
Windows 98 Installation & Configuration Handbook


- 12 -
Installing and Configuring CD-ROM and DVD Drives
by Serdar Yegulap
Setting Up Your CD-ROM for Network
Use
CD-ROMs are most often used to provide files for a single workstation or server,
but it's also common practice to serve out a CD-ROM for network use. A shared CD-ROM
will allow other users in your workgroup to access your CD-ROM drive freely as if
it were a drive installed on their own systems.
In order to share out a CD, you need to have File and Print Sharing installed
on both your Windows 98 machine and whatever other machines will be sharing your
CD-ROM. In addition, you both need to have the same network protocols installed as
well. LANs traditionally use NetBEUI for file sharing, but TCP/IP also works. Generally,
a shared CD-ROM drive will be designated to share out a particular CD-ROM disc, but
the disc can be swapped out when no one is connected to the host system.
To enable File and Print Sharing, go to the section entitled "Configuring
Network Properties" in Chapter 24, "Setting Up Windows 98 on a Peer-to-Peer
Network."
Sharing Out the CD-ROM
Once you have File and Print Sharing enabled, follow these steps to share out
a CD-ROM drive to other users on the network.
- 1. From the Desktop of the computer that has the CD-ROM, double-click
the My Computer icon to open it. Note that if you have Active Desktop turned on,
or are viewing your desktop and folders as Web pages, Windows 98 will open icons
with a single click.
2. Right-click the icon that represents the CD-ROM. Select Sharing. This brings
up the Sharing tab of the CD-ROM's Properties sheet (see Figure 12.1).
FIG. 12.1 The CD-ROM Properties
sheet.
- 3. Click the Shared As radio button to enable sharing.
4. Click the Share Name text box and type a one-word name to describe the shared
CD-ROM. This could be something as simple as the CD-ROM drive letter, which is what
the Share Name box is set to by default.
5. Select the Comment field by clicking it and type a descriptive comment
for the shared CD-ROM. For instance, you may want to describe which computer that
particular CD-ROM belongs to, or the contents of the CD-ROM drive.
6. The Access Type radio button should be set to Read-Only if you want
to allow anyone on the network to be able to read the CD-ROM. If you want to enable
password protection for access to the CD-ROM (see Figure 12.2), click the Depends
on Password radio button.
FIG. 12.2 Setting up sharing
on the CD-ROM's Properties page.
- 7. To specify a password for the CD-ROM, click in the Read-Only
Password box and type in a password. The password will only be echoed to the screen
as a series of asterisks.
8. Click OK or Apply to continue.
9. If you have specified a password, you will be prompted to retype the password
to confirm it. Retype the password and click OK to continue. If you don't give the
right password, you'll be given a "Password you typed is incorrect" message
and be asked to retype the password. You can back out by hitting Cancel, which will
take you back to the Shared properties sheet.
10. The shared CD-ROM will appear in My Computer with the "shared"
symbol on it. This is usually a hand "offering" the CD-ROM to be shared
(see Figure 12.3).
Removing a Share on a CD-ROM
Removing a share on a CD-ROM is simple enough. Right-click the CD-ROM icon in
Explorer, select Sharing, and then click the Not Shared radio button in the
Sharing tab of the Properties sheet.
CAUTION: Removing a share on a CD-ROM drive will delete all share
names, comments, and passwords associated with that CD-ROM drive. If you place a
new share on the drive, you will have to manually re-enter all of that information.
Sharing a CD-ROM can slow your system down enormously. If you are planning to
serve the same files to many different computers at once, you may fare better by
copying the contents of the CD-ROM to a shared hard drive, if you can spare the room.
Another important issue is copyright and licensing. Many software programs are
licensed to be used by one user at a time only, and are not supposed to be accessed
by multiple users through a share. Check your software's licensing agreement before
sharing it out on a CD-ROM.
FIG. 12.3 The shared CD-ROM.
CD-ROM Features
CD-ROMs are generally designed to run without much maintenance or adjustment.
However, there are options that can be changed which may enhance performance, especially
for SCSI CD-ROMs.
