from
http://www.pcphotovideo.com/ati&via.htm
ATI, VIA, MMC and WIN2K
As some of you must know, about three months ago, I purchased a new main board with my first VIA KT133 chip set.Now I know what you all are going through. It's taken me almost three months of testing, but I believe I have at least ONE solution to (one) of the problems.
Also if you haven't used the "proper" method to install the ATI video drivers check out the "DRIVER install tips" page.
The problem:As soon as you start a capture .. the ATI time window says you dropped
"< 1 percent frames".Or it will start dropping frames at random. Or you have increasingly out of sync sound.
Yes, I had that same problem from the onset. (for the first time in my ATI life)Here's one (of many) fixes that might help you. I'm talking about any of the ATI cards running MMC 7.1. I'm in Windows 2K but this may help you with other systems as well.
I could re-produce and fix this problem at will. Here's the deal. (If this works for you, tell ATI as I could use a job.) <grin>
What I "think" is happening is that most people install the ATI MMC after they have their system installed. Makes perfect sense. BUT, what seems to be happening is that the ATI install is over-writing some Windows critical element. I believe it might have something to do with the GART and/or the 4 in 1 VIA driver set.When I installed the ATI MMC as the last step (on a fresh empty system) I had nothing but grief. BUT, on a whim one night, I re-loaded the latest VIA 4 in 1 drivers AND Windows SP 2.This I believe was putting back some important system file(s) that affects the ATI Capture and other system specific areas such as hard drive I/O. I asked the techs at work, "how come Win2K didn't protect those files from being over-written like it's supposed to?" This was supposedlyone of the good features of both Win2K and Win ME. ... System file protection.Well, they informed me it only protects against "unsigned" files.If ATI has a "signed" version of a file needed, then Windows will let it load.
I installed all my system the normal way. Installed the latest VIA 4 in 1, along with DirectX 8 and it's digital video add on. I only had Win2K SP 1 installed.Then I installed the ATI MMC 7.1
AFTER installing the ATI MMC, I then re-installed the VIA drivers AND finally installed Win2K SP 2.Some stability problems were eliminated after re-installing the VIA set, but I still had dropped frames.However once I installed the final (Win2K Service Pack TWO) no more trouble.
The "techs" at the shop (I used to own a computer repair shop and they let me "hang around" there) started telling me about the GART, disc I/O, AGP apeture and buss stuff and it held my interest for all of about 2.5 seconds. <heh heh>I'm really not into that really deep technical stuff. But from what they say, it seems this could be why so many people have trouble with ATIs and VIA chip sets and not with others like the AMD 750 series. There's something going on during the MMC 7.1 install that is tickling something it shouldn't.
This makes more sense as some of you have gone back to the MMC 7.0. Different system entirely and different MMC files.
I hope this gives you an insight at least for an area to look at. What have you got to loose? Don't erase anything. Just re-install those VIA drivers and upgrade (again) SP 2. Or if you really want a "clean" system, start from scratch .. making sure to make the VIA and SP2 the last things you update.
Of course there are a myriad of other things that can cause various problems. But if things like the disc I/O and various other 4 in 1 components are being over-written during the MMC install .. at least now you can counter THAT.
Ah ... I just checked the Win2K machine while I'm typing this. 48 minutes into a Farscape SVCD capture and not one frame dropped. (yet) .. The proof of the pudding will be the audio when I play it back.
