pure3dreview.htm
>>>>http://www.quake2.com/qw/Pure3D.htm
>>>>
>>>>Probably too old to be of much use.
>>>
>>>
>>>OK. I'm looking at the webpages anyhow.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>Another was an AGP video card. My board has a slot for that. On
>>>>>average, is AGP better?
>>>>
>>>>For 3D and gaming, yes. For 2D (office apps) is doesn't really matter (vs a
>>>>PCI card).
>>>
>>>
>>>I really don't do gaming or 3D. I didn't think the guy who gave me
>>>these cards did either. (There was this one plus I found another
>>>he gave me a year ago. This stuff is mostly from 1998, but it's
>>>better than what I have.)
>>>
>>>Thanks a lot.
>>>
>>>
>>>Meirman
>>>--
>>>If emailing, please let me know whether
>>>or not you are posting the same letter.
>>>Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.
>
>
>
> Meirman
> --
> If emailing, please let me know whether
> or not you are posting the same letter.
> Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Thu, 17 Mar 2005 15:34:17 GMT "T
Shadow" <knone@zilch.com.invalid> posted:

>
>"meirman" <meirman@invalid.com> wrote in message
>news:0e6j31hqroot37tuttg45jhcs4k1soeacd@4ax.com...
>> In alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt on Wed, 16 Mar 2005 20:47:34 -0500
>> Ruel Smith <NoWay@NoWhere.com> posted:
>>
>> >To keep things short and sweet, DVD hardware decoder cards were used back
>> >when computers were slower (500 MHz P3's) and software decoding wasn't so
>> >good. Now, computers are much faster and software decoding has come a
>very
>> >long way. Basically, it's an obsolete piece of hardware.
>>
>> Thanks a lot.
>>
>> Well, what I am assembling now uses an Athlon 800 Mhz. Powerful
>> enough?
>>
>> Meirman
>
> Ihave a 300MHZ P2 that came with a software decoder. It doesn't even have
>Fast Forward so I'm guessing it's the practical minimum.
>HTH

Yes, it helps too. I'm upgrading from a 200MHz processor so 800 seems
fast to me. Even 300 would be an improvement.



Meirman
--
If emailing, please let me know whether
or not you are posting the same letter.
Change domain to erols.com, if necessary.