PowerDVD crappy Picture???

[Flo]

Hi everyone!

Maybe you can help me with this one:

Recently I noticed that my DVDs all of a sudden started to look crappy with PowerDVD 5. It looks like my monitor was in 256 Colors Mode!:scared:

I use the Vivid Profile without Hardware acceleration. Recently I bought a new LCD. So I think, maybe this is normal, only I noticed it more on the new display. But it's sucj a strong effect, I think, it's really a problem... When I turn Hardware acceleration on, it's much better, but not perfect.


So: Would you please look at this picture from "Ring 0". It's boring, but you see, what I mean (on the door)...

http://florianberardi.tripod.com/PDVD_000.jpg (Please don't click, just copy and paste into Navigation, or it won't work an Tripod)

And tell me, if this is normal and maybe how to fix this?


Thank you so much!

[qwerpoi]

I believe I've had similar problems with PowerDVD, in my case there would be a whole lot of macroblocks showing up on the screen, especially in dark scenes. Turns out that it was because I updated some drivers for my motherboard (took me quite a while to figure that one out). The point is that it's probably not the fault of PowerDVD. You say you recently got a new LCD monitor - were you using a CRT before? I would try to see if you could duplicate the effect with another software player (try Media Player Classic, it's free and has built-in DVD decoding), as well as see if the problem is still there when you use the old monitor (if it's still available).

[Ryokurin]

Some of that is going to be caused by your monitor, LCDs do not have the same color depth as a CRT and certain things like that is noticeable on them, its more noticeable on brighter things however at least in my experience. Some of that is caused by the vivid setting too as it ups the brightness considerably on the image. Try it on normal and see what happens.

[Pasqui]

I also experince the same problem with PowerDVD5 and a CRT monitor. Media Player Classic also behaves the same way with VMR7/9 renderless, but everuthing is right with VMR7 windowed or overlay mixer modes.

[Flo]

OK, first of all, thanks for your help!!

Here's what I found out: The Problem also exists on a CRT- Display, but I can even see it on my brothers Computer, so it seems to be "normal", but it's really more clearly on my TFT (which is, besides, a very good an expensive one)... So it can't be a Hardare Problem...


Now, I tried Media Player Classic, and really: "Renderless"--> Bad Quality, but not THAT bad, because it's without Vivid...

The "Windowed" Modes --> Fine Quality. The effect is still noticeable, but it doesn't bother me anymore.


So it seams to be the Way, the Video is rendered. But here comes another Problem: I really love PowerDVD's Feautures. So can I anyhow change the renderer in PowerDVD or maybe WinDVD?? Or at least have sort of a Vivid Profile in Media Player classic??


And why the Fuck does it look better on a free Tool, than on expensive PowerDVD???? :angry:

[Ryokurin]

mpc is using the powerdvd codec in its rendering. More than likely the normal image. Try setting a custom profile so that at least you can get it close to vivid but not with the same problems.

[qwerpoi]

If you stick with it long enough, you'll find out that despite being free, Media Player Classic is quite a bit more advanced than old expensive PowerDVD. That being said, you need to check if you are using PowerDVD's filters when you are playing back in MPC (since MPC has built-in DVD decoding). Start up a dvd, then right click on the screen- you should be able to see a list of which filters are currently being used to playback. If you are using PowerDVD's decoders, I think you can set the vivid profile stuff in PowerDVD first, then load up the dvd in MPC. If you are using MPC's decoder and want to use PowerDVD's, hunt through the options and uncheck all built-in MPEG decoders. If you prefer MPC's decoder for some reason, maybe you want to try using ffdshow as part of your filterchain to replace Vivid profile stuff (ffdshow can adjust levels and other picture properties, as well as sharpen, etc). If you are unsure how to do this, check out this thread from the avs forum.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?threadid=246752&highlight=ffdshow

[Flo]

Hmmm...

I actually don't want to change the Filter it uses, if I don't have to (it does not use PowerDVD's one)...


All I need are settings for brightness, contrast and saturation...

Now, maybe I'm blind, but: Where can I set this stuff???? (In MPC)

[Flo]

k, just found it... :rolleyes: Please give me money, I need new eyes...