CD-ROM Options
To view the options available for a CD-ROM device, open the System Properties
sheet from the Control Panel. You can also do this by right-clicking My Computer
and selecting Properties.
In the Device Manager, open up the subtree that contains your CD-ROM device, right-click
the device, and select Properties. Choose the Settings tab (see Figure 12.4).
FIG. 12.4 The options available
for a CD-ROM device.
NOTE:ot all the options may be available for all CD-ROM drives.
Some IDE CD-ROMs do not support all the options that some SCSI CD-ROMs do, for instance.
The options available on the Settings page are the following:
- Disconnect. This is generally only supported on SCSI CD-ROMs,
and allows the SCSI chain to operate more flexibly and rapidly with the CD-ROM. If
this option is checked by default, don't change it or it may degrade performance.
Some IDE CD-ROMs also support this option. If this isn't checked and you know your
CD-ROM supports it, turn it on, as it will enhance performance on device chains where
there are a number of devices that have high data rates.
- Sy_nc data transfer. This option is generally not enabled for CD-ROMs,
but is enabled for hard drives and some types of optical discs.
- Auto insert notification. Checking this box enables
the CD-ROM to use AutoPlay when there has been a change of disc. (This allows programs
that automatically run upon the insert of a CD-ROM to be enabled.)
- Removable/Int 13 Unit. These options
are not enabled for CD-ROMs and are reserved for hard drives. They should be grayed
out--but if they aren't, don't enable them.
Changing CD-ROM Drive Letters
A CD-ROM gets assigned a drive letter at boot time, depending on what other drives
are in the system. If you are adding and removing other fixed or removable drives
and want the CD-ROM drive letter to remain fixed--for instance, if you're using applications
that require the CD-ROM be assigned a consistent drive letter--you can force a drive-letter
assignment.
- 1. Open the System Properties sheet from either the Control Panel or by
right-clicking My Computer and selecting Properties. In the Device Manager, open
up the subtree that contains your CD-ROM device. (To expand a subtree, click the
"+" symbols in the list next to the CD-ROM.) Right-click the device, and
select Properties. Choose the Settings tab (see Figure 12.5).
FIG. 12.5 The settings
for a CD-ROM device, with no drive letters assigned.
- 2. The Start Drive Letter and End Drive Letter drop-down
lists at the bottom of the Properties sheet (see Figure 12.6) let you choose the
first and last valid drive letters you want to allow the CD-ROM to be assigned at
boot time. If you want to lock the CD-ROM to a particular drive letter, choose the
same letter for both Start and End.
FIG. 12.6 Setting drive
letters for a CD-ROM.
- 3. When you are done, click OK on the Properties sheet for the CD-ROM
drive, and then click OK on the System Properties sheet. Reboot to make the changes
take effect.
Troubleshooting CD-ROM Drives
CD-ROM drives are designed to need little maintenance or upkeep to work correctly.
Like hard drives, they should work reliably once plugged in, configured, and turned
on. A good number of the problems inherent in CD-ROM drives have been ironed out
thanks to the introduction of CD-ROM drives with consistent, industry-standard interfaces,
such as ATAPI/IDE or SCSI. Many of the original problems with CD-ROM drives stemmed
from the proprietary interface cards that came with the drives. The hardware or drivers
for some often conflicted with other hardware present in the system, or wasn't being
loaded properly.
Many of the problems users have with CD-ROM drives can be traced to an incorrect
configuration of the CD-ROM drive's interface, whether ATAPI/IDE or SCSI, and all
of those possibilities should be exhausted before considering that the drive itself
is damaged. Some of the common symptoms of CD-ROM trouble are the following:
- No CD-ROM is readable, or certain CD-ROMs cannot be read reliably.
- Data from the CD-ROM is corrupted.
- CD-ROMs refuse to load and are ejected.
- CD-ROMs spin wildly but do not transfer any data.
Common CD-ROM Problems and Solutions
Many of the problems that arise with CD-ROMs are totally independent of the type
of CD-ROM (SCSI, IDE, internal, external). Here is a list of some of the most common
reasons for problems and some suggested solutions.
