Weird DVD-playing problem

[dwb122]

Firstly, my setup:

P4 2.4C
Abit IC7 -- v14 bios
2x256mb HyperX PC3500
ATI Radeon 9800 -- catalyst 3.5 drivers
Turtle Beach Montego soundcard (the 'original', I think)
ATI TV Wonder VE card
Pioneer DVD-115 16x
WinXP Home
DirectX 9
WMP 9
PowerDVD 3.0 (w/XP patch)

So here's the problem: whenever I play a DVD...and I've tried multiple DVDs that otherwise work fine...in any application I have that can play DVDs (WMP 9, PowerDVD, ATI DVD player), when the video is supposed to start I get a scrambled, colored, blocky mess, and usually the computer will freeze after about three-five seconds. I've tried different types of video files in each video-playing app and they work fine; I've tried playing regular video files off of CDs in the DVD drive and they run fine. So why all of a sudden this weird problem? I just recently put the PC together, but I have tried DVDs on this machine before and they worked fine.

I don't know if this is relevant or not, but earlier today I was using the ATI TV player (v 8.1) and, as it has a few times before, it froze on me. So I restarted the machine, and on starting on the blue Windows startup screen the entire screen was a colored, scrambled mess, visually very similiar to the problems I'm having with the DVDs, although it didn't freeze on me.

Help!

 

[dwb122]

It just happened again with PowerDVD, froze, and then after about 30 seconds or so I was able to alt-ctrl-del out of it and got some funky error message and the desktop was to minimal visual settings (640x480, etc.).

I found this in the Windows event log, I'm fairly certain it's related to the problem:

The driver ati2dvag for the display device \Device\Video0 got stuck in an infinite loop. This usually indicates a problem with the device itself or with the device driver programming the hardware incorrectly. Please check with your hardware device vendor for any driver updates.

For more information, see Help and Support Center at http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/events.asp.



0000: 00 00 00 00 03 00 52 00 ......R.
0008: 00 00 00 00 6c 00 04 c0 ....l..À
0010: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0018: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
0020: 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 ........
________

0000: 00000000 00520003 00000000 c004006c
0010: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
0020: 00000000 00000000

By the way, I tried installing new drivers for the DVD drive, but it doesn't look like it even needs installed drivers, and I can't even find drivers for the DVD drive on the internet. The last time I got a DVD to work on this computer I had the catalyst 3.4s (actually the Omega 3.4s); I just went back to those and that doesn't help at all.

WHAT in the HELL is this?!? It seems like it must be a problem with the DVD drive as the problem seems to not be specific to any other factor, but aside from not being able to play DVD movies, the drive works fine.

 

[dwb122]

It happened again, and I got the same message in the Event Log. Obviously it's not a problem with my dvd player......something's wrong with my videocard, or the software for it. I mean why else would the video settings go back to 640x480 and 256 colors? (this time it wouldn't let me put the settings back to normal without restarting the computer)

Well this is F'in strange....

 

[conehead433]

I feel your pain. I have a similar problem in regard to freezes when playing video files and sometimes audio as well on my computer. DVD's actually play OK though. You might try testing your memory and if you are able to actually leave a stick out if you have more than one. See if anything changes. And you might try going into sytem properites and sliwing down your graphics acceleration. Hope you are able to figure it out, I never have gotten mine straightened out. I will do a little testing when I get another stick of RAM.

 

[compso]

It's most likely your video card/drivers. I've had the same problem on an ATI Radeon 8500LE, same error msg and everything. First thing, notify the maker of your card, they need to know. Secondly, reinstall video drivers with the latest version. While you are at it, update all your drivers, including chipset. Always reboot. When you are done, run dxdiag from the run command (windows button + R, type dxdiag, press enter). Click the display tab and run 2 tests, "test direct3d" and "test direct draw". See if this produces the same problem. Try updating directx (www.microsoft.com/directx). If this fails revert to an older version of video drivers that worked, step back 1. Try that video card in another PC if you can.

 

[dwb122]

Well here's the dillio, and it's pretty bizarre. At some point I had activated hardware acceleration in PowerDVD. Apparanly, that F'ed up DVD playing, in every video-player application. So I turned it off in PowerDVD and it works perfectly fine, even though hardware acceleration is on full in the primary video settings and in WMP.

Strange, but at least I fixed it.

 

[4x4expy]

Originally posted by: dwb122
Well here's the dillio, and it's pretty bizarre. At some point I had activated hardware acceleration in PowerDVD. Apparanly, that F'ed up DVD playing, in every video-player application. So I turned it off in PowerDVD and it works perfectly fine, even though hardware acceleration is on full in the primary video settings and in WMP.

Strange, but at least I fixed it.

Wow!! This thread is like gold to me! Thanks dwb122 for stating your problem so thoroughly, and returning to tell your solution! I have nf7-s/1700+/9700 pro/pioneer dvd-114/win xp pro w sp1 and was having the exact same problem. I had screwed with video drivers, even dl'ing the driver cleaner software and doing a thorough clean and reinstall my Omega drivers. Did searches for dvd drivers to no avail. I have been scratching my head for several days. I even pulled the dvd drive and plugged it into my other system, booted and it worked perfectly, so I knew the drive was OK. Well sitting here just minutes ago I was contemplating formatting and reinstalling windows! (I hate doing that, but it eats on me when my system isn't smooth as silk) Well, before doing so, I thought that I would post my problem and see if someone could spot the culprit for me. And being flamed for repeating posts in the past, I did a quick search for dvd related problems. This was the second thread I came to and immediately things sounded familiar. And to wind up this novel, I read your (strange) solution, (1)opened Powerdvd, (2) unchecked the hardware acceleration in the setup, (3) clicked on OK, (4) Pressed play, and BAMM! Crystal clear DVD playback on my sweet new NEC 18" LCD!!

Thanks!