DVD Playback Issues

[Daks]

I finally got around to slapping a DVD into the HTPC and am having some majorly annoying issues playing them back.  The drive apparently came with Cyberlink's PowerDVD.  I say "apparently" because I just found the disk and have no other idea where else it would have come from.  So, I installed it, configured GBPVR, and set off.  

Unfortunately, I'm getting some major stutter when I play a DVD in full screen mode.  And the dialog is a bit off from the video as it looks like a poorly dubbed Kung Fu flick.  In windowed mode (regardless of the window's size) it's fine.  Any other video file I play in fullscreen mode works fine.  It only appears to be when I play from the DVD drive (next idea is to rip it as an ISO and try it that way).

It happens in both GBPVR and PowerDVD, so I'm sure it's something funky on my end, but I don't know what.  My first thought was to look for a better DVD decoder, but I'm open to ideas if anyone has any.

Here are the system specs if it helps.  It's based on an old Dell Dimension 8100.  P3 1.0 GHz, stock mobo, 640MB RDRAM.  Lite-On 48/24/48/16 CDRW/DVDROM combo drive.  GeForce MX4000 video.  Hauppauge PVR250 capture/tuner.  TB Santa Cruz sound.  Some off-brand wireless NIC that really needs replacing.  20GB EIDE drive (OS and apps), 120GB SATA drive (media files).  Running Windows 2000.

[Pioneer4x4]

I've always used PowerDVD. One thing I do when watching DVDs (or any video) full screen is I drop my screen resolution to 800x600, even on my 21". All videos are smaller than than, so there is less stretching overhead, and better picture. I'd rather see large smooth dots, than large perfectly sharp squares......

If you can actually set you screen res to the video res, you will get the best result, but that is rarely the case. (Except for 640x480)

Now obviously ignore all of this if you have a flat panel with fixed resolution which you should always have set to it's native resolution.

Sorry if none of this applies, but it is a good thing to try. ALso chck for updates to the PowerDVD, it might be an older version packed in with the hardware.

[Daks]

Well, I've got a crappy 17" monitor and a crappy 27" TV (working up the courage to put some cash down on a HDTV). I'm running at 1024x768 res so I'll try dropping it to 800x600 and even further then check for improvements.

Thanks for the tip.

[Daks]

Thanks, Pioneer. Dropping down to 800 x 600 sped things up nicely and killed the stutter and Kung Fu dubbing effect.

Of course, now I ran into a whole new problem. I updated my nVidia drivers (to fix another problem) and now I can't get GBPVR's DVD fuctionality to output to the TV. It shows up on the monitor just fine, but the TV gets the black letterbox bars with a slightly lighter color between them where the movie would play. PowerDVD works fine as does any other player I try, it's only GBPVR.

I tried using the System Default and the Cyberlink decoder in the DVD config but neither works. I tried VMR9 and Overlay in the Playback section and still no progress.

Any ideas?

[Daks]

/self bump

Still unable to get any DVD video (from DVD-ROM or from ripped/mounted files) on the TV even though video from other sources (Live TV, recorded programs, etc) shows up just fine.  Any help or advice would be highly appreciated.

[Daks]

I'm sorry to keep bumping this, but I can't seem to solve this problem and it's occurring now after a format. When using the PowerDVD player, everything works perfectly. However, when playing DVDs in GBPVR, it doesn't display on the TV. I can see a lighter color in the area that should be showing the movie, but no picture.

Live TV works fine always. Recorded TV exhibits the same problem when I use the Cyberlink decoder in VMR9 mode. Using Overlay is fine. Using the Intervideo decoder in either VMR9 or Overlay works fine. The Intervideo option isn't available in the DVD config option.

I downloaded the nVidia decoder trial version and it worked in GBPVR (unfortunately, it jerks and stutters continuously at any resolution), so it seems to be a problem with the Cyberlink decoder within GBPVR.

Anyone able to give me some direction on this? It's the last issue I'm having in an otherwise excellent application.

System specs are the same as listed in my original post with the exception that I replaced the PVR-250 with a PVR-150. Oh, and the 120GB drive isn't SATA. Don't know why I listed it as such originally.