- Make sure the device is getting power. If the CD-ROM is internal, make sure the
power connector plugged into the CD-ROM is actually delivering power by plugging
into another device, like a hard drive that you know is functional. The same goes
for external drives, which frequently use standard three-prong power cords. The cord
itself may be damaged or not plugged in properly.
- The pins on both the CD-ROM data connector and the motherboard (or controller
card) should not be bent or broken. Pull out the connector on both ends and check
it to make sure that no pins are damaged. Bent pins can be put back into position
by unbending them gently and slowly with a pair of needle-nosed pliers.
- Make sure the signal cable for the CD-ROM is not damaged. Folds or creases in
a CD-ROM cable are a possible sign of a break in the cable's internal wiring. If
the cable has been crimped or folded for a long time, it should be considered faulty
and discarded.
- Make sure you are using the correct width cable. An unkeyed internal IDE cable
(see later in this chapter for more about keyed and unkeyed cables) does not have
as many wires as an internal SCSI cable, and can be plugged by accident into a SCSI
controller. (The reverse can't happen, of course, since SCSI cables are too big to
fit into IDE sockets.)
- Over time, the lens of a CD-ROM can accumulate dust and dirt that can cause discs
to be misread or appear to be defective. Some drives are equipped with a built-in
brush to clean the lens, but many cheaper models don't. However, many computer accessory
stores sell a special cleaning disc that comes with a built-in brush or felt pad
for this purpose.
CAUTION: Cleaning discs should be used sparingly--more often if
the user smokes or works in an environment with a great deal of dust. Too much cleaning
can damage the lens irreparably.
- Make sure the data cable to the CD-ROM is not disconnected or connected backwards.
Most CD-ROM data cables are "keyed"--they have a small nub on the side
that matches a slot in the CD-ROM cable connector or on the motherboard, preventing
the cable from being connected incorrectly.
TIP: Some cables aren't keyed and can be mistakenly connected backwards
on the motherboard, controller card, or the CD-ROM. In such cases, the cable will
have one of its edges marked in red to indicate which wire goes to pin 1 on both
ends. Pin 1 is usually marked with a number or an arrow on both the motherboard and
the drive.
Troubleshooting for ATAPI/IDE CD-ROMs
One of the biggest steps towards the acceptance of CD-ROMs as a standard-issue
piece of PC equipment was the creation of the ATAPI standard, which allowed CD-ROMs
to be plugged into the same controllers that normally handled high-capacity hard
drives. This created opportunities for a great many problems as well as conveniences.
ATAPI/IDE CD-ROMs have a host of possible problems that can arise because of their
particular design and construction. Following is a list of possible problems and
recommended solutions.
- If you're using the CD-ROM with another device on the same device chain, either
as a master or a slave, make sure both devices are properly designated as master
and slave. If that doesn't work, try installing the CD-ROM on its own device chain.
Some cheaper brands of CD-ROMs or hard drives do not cooperate well with other devices
on the same chain, whether or not they are configured according to specifications.
In order to cut corners, some manufacturers write firmware for the devices that don't
completely comply with proper standards. This saves some cost, and the drive generally
works properly by itself, but can sometimes malfunction in conjunction with other
drives.
- If you are using an on-board IDE controller, make sure that it supports CD-ROM
drives in the controller's BIOS. Generally, the BIOS will contain a section that
governs which devices are booted and in what order (A:, C:, network, and so on) If
a CD-ROM isn't one of those choices, there's a good chance the controller doesn't
support CD-ROMs at all. The best bet to figure out what's supported is to set the
controller to autodetect what devices are plugged into it. If it doesn't support
CD-ROMs, the controller will report back that nothing's plugged in.
- Be wary of IDE controllers that are installed on sound cards, or that come on
their own standalone adapters. They are generally of very low quality, and often
conflict with other hardware installed in the system, including any on-board IDE
adapters. If you can use an existing IDE adapter for an IDE CD-ROM, do so, and disable
any auxiliary IDE controllers.
