[ltp] Playing DVDs on a 770x

[linux-thinkpad@linux-thinkpad.org]

---- Mendel Cooper <thegrendel@theriver.com> wrote: 
> 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
> -- 
> The linux-thinkpad mailing list home page is at:
> http://mailman.linux-thinkpad.org/mailman/listinfo/linux-thinkpad
Again, for the "don't ask me why" column....
You might think about upgrading the 770X to a MMC500/750.
I did this quite a while ago and it did a great job of playing DVDs after the swap.
The box improved in every way faster even longer battery life.
It does, of course, require that the memory be swaped up to PC100 or
PC133 if you also kick up the clock.