Suddenly Getting Grainy/LowRes Reproduction

[htchien]

Hi,

Can you check the file properties when the MPEG file (or the DVD) is been played by WMP 11?

When WMP is playing the file (or the DVD), select File->Properties, and you should be able to see what audio / video codec pack WMP is using to play the file.

However, I think it might be a compatibility issue of WMP11....

H.T.

[WestbrookNH]

Merry Christmas, one and all!!!

H.T.

I just inserted a store-bought DVD movie into the DVD drive, and WMP came up with the black screen, but I could hear the sound.

Here is what the WMP File->Properties says:

• Length: 00.00
  Bit rate: -
  Media type: Audio
  Video size -
  Aspect Ratio: -
  Audio Codec -
  Video Codec -
  Location wmpdvd://D/1?contentdir=d:\video_ts

-------------------------------

Now, here is what PowerDVD says

• Player Information:
  Player Region Code: 1
  Current Drive: D:
  Title Region Code: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, All
  
  Display Information:
  Video Mode: Interlaced
  Display Mode: DirectDraw
  FourCC Code: YUY2
  Surface Type: Overlay
  
  Video Attributes:
  Video compression mode: MPEG-2
  TV system: 525/60 (NTSC)
  Aspect Ratio: 4:3
  Display Mode: Both Pan&scan and Letterbox
  Source picture resolution: 720x480 (525/60)
  Frame Rate: 30.00
  Source picture letterboxed: Not letterboxed
  Bitrate: 4.40Mbps
  
  Audio Attributes:
  Audio Coding mode: Dolby Digital
  Sampling Rate: 48kHz
  Audio application mode: Not specified
  Number of Audio channels: 2
  Bitrate: 192 Kbps
  Number of Audio streams: 1
  
  Subpicture Attribute:
  Number of Subtitles: 0
  
  Hardware Information:
  Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3000+ running at 2162 MHz
  3DNow! Technology: In Use
  Enhanced 3DNow! Technology: In Use
  3DNow! Professional Technology: In Use
  IA MMX Technology: In Use
  IA Streaming SIMD Extensions: In Use
  IA SSE 2: Not Detected
  Video Accelerator: Not Detected
  Multispeaker Audio Device: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio (not in use)
  SPDIF Output Device: NVIDIA(R) nForce(TM) Audio (not in use)

Notice that in the Hardware Information, it says that a Video Accelerator is not detected, but my Catalyst Control Center says that Windows Media Acceleration is on. I don't know if those are the same thing ...

In my Add/Delete programs, I see the following WMP entries.

Windows Media Format 11 runtime
Windows Media Player 11

I am going to uninstall both of these and restart. I'll let you know what happens.

.

[WestbrookNH]

I rolled back Windows Media and its rendering engine to version 10.

It made no difference.

However, about a week ago, I installed VNC, which provides a remote network service for me to be able to manage the other computers in the house without having to go from desk to desk.

I un-installed VNC and my video problem went away!!

I will move back up to WMP 11 and see if things remain good.

I suspect that they will.

Now I will go and haunt the VNC support forum to see if they know about this and if there is any cure for it.

But first, I want to watch my 9 children open their Christmas gifts.


Thank you all for your patience, and a very Merry Christmas to you all.

.

[snoops]

The original statement, on which everyone's attempt to help was based:

The only thing that's new in my system is Windows Media Player updated itself from V10 to V11.

But now, surprise:

However, about a week ago, I installed VNC
I un-installed VNC and my video problem went away!!

Duh. You could've had your answer a lot sooner.
But at least you got to know your system a little better.
Happy holidays and happy viewing with the family.

[WestbrookNH]

Thanks, Snoops.

It was a dumb mistake, but I did not notice any degradation in video quality until after I installed WMP 11.

I had upgraded WMP from 10 to 11 AFTER I had installed VNC.

I rolled back WMP to 10, still had the problem.

Un-installed VNC, problem went away.

Upgraded WMP from 10 to 11, still no problem.

Re-installed VNC, still no problem.

Everything seems to be playing together very nicely, now.

Nobody on the VNC forum can figure it out, either.

Must've been something I did when installing VNC the first time that badly affected WMP when I upgraded from 10 to 11.

Everybody's happy, now.

And I did have a lot of fun with my kids - all 9 of them that are still at home. We have two more, but they're married.

Now I've got to go install a joystick I bought for the "family" computer.

.

[sjj1805]

........Now I've got to go install a joystick I bought for the "family" computer.........

In case of any further problems after installing the joystick you know what the prime suspect is going to be don't you

[WestbrookNH]

........Now I've got to go install a joystick I bought for the "family" computer.........

In case of any further problems after installing the joystick you know what the prime suspect is going to be don't you

To be honest, I would probably be in trouble again!


Would it be the Logitech Joystick software?

Would it be the VNC listener?

That's why I come here.


.

[snoops]

Upgraded WMP from 10 to 11, still no problem.
Re-installed VNC, still no problem.

The problem came after VNC was setup and was solved when it was removed. Now it is installed again but without the original problem.
But this time WMP11 was already there. This sounds like the WMP11 installation (when VNC is there) messes something up that doesn't happen when the VNC hooks are installed afterwards. Or maybe VNC was active.

Anyway, I'm glad you didn't take my post as an attack. With such complex issues, it wasn't a dumb mistake. The only mistake was not to mention VNC.

Confession time: Recently I suddenly had "flashing" windows (recurring unexpected screen refreshing) in my video (and Ulead) applications. I checked all imaginable settings and even started rolling back the latest Windows fixes. Before loading a backup, I realized I hadn't edited since the MS IntelliPoint mouse driver was updated. That was a dumb mistake not to check. It was the mouse driver.

[WestbrookNH]

Yes, Snoops, you have the installation order correct.

Problem came when I installed VNC followed by upgrading WMP from 10 to 11.

When I upgraded WMP from 10 to 11 first, and then installed VNC, no problem.

When I install new software, I usually disconnect from the net and shutdown my anti-spy, anti-virus and firewall software. Looks like I'll have to remember to stop the VNC service, too. May as well remove as many variables as possible.

By the way, the joystick installation went without a hitch. Not as much kruft on the family computer as there is on Papa's.


.