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**Indiana** · 15 June 2001, 15:00

That seems just like the usual treatment they're giving this problem.
Just do a search on Matrox own forum for choppy/jerky/stutter and DVDMax/PAL.
Everytime a user comes with this problem they're first trying to scare him away requesting very indeep system-information - until someone who's around for longer with the same problem comes up and tells him that this is in fact a driver problem (and even stated by Matrox themselves in at least several of the last drivers readmes under "known issues"). Only then they normally aknowledge this as known problem and say "It'll be fixed..."

The extend of the stuttering seems to be dependent on individual system-configs, but I've yet to see a PAL user that can't reproduce it if he really looks for this bug.

You can also have a look at DZeus unofficial G400 Win2k driver bugs page (http://dzeus.student.utwente.nl/g400) for information on this bug (the misc setion) - this site is unofficial but this is more an advantage since it doesn't involve the "camouflage-tatics" Matrox tech support is often using.

EDIT: DZeus page is on Win2k driver bugs only, however the jerky DVDMax/PAL problem is apparent in both Win9x and 2k.
There's also some kind of workaround on this page - unfortunately this includes disabling DVDMax.

[This message has been edited by Indiana (edited 15 June 2001).]

**SatMan** · 15 June 2001, 16:27

JJHamster,
Answer yes to all I think The UK branch of Tech Support seemed not much better than useless when I spoke to them about this problem. I sent a stroppy note to the Matrox users own forum at the following address and got the reply shown.
http://forum.matrox.com/mgaforum/For...ML/002470.html

Uk tech support should by now know that there is an issue as they have been told by their head office to read their own company web site, but it may be possible that they have been instructed to play down or deny any problems until maybe a fix is available, or they just don't know what moving pictures should look like. Either way I would wager that the technical arm of the British Trading Standards dept could very easely reproduce the fault and prove that the video card with the supplied software does not work properly when used with 625/50 PAL and they have the authority to instruct UK suppliers not to sell this particular product until such time as the fixed software was available.
It is not only a via chipset issue as I am using a SA6R v1.0 with Intel 1 Gig proc etc etc.
The other bug I have noticed is when using Windows 2000 and using the PVR feature, You can look at the picture in picture on the PC monitor and swop the live for the delayed and the TV changes live for delayed in sympathy. Seems ok there, but with Windows ME on the same machine the Sound changes but the Picture don't (it should).
not seen any reports of that one yet.
This may be a simplistic thought but I brought the retail box version and expected it to work out of the box after the simple fast cpu requirement was met.
I hope that a fix is soon forthcoming as It will be a nice piece of kit if it worked.

**SatMan** · 15 June 2001, 16:42

G450 etv Television output standard switching

Does anyone know of a reg edit to enable the Output of the above card to be NTSC 525/60 while the input is at PAL 625/50
This is for a stop gap until the fixed PAL drivers are released for the "jerky Video" problem that matrox are fixing.
I can record PAL by setting the video in dialog to pal and I can play back true NTSC by selecting NTSC on the same dialog afterwards. The reason for the question is that after pressing the stop button on the remote (from playing a clip in NTSC) the software drops back in to PAL mode automatically. I assume because it is seeing PAL on the input,which is a bit of a pain.
So a reg tweak to keep the input happy in PAL and the output non jerky in NTSC would be nice.
Thanks

**JJHamster** · 16 June 2001, 05:56

SatMan,
This is what the UK tech support said:-

"The jerky DVD play back problem is not consistent, not every user gets
the problem.

We are collecting as much information as possible to try and narrow down
the problem.

I have tried various G400's and G450's on 6 different systems 2 Intel
based 4 Athlon based and have not being able to reproduce the problem."

So may be not everyone suffers in PAL land?????

This is a real shame, I moved to Matrox after a most unpleasant time at the hands of ATI - more drivers than you get on the A27 on a bank holiday, which just caused utter confusion.
I think the TV out quality of the eTV (jerkyness apart)is great - I just pray they have not got a problem which can not be overcome (ie hardware).

Regards

**Indiana** · 16 June 2001, 06:21

Have you tried the workaround: Disabling DVDMax and running the card in DualHead Clone-mode (with most TVs you can still stretch the picture with the monitor controls enough to get rid of any black borders). Then activate "keep optimal refresh" and you SHOULD get smooth playback.

P.S.:

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size="2">
I have tried various G400's and G450's on 6 different systems 2 Intel
based 4 Athlon based and have not being able to reproduce the problem."

So may be not everyone suffers in PAL land?????
</font>

Yes, seems not everyone gets this behaviour, but unfortunately everyone outside of Matrox' tech-support does. Or maybe he's just blind...

[This message has been edited by Indiana (edited 16 June 2001).]

**SatMan** · 17 June 2001, 10:00

Indiana,
I did try your suggestion to Disable DVDMax and running the card in DualHead Clone-mode. Then activate "keep optimal refresh" But I could not play back an file and display it on the TV. The desktop would appear on the TV with the surround for the picture but where the picture should be was black on the TV but okay on the PC monitor.
The only time I could get the pictures on the TV in this mode was when It was not recording or playing (e-e) and then it was on the TV in Full screen mode but when switching to Play a file or PVR mode no picture. re-enabling DVD max brought back the TV pictures.

**Indiana** · 17 June 2001, 11:35

I forgot that you have the G450, not the G400. What you're getting is another problem that was introduced with the G450 regarding overlays on the secondary output. Your video is using overlays and thus can only be displayed on the first output, on the second you'll only get a black/blue/green box where the video should be played.
Unfortunately I can't say much to help you with this problem as I never had a G450, just the G400...

Maybe someone with a G450 can provide help here?

[This message has been edited by Indiana (edited 17 June 2001).]

**Haig** · 17 June 2001, 18:54

Indiana:

since it doesn't involve the "camouflage-tatics" Matrox tech support is often using.

There's no camouflage going on by anyone in my staff. We know about it, we reproduced it, and we're fixing it. The current drivers have a fix but our current internal builds have 2 more fixes.

Can you please show me threads on our forums we we state that there are no problems?

Everytime a user comes with this problem they're first trying to scare him away requesting very indeep system-information

Just becuase a user states a problem with choppy dvd playback, it doesn't mean it's the same issue. We still have to do the routine checks of irq conflicts, is dma enabled, is it a PAL60 problem, etc.

Yes, seems not everyone gets this behaviour, but unfortunately everyone outside of Matrox' tech-support does.

I refer you to my post here:

http://forum.matrox.com/mgaforum/For...ML/002198.html

where I state:

Hi gang,

eventhough the new drivers have fixed the choppy playback for most folks, we are still seeing this problem on certain Asus motheboards. We are currently testing a new fix and if successfull, this fix will also be applied globally rather than being an asus specific fix.

If anyone is still getting this problem on a non asus motherboard, please post your motherboard and sound card in here.

Regards

Regards

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G450 etv Television output standard switching

G450 etv Television output standard switching

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