General Troubleshooting: Questions, and Answers : CineMaster DVD Playback Card

[ Advanced Settings and Troubleshooting ]

Installation Question Quality Problems | Operational Problems Content-Specific Problems

> | Installation Questions
> Q: | When I re-installed Windows 98 in my system, CineMaster would no longer play back DVD titles. How do I get it to play again?
> A: | When Windows 98 is re-installed on a system that previously had CineMaster installed, it resets some important system settings that CineMaster needs to be able to playback DVD content. When CineMaster is installed AFTER Windows 98, then these settings are adjusted properly and CineMaster can playback DVD content. The solution is to re-install CineMaster, which can be done by following the procedure below: Procedure: Move the mouse pointer over the My Computer icon on your Windows 98 desktop, and click once on the right mouse button. Click on the Properties menu item with the left mouse button, and when the System Properties window opens, click once more on the Device Manager tab. Click on the small + sign to the left of the Other Devices entry to expand the list to see the entry for CineMaster (CineMaster will be listed here as a PCI Multimedia Device, because Windows 98 reset the system settings.) Click once on the CineMaster entry and then click on the Remove button. A new window will open asking you to confirm the removal; answer Yes, and the incorrectly installed CineMaster will be removed. You can now reboot your system, and reinstall the CineMaster DVD software by running SETUP.EXE from the supplied CD-ROM. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I updated my CineMaster driver software and/or DVD Player application. The audio plays and the counters work properly, but the video window is black.
> A: | If you update your drivers or player application and find that your video playback window is black, but everything else is working (audio playback working, time counter counting, etc), you can correct the problem as follows: From the DVD Player application, right click to bring up the menu. Choose "Settings" to bring up the Settings menu. Invoke the "Picture" tab. Press the "Default" button. This will return the Brightness control to the center position, instead of the zero position. This problem can only occur if you are using VPE (video port connection to your video card). Quadrant International is investigating the cause of the Brightness adjustment resetting to zero. Top Table of Contents
> | Quality Questions
> Q: | Why does my AC-3 audio sometimes pause or pop when I’m playing movies?
> A: | Windows 98 supports background processes, which are small software programs designed to improve performance of certain applications or perform other functions without requiring you to manually launch them. These background processes can sometimes interfere with continuous processes such as playing audio and/or video which have specific requirements for sustained data rates. These applications should be disabled whenever possible. Examples include screen-savers, anti-virus software, fax receive and answering machine software, Microsoft’s Office95 Fast Find, etc. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why do I get picture interference (e.g.: flashing, jittering, brightening/darkening, color shifts and tearing) on my TV when the monitor playback is OK?
> A: | DVD titles with Macrovision copy protection will produce these and other kinds of picture disturbances when the signal is routed through a VCR. This happens, even if you aren’t attempting to record the video stream. To correct the problem, eliminate the VCR by connecting your TV directly to the video output of the CineMaster card. Note also that Macrovision can produce the same picture disturbances on some directly connected television sets. Unfortunately, there is no way to correct this problem. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Widescreen Content on older 4:3 External Video Monitors
> A: | DVD titles can be authored in Widescreen (16:9), or in Normal (4:3, also called Standard or Full Screen) aspect ratios. Content formatted as 16:9 can contain information (called Pan&Scan vectors) that allows it to be displayed in 4:3 by showing only certain portions of the 16:9 frame. The authorship of the disc determines what is sent out the external video outputs. 16:9 (widescreen) external monitors can display either 16:9 or 4:3. Most new 4:3 monitors also support widescreen; when you send it a 16:9 signal, the image is seen as Letterbox (a 16:9 image with black at the top and bottom which fills out the rest of the screen). However, most older 4:3 monitors do not. Playing the widescreen aspect ratio and sending it to an older 4:3 standard monitor can therefore result in an unacceptable image, such as one that crops a portion of the picture or has the subtitles cut off. Limitations in these older monitors could only be compensated for in the content or by choosing the other (fullscreen) aspect ratio, if it is available on the disc. Such limitations cannot be corrected or worked around in the Cinemaster drivers. To further complicate this, few commercial DVD titles include Pan & Scan vectors, which are provided for, but not required, in the DVD specification. Cinemaster can play Pan&Scan (by changing the video format to Pan&Scan), but only if the vectors are have been encoded into the content in the first place. In the absence of these vectors, the Cinemaster driver has no choice but to display in Letterbox, even if Pan&Scan is requested. Users are cautioned to purchase external video monitors which support both 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios properly. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why don't I hear any DVD audio coming from my PC's speakers?
