Thread: SBCs w/ LCD + hardware DVD decoder cards

Aren't DVD decoders passthrough? I don't think you could use the onboard LCD controller with a DVD decoder. The only thing I could fathom is a SBC with a ZV PCMCIA slot and a laptop DVD decoder card.

Originally posted by crazyshaxs
Yeah, I dont think the dvd decoder will allow you to see it on the lcd, but on another screen that accepts rca inputs... correct me if I am wrong?

Well, that's basically what I'm wondering. Anyone know for sure?

It depends on the Decoder card. IF you can find a PCI decoder that DOES NOT use a loopback cable to pass the VGA signal through, then you might be in business. Some TV tuner cards do this and use a process called Busmastering to pass the TV video over the PCI bus direct to the video card. I recall seeing only 1 manufacturer that made a card this style but I don't remember who. The 2 decoder cards I have are Sigma Hollywood+ cards, and those are the same as the Creative Labs DXR3, which all use a loopback cable and/or RCA video output.

That's what ZV (Zoomed Video) Compatible PCMCIA slots are for...It's a special bus built into some laptops that allow a DVD decoder card or a DV input card to do mpeg encoding or decoding and ouput it straight the built in LCD through the internal video chip.

I don't think a PCI version of this exists. The only thing I can think of would be a video card which has DVD decoding built in (ie...ATI AIW).

What about usiing a PCI to PCMCIA adapter, then using a ZV DVD decoder? Searching on Google I found PCI to Cardbus (32 bit) adapters like this one but I'm not sure if it would support ZV or not.
You might run into another issue, however. The IDE interface in the SiS 5571 chipset used by many Advantech SBCs does not support UDMA, and therefore will not work with DVD drives even if you get a DVD decoder to work (check out this thread ).

This is sort of on the same subject but, with the dvd decoder card, does it only output the movie on the rca-out, or can u get it to output your normal display? (IE. Is it a general purpose rca-out or is it only for dvd's?)

-joebob

It will only output DVD moivies on the RCA jack.

while you cant output a desktop display from the hollywood+ decoder (hardware limitation) you can output ANY mpeg1 (VCD) or mpeg2 file (XVCD, SVCD, DVD) so its not JUST DVD video, any mpeg stream can be output through the composite video out

that way you can have vcd or svcd files on your hard drive that can be output.. in case you have a big hard drive and dont want to switch discs all the time