G400 DVD Playback Sub-par?

[Maniac]

Well I just bought a Pioneer 6X DVD slot loading model(seems like I've been on a computer hardware spending spree the last week..heh)anyway the speed of playback was normal, but there was pixelation that was noticeable on my TV whenever the background was frozen. I did not have this problem with picture quality when I had a Creative 5X encore kit. Anyone also notice this? DMA was enabled by default but sync data transfers was not...should I enable this??

[cpld006]

I have the same drive as you, but do not see any pixilation of movies. I checked my settings for the device in device manager and it doesn't allow me to turn on DMA. I don't know what your problem could be. What kind of system do you have?

[Maniac]

It's not really a problem, my friend couldn't even notice the poor image quality. It is more akin to playing a movie on a standard VCR. But I do notice these things and the playback with a hardware decoder card was much better. It looked like DVD!

[SteveC]

Hi, I also have the Pioneer 6X slot drive (IDE version) and have not noticed anything like you're saying.
I have DMA enabled, always ignored that sync setting. I can't believe the drive would have anything to do with it though. Have you tried a different colour depth/resolution?

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Cheers,
Steve

[rylan]

I also have a pioneer slot DVD player. DMA enabled through my VIA motherboard properties in windows. I have sync data transfers on, but that only really matters with scsi devices.
When you say the pixelization when the background was frozen, do you mean the dvd movie/player was paused? If so, you may see pixelization due to scaling if you have a larger TV. When paused, the video card and software decoder cannot perform motion smoothing so get rid of this problem.
Hope that helps.

[Maniac]

No, I meant when the camera was stationary on a certain position the background would not look clean and sharp. As far as I know you cannot change the TV color depth settings with DVD MAX...

[JamesA]

Maniac,

Does this happen only with output on the TV?

Have you tried the same thing with your monitor and see if there are any pixelation there?

Uhh.. Are using a DVD player other than the one provided by Matrox?

I have not seen this while playing DVDs on my monitor.

(I have no clue if the DVD Max feature is dependent on the DVD player or not. Anyone could verify? I haven't the time to play with my PC that much since I started this job. Like Steve, I spend a lot of time in these forums from work missing my MAX and my wife that are at home.)

OK. Off to munch munch I go.

Take care.

JamesA.


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System Hardware:
www.cis.ohio-state.edu/~ang/demerzel.html

[JamesA]

Andrew
Does DVD Max work with two monitors instead of one monitor + one tv? I think I tried DVD Max with my two monitors + Matrox's DVD player + A Bug's Life DVD, and the second monitor was just blank.

I think the docs mentioned DVD Max for TV output only. Is that true?


Steve
lol  You funny!

JamesA.

[agallag]

I'm not sure James, but I'll plug in my old 15" monitor tonight, and let you know.

[Slartibartfast]

Steve:

Being 19 is NO EXCUSE! I was quite happily married at 19, and that was... err... a while ago. Hmm... I'm gonna get smacked. Oh yes 5 years. There we go. Hehe. No dear, didn't forget the anniversary dear.

- Slarty

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It wasn't always like this... I had a real life once. A signature, too. I used to be a guy named Gurm. But that's all gone now. Now, my name is Ash... and I am a slave.
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Specs? You want specs? Yeah. Alright you primitive screwheads, listen up. See this? This is my boomstick! It's a twelve gauge double barreled Remington, S-Mart's top-of-the-line. You can find this in the sporting goods department. That's right this sweet baby was made in Grand Rapids Michigan. Retails for about $109.95. It's got a walnut stock, cobalt blue steel and a hair trigger. That's right. Shop Smart. Shop S-mart. Ya got that?! Now I swear, the next one of you primates, even touches me...

[SteveC]

Oi! What are you insinaating? That I spend most of my working day on the forums? Well, OK, that's true. But I have no wife, nor no MAX. Just a plain G400, and I'm 19 - helps to explain the wife part.

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Cheers,
Steve

[agallag]

DVD Max is not dependant on the DVD player software. It even works with real player and active movie. Anything that does overlay video i think.

One thing I did notice is that with active movie, if you cover up the movie with another window, it pauses the image on the tv (sound continues). With real player g2, it continues when covered, but stops if you minimize the window (again, the sound continues). I guess it depends on how the overlay is done. I haven't tried it with dvd yet, as I haven't bought a dvd drive yet.

Andrew