> A: | Check that the S/PDIF toggle button is NOT enabled. When enabled, DVD audio is sent ONLY to the S/PDIF digital audio outputs. You will still hear system sounds (e.g.: alert beeps, incoming mail messages, etc.) from the computer speakers. If you hear no DVD audio at all, check that the external digital audio components connected to the S/PDIF output are switched on and that their volume controls are properly set. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why can't I control the volume coming out of the S/PDIF digital output?
> A: | Digital audio signal is supplied from the S/PDIF output at a constant level because that's what external digital decoders expect. Adjusting the volume slider on the DVD Player application, or the controls associated with the sound card will not adjust the volume of the digital output. To control S/PDIF digital audio levels, use the volume control on your digital audio equipment. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why can’t I copy DVD output to my VCR?
> A: | Normally, you should be able to record any video datastream coming from CineMaster’s video outputs. However, any DVD title that uses copy protection will not allow itself to be recorded. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why is the picture quality to my TV set or VCR so poor when the monitor playback is OK?
> A: | The most common reason for poor picture quality is poor quality or excessively long connecting cables. Try to keep cables as short as possible (1 to 2 meters). Also, the presence of other electromagnetic frequency (EMF) generating appliances can cause interference. Refer to the FCC statement at the front of this manual for further suggestions in isolating and reducing EMF interference. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why does my TV set image roll or flip when I play certain DVD titles?
> A: | Be sure you are playing a DVD title mastered in the proper television standard (NTSC or PAL). CineMaster will allow you to play back either NTSC or PAL titles on the computer’s monitor, but signal passed to your external video equipment (including VCRs) must match the standard that equipment was designed to play. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I connected my TV to the CineMaster, but I still don’t see any DVD playback. How come?
> A: | Be sure you have selected Video In, Line In or whatever setting your TV requires to display directly connected video. If your TV doesn’t offer a choice of inputs, then you may need to pass the CineMaster signal through a VCR. Be aware that this method will probably produce image quality problems with Macrovision protected DVD titles. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | When using Windows 98 MediaPlayer to play standard MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 video files, I sometimes get thin, hazy lines along the left and bottom edges of the video display; why?
> A: | Most MPEG-1 and standard MPEG-2 content is not as carefully produced as DVD titles, and it is possible for these thin, hazy areas to appear at the extreme edges of the video content when played back. This effect should never be visible on professionally mastered DVD content. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why can’t I play encrypted (*.vob) files with MediaPlayer?
> A: | Media Player does not initiate the Authentication process necessary for an encrypted DVD stream to be decrypted. Attempts to play these encrypted files (with .VOB extensions) will result in no video played. The authentication process is initiated in DVD Player, which should be used to play all encrypted content. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why can’t I play certain unencrypted (*.vob) files with MediaPlayer?
> A: | Attempts to play unencrypted .VOB files works properly with most DVD-ROM drives, although some newer drives do not allow the playback of unencrypted .VOB files without at least basic authentication functionality. If you experience problems playing unencrypted content with Media Player, try using DVD Player to play the same content. If it plays, the drive does not completely support the playback of unencrypted DVD data. Media Player will typically play unencrypted .VOB files if you can see a directory listing of the files on the disc from Explorer, which works, for example, on a Toshiba DVD ROM drive. Top Table of Contents
> | Operational Problems
> Q: | What versions of DirectX are used by CineMaster DVD?
