video card IRQ problems

[louloizides]

I'm working on an embedded computer application that's running a
stripped down version of Windows XP. The mainboard has a Cyrix MediaGX
processor equivalent to a Pentium 233 MMX. I put an All In Wonder card
128 pro in there and expected to be able to watch TV and get watchable
(even if it's a little jerky) DVD playback since the board has a
hardware decoder. Instead, windows completely freezes every time I try
to watch TV and the DVD playback is not watchable (maybe 1 frame per
second at the most).

According to the ATI website, the All In Wonder 128 pro requires an IRQ
to be set to the card to get the TV tuner to work. Unfortunately, my
bios has no option for "assign IRQ to VGA". Windows, meanwhile, only
shows the card in memory - not with an IRQ assigned. I have freed up
several IRQs in the bios and have tried readding all the Windows XP
components I took out, but still no IRQs get assigned.

I kind of think that this might be part of the trouble, but I have no
idea how to assign an IRQ because I can't uncheck "use automatic
settings" in windows. Is there a way to force the settings to change?
Am I stuck with no IRQ assigned?

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Horribly low specs for anything digital..... but as for the IRQ problem:

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314068

 

[louloizides]

Well right now Win XP installed a standard PC HAL.

Maybe I should reinstall XP using an ACPI HAL? I guess with any luck
that would allow me to shift around my IRQs. The bios does have a plug
and play / automatic IRQ assignment section so I would think that an
ACPI hall should work.

The specs are pretty bad, but this was more than enough power for what
I needed it for. Plus, the All In Wonder should handle the MPEG-2
decoding once I can figure out this damn IRQ problem...

 

[louloizides]

I can get ACPI working under Win 98, but not XP. Back to the drawing
board I guess. The problem is I needed XP to run some software - I wish
I could just get it working with the hardware like 98 did.

 

[Cari \(MS-MVP\)]

Check the website of your motherboard manufacturer for an updated BIOS.

 

[louloizides]

I wish it were that simple. I've tried reflashing the bios with their
image several times, but it never flashes. I always get an image not
the correct size error, even though I know it definitely is the correct
size. They told me it works fine for them and I'm doing this with
everything disconnected and booting DR-DOS on a floppy (although I've
tried several different bootdisks and versions of awdflash).

This thing is causing me all kinds of problems. I really wish this card
didn't need a dedicated IRQ - it's a huge headache for me since I can't
assign it through the bios and because Windows won't support simpler
hardware schemes (according to that link you gave me anyway). All I
want to do is ungrey that damn checkbox in the display adapter
properties so I don't have to use automatic resource settings.