Troubleshooting for SCSI CD-ROMs
SCSI CD-ROMs are a little more flexible than IDE CD-ROMs. They can be set up externally
far more easily than IDE CD-ROMs, can be configured far more flexibly and in conjunction
with many more devices than IDE CD-ROMs, and can theoretically support much higher
transfer rates. That doesn't make them immune to trouble--if anything, it makes them
susceptible to a whole slew of unique problems.
Here's a list of common troubleshooting checkpoints to go through if you encounter
problems with SCSI CD-ROMs, plus some possible solutions.
- Check the termination of the SCSI chain. The devices on either end of a SCSI
chain should be terminated, with all other devices in between un-terminated. Termination
of a CD-ROM is usually controlled by setting a jumper, or by adding or removing resistor
packs from the CD-ROM's on-board circuitry.
- Make sure the cable for the CD-ROM is not inordinately long. The total length
of any CD-ROM chain should never be more than 15 feet, and even that may be too long
for chains with several high-speed devices. The longer the chain, the greater the
noise and interference problems that arise in longer SCSI chains.
- External drive users: If you're using a series of cables dovetailed together
with adapters, get a single, shorter cable with the proper connectors on each end.
Spliced cables are prone to errors and noise.
- Make sure the correct driver is being loaded for the correct SCSI controller.
Some manufacturers, such as Adaptec or BusLogic, have many different controllers
with slightly different names, and it is possible to get them confused. Some may
even successfully load and be identified as the right driver, but may not operate
correctly with hardware.
- Check the device number of the CD-ROM to make sure it is not conflicting with
other hardware in the device chain or the controller itself. The device number is
either set with a jumper (for internal drives), or a dial or selector switch (for
external drives). Look on the back or the underside of the unit for the jumpers or
selector for setting the device number. Take inventory of all SCSI devices, including
the controller itself (which is usually set to device #7), and make sure you're
not using a conflicting device number.
- A good way to check if the CD-ROM is being located on the device chain at all
is to use the setup BIOS on board the SCSI controller, if the controller has one.
This is usually accessed by pressing a control key during system startup; consult
your controller's documentation for details. Within the setup BIOS, you can scan
the SCSI chain to get a list of all currently attached devices. If the CD-ROM doesn't
show up, there may be a connectivity problem.
Installing DVD-ROM Support in Windows
98
Windows 98 adds rudimentary DVD-ROM support "out of the box," meaning
that it's possible to pop in a DVD-ROM drive and read data from discs. Installing
the DVD-ROM drive itself follows the same pattern as installing a conventional CD-ROM.
once connected to its host adapter, IDE or SCSI, Windows 98 detects it automatically
and installs basic support for the DVD-ROM drive directly from its repository of
drivers on the Windows 98 CD-ROM.
NOTE: The name of the device driver on the DVD-ROM should not be
"CD-ROM"; if it is, the system has misdetected the device and a proper
DVD-ROM driver should be installed, as detailed later.
DVD-ROM support for Windows 98 is divided into two separate classes of drivers:
support for the drive itself, which is mostly automatic, and support for the audio/video
decoder card that is frequently sold with the drive. (Buying a DVD-ROM drive alone
does not give you the ability to play back DVD-based movies; the decoder card handles
that job.)
The decoder board is installed in much the same manner as a sound or video capture
board. Each board has its own peculiar setup procedure, provided by the manufacturer,
but there are some common elements: the drive for the decoder card can be found in
the "Sound, video and game controllers" branch of the Device Manager (see
Figure 12.7), and from there it's possible to update the driver, change its settings,
or remove it entirely.
FIG. 12.7 A DVD-ROM decoder
board as listed in Device Manager.
NOTE: Unless you're specifically instructed to do so by your DVD-ROM
drive's documentation, or if you are attempting to use the DVD-ROM in conjunction
with a decoder card, don't try replacing the default DVD-ROM driver. The default
driver is designed to support all the basic functions of a DVD-ROM drive built to
specification.
Installing Support for DVD-ROM
Decoder Boards in Windows 98
Once the drive itself has been installed in your computer, the next step is to
install the DVD-ROM decoder board, if one has been provided with the drive. The board
allows you to decode DVD-ROM discs that have multimedia on them--video, audio, or
both--and play them back on your computer, or on a TV. Since the decoding is handled
entirely in hardware, the load on the CPU is minimal, and the computer can be used
for other, processor-intensive activities without degrading playback performance.
