Having serious problems with video playback using 6600GT

[Markolc81]

I have an NVidia 6600GT vid card in my PC with the latest drivers off of NVidia's website. it's connected to a 42" Westinghouse 1080p monitor via DVI cable. Here's the problem. When watching a video file or DVD movie using any video playback program (PowerDVD and WMP9 is what I use) the video plays back very dark and colors are a bit off. I traced it back to a bad gamma setting. When I open up the NVidia Control panel/Video and TV/Adjust video color settings, I see that Gamma is set below standard at (-8). When I click restore defaults the Gamma sets back to (+9) and the video playback is very colorful and vibrant like it should be. However as soon as I close the Control panel and open up a video file or play a DVD the color is back to dark, and I have to go through the whole process again. Whenever I change the Gamma to the correct position, it doesn't stick after I exit the control panel. I cannot figure out why.
Any Insight to this problem?

Mark

 

[Slammy1]

A few thimgs. First, I'm not an NV expert (ATI for a long time) but I believe you'll be better off with an earlier driver version. Perhaps someone here will recommend a better driver. I would focus adjustments on the television over the control panel, that way if you reinstall and settings get reset you won't have to recalibrate. Get a calibration DVD, ven if it is simply a THX calibration like on the Star Wars DVDs and use that for optimization. This thread wil give you some approximate calibration values for color (though saturation will require either a real calibration DVD like AVIA or watching several sources and calibrating to taste).
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=689997

 

[Markolc81]

If I calibrate it on the TV end, the desktop/internet colors are going to be WAY out of whack. I want to fix on the computer end, as it should not keep resetting to -8 gamma, but should stay at +9 gamma like I'm trying to set it.

 

[xtknight]

Are you clicking Apply at the bottom of the control panel (if you're using the new NVIDIA control panel)?

 

[Slammy1]

Originally posted by: Markolc81
If I calibrate it on the TV end, the desktop/internet colors are going to be WAY out of whack.

Actually, that's an untrue statement (about colors, etc.). Do what you think, but I've had the 37w1 panel for about a year now and that's really the right way to go.

 

[Markolc81]

Yes I was clicking the apply button everytime.

I realize calibrating the monitor end is best when using a HTPC, however the desktop had correct gamma display, but video had incorrect gamma. If I calibrated the monitor for a correct video display, then the desktop and internet browsing would have blown out colors.

I took care of it now by completely uninstalling the video card drivers and installing ones from last year, now everything looks the way it should.

Thanks for all the help guys.