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Intervideo WinDVD
Troubleshooting Guide
Copyright © ( 1998-1999 Intervideo, Inc. ) All Rights Reserved

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Can not Create Overlay
Some users may receive an error indicating that the video window was not able to be created. In this case you will need to lower your resolution, refresh rate, or colour depth to play video. This problem occurs when the graphic card does not have enough memory to display the video in the display mode that you are trying to play back in, or is not capable of playing video in a particular display setting.
Performance Related Questions

 
Q) My performance is really slow, but I know my system can handle it, what could be wrong?
My Computer IconMake sure you have the DMA setting for your DVD-ROM drive turned on before running WinDVD. This is accomplished by right clicking on the My Computer icon on your desktop, selecting Properties, selecting the Device Manager tab, double clicking on the CD-ROM device, selecting the DVD-ROM drive that is present. Now select the properties, selecting the Settings tab, and enabling the DMA check box. (see the images below for an example of what you should see.)
Device Manager
Device Manager		 DVD ROM Propeties
Device Manager
If there is no DMA checkbox available on your system, you may have a motherboard that does not support DMA, or you may need a new set of drivers to update your motherboard support. Verify the type of motherboard that you have and check the website of that manufacturer for an updated "chipset" driver. Some core logic chipset websites are listed below: 
  • Intel - www.intel.com
  • VIA - www.via.com.tw
  • ALi - www.ali.com.tw

If you are still running into problems then review the requirements section of the WinDVD release note.
Q) My performance is still slow, could it be because I'm using a PCI graphic card?
Graphics subsystems based on the AGP Bus interface will perform up to 30% faster than those based on the PCI Bus.
Q) My performance is still slow, could it be because I'm using an ISA audio card?
Audio subsystems based on the PCI Bus will perform up to 15% faster than based on the ISA Bus. 
Sound Related Questions
Q) Does WinDVD support 4 Channel audio cards?
We support some 4 channel audio cards in the marketplace. If you do not have the 4 speaker option then: 

  • Your card either does not have 4 speaker support, it is disabled, or turned off in its software- check to see if you have the second audio out setup for headphones.
  • You could be using an OEM version of the software that does not support 4 speakers. You may want to check with your OEM or at InterVideo's website for a patch.
  • The title you are playing does not have either Dolby Digital (5.1) or Dolby Prologic surround sound. 
Q) Why don't I have the option for 3D sound, don't you support it?
3DSound is an option, and if the button is grayed-out, this option was not included by your OEM.  4 Channel and 6 Channel audio support requires specific audio hardware and are also optional.

Resolution Related Questions
Q) Why won't the video window and player fit on my desktop?
DVD movies are created at 720x480 video resolutions. It is strongly recommended that you set your desktop to at least 800x600 resolution. Many people consider 1024x768 to be the optimal resolution for balancing video window size, performance, and desktop space; however, some graphic cards will perform better at, or will be limited to, 800x600.
Q) Why won't WinDVD play at 640x480?
DirectShow prevents playback at 640x480 resolution, so if you are using our DirectShow version the player will not play the video.
Q) Which Resolution Do you recommend?
Many DVD titles offer a 16x9 "Widescreen" version (also called Anamorphic). These versions are best viewed at a desktop setting of 1024x768.
Miscellaneous Questions
Q) My DVDs do not autoplay, why?
After installing WinDVD and inserting a DVD disc, WinDVD should automatically detect the disc and begin playing the movie. If this does not happen, launch WinDVD and open the Properties dialog box, and select your drive from the Default DVD Drive drop down box.
Q) My DVD used to work, now it doesn't, what could be wrong?
DVD movies have a tendency to get dirty over time and this could possibly cause decode errors. If a movie should stop randomly, please try cleaning the disc before calling technical support.
Q) I downloaded this software, why won't it install?
This software REQUIRES the original CD to be present to install, or re-install, the product.