Please help me improve my PC playback quality... (1 Viewer)

[Hugh M]

and can we confirm that you did go into the powerdvd xp configuration-video-advanced area and adjust the colors?

 

[Greg Robinson]

Kimmo - good point. thank you. i just checked and both my nVidia GeForce card and my SB Live! sound card are IRQ 16. Could that be causing a problem? They ARE both being used heavily during dvd playback. Hmmm... is there a common IRQ # for each of those? which should i change and to what? Thanks again.

Oh, and I did adjust colors, brightness, but no real change. the problem really doesn't appear to be color/white level related but more GRAININESS in the overall image. No studdering or chop, just a grainy image.

Thanks.

 

[Shayne Lebrun]

Go into your DELL bios and try changing the IRQ of the sound card. It's pretty self-explanitory.

Also, are you watching windowed or fullscreen?

Don't forget that on a computer monitor you're going to be seeing much more detail than on a (non HD) TV. This can take some getting used to.

 

[Greg Robinson]

i ended up physically moving my SB Live! card over one slot so it's no longer sharing IRQ with my AGP slot which is right next door. i believe the picture did improve somewhat. like i said, the image does look nice, but maybe it is just "more detail" like you say. I'm used to a SOny DVD player on a 32" direct view from 15' away, so i guess i'm just used to a soft, less detailed image and maybe the "grain" i'm seeing is very normal? I AM sitting only 2-2.5' away from my monitor. Thanks to everyone for their input. I can certainly live with what i have!

 

[Greg Robinson]

how about monitor refresh rates? 19" sony trinitron - is there a recommended? mine is at 75Hz. just wondering. thanks.

 

[Greg Robinson]

Interesting news... just got back from the local computer store where they had a powerful PC running PowerDVD to 3 monitors (17", 19" and a flatscreen 15") - I asked if I could put my Get Shorty DVD in their drive and compare. SAME GRAIN and splotchiness. I guess this is just a poor quality disc? If anyone out there has this disc, go to Chapter 26 (restaurant) and look at the walls and ceiling. Does it appear splotchy and grainy to you? This effect (though less so) is what I'm seeing in Fifth Element at times. I guess my PC is fine? Thanks!