Upgrade Guide

After years of predictions to the contrary, the DVD-ROM drive still hasn't replaced the CD-ROM drive. Nevertheless, the DVD-ROM drive is an increasingly common peripheral in new PCs.

DVD-ROMs deliver considerably higher-quality full-motion video than CD-ROMs do, propelling games to a new level of realism. They also allow content-rich entertainment and educational software to fit on fewer discs than they would on CD-ROMs. The Complete National Geographic, for example, comes either as a set of 30 CD-ROMs or 4 DVD-ROMs. And the popular game Riven comes on five CD-ROMs or a single DVD-ROM.

Add-in third-generation DVD-ROM kits, such as the Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore 6X Dxr3 shown here, give you the latest in DVD-ROM performance and let you read standard CD-ROMs. Those that include a PCI MPEG-2 decoder board (like the Encore kit) also allow you to watch DVD movies on your PC's monitor or on a television. Here's how to install a third-generation DVD-ROM kit that contains a drive using an IDE interface (the most common type of interface).

Prepare Your System for the Upgrade

Installing the DVD-ROM drive, the MPEG decoder card, and all necessary software will change your PC's configuration substantially. So, to be safe, make sure that your PC is trouble-free and void of incompatibilities before you start. Select Start, Settings, Control Panel, double-click the System icon (or right-click My Computer and select Properties), and click Device Manager. If you see an exclamation point next to any of the device entries, select Start, Help, and locate and run Help's hardware troubleshooter. Also, make a full backup of your PC's hard drive.

Install the MPEG Decoder Card

Turn off your PC and unplug it. Ground yourself--preferably with an antistatic wrist strap clipped to a grounded, metal object. Remove the case cover and find a free PCI slot. Remove the slot's metal cover from the inside rear of the PC. Carefully slide the decoder card into the slot, making sure that it's seated firmly. Secure it with a screw.

Install the DVD-ROM Drive

These days, a PC's motherboard has two IDE channels, a primary one and a secondary one, each with its own connector (A). A cable attaches the hard drive to the primary channel, and another cable likely connects the CD-ROM drive to the secondary channel. If each of these cables has a spare connector between the motherboard and the device, then each channel should support a second device. If possible, hook up your DVD-ROM drive to the same cable to which the CD-ROM drive is attached. If a second drive--such as a tape or Zip drive--already occupies that spot, connect the DVD-ROM drive to the same cable that the hard drive is plugged into. Hopefully, one of your IDE cables has a free connector. If not, use the cable that came with your DVD-ROM drive upgrade kit.

Make sure the jumpers on the back of the DVD-ROM drive are set to "slave" (B). If brackets are needed to mount the drive in your computer, attach them now. Slide the DVD-ROM drive into your PC's mounting bay (C), and connect the IDE cable and the power cable to the rear of the DVD-ROM drive (D). Make sure the colored edge (usually red) of the IDE cable is attached to pin 1 on the DVD-ROM drive's connector (it's marked; look closely).

Hook Up the Audio and Video Cables

Here's where you might start to feel like an electrician. You'll plug in lots of cables, and details vary by manufacturer. The hookups we show here apply specifically to the Creative Labs PC-DVD Encore 6X kit with the Dxr3 decoder. Be sure to read the manual that comes with your kit carefully, and work slowly and methodically.

a) Connect the audio cable from the rear of the DVD-ROM drive to the Audio 1 in connector of the MPEG card.

b) If you have an audio cable from the rear of your existing CD-ROM drive that is connected to the sound card, detach it from the sound card and attach it to the Audio 2 in connector of the MPEG card.

c) Connect an audio cable from the Audio out connector of the MPEG card to the sound card's Audio in connector.

d) Remove the monitor cable from your PC's graphics port and plug it in to the lower (external monitor) connector on the MPEG card.

e) Connect your DVD-ROM drive kit's video loopback cable from the MPEG card to the monitor connector on your PC's graphics port.

f) If you'll be watching DVD movies on a television, plug one of the video cables that came with the upgrade kit (either RCA or S-video connectors, depending on your TV's capabilities) from the MPEG card video output to the television's video in connector.

g) If you have a stereo receiver or PC speaker system that can decode Dolby Digital surround sound, use a cable (usually not included with the DVD-ROM kit) to connect the MPEG card and stereo.

Install the Drivers and DVD-ROM Drive Software

Plug your PC back in and turn it on. Windows 95 or 98 should detect the new drive and board and ask for the drivers. Insert the driver disk (a floppy or sometimes a CD-ROM) into the PC and follow the on-screen directions.

Next, install the DVD-ROM drive software that came with the upgrade kit. Details vary by vendor, so just follow the directions for your kit. You may need to restart your PC after installation.

Finally, test whether your new drive will read both standard CD-ROMs and DVD-ROMs. If you have a problem--your computer won't recognize the drive or read a disc, for example, or you don't get any sound at all--turn off your PC and recheck all your connections. (The number of cables involved makes it easy to plug a couple of them into the wrong places.) If that doesn't solve the problem, call the upgrade kit maker's technical support line. When you're sure everything's working correctly, shut down your computer and put the cover back on the case.

Fast Facts on DVD-ROM Installations

Benefits: lets you play DVD movies and run current and upcoming DVD-ROM and CD-ROM software

Cost: $175 to $250

Time required: 60 to 90 minutes

Tools required: Phillips screwdriver, needle-nose pliers, antistatic wrist strap (recommended)

Expertise level: intermediate

Vendors: Creative Labs, Diamond Multimedia, Hi-Val, Philips, Sony, Toshiba