DVD picture quality on PC?

[SOS]

Hi,

I just got a Pioneer 105s DVD-ROM and although the DVD movie playback isn't at all jerky, the picture quality seems dubious compared to a proper non-PC setup.

What is the most likey cause of this? Monitor?

I'm using PowerDVD on an Abit KT7-RAID/Duron 600Mhz system.

Thanks

SOS

 

[Fenix793]

Your not gonna get set top quality from a software dvd player. If you want the best a Real Magic Hollywood+ decoder would do the trick since it look and sounds better than a software decoder. Not to mention it has awesome TV out. It looks like a set top.

 

[The Wildcard]

What kind of video card do you have?

 

[SOS]

I'm using a LeadTek GeForce2 MX card.

Most people say that most of the time the software decoder does a good job.

SOS

 

[superbaby]

I have a Asus V7100 GeForce2 MX and I play DVD movies nearly every day.

Granted I also have a Sony E400 19" FD Trinitron monitor but I have no complaints. I had a G400 before and the quality is the same if not crisper with PowerDVD & GF2, probably because PowerDVD takes advantage of the GF2's acceleration features whereas it doesn't with the G400 (or not as much).

If you have a 32" WEGA Sony TV then you are going to get one hell of a picture out of that with a set-top DVD player and true 5.1/DTS receiver. But for watching movies in your room in your bed I couldn't be happier

 

[SOS]

I've got a crappy old 14-inch monitor that doesn't support great refresh rates.

superbaby: Under the video tab in the PowerDVD configuration do you have the "Use hardware accelerator" clicked? I think that's what you're talking about above. If I have that clicked it doesn't work properly. Does your picture quality degrade with it turned off?

Thanks

SOS

 

[SOS]

I've got a crappy old 14-inch monitor that doesn't support great refresh rates.

superbaby: Under the video tab in the PowerDVD configuration do you have the "Use hardware accelerator" clicked? I think that's what you're talking about above. If I have that clicked it doesn't work properly. Does your picture quality degrade with it turned off?

Thanks

SOS

 

[benVandal]

SOS, I would guess that your monitor is a big part of the problem...you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear so to speak. I have the Hollywood+ card and I also have Power DVD. For watching on a monitor, the software decoder definitely does a better job than the Hardware decoder, but the Hollywood+ is perfect for TV out. I have no way of knowing about PowerDVD for viewing on a TV since I don't have video-out on my video card, but that is really what the H+ card is made for.

 

[culex]

I use both software (PowerDVD) and Hollywood Plus.

If you plan to view them in your monitor, don't bother getting Hollywood Plus for better quality. You'll notice tiny or no difference at all.

Only reason I got my Hollywood Plus is because it has a VERY nice TV output quality. Compared to TV, the quality on CRT monitors arent that great. I heard it's a bit better with Radeons... I'll know soon.

 

[ArkAoss]

SOS IT IS DEFINTILY THE MONITOR!! save up some bux and get a 17 or 19 inch,, or the holywood, and put it to your tv, trust me on the monitor

 

[Dulanic]

I had an older MPEG card and let me just say Software looks so much better than it did.

 

[SOS]

Hmmm, the monitor eh? So why would a better monitor provide better quality DVD playback? I've heard something about low refresh rates being bad.

 

[The Wildcard]

An old 14" monitor? Uhhh SOS....yeah i would DEFIANTELY think that would be your problem, lol. You should upgrade your monitor. I mean with the system you have now i am surprised you didn't upgrade earlier.

 

[SOS]

He he, trust me, I want a new monitor. Some 19 inch ones I've seen look excellent. The rest of my new system hasn't left me with a lot of cash left over, and we all know monitors aren't cheap.

Still, there must be a reason why newer monitors would be better for DVD playback.

 

[John]

Software decoders like WinDVD 2.3 & PowerDVD provide a sharper picture on a monitor than a decoder card does IMHO. What version of PowerDVD are you using?

