S-Video out problem with GeForce4Ti4600

[Matthias99]

So... I've been putting together an HTPC in some of my (limited) spare time, with some leftover parts from my last upgrade and a few new components I've bought.

I've got it all assembled, and everything seems to be working pretty well on the software side (although I'm still looking into PVR software; leaning towards ShowShifter at the moment, but it doesn't have a real good integrated EPG, and it needs some hacking to play nice with my digital cable box. Anyway, not relevant to my current problem). I'm using an ATI TV Wonder VE as the capture device, and a GF4Ti4600 as my video card, and I have a non-HDTV hooked up to the S-Video out. Here's my problem:

If I run an app that uses video overlay (ShowShifter, DScaler, SnapStream in overlay mode), everything looks OK *except* if I let the application fullscreen the video overlay. When I do that, the contrast and saturation go WAY higher than when it's not fullscreen, it overscans badly on all sides (it normally overscans only a little bit), and I can't seem to compensate for it with any of the overlay controls in the NVIDIA drivers. In fact, it looks almost exactly like it does if I "zoom in" my TV-out in the NVIDIA drivers (zooming in the video overlay works fine; I'm talking about zooming in the whole S-Video out); that also overscans and screws up the color balance and contrast. It does this across multiple apps, so I don't think it's something at the application level, but probably something in the drivers that I'm either missing or have screwed up without realizing it. This does NOT happen if I plug in a VGA monitor and display the video overlay on that -- it's only on the S-Video out.

I also found that if I turn my "hardware acceleration" slider (in Control Panels/Display/Settings/Advanced.../Troubleshooting) down to the point where "DirectX acceleration" is disabled, everything works fine (but then the overlay looks like crap and takes ~50% of my CPU time to play the TV stream). So this only seems to be an issue with the hardware video overlay, and ONLY on the S-Video out (and it does it whether it's used with DualView or if I clone the display.) Does anyone have experience with the S-Video out on this card (GF4 Ti4600)? Is this something I can tweak in the registry or drivers, or am I SOL?

 

[Matthias99]

In case anyone else has this problem...

Since nobody ever responded to this (on any of the forums I inquired in), and I was unable to find a solution, I ended up replacing the graphics card with a RADEON 9600 (which is also silent, which is nice for an HTPC). The R9600 works flawlessly -- it has no overscan, the S-Video out looks marginally better (in terms of crispness, color, etc.), and the hardware overlay works correctly in fullscreen mode. This appears to be either a driver or hardware bug with the GF4 Ti4600 (I had a PNY/Verto, if it matters).

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Not so long ago, when the idea of assembling my own HTPC system was still new, I used the SEARCH function at several hardware-oriented forums such as AT, without learning much. I still intend to do some google searching to get more background, but I am already collecting the added bits needed. A few bucks got me a complete desktop/horizontal Gateway PC system unit, compatible, it appears, with ATX, with nothing inside it that I plan to keep (except some scraped off skin from my knuckles -- the space is quite tight in there).

My largest Hdd is an 80 Gb, so I have a new 120 on its way to me, and a DVD-RW. I have an FX 5200 not being used that I plan to put in mine when I start final assembly, and I'm going to have to cut 60 mm fan holes in the back for exhaust cooling. I'll be watching this thread to see what you learn, and will try to avoid whatever problems you run into!

 

[zedmanauk]

I have had the same problems on both a Geforce4 MX400 and a Geforce FX 5200. Both zoom in overlay mode on S-video out to a TV unless i turn off the use of overlay mode (I flipped Windows Media Player 10 to use "High-quality mode" instead of the Overlay). I can't really tell a difference in quality on the DivXs that I watch, and my CPU usage isn't changed that much.

The Radeon 7000 I had in there before didn't have this problem, but the picture quality was worse than either of the two Geforce cards. I haven't tried a newer Radeon since I don't have one.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

My HTPC assembling hit a particular snag when I wanted an upgrade to the power supply in the (imminiently suitable from an appearance direction, after/if it's refinished to black) Gateway box. Gateway doesn't offer anything bigger than 150 watts that fits; and even though the bottom of the case and the backplane are ATX, the psu is a unique in-between SFF size, neither mATX nor "PS1" (another small psu form factor). I can use an "eMachine type" mATX psu, but I will have to drill and tap both the case and psu to set up new mounting holes that match up.

That seemed likely to end up going wrong, and Mwave was selling an mATX box, with MSI mATX MB, for a pittance, so I thought I'd go with that instead, and forget the Gateway box. SAME damn thing with the Enlight box (7180A). They themselves don't offer more than 150 watts in the form factor they chose, and the damn thing is a "sideways" mATX, mounted on the narrow end, not the wide side like the replacement psu's in the 250-265 watt sizes I would like to use!

So it's "not yet an HTPC" -- still just a collection of parts!

Rats!

:brokenheart: