Very strange DVD problems

[hzwaal]

I'm fairly sure the MPV video decoder doesnt support CSS encrypted video, so it would only be able to play ripped DVDs, not regular commercial disks.

MediaPortal did however play my (original) DVDs without a problem. Maybe it used another decoder for this, but I'm pretty sure I configured the MPV one. I'll just try it out in GBPVR tonight and will let you know.

[sub]

Maybe, I dont know. Try it and see.

[hzwaal]

I finally got around to trying the MPV Decoder for DVDs. I first added it manually to the SupportedDVDDecoders section in the config.xml and then selected i using the config application.

Then I played some DVDs and I'm quite happy with the quality. It's better than the PowerDVD decoder (hickups) and way better than the nVidia PureVideo decoder (ghosting at best, no menu/video in the worst case).

I still have some tearing in panning shots, but that it due to the VMR9 Custom mode inc combination with my GeForce6 card (see http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=28992). When starting with the -fse option, the tearing is gone. The -fse option gives me other headaches, so I'll try to live with the tearing for the moment.

My DVD problems are thus half-solved, because the TV out still quits for a number of DVDs. This is definitely not the decoder, because it happens with all of them. It's also not a GBPVR problem, since it also happens in MediaPortal. I guess it's yet another nVidia problem... :mad:

What happens is that when the DVD starts, I have video for a brief moment, before the TV indicates that is has no signal. I don't have any monitors connected, but using VNC I determined that the video is playing normally. My best bet is that the component output just stops for some reasons... maybe some other output (SVHS?) comes in the place, but I'll need more sparetime (which is quite rare with 5 kids) to pursue this.

[barkers123]

I got the dreaded 6150/430 too, so keen to swap notes. Mine's part of an ASUS Pundut P1-AH2, which looks the business under the telly but sure gives its fair share of joy...

I had a slightly different issue with the TV-out when I built my system a few months back but my solution might be helpful. After standby, it would change back to regular VGA output, just 'cos it could.

Forget what the latest nVidia dogware version was then, but I switched back to 81.98 and it seems pretty stable. Certainly have not had a TV-out problem with DVD playback.

Currently using the PDVD7 video decoder and some random audio decoder on 99.12, but preparing myself mentally for the upgrade soon.

[hzwaal]

I got the dreaded 6150/430 too, so keen to swap notes.

I'm all for that, so I'll start by summarizing my findings so far (at the end of this post).

I had a slightly different issue with the TV-out when I built my system a few months back but my solution might be helpful. After standby, it would change back to regular VGA output, just 'cos it could.

I had a similar problem in that my TV-out would spontaneosly switch back from PAL to NTSC after a reboot/resume, so I'm curious about your solution as it may also benefit me.

[QOUTE]Forget what the latest nVidia dogware version was then, but I switched back to 81.98 and it seems pretty stable. Certainly have not had a TV-out problem with DVD playback.[/QUOTE]

I've tried several and even contacted nVidia about some. They recommended the 84.21 for GeForce6. The switching back to NTSC was solved (or rather still working, as they apparently broke it afterwards ), but I remember having problems with the VMR9 custom mode, so I'm back on 162.18. The component output does come back correctly after a reboot/resume, but stop working when playing back most of my DVDs. I haven't had time to further investigate what really happens with the output.

So here is what I learned so far (note that these observations are all made with only a TV connected, not monitors):

1. The card has only one DAC, so it is only possible to connect one analog ouput. The other screen for a dual screen setup must be digital.
   
2. The card detects what is connected (component/SVHS/VGA/DVI) during boot time and these will be the selections you can choose from. This detection does not occur again during a resume, so if you change connections you'll need to do a reboot.
   
3. If both component and SVHS cables are connected, the card will only show the SVHS options. Because of this (in combination with lesson 2) I spent quite some time getting the component to work. SVHS cables have to be disconneced for the component option to be enabled.
   
4. In the PAL/SVHS mode, the card seriously underscans. I cannot get the black bars around the image to disappear, unless I change the settings in my TV to overscan drastically (which I will not do).
   
