Do I need new VGA Card? DVD Viewing issue...

[stingbandel]

Hi, I have a question here. I have Rage Fury 128 with TV out. Everytime I play my DVD and watch it on the monitor screen, it's not as bright as when I connect it to my TV. The screen would be darker than the TV. Is it because of my VGA card or because of my monitor (Viewsonic E 771) or because my system is not powerful enough (Celeron 433, 256 MB Rams, Win 2000 Pro). Do I need a new VGA Card or do I need harware card like Holywood or is it because of the monitor? Please give me suggestion. I am not sure if I posted this on the right forum but I think it's the one. Thanks

Darno

edit:

Now I solved the dark viewing problem. Now I just notice that the DVD playback is not too smooth. Does this happen because of the video card? It's not like droping frames too much but I can feel there is a skipping a little bit, so how do I solve this? I am thinking of getting a Radeon since I also notice that my usb haupauge tuner also gives the same thing, skipping a little bit. So I don't know how to solve the skipping frame thing. Any imput would be appreciated. Thanks

Darno

 

[Auric]

Adjust the brightness in the player.

 

[stingbandel]

Hi, I know I can always adjust the brightness in the player but it's really annoying to adjust the brightness all the times. Do you think I need at least a decoder card to make the viewing better? Or Do I need a new VGA card? I don't see any delay or skipping frame so far so I don't know if I need something to make the viewing better. Thanks

Darno

 

[Auric]

If the picture is smooth I don't reckon it is a matter of being underpowered. A decoder card would likely make the picture worse on the monitor. There are older types that use an internal connector but really it doesn't seem like the solution anyway.

Assuming you have messed around with the monitor settings already, I would check the driver's overlay brightness settings if they exist. The Radeon has them in a "Color" tab so I assume the Rage 128 might be the same.

If no joy then try to get the player's brightness settings to "stick". I know PowerDVD's do because I generally use increased brightness (also with MPEG-4) and keep the monitor a bit darker. If you have a Rage 128 PRO chip though, you will want to stick with a software decoder that includes support for ATI's iDCT like Cinemaster. I'm not sure if WinDVD does or not these days.

Good luck.

 

[drewski]

Needing to adjust the brightness is a common thing when viewing on the monitor. I don't think it has anything to do with the vid-card's power.

I can't remember, but I think using DVD Genie, you can automatically have the brightness adjusted upwards when you play your DVDs.

 

[NateSLC]

Do the Rage Pro drivers allow brighness adjustment of the digital overlay (DVD video) like the Radeon drivers? That way you can adjust the brightness for the movies, and it won't affect your desktop.

 

[stingbandel]

well on the color tab I see the overlay. I move it to the highest but I don't really see any difference at all. What I change when I watch DVD on the monitor is the brightness from the software itself. I am using both PowerDVD and ATi software. Is it true that if I add the decoder card, the viewing will be much smoother? My friend says that if I add the decoder card, the viewing will be much smoother. I personally see the viewing really smooth but he says when he watches DVD on his comp, the viewing will be much smoother since he adds the decoder card and also much brighter than my monitor. Also he says the picture quality will be much better. Based on this, I really want to ask people if I need a decoder card or not or maybe the VGA card as he uses ATi AIW with Celeron 500 and 64 MB Rams. Thanks

Darno

 

[Auric]

Well, a dedicated decoder card would make it as smooth as possible but will degrade the general picture quality on the monitor so I would forget about that. Plus, you say it is smooth, as it ought to be with that CPU and at least motion compensation support from the video chip. Can you try a different monitor? Have you got the latest drivers and software decoder/player versions? Have you asked at rage3d.com?

The absolute best quality you can get on a monitor or SDTV from a PC solution comes from a Radeon. Your friend is/would be a fool for degrading the picture with a decoder card. If you have the Rage 128 Pro then a Radeon would be a bit better but prolly not much. If you have a Rage 128 it will be more noticeably better. The monitor plays a big part too though. I am not familar with yours so cannot comment on it.

I think your hardware is fine and you just need to find the software solution to the darkness problem; specifically why is it happening and if it cannot be solved at the source then why won't the player's brightness slider at least stick where you set it?

 

[stingbandel]

Auric: THanks for the explanation. I think I'm gonna skip the decoder thing. I will go to the site that you game me and ask the people there. Thanks

Darno

 

[drewski]

Yeah, it sounds like your friend may need a CPU upgrade.

An underpowered CPU would be the main reason to get smoother playback w/ decoder card vs software decoder.

 

[Workin']

<< If you have the Rage 128 Pro then a Radeon would be a bit better but prolly not much. If you have a Rage 128 it will be more noticeably better. >>

The Rage Fury Pro and Radeon use the same DVD circuitry, and the same TV-out circuitry. Both are an order of magnitude better than the Rage Fury.

 

[Auric]

Radeon has adaptive de-interlacing.

 

[stingbandel]

ok, now I solve the dark viewing issue by using WinDVD. But I know notice that the picture is not smooth. I see like skipping frame even though not to contras but I can see it. So do I really need a hardware decoder for this? I remember when I use Win 98, I didn't have this problem. I am using Win 2000 Pro now. Also I just add Toshiba CD Rom so the way set up my system is like this. Primary master for Toshiba CD Rom, Primary slave for HP burner. Seconday master for Pioneer DVD 115 and seconday slave for IOmega zip drive. Does it drop the frame because of the dvd is set up as secondary master? Please help me out since I don't really want to go with the decoder card if I can. Thanks

Darno

 

[stingbandel]

Up, more help please thanks....

Darno