[ltp] Playing DVDs on a 770x

[Mendel Cooper]

Hardware:  770x Thinkpad
           20 GB hard drive
	   192 Mb memory
	   DVD drive
           DVD Enhanced Video Adapter (accelerator card) (P/N 12J0411
           05K3044)
Software:  Mandriva 2007, 2.6.17 kernel  (xine, kmplayer, etc.)

All right, I'm out of my mind. I picked up a 770x (PII 300MHz, SXGA screen)
on eBay for pocket change. Got almost everything working under Linux,
although sound was an adventure. Now, I want to play DVD movies on it, using
the included (!) DVD drive.

DVD movies *will* play. But, the video is jerky, of course. The base
hardware just isn't up to it, and basically the computer is too slow.
I read somewhere that an 800 Mhz machine is a reasonable minimum for
playing DVDs.

However, I scavenged a DVD Enhanced Video Adapter, see above. It plug into
a narrow slot right below the battery bay. According to IBM, this ought to
enable pretty good DVD movie play because of hardware video acceleration.
The only problem is that Linux won't recognize it. DVD video still plays
jerky.

Well, why am I even trying to do this? Because of the intellectual
challenge, I guess. And, because I like banging my head against stone
walls ("It feels so good when I stop.").

Does anyone have any idea about where to find Linux drivers for the
Enhanced Video Adapter? Or any other ideas? Don't bother telling me I'm
a lunatic. I already know that.

Thanks.


Mendel