5. In the component mode, the underscan is less and the black bars are marginal (still no overscan though). The image quality in component is slightly better than using PAL/SVHS.
   
6. Problems 4 and 5 cannot be corrected by scaling the output using the device adjustments, because at a certain point (much too soon) the card will start cropping the left and right of the image.
   
7. In PAL/SVHS mode, when choosing a larger resolution than 720x576 (which PAL is), the image is automatically scaled down to the PAL resolution. If the aspect ration of the solution does not match 4:3, the remainder is cropped and is show using pan-and-scan.
   
8. In component mode, when choosing a larger resolution than the 576i (which I have configured), the image is not scaled down at all and starts panning-and-scanning right away. So much for hardware scaling.
   
9. Anamorphic scaling is not possible AFAIK. Neither is it possbile to independently adjust the height and the width of the image. You can only make the whole thing smaller and larger until it starts cropping somewhere.
   
10. When reinstalling new (or older) drivers, it is quite essential to completely removed the old drivers using a 3rd party cleaner (nVidia even recommended this: http://downloads.guru3d.com/download.php?det=745).
    
11. The VMR9 custom renderer will exhibit tearing for fast movements (especially panning shots). This does not happen in the full screen exclusive (FSE) renderer.
    
12. The VMR9 FSE renderer has its own share of problems. It often does not reinitialise itself after a resume, leaving you with a black screen with only a mouse on it. I'm not sure whether this problem only occurs in combination with PVRX2.
    
13. The VMR9 FSE renderer does not refresh the screen when PVRX2 exits. The PVRX2 image will remain, until individual screen items are repained. I don't know whether this problem is PVRX2 specific.
    
14. The VMR9 renderers do not work properly with the older drivers (at least not for the 84.21). I get vertical black bars on the screen. The 162.18 driver does not have this problem.
    
15. The component output stops working (no signal) when playing DVDs in version 162.18. I usually get my image back by changing a setttin (resolution or frequency) bck and forth using VNC. I have not yet experimented much with this problem, so I cannot say whether it occurs in older drivers, PAL mode, outside PVRX2, or with non-VMR9 renderers. I don't know.
    
16. The 162.18 driver sometimes spontaneously goes back from PAL to NTSC after a reboot/resume. The 84.21 does not have this problem. A possible solution (which I have not tried yet) is to remove all other modes in the .ini file.
    
17. nVidia obviously doesn't give a .... Even their own forum is full of people having similar problems with the TV out. My conclusion is that they focus on the gamers and new stuff (DX10) instead and couldn't care less about the TV out and the older cards. They'd rather introduce some driver hack to optimise some particular game than to get their basic stuff working. My advice would be to use a Matrox card if TV out is really important to you; if I had a free slot, I would.
    

One wonders why nVidia still has a good reputation...

[barkers123]

Well, cripes am I looking forward to 1.0.16 now. I'm sure you will get lots of feedback from this. Here's just a few thoughts from me...

1, 2 & 3. On my driver its possible to click a "Force TV Detect" checkbox. I think this skips the auto detection thing and stuffs the signal out to the telly anyway.
4. Not had an underscan problem. Is that with just a plain Windows screen..? If so, maybe there is a HW problem. Otherwise loads of stuff on here about aspect ratio problems.
7. Not sure what you mean here. I set my video resolution to 1024/768 but only cos otherwise I can't fit Windows on the screen for tinkering. Usually get the right size pic out.
9. This sounds like a codec issue. I've had mixed results with Codecs and don't yet have what I'd describe as a perfect solution. I think its different again with 1.0.16.
12. You seen this: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=24946&page=6 ..? I'm guessing you probably have.

Don't think nVidia do have such a great reputation...

The other thing I am fiddling with right now is an external scan converter which will go from VGA to TV/RGB. My own reason is that we have a telly with built in digital tuner and I'm having real touble competing with the quality of off-air picture vs the S-video from my GBPVR box.

Bought a GrandTek "Grand Hand II" for £30 ($60), but it went back due to a red blodge on the screen. Got a KWorld PC-TV to try next... If you get desperate then this might be an option..?