> A: | The CineMaster DVD drivers support Direct X 6, and require at least DirectX 5.0 to be present to take advantage of any DirectX functions, such as scaling, VPE support, and 256 color mode support. If DirectX 3.0, or no DirectX version, is detected, CineMaster will not be able to use any of those DirectX functions, or it may not work at all. Be sure to install DirectX 5 or 6. IYou can download the latest version of DirectX from Microsoft's web site: http://www.microsoft.com/directx/default.asp Top Table of Contents
> Q: | DMA Enabled Checkbox Must be Checked
> A: | If you experience problems with DVD playback, use Device Manager to look at your CDROM devices (highlight the drive, then select Properties). Bring up the Settings tab. If the option "DMA" is present, verify that the checkbox for DMA is checked (enabled). Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Dirty and Damaged DVD discs.
> A: | If you place a dirty or damaged DVD disc into a DVD-ROM drive, and run DVD Player (or any application) to access it, the DVD-ROM drive may cause the system to hang while it tries to read the damaged disc. If your system hangs completely when first trying to play a new disc, reboot your machine, remove the DVD disc, clean it with a soft cotton cloth (wiping only in a straight line from the center toward the outer edge, never in a circular motion!), and re-insert it into the drive. One noticeable sign of this problem is that the DVD-ROM drive BUSY light will stay on, and the EJECT button on the front of the drive will not eject the disc. Some drives also take longer than others to start playback when a disc is first inserted and the drive is recognizing the disc, even if it is new and perfectly clean. The DVD Player software will appear unresponsive (unable to move windows, etc.) during this period. This is normal; control will return when the drive is initialized for playback. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I get an error message: 'LINKED TO MISSING EXPORT MFC42.DLL:6453.' What does this mean?
> A: | You have probably recently installed some new software that replaced the current MFC42.DLL file with an older version. This file is a standard Microsoft system resource and many older versions are still in use by software vendors. It is possible for similar errors to result when another application installs older versions of the files MSVCRT.DLL and MSVCIRT.DLL, which are also used by DVD Player. The solution is to re-install DVD Player If reinstallation does not work, check that the DLLs in the system directory are not marked Read Only and try to reinstall again, or, delete the three DLL files and try to reinstall again. This has been reported when some "system protection" programs have been installed. A similar error, typically resembling "The DVDPLAYER.EXE file is linked to missing export DVDPLD32.DLL:_DDP_IsCurrentSubPictureEnabled.", can occur by running new DVD Player software (that has new features requiring support in the driver) with an older driver. Always be sure to install DVD Player software with a matched (or compatible) driver. If reinstallation is not successful, you can manually copy the driver files from the driver disk into the windows/system directory. Some protective applications can prevent correct installation by, for example, making system files read only, interfering with the driver update process. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why doesn't the DVD drive's Eject button work?
> A: | If the eject button on your DVD drive will not eject a disc (such as when playing, when the content is prohibiting playback due to parental level, etc.), use the software Eject button on the DVD Player panel control. Do not press the Eject button on your DVD ROM drive during playback of a Video CD. If you accidentally eject a Video CD during playback, close the drive door, wait for the disc to be recognized, and then press Return (Enter) to retry. Playback should then continue where it left off. In Windows 98, it is typically possible to eject a disc with the drive button during playback. We recommend you avoid this in favor of the software Eject button. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why don't the menus in my Video CD title get highlighted?
> A: | The active areas in Video CDs will not highlight when the mouse is moved over them. Unlike DVD, Video CD does not support the highlighting feature. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why do Windows 98 applications misreport the file contents of certain DVD-ROMs?