The components used in the decoder board to perform the image and sound decompression
are the same ones used in commercial-quality DVD-ROM players, and afford the same
kinds of features for titles that support them: multiple audio channels, subtitles,
multiple camera angles, menuing, chapter stops, supplementary materials, and so on.
Many decoder boards also support Dolby Digital 5.1 sound decoding, but this can only
be played back through a stereo amplifier that supports discrete 5.1 sound.
Types of Decoder Boards
Decoder cards come in two basic varieties: pass-through and substitution. A pass-through
decoder card takes the output from the system's existing graphics adapter, whatever
it may be, and uses a "chroma-key" system to layer in the output from the
DVD-ROM board. This is done by using a specific color on the display--usually a bright
pink--as an indicator to the DVD-ROM decoder board where to layer in the video playback
window. A cable from the video card plugs into the decoder board, and the monitor
plugs into an outgoing port on the decoder board as well.
Pass-through boards have a number of advantages. If they malfunction, the main
graphics system in the computer will still continue to work, because they don't replace
the functionality of the graphics card, just add to it.
Pass-through boards can also be used in a slightly wider variety of computers.
They are usually sold as ISA cards, not PCI, and therefore can be used in machines
that do not have anything more sophisticated than a 16-bit ISA bus.
On the downside, the quality of the layered video is strongly dependent on the
quality of the board's manufacture and its isolation potential, because the image
is being converted to analog before being layered in and can pick up noise and distortions
along the way.
A substitution card uses a decoder card that is also a graphics board, and substitutes
for the existing graphics board in the computer. The graphics hardware and the decoder
hardware work far more closely together, and the result is usually cleaner and of
higher quality than a pass-through board. Also, a substitution card only takes one
slot instead of two.
There are drawbacks to substitution boards. Because most of them are PCI, not
ISA, they will not work in older systems at all. Also, their construction often prevents
them from being used in Windows NT--not the most critical drawback for Windows 98
users, but people who are planning to upgrade or put a symmetrical install of Windows
NT on the same computer should be aware of this, and make sure the hardware they
will be using can support NT if they need it.
Decoder Board Installation Issues
There are some other basic issues with installing a DVD-ROM decoder board that
should be observed:
- Place the decoder board as far away from other boards as possible. If you're
using a pass-through board, place it in either the far-left or far-right slot, with
the display board as far from it and other boards as possible. This is to minimize
crosstalk and noise from other boards, especially high-frequency boards like network
cards.
- Don't use any cabling other than the type provided by the manufacturer to connect
a pass-through board to the video card. Some varieties are specially grounded and
shielded to reduce noise, and some are custom-designed connectors. Don't attempt
to wire your own connector.
- Some decoder boards feature an RCA output that sends a high-frequency digital
signal to a Dolby Digital decoder. This connector should not be confused with the
RCA output for a TV. If you attempt to connect a TV or VCR to this port, you may
damage the TV.
- Some decoder boards have an RCA output for connecting to a TV or a VCR. For the
best possible results, use high-grade, videophile-style RCA cable, such as Monster
brand. These cables use much stronger shielding and higher-quality components than
the low-end type that are often sold with decoder boards. A well-shielded RCA cable
will reduce noise and distortion from the computer itself.
- Also use high-quality cables to connect the decoder board's output to your sound
card, especially if you're using an external connection (for example, routing a cable
from the outside of the board to the sound card's auxiliary-in jack).
Installing Plug and Play Decoder
Boards
This is a basic set of instructions for installing Plug and Play compatible decoder
boards under Windows 98.
- 1. Check the instructions and ensure that you have enough IRQs, memory
addresses, and DMAs free. Plug and Play hardware generally does not have extremely
rigid requirements, but will require that you have one of a set or IRQs free, such
as 3,5,7,9 or 11. The Plug and Play subsystem cannot assign addresses already in
use by non-Plug and Play hardware, or which has been reserved for other system functions.
If the needed address or IRQ is being used by another piece of Plug and Play hardware,
it will be reassigned.
