Somebody told me that when get up over the 400Mhz mark that you can do software DVD decoding.

Question?

So if I have a REV D or B iMac logicboard and then add the NewerTech iMAXpowr G3 466MHz 1MB at 155MHz, and a ATA DVD-ROM drive, I should be able to whatch a DVD movie on it, using the Apple DVD Player 2.0+. I know it will not all fit in the little case so I was going to place it in an iRack or something like. Something that has a small footprint. Thats why I was looking at the iMac logicboard.

An iMac DV runs at a G3 400Mhz at 512k backside. I know the logicboard is different.

I'm just wondering.

Thanks for any info.

[Evinyatar]

Use the RevB: it has a hole in the metal plate thing through which you can put the IDE cable, so just have your DVD-ROM externally. That's the easiest way. Or use the RevD (which is faster) and switch the metal thingy.

[Ca$h68]

Wait.... how come you cant throw a powerbook DVD drive into the iMac drive? Wouldnt that work? And if I overclocked my rev A/D hybrid to 400 mhz, would it be able to play them? (theoretically)

Ca$h

[Evinyatar]

I don't think a VST DVD-ROM would fit. Find the manufacturer of the iMac CD-ROM drives and check if they have a similar DVD model. There's one for the iBook.

ok, here's what ive figured out so far about software dvd decoding. the term "software dvd" is meaning that the computers don't have dedicated dvd decoder chips. however, that doesn't mean that it's totally done in the processor. it still depends on the rage 128 to help it. also, the drivers are written specifically for the rage 128, so i dont think it would work with anything else. whether i'm right or not, i don't know. but that's what i've figured out so far.

dabradda

[Feathers]

There is also the question of the bus speed:
A-D are 66mhz, 2nd Gen are 100mhz...