"Hi,
Don't know if this is useful for your FAQ or not, but figured I'd throw this your way.

I have a Pioneer SCSI DVD-ROM drive (DVD-U02R) and a Wired4DVD decoder and have hit upon a strategy that's worked wonders for viewing DVD movies under MacOS 8.6. My system is a 9600/233 with a XLR8 G3@375Mhz.

First, the Apple CD/DVD driver supports my DVD drive starting with the version included in 8.6. This includes CDs (HFS/ISO/audio), DVDs, as well as tricky stuff like audio extraction (which is iffy with the Pioneer driver).

Second, to play "problematic" DVDs like The Matrix I've transplanted both the Apple CD/DVD Driver and UDF Volume Access extensions from OS9. One or the other is not good enough. This takes care of all the errors I used to see from both the MacOS and Wired4DVD decoder app.

You could also transplant the rest of the Foreign File Access extensions and have it work, however CD-ROM SpeedTools won't recognize FFA (ISO, audio) discs in my other drive (PlexWriter 8/2/20) when this happens so I'm guessing there's some problem.

My particular DVD-ROM drive is basically a 2nd generation unit bought from Club Mac 6 months or so ago, the current model is DVD-U03R (3rd gen).

Anyway, figured some of this may be of interest for your site. Keep up the good work!
Mike O'Connell "

The OS 9 DVD files seem to have solved the Matrix DVD (ISO format) problem reported on all Macs previously (requiring a workaround). (See the DVD section of the FAQ for the latest sources of Pioneer SCSI DVD ROM drive drivers I know of.)

Sonnet G3 Upgrade PDS AV Adapter Note: A reader sent a long mail with a warning to 8100 owners that the Sonnet G3 upgrade for that machine requires an adapter if you're using the original video card. He said the adapter cost him $100, making the total upgrade cost more expensive than he realized. Sonnet's PowerPC upgrade page notes this requirement under 'Additional Info' for that particular upgrade model for both the 7100 and 8100:

"Additional Info: Optional Crescendo G3 PDS AV/Video Adapter kit required for PDS AV or PDS video card in Power Mac 7100 (part # C61A-71) or 8100 (part # C61A-81). "

No price was listed that I could find at their site but the reader wanted to make other owners aware of the additional adapter.

Region Locking on Pioneer DVD Drive: I suspect this is not the only model that does this, but a reader notes the Pioneer DVD drive mentioned in the last few days news (low price deals on the 10X model -see the past news summary below for links/info) will lock to the region of the first DVD played:

"I've read on the DVD Utils page (www.dvdutils.com) that the Pioneer 10X DVD ROM drive is region locked!! Once you put in a DVD, it locks into that region. You may want to pass that along to anyone thinking of getting one.
Scott "

There are often ways around region locks posted at some sites on the net, of course these may not be legit/legal. Some drives/software let you change the region code up to 5 times.

Pod Racer Joystick Tip: Here's a tip from a reader on calibrating joysticks or other controllers with the game or demo version.

"Hi,
Here is a very useful piece of news. It seems that even though Episode 1 Racer dosen't allow for you to calibrate your joystick with input sprockets, it still looks to the input sprockets preferences file for calibration.

I recently threw out all of my preferences, only to find that epidode 1 Racer no longer responded to my joystick comands properly. So, I assumed the joystick had broke some how during gameplay. ...So, I went out and bought a new joystick (another Cyborg 3D) got home, pluged it in, and it too did not work right.

So, I opened up Falcon 4, calibrated my stick in the input sprockets dialog, and then quit falcon 4. I went back to Racer and found that my joystick was now perfectly calibrated. Wish I would have known this sooner, It could have saved me 60 dollars.
jdkoiles "

Pod Racer Demo/Voodoo3 Problems: [Update: see Monday's Game News page (12/20/1999) for more on this issue including a workaround for some 3dfx cards.] A Voodoo3 owner notes the new demo didn't work for him:

"I have a Voodoo3 3000 in my Yosemite 350mhz G3. It has worked very well with Unreal T and Quake 3, but Pod Racer won't work with Voodoo3 3000. I called Lucasarts and they said that there might be a problem between the OpenGL and the Voodoo card. He said to look our for a patch or update from 3dfx.

I was wondering if you knew anything about this problem or if an update/patch is out. Or if you know how to maybe fix the problem.
Mac "

I suggested disabling the 3dfx opengl extension and trying the Mesa3dfxengine and mesasettings file as we used to do with Q3test. I assumed he had OpenGL 1.1.2 and the latest Voodoo3 drivers. The Racer demo requirements note OpenGL support, OS 8.1 and at least 4MB of VRAM.

Mac 3dfx Screensavers:

" Hey, I saw this page mentioned on 3dfxgamers mac msg boards: www.usiwakamaru.or.jp/~yukiyasu/glide/download.html

Really cool mac screensavers for voodoo cards. They are all supposed to work with voodoo3, and they look great! Especially check out mactunnel and macchrome, and particles!

Really cool stuff!
Jokton

PS. also, the mac starwars ep. 1 racer demo is out, but it does not work with voodoo :("

More Raves for UT Demo: Another reader notes a preference of UT over Quake3:

"Hi Mike,
Your comments about UT being better than Q3 strike home.....*I've* always like demo version oUT better than the demo version Q3, as well. This may be a bias on my part for Unreal, which I enjoyed *much* more than Quake 2 (I think Unreal is one of the best games *ever*).