TIP: One easy way to determine what IRQs are free is to open up
the Device Manager, double-click the Computer icon in the hardware list, and then
look at the View Resources tab. You can view available resources by IRQ, DMA, I/O
port and memory address (see Figure 12.8).
FIG. 12.8 The resources
list in Device Manager.
- 2. Install the decoder board in your system. Follow the product documentation
for the details on this procedure. You may need to set a jumper on the board that
tells the board to use Plug and Play standards for IRQ/memory address assignments.
Also make sure that the video connections are set up correctly for a pass-through
board. If you are using a non-pass-through board on a machine with integrated video,
check to make sure that the integrated video subsystem does not need to be disabled
through a jumper or BIOS setting. Some systems have a jumper or BIOS setting that
reserves an IRQ for the on-board video system; disabling this allows the new video
card to use the IRQ freely.
3. Power up the system and observe the boot process carefully. Plug and Play-compatible
systems will usually provide a quick list of Plug and Play devices at boot-time,
along with the IRQs and memory addresses of them. PCI devices generally have far
less trouble being assigned a proper IRQ and memory space than ISA devices.
4. If the decoder board isn't being assigned an address or IRQ, you may need
to reset the Plug and Play configurator. This is generally done through BIOS. Most
BIOSes have a setting in the subpage of the BIOS that handles Plug and Play devices
which reads "Reset Plug-and-Play settings" or "Reset device settings."
When this is reset, the computer is forced to re-poll all Plug and Play devices and
assign them fresh IRQs and memory addresses.
5. Once the decoder board is successfully assigned an address and IRQ, Windows
98 should bring up a dialog box during the boot process that informs the user of
the new device, and attempts to install a driver from either the Windows 98 CD-ROM
or a provided disk. Insert the disk that contains the decoder card's drivers and
type A:\ as the pathname for the needed drivers.
6. You may need to reboot before the changes take effect. Check the Device Manager
to make sure the decoder card's driver is loaded and running without problems. If
the device loads properly but still does not work, you may need to contact the manufacturer
for an updated or Windows 98-specific driver.
Installing Non-Plug and Play Decoder
Boards
Non-Plug and Play decoder boards need to supervised far more closely during installation
than Plug and Play boards. The following instructions are meant as a general guideline
for installing non-Plug and Play decoders. Follow the documentation for your board
for details not provided here.
- 1. Check the decoder card's documentation for which IRQs, DMAs, and memory
addresses will be needed to install the card, and then verify that the same addresses
and ports are free. As described earlier, in the section on installing Plug and Play
decoder boards, you can use the Device Manager to verify what is and isn't in use
in your system. You may need to reassign hardware to other locations in the meantime
by changing the hardware's jumpers (if it's a plug-in board) or BIOS settings (if
it's a piece of integrated hardware, like a COM: port).
2. Set the board to the appropriate addresses and then power the system down
and install the decoder board. Follow the board's documentation for properly connecting
the speakers and video cabling.
3. Power up the system. If during boot you get a "Configuration error"
message or "Device conflict" message or something similar, continue booting
the system, but pay attention to any additional error messages that may indicate
with what the device may be conflicting. Also check the Device Manager for additional
details. If the system doesn't boot at all, the decoder board is probably conflicting
with something critical to the system--such as the timer or keyboard IRQ--and needs
to be set to another memory address or IRQ.
4. Go to the Add New Hardware Wizard, which is available through the Control
Panel. Activate it and click Next to allow the wizard to search for Plug and Play
devices. Your decoder card will probably not be found during this stage, but if it
is, supply the appropriate drivers from the manufacturer's disks.
5. The next stage of the wizard allows you to supply drives for non-Plug and
Play devices. The fastest way to proceed is to supply the needed driver and let Windows
automatically attempt to activate the driver. Click No, I Want To Select the
Hardware From a List, and then click Next.
6. Select Sound, Video and Game Controllers from the Hardware Types list,
and then click Next.
7. Click Have Disk and then supply a path to the disk that contains your
drivers (usually A:\).