> A: | This is due to a content authoring error (incorrect file UDF link) that can occur with certain DVD titles under Windows 98. It is known to affect Windows Explorer, the Microsoft DVD Player, and the Cinemaster MCI driver (from Media Player). Some DVD titles that have large file counts could crash when accessing (this typically occurs in root menus and "extra features" portions). It is possible, but unlikely, that Windows 98 updates or patches could correct the problem. The QI DVD Player contains its own UDF file system implementation and is unaffected by this bug. We recommend you use the QI DVD player. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | How do I keep the Microsoft DVD Player from starting automatically, as soon as I insert a new DVD disc?
> A: | To prevent the Microsoft DVD Player from being launched automatically, follow this procedure: Use REGEDIT to locate the key: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\DVD\shell\play\command\ Delete the key, or change its value to contain a path pointing to the QI DVD Player.
> NOTE: Any attempt to edit your Windows registry is an extremely risky activity. Take great care not to disturb any keys other than those mentioned in this solution.
> Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why are there two (or more) different entries for Cinemaster WDM drivers in my system Registry?
> A: | The mechanisms of Plug and Play can create multiple occurrences of the Cinemaster driver board settings in the registry, often in unusual-looking paths. This is normal for WDM drivers and can be caused by driver updates, board slot changes, etc. If you need to change registry settings, and have multiple occurrences, you must identify the ACTIVE path in the registry and change the settings there, or your changes will not take effect. If you cannot identify which path is active, it will be necessary for you to change the values in all locations (search the registry).
> NOTE: Any attempt to edit your Windows registry is an extremely risky activity. Take great care not to disturb any keys other than those mentioned in this solution. some registry changes require you to restart your system in order for them to take effect.
> Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I was watching a DVD title and all of a sudden, my computer monitor went black.
> A: | Normally, the CineMaster DVD drivers attempt to disable any system screen savers and power-saving features while a DVD title is playing. Under some circumstances, however, Windows 98 may not permit this. If this occurs, the screen saver may start, (shutting off the display) when it must not. If this happens, DVD Playback will continue, but it can become impossible to get the display to reactivate without restarting the computer. If you experience this problem, discontinue use of screen savers and Windows energy saving features. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | When I try to Suspend my computer, why do I get an error message indicating that I cannot suspend while playing video?
> A: | To decode a DVD stream, the player needs to know some information about the previously decoded portions of the stream. Suspending the system and then re-starting it does not provide a way to "remember" the previously decoded stream and therefore cannot be done while DVD video is playing. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I’ve inserted a DVD disc in the DVD-ROM drive with DVD Player running and it did not start playing. Why?
> A: | In the drivers for most DVD-ROM drives, there is an option that is commonly turned on by default called Auto-Insert Notification, which lets the operating system know when a DVD or CD disc is inserted into the DVD-ROM drive. The purpose of the feature is to begin running software or to begin playback of a disc when it is first inserted into the drive, without the need for running an application. If this option is turned off, our DVD Player application is not notified that you inserted a DVD disc. To turn this option on, use the following procedure: Procedure: Select CONTROL PANEL from the SETTINGS list in the START menu. Double-click on the SYSTEM icon, then select the DEVICE MANAGER tab. Locate the CD-ROM listing, and single-click on the entry for your DVD-ROM drive. Click on the PROPERTIES button, and then the SETTINGS tab. Locate the checkbox labeled AUTO INSERT NOTIFICATION and click on the checkbox to select it. Click on OK to save the change. At this point, you may need to restart Windows 98 for the change to become active. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I can't hear DVD audio when I plug headphones into the drive's audio jack.