What's interesting to me is that I took my beige voodoo3 equipped G3/300 up to my sister's place for the Thanksgiving Holiday. My PC-using nephews (16 and 14) exhibited virtually *no* interest in Quake3 Demo, but absolutely flipped over Unreal Tournament demo. I couldn't get them off the machine!

And I know that besides the look of the graphics, they definitely enjoyed the different games that could be played with the demo, e.g. Capture the Flag, Domination, etc. Sometimes its the quieter, less hyped game that steals the show.....
Regards,
Stephen."

More VR128 Audio Problem Feedback: I was able to capture DVD with 44KHz audio fine on my VR128 in the Apple G4/450 as noted some time back, but here are many owners that have reported audio problems and other issues with the VR128. Here's the latest report on the audio capture issue:

"Hi.
I'd like to add my perspective to the Xclaim VR 128 audio capture problem.

I'm experiencing the exact same problem (1/4-second of sound, then no audio capture) with my new Xclaim VR 128. I have it installed on a PowerMac 9500 (upgraded with a MaxPowr G3 processor card; 288 mb memory; Mac OS 8.6). I've called ATI Tech support a few times on this- so far they don't seem to have a clue. They told me to download a system extension called 'Audio TuneUp 2' from Apple's web site- which I did. But this old system program only works with computers running Mac OS 8.1 (see the ReadMe file), and I use OS 8.6. So this fixed nothing. I've done all the other usual stuff- reset the PRAM, rebuild the desktop, reinstall Apple's OpenGLversion 1.1.2; uninstall and then reinstall the ATI video driver software package; etc, etc. There are other people experiencing this same problem. One VR user just wrote about his audio capture problems on comp.sys.mac.hardware. See his post at Deja.com [link expired].

So, there is a repeatable pattern involving this problem among some VR owners.
-Mike"

As noted here in the news previously, several VR128 owners reported that the only audio problem fix they found was reverting to previous ATI drivers and/or OpenGL version. Apple's Audio Tuneup v2.0 didn't mention the 9500 model

Airport/ISP Troubleshooting Tips: Apple posted a TIL yesterday on AirPort Base Station: Troubleshooting a Dial-up Connection that may help those that are having problems. The TIL is well written and includes screenshots of configuration settings and more. According to some sources, Apple will be releasing an update to the Airport software that will make configuration easier.

XLR8 Updates Cache Control: There is a v1.4.3 of XLR8's MAChSpeed control available. See their web site for the latest download links.

Wired4DVD Software Update: Wiredinc has a new version 1.2.3 (1.76MB) of their software for their PCI decoder card at their FTP site. [Link moved - see the Wired4DVD Review linked in the DVD section of the Video articles page for the latest updates.]

For a blast from the past see what was on the front page news here one year ago.

Friday's News Summary

• Pioneer DVD/CVGS Compatibility
• G4 Forum discussions on DVD and more
• Compaq's iMac Attempt
• G4 Tests - 1MB vs 2MB Backside Cache
• Quake3 Arena Mac Demo released
• DVD Screenshot Tips/Comments
• Another 12X Mac CDR
• More Sony FireWire Spressa Feedback
• More Turbomax/Softraid Comments
• Reader Request: Pioneer DVD/CVGS Compatibility
• World's Smallest USB Scanner
• DSL Info page
• Media100 to buy assets from Wiredinc (makers of Wired4DVD card)
• Other Net News

Thursday's News Summary

• Beige G3 7.5x and 8x Bus/CPU Ratio Jumper Settings
• $87 Pioneer 10X Slot Loading DVD Drive
• IBM ViaVoice for Mac Owner Report
• Reader Request: DVD Screen Capture
• Smart & Friendly 12X CDR report
• Sony Spressa Firewire CDR/iMac DV Problems
• Miles U2W firmware update for VM fix/G4 systems
• Toast 4 OEM version update
• Mac FLY! patch comments
• Sonnet Cresendo extension updated
• Other Net News

Wednesday's News Summary

• Database server down for software update
• OWC Notes on rev 1 Beige G3s and 466MHz ZIF upgrades - ROM update needed?
• Emagic Releases The First Altivec Enhanced Pro Audio App
• Lower Prices on Pioneer 10X DVD Drive
• Initio updates SCSI Card Firmware for OS 9/VM/G4 issues
• Sony Spressa USB CDR Tip - Toast4 extensions solve some compat. issues
• Older Macs and Audio Playback Fixes
• PCI Slot Tip for Starmax/USB card owners
• Software Updates: Virex, GameRanger, Soundjam MP, Ratoc Firewire PCMCIA drivers updated
• Other Net News

Tuesday's News Summary

• XLR8 (Technology Demo) 2MB Cache G4 Update
• PPC Checker/G4 Errata
• Pioneer 10X DVD Drive in G4
• HP9110i 8X CDR in Macs
• More Info on Sawtooth Rev 2 Motherboard Changes
• XLR8 Cuts Prices on G3 Upgrades
• iBook and USB CDROM Recorders
• CPU Review, Game Review and Game/Video Card Framerates databases updated.
• Rage128 PRO Game Performance
• Quake3 Arena Strategy Guide
• Intel Cuts PIII Prices again

For links to older news pages see the Archives page.

The recent features page has a lists reviews/articles you may have missed.

For a guide to finding answers to questions - see my Site Guide page.

Considering a CPU Upgrade? Check the CPU Upgrade Owner's Survey results and search for owner reports by Mac model and/or card brand. Readers post new entries daily and the database is updated several times a week. I urge any owners that have had problems to report this via the Survey Form. Always give the most weight to recent owner reports (dated in the listing) as in many cases problems are later found to be due to settings errors, slow L2 cache, etc.

-Freq Asked Questions