Software Configuration Recommendations 
1. Windows 95 OSR 2.X or Windows 98. 
2. DMA turned on for the DVD-ROM drive. 
3. PCI bridge support. 

Software Dependencies 
You must have all of the following installed for DVDExpress to function.  Note these are separate Microsoft products and are not part of the same installation.  These are only necessary if you are using a Windows 95 system.  Do not install these on a Windows 98 system. 

1. DirectX Foundation 5.X (Runtime)  This URL will take you to Microsoft�s Web page where you can download it.  http://www.microsoft.com/directx/resources/dx5end.htm 
2. DirectX Media 5.2B (Runtime) 

The DVDExpress software, when properly configured can provide full 30 frames per second playback of DVD CSS encrypted content (e.g. Hollywood movies). 

Downloading Software 
To get the DirectShow 5.2b and Mediamatics DVDExpress A/V Pak software, please download it from the following: 
FTP site: jupiter.national.com(Files not found ) 
File: InstallDXMedia52b.exe (for Win95 only) 
File: 4004r#.zip (Mediamatics DVDExpress Player version 4004 in six region builds) 

Installation Procedure 
1. Install DX Media by running the executable file InstallDXMedia52b.exe 
2. Unzip the 4004r#.zip Where r# = region. 
     - Three folders namely disk1 thru disk3 will be extracted. 
3. Install DVDExpress by running setup program from disk1 folder. 
4. Installation is complete. 

Software Configuration 
For optimal performance, DVDExpress takes advantage of Motion Compensation-enabled graphics controllers. Currently, ATI Rage Pro and Trident 975DVD graphics chips provide this feature. 

DVDExpress will work with any graphics controller, but the performance may vary. 

Utilities 
Two performance measurement tools are provided.  WinTop.Zip should be used for measuring system performance such as CPU utilization.  The DVDExpress performance tool appears as a Mediamatics logo in the taskbar and should be used for measuring frame rate related parameters. 

New Features 
 Performance improvements for non Motion Compensation enabled graphics controllers. 
 The installation of DVDExpress does a silent uninstall of any previous version before installing the new version. 
 Frame delivery timing enhancements to reduce screen jerkiness during panning. 

This might be of interest to the (0) people who use DVD Express 4010 (off the Acer Singapore site.)
The default install script effectively *cripples* DVD Express's software video decode quality.
Here are the PROPER registry settings to resotre DVD-Express's full software decode quality.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Mediamatics\DVD Express\ActiveMovie Decoder]
"HalfVerticalRes"=dword:00000000
"HalfHorizontalRes"=dword:00000000

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Mediamatics\DVD Express\ActiveMovie Decoder\Formats]
"YV12"=dword:00000001

Originally, DVD Express 4010 would operate in half-horizontal and half-vertical resolution (352x240!) That's effectively VideoCD resolution!

The "YV12" setting allows DVD Express to use YUV-planar acceleration (YV12) on VGA adapters with this overlay type. XingDVD, PowerDVD, and SoftDVD all prefer YV12 (assuming hardware motion-compensation isn't available), but Cinemaster and WinDVD do not use YV12 for some odd reason. No matter how hard I try, Cinemaster (including ATIDVD) and WinDVD use YUV-packed, which offers equal video-quality but requires a bit more CPU time. 
 

As far as I know, MPEG-1 video is sampled with one pixel format : CCIRR YCbCr 4:2:0
Storage-wise, the "4:2:0" format is exactly equivalent to the DIrectdraw FOURCC of "YV12"

In short, a YV12 overlay is stored as three *separate* planes (bitmaps) :

1) "Y" - 8 bits per pixel @ full-resolution (352x240 for MPEG-1 SIF)
2) "Cb" - 8bits per pixel, subsampled 1/2 in X and 1/2 in Y (176x120 in MPEG-1 SIF)
3) "Cr" - 8bits per pixel, subsampled 1/2 in X and 1/2 in Y (176x120 in MPEG-1 SIF)

In English, that means for every 2x2 square of Y (luminance) pixels, there is ONE PAIR of CB/CR (chrominance) pixels. Thus, a group of 4 pixels requires 4 + 1 + 1 = 6 bytes of memory. Hence, YV12 (average = 12 bits per pixel.)

------------------
The MPEG compression algorithm processes the Y, CB, and CR planes in parallel. Kind of like the old bitplanes of VGA 16-color mode (or the Amiga computer) Except here there are 3 planes, the Y-plane at 352x240 8bpp, and the CB + CR planes each at 176x120 8bpp. YV12 (YUV planar) is the logical output format of choice for software-MPEG decoders.
Outputing to any other YUV format (YUY2, UYVY, etc.) requires *additional* CPU overhead. 

MPEG-2 video extends the sampling-choices to three t; the old 4:2:0, and the new ones are 4:2:2, and 4:4:4. DVD-video, which is a contrained-parameter MPEG2 is restricted to 4:2:0, so that's all that counts. Incidentally 4:2:2 is functionally equivalent (though not exactly the same, implementation wise) to the YUV-packed formats YUY2, UYVY. Both are 16bpp, and both subsample the CbCr (U/V) data 1/2 in horizontal (so a 720x480 4:2:2 frame = 720x480 Y, 360x480 U, 360x480 V)

The only reason for DVD Express to disable YV12, is if the the company knew that some adapters with YV12 didn't properly implement YV12 planar.

Tutorial on YUV pixel formats http://www.webartz.com/fourcc