> A: | The data on a DVD is always transferred digitally from the DVD drive to the Cinemaster card for decoding. Therefore, when playing a DVD disc, audio will NOT appear on the drive's audio output jack like it does when playing an audio CD. You should connect headphones or speakers only to the output jack on your sound card, not the jack on the drive. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Pioneer DVD-102 Drive-Specific Issues
> A: | There are known problems using these drivers with the Pioneer DVD-102 (regionalized or "RPC2") drive. Quadrant International is in the process of implementing complete support for this and other RPC2 drives. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Hitachi GD-2000 Drive-Specific Issues
> A: | Some Hitachi GD-2000 DVD drives exhibit two minor anomalies: The drive appears to enter a "power down" mode when left idle for about 10 minutes. With certain DVD titles that enter the root menu at the end of the movie, choosing the "Play" option from the root menu after leaving the disc unattended for about 10 minutes will send the DVD Player into the stop state instead of playing the movie. If this occurs, press Play again to start the movie. When certain video CDs are scanned in fast forward or fast rewind, the playback window may not always get updated. If the playback window appears frozen during scan, try the scan operation again, or do not attempt to fast scan this video CD. Fast Scan is conveniently toggled on and off by pressing the fast forward or rewind button again. Top Table of Contents
> | Content or Title Related Problems
> Q: | Chapter Forward doesn't always skip opening sequences
> A: | Using the Chapter Forward button in the DVD Player controls does not always skip opening sequences (logos, lead-in clips, and other non-movie content). This is determined by the content itself. Content (the DVD disc) indicates to the Cinemaster drivers what action must be taken when the Chapter Forward button is pressed. Often, the action is to ignore the button. If the button is ignored, a good alternative is the Scan Forward button, which will quickly zip through this extraneous material, then often return to normal speed when the movie actually begins. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | I tried to change the spoken language stream for my DVD title from the CineMaster DVD Settings control, but it did not change. Why not?
> A: | Certain DVD titles can forbid other applications from changing audio streams, instead requiring the user to make a selection from a menu within the title itself. If this is the case, the language selections in the DVD Player will be ghosted out or non-functional. Examples: "Goldfinger", "Species". Top Table of Contents
> Q: | DVD Title "Kalifornia"
> A: | This DVD title will not play on any DVD-ROM system. The title has an encrypted block which prevents the Authentication process. This causes the disc to be recognized differently in various operating systems. The title will probably need to be replaced by the content provider. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | When playing the DVD title "Species" the menu buttons in the Root Menu are not aligned with where I need to click to activate one of the menu items. Why?
> A: | The on-screen navigation buttons are mis-aligned with the actual "hot spots" for selecting those buttons. This is a confirmed problem with the content on this disc, and the end-user should use the up/down/left/right/enter buttons in the Navigator Control to make selection in this title. Often, using these buttons will move a "highlight" around, which can help locate the hot spots on Root Menus so the mouse can be used in the future. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Parental Control
> A: | To play adult DVD titles with Parental Control, you should have the parental level of the player set to Adult. If a title does not play when you press Play, or the title presents you with a message informing you the parental level is not set properly, confirm that the Parental Level in the Settings control is set to Adult, then attempt to play the title again. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Parental Level "None"
> A: | The Parental Level setting "None" means "the content may set the DVD Player parental level to any value that is required for playback." The setting None is roughly equivalent to Adult because in general, it does not prevent playback; however, not all titles will play if the setting is "None." Titles that support parental control will typically check the player level when they start up, and if the parental level setting is high enough, the title will play. If it is not high enough, the content can (but does not need to) present a message indicating the problem. It may also ask if you want to play the title anyway (Yes or No). In this case, selecting Yes will cause the title to attempt to set (but not recheck) the playback level. This attempt will succeed if the parental level is None, but it will fail otherwise, even if the player is set to Adult. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | DVD Title "Candy Factory"
> A: | This adult DVD title will not play on any DVD-ROM system. This title's disc key contains data errors; this returns an invalid disc key, rendering it impossible to decrypt. Playback appears to begin only because the first few seconds of video are not encrypted. The title will probably need to be replaced by the content provider. Top Table of Contents
> Q: | Why do I have trouble playing DVD-ROMs that use older MCI commands?
> A: | 16-bit MCI support is limited in this software. This is consistent with Microsoft initiatives to eliminate the older software technologies that are incompatible with Windows 98. If MCI applications (notably games) do not function with these drivers, and you need to run them, it will be necessary for you to eliminate these WDM drivers and load Windows 95 version drivers instead. Top Table of Contents

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