8. Select the device you are installing from the Models list. If your
disk has drivers for more than one piece of hardware, make sure you select the correct
one down to the letter. Click OK. Windows 98 will then copy the driver from the disk
and install it.
9. Reboot to start the driver. Check the Device Manager to ensure that it's working
correctly.
NOTE: These instructions also apply to boards being used in machines
that don't have Plug and Play support, or for boards that have Plug and Play support
disabled. Most ISA Plug and Play boards allow you to disable Plug and Play and hard-assign
an address through jumpers or software.
DVD-ROM Playback and Device Issues
When you install the DVD-ROM decoder board in your computer, the installation
software will also place one or more MCI (Media Control Interface) drivers into the
Multimedia Devices list. You can see this list by double-clicking the Multimedia
icon in the Control Panel and then selecting the Devices tab. If you expand the Media
Control Devices subtree, you should see drivers that relate to your DVD-ROM playback
hardware.
The exact types of driver vary, but generally there will be one driver for the
DVD-ROM system itself and another driver to interface with the decoder card for MPEG
decoding.
Adjusting DVD-ROM Device Settings
If you want to edit the driver's settings, there is generally a utility provided
by the manufacturer for this, but you also can usually make changes to the driver's
settings by selecting the driver from the Multimedia Devices list, clicking Properties,
and then clicking Settings in the driver's property sheet. The adjustments
you can make will vary enormously from one driver to another, but an example of what
you may see can be seen in Figure 12.9. This example is taken from the Creative Labs
DVD-ROM kit.
FIG. 12.9 Sample settings
for the DVD-ROM decoder hardware.
DVD-ROM Issues
DVD-ROMs and conventional CD-ROMs are different in many ways, and some of those
differences are worth mentioning here as "dos and don'ts."
- Don't attempt to play a DVD-ROM in a conventional CD-ROM drive. The CD-ROM drive
will not be able to sync up properly and may even damage itself trying out different
rotational speeds to force synchronization.
- Treat DVD-ROMs with greater care than conventional CD-ROMs. The information is
packed approximately four times more densely on the average DVD-ROM than it is on
the average CD-ROM. Scratches, dust, and dirt will make playback much more difficult.
If you need to clean a DVD-ROM, wipe from center to edge with a chamois cloth, and
use only chemical cleaners marketed specifically for CD-ROMs or DVD-ROMs. Do not
use soap as this will leave a film on the DVD-ROM surface.
- The information on a multimedia DVD-ROM title can be seen through Explorer, and
it may even be possible to copy the files off onto another drive. Don't do it. You'll
be violating copyright laws, and you may also discover that the copied files won't
play back correctly. There are numerous copy-protection safeguards built into the
DVD-ROM and decoder hardware to prevent this.
- Most DVD-ROM multimedia titles, such as movies, come with a "region code"
that tells the DVD-ROM player whether or not it's legal to be played in certain areas
of the world. For instance, titles marketed in North America are marked as region
1, and cannot be played on players sold in Europe or Asia. The same applies for discs
sold in Europe or Asia and played here. The reason for this is to properly enforce
copyright restrictions, since software is generally licensed and not sold. If you
are having trouble playing back a particular title and receiving error codes to the
effect that the "region isn't valid," or something similar, check to make
sure you're not playing a disc that's marked for another region. Most DVD-ROM drives
and decoders sold in the U.S. are hard-wired to only play region 1 or regionless
discs. To determine what region the disc is sold for, look on the packaging for a
small globe icon with a number superimposed on it and a text description of the region.
NOTE: Many titles sold in Hong Kong or Japan are now being coded
without region markers and will play anywhere. Some American titles are also regionless,
but they are generally few and far between, and are usually sold by smaller independent
companies that are trying to maximize profits. Generally, any title from a major
company (especially a major movie company) will have region coding.
- DVD-ROM drives and CD-ROM discs don't mix. DVD-ROM drives use a markedly different
laser diode than conventional CD-ROM drives. The wavelength of the beam emitted by
this diode makes it difficult for them to read CD-ROMs, and in fact can damage CD-ROMs
or make them unuseable. As a rule of thumb, don't use CD-ROMs in DVD-ROM drives.


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