I recommend you use WinDVD 2.3 from www.intervideo.com to see if it is your version of PowerDVD that is the culprit. PowerDVD 2.55 build 0620 is the latest "final release" BTW...

DVD on a 14" monitor? Damn that sux

 

[ndee]

SOS: I've got a Hardware Decoder, and I think the quality is worse, than with a Software player. Cuz, the picture has to go a longer way with a Decoder Card. That's what I think

 

[The Wildcard]

Hmm i dunno but i think a monitor might make a difference too. I have a Dxr3 decoder and a Sony G400 with a TNT 2 Ultra. My friend has a Gateway system with software DVD decoding with an Invar Shadow Mask 19" monitor, TNT 2 M64 and 700 Athlon processor.

Anywaz, i first ran Toy Story 2 on his computer and looked up close at his screen, then i immedately loaded it up on my computer and noticed a difference in sharpness.

Oh and he was using Power DVD.

 

[Lore]

John:

PowerDVD 3.0 is out, too

 

[Noriaki]

I've used both WinDVD 2000 2.2 and Power DVD 2.55 and they look excellent on my machine.

I have a 17" .25dp monitor that will go anywhere from 800x600x85Hz to 1600x1200x60Hz and DVDs look great anywhere in between (I usually use 1024x768x80Hz for DVDs)

 

[Rigoletto]

I'm puzzled at how people seem comfortable with the decompression artefacts in DVD software. I get strange colours on relatively flat areas, like in JPEG highly compressed files.

 

[JayPatel]

i too get artifacting on my screen when i play thru software decoding, even on my old quandrant cinemaster decoder card i used to get artifacting. i have yet to see a pc desktop equal the quality of a set top box, can anyone prove me wrong?

 

[SOS]

Hmmmm, seems like I didn't really make myself clear. I meant comparison between a PC system using software decoder and hardware as in a stand alone non-PC system, like hifi components.

Maybe I'm expecting too much, but I read that the picture is excellent.

SOS

 

[BigToque]

I use 2 different software players on my computer.

WinDVD 2000
Cinemaster 2000

Cinemaster 2000 looks and sounds much better than WinDVD.

How much is a Hollywood card?

 

[The Wildcard]

I've seen some go for $60 at comp shows but i also saw some online for around $40.

 

[Origen]

Maybe I don't know exactly what all counts as a decompression artifact, but outside of heavy system usage by other programs I don't notice any artifacts at all when playing back from software to my monitor (see specs below, I recently did a buncha upgrades but before hand DVD playback was just as good).

I might be wrong on this but in a similar fashion to vsync and video games, the playback FPS of your DVD is limited to your refresh rate. So if you're using an old 14" at like 60hz refresh rate or something it could very well explain poor quality.

Also some of your problem may be because of strange play back resolutions. It's gonna make the movie look really small on a 14" but in the PowerDVD config, on the Screen tap click on "Keep screen aspect ratio" and see if that helps at all.

If clicking on "Hardware Acceleration" doesn't work SOS then something is wrong with your setup I'd say as that should work just fine. I'd prolly guess you're using an OEM version of PowerDVD that isn't a 0201 or 0620 build. To check your version click on the Cyberlink logo on the "VCR Panel" then double click the red image in the about box and it'll show you your version number.

On the same panel as the "Hardware Accelation" option there should be an option for video mode with 3 choices: Auto-select/Force Bob/Force Weave. Try Force Weave or Auto-select and see if that helps at all.

Hope some of this helps.


CPU: P3-700 FC-PGA cB0 @ 933/1.65v
Mobo: Abit BX133
RAM: 384MB PC133 Mushkin rev 2
Video: Geforce DDR 32MB (6.47)
Monitor: MAG DX17T
DVD: Pioneer 105s 1.22 firmware
Sound: Aureal SQ2500
OS: WinME/DX8
Player: PowerDVD 3.00.1021