Playing DVDs with XP and 2.1 speaker system

[infofreako]

Hi, I own a set of Creative A300 speakers, which are a 2.1 set up.

When I try to play back DVDs, I have a lot of problems with audio playback; the sound cuts out and stutters, but the picture is fine. Oddly, I don't have this issue when I play games.

When I look in the audio set up for XP, there is no audio set-up for 2.1(but there seems to be every other option: desktop, monitor, quadraphonic, 7.1 etc.). So I'm sure the problem is because there is no configuration for the 2.1 speaker system. And, yes, I've tried all the other options and none of them work.

My system is a Dell XPS 600 system and I use Windows XP. I've downloaded all the latest audio drivers from Dell and none of them address the issue.

The audio device is a Realtek AC97 Audio version 5.10, produce ID 101/1.

I then went on to the Realtek website and downloaded the latest audio driver for AC97, which is hopefully the answer to the problem. However, when I tried to install it, I got the error message that "Realtek AC97 Audio has not passed Windows Logo testing to verify...Microsoft strongly advises not to install" So, I didn't install it.

Does anyone else have experience of this this problem? I've googled around and not really found much.

 

[BadBigBen]

DVD playback stuttering is not an AUDIO issue, per say...

How to troubleshoot playback in Windows Media Player 9

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/811982

How to Improve DVD Playback on Your PC

http://www.thecomputerdesk.co.uk/articles/8_3/how-to-improve-dvd-playba.shtml

Check also the DMA setting of the IDE controller that your DVD ROM is attached to...

Device Manager >> expand IDE ATA/ATAPI CONTROLLER >> double click on the device >> and check under the TABS PRIMARY & SECONDARY for DMA setting... if it is set to PIO, then DEINSTALL both Primary and Secondary channels and REBOOT...

reason: when XP detects 5 or 6 DMA errors in a row (or cumulative) it reverts from DMA to PIO (slow as a snail) so that you can access the devices to backup DATA etc...

also reinstall, or better yet, upgrade the DVD Player Software you use...

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[infofreako]

Hi, thanks for the response:

I followed your advice and this is what it states regarding the Ide channels:

Primary Ide:

Device 0

Device Type: Auto detection (unable to change)
Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode

Device 1

Device Type: Auto detection (changeable)
Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current Transfer Mode: Not Applicable

Secondary Ide:

Device 0

Device Type: Auto detection (changeable)
Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current Transfer Mode: Not Applicable

Device 1

Device Type: Auto detection (changeable)
Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current Transfer Mode: Not Applicable

P.S. I'm fairly certain that the issue is not the DVD software as I have the same problem with all the different softwares.

 

[infofreako]

Another thing, I don't really have experience of uninstalling drives.

If I uninstall, will XP automatically reinstall on reboot?

 

[BadBigBen]

here is your problem:

Primary Ide:

Device 0

Device Type: Auto detection (unable to change)
Transfer mode: DMA if available
Current Transfer Mode: PIO Mode

If I uninstall, will XP automatically reinstall on reboot?

Yes, it will...

if that does not solve the problem, then read the following article on the subject...

DMA reverts to PIO
The stuttering DVD drive or the lame hard disk

http://winhlp.com/node/10

Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."

 

[infofreako]

Eureka, it's fixed!!!

The uninstall didn't work but I went to that link and clicked on

http://winhlp.com/tools/resetdma.vbs,

which seemed to do the trick.

I don't really know how but I'm glad it's working.

Thanks for helping.

If it reverts back again, I guess I'll have to study that article some more.

 

[BadBigBen]

Glad that it is fixed...

and thanks for posting back that it is fixed...

now enjoy the flicks on the PC...


Ben

"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."