DVDs dont output to TV **UPDATED**

[iamwiz82]

i have a pioneer 6x dvd player and a geforce 2 GTS and when i go to tv output, i can see my desktop, but if i run a DVD with leadtek's dvd player software, i just get the logo and sound, but no video, any ideas??

 

[pidge]

Some software DVD players have a Macrovision protection enabled and therefore won't output to a TV. You need a software DVD player that can output to t.v.. Or look for a utility which disables Macrovision protection.

 

[iamwiz82]

ahhh... gracias, i will look for one now.

 

[Workin']

<< Some software DVD players have a Macrovision protection enabled and therefore won't output to a TV. >>

You're a little confused. Macrovision just prevents (or tries to, anyway) copying to video tape. It doesn't disable TV-out capability. You sent the dood on a wild goose chase.

His problem is probably with his video drivers. DVD software typically uses a Direct3D overlay to show the movie window. I'd make sure my video drivers and DirectX are installed correctly, or try a different player software.

 

[iamwiz82]

i have direct X 7, cuz i dont trust 8 quite yet, and i have detonator 6.50 drivers, which were the last sanctioned release by nvidia.

 

[iamwiz82]

I should elaborate also, when i go to TV mode, the dvd plays for 1/2 second, then goes to the dvd player logo.

 

[pidge]

I was under the impression that some did. Other DVD players look for Macrovision protection enabled by the display drivers and if they don't detect it, then the software DVD player will only display a black screen or a logo.

 

[HomerSapien]

I get a warning saying that the software might or might not be able to play it on the tv and that the specific hardware wasnt found. What ever that means. Its with a dell laptop and ati graphics card.

 

[rbV5]

Do you have a vcr installed between the DVD Rom and the TV?

 

[Workin']

<< Other DVD players look for Macrovision protection enabled by the display drivers and if they don't detect it, then the software DVD player will only display a black screen or a logo. >>

Even if that was the case (and I say it isn't), it would make zero sense to prohibit playback through the TV-out. What purpose would that accomplish? If anything, the reverse would be more in line with prohibiting copying - it's easier to duplicate a DVD by doing a digital rip than it is by recording an analog output.

iamwiz82 can you try out some different DVD playback software? That would be a big help towards figuring out the problem.

 

[TravisBickle]

interesting thread. what DVD players or tvout drivers attempt copy protection then? what tvout cards and software should people use? who has use DVD out successfully?

 

[Workin']

<< what DVD players or tvout drivers attempt copy protection then? >>

None that I know of (other than the DVD-standard CSS encoding of the digital stream and Macrovision encoding of the analog stream - but that is part of the format, not the drivers or players).

<< who has use DVD out successfully? >>

I have, on several different computers, with several different software DVD players.

<< what tvout cards and software should people use? >>

Everyone has their opinion. Mine is that recent ATI graphics cards (equipeed with the &quot;Rage Theater&quot; TV chip) have excellent TV-out, and the ATI DVD player software that comes with them works great, too. PowerDVD and WinDVD also work well.

 

[iamwiz82]

i just tried PCfriendly's DVD player, and it scrambled my entire picture so bad that i had to reboot. So i assume its protection. NOw, which software doesnt have this problem??

 

[rbV5]

My TV-out on my AIW Radeon with the ATI player works great. I didn't see where you said how your TV-out to your TV is hooked up. My old LXI only has coax in so I had to go from composite-out of the radeon to a rf-adapter to the coax-in of my TV. Is this your setup?

 

[Workin']

OK, as rbV5 asked, how is your video card connected to your TV?

 

[RobsTV]

I think it may have to do with the GeForce2 chip.
While I haven't tried it with DVD's, new Gigabyte GF2 MX card with TV out has a big warning that states:

&quot;This card supports only playing PC game on TV-out. And there will be no output on TV-Out whwen playing DVD&quot;.

Seems strange, as this retail boxed version lists awesome DVD playback as a feature, and even includes full retail version of PowerDVD 3.0. But, Macrovision copy protection was supposed to be incorporated into &quot;hardware&quot; with all new video cards. I guess the GeForce2 may be one of the first to do this??

 

[rbV5]

That sure looks like it, but <Macrovision copy protection was supposed to be incorporated into &quot;hardware&quot; with all new video cards> is that realy true? What I got from the ATI discussion over at rage3d, is that the Radeon 2 may have component-out connector for the highest quality TV output. How would that work?

 

[StormRider]

Yes, from what I understand from the eVGA website their earlier GeForce2 MX cards used a version of the Brooktree chip that did not have Macrovision.

Therefore, the software DVD player will refuse to play DVDs through the TV-Out connector since the Brooktree chip lacks Macrovision someone could copy the output to VHS tape.

Their newer cards (after Jan 2001) use the version of the Brooktree chip that has Macrovision. Since the software DVD player sees that the Brooktree chip supports Macrovision, it thinks it is okay to play DVDs through the TV-Out connector (since the signal is encoded with Macrovision it will prevent someone copying it to a VHS tape).

So, in summary, in order to play DVDs out through the TV-Out connector, you *want* a card with hardware Macrovision (which is counter-intuitive)!

[sorry about repeating my post -- I felt it more belong in this thread]

 

[Workin']

<< as this retail boxed version lists awesome DVD playback >>

Yeah, on the monitor only, LOL! What a joke! Sounds like that might be the problem, that's a new one on me. Just when you thought you've seen it all......

<< the Radeon 2 may have component-out connector for the highest quality TV output. How would that work? >>

The component video signals can be copy protected using Macrovision, same as S-video or composite video.

 

[rbV5]

I see, what I meant about the component out was that it wouldn't make much sense to provide the connection if you couldn't use it.

 

[Workin']

Yeah, component out for video games only would kinda be silly.

 

[RobsTV]

This has me wondering. If DVD playback is disabled on the TV output, but not on the 15pin monitor output, does this mean that a scan convertor will work? If so, just one more reason to choose a scan convertor over a video card with built-in TV output. I don't have a DVD drive in the PC with GF2 MX TV-out, so I can't easily test it. But I probably will throw one in to test both video card TV out and scan convertor, within a week or so. Unless someone here with the parts already set up, can test this out instead.

 

[Workin']

<< does this mean that a scan convertor will work? >>

I bet it would! No Macrovision problems at all - just run the movie full screen on your desktop and you're good to go. Macrovision is analog domain, the VGA signal is not protected at all (well, other than CSS, but that's decoded before the VGA output), AFAIK.

 

[RobsTV]

Yep, get a scan convertor!
While the card I just tested was a GeForce2 GTS without TV-out, I did connect my scan convertor to the GF2 GTS and TV, installed PowerDVD, and it ran perfectly, full screen, 1024x768x32, and looked great on the 53&quot; Sony!

 

[RobsTV]

Found some more info on this subject at geforcefaq.com

&quot;&quot;Q. Why can't I use my software DVD software on the secondary display of my GeForce2 MX?
This is because the GeForce2 MX does not support hardware overlay on the secondary display, and software DVD programs require this to work.&quot;&quot;

By secondary display, I take that to mean anything besides the standard 15pin primary connector.