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[simono]

I have recently formatted and re-installed my media pc with XP Pro SP2. Upon doing so I realised I had lost my serial number for Power DVD 6 that came with my graphics card - I used it only for the DVD decoder in Media Center.

So after a bit of research I bought NVidia Purevideo Gold instead, particularly because I had a Gigabyte Nvidia 6600GT and wanted to take advantage of the on card decoding.

I cannot get it to work however  . With Gigabyte drivers 77.72 I get major tearing of the picture, with NVidia 163.71 drivers I get a multi-coloured mess where you can just make out the outlines. I have tried every combination of settings with no joy.

If I turn off hardware acceleration I do not get the same problems. I know some of you will say thats the answer, simply turn it off, but I am keen to get it working and cannot see why it shouldn't. After all thats why I chose it over other DVD decoders.

I emailed Gigabyte last week and got the following:

Please check the link and ensure you meet the system requirements:-

http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder_sysreqs.html

The system Requirements are:

Operating System (one of the following):
Windows XP Media Center Edition
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Home Edition
NOTE: The PureVideo Decoder is not supported under Microsoft Windows Vista

DirectX9.0 or higher.
DVD Playback (one of the following):
Windows Media Center
Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher
DVD Drive
MPEG-2 file playback: DirectShow compatible software
NVIDIA processor with PureVideo technology (see list below)

Graphics Chips Supported
All Microsoft DirectX® 8.x compatible chips, including:

NVIDIA GeForce 8 series
NVIDIA GeForce 7 series
NVIDIA GeForce 6 series
NVIDIA GeForce FX series
NVIDIA GeForce4 series
NVIDIA GeForce 3 series
NVIDIA Quadro FX series
NVIDIA Quadro4 series
NVIDIA Quadro DCC series
Audio Chips Supported
NVIDIA nForce Audio
Creative Labs® Ensoniq Audio PCI
Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 PCI
Creative Labs Sound Blaster 16 +WavEffects
Creative Labs Sound Blaster 512 3D Audio PCI
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy MP3+
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy Platinum
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy X-Gamer
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Audigy 2
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 MP3+
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 Platinum
Creative Labs Sound Blaster Live! 5.1 X-Gamer
Philips® Rhythmic Edge PCI
Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
SIIG® Soundwave Pro PCI 32-bit

The only thing I can think is not compatible is MC12.

Can anybody help?

Thanks in advance 

[jmone]

I also find the quality is better with HW acceleration turned off.  I quite like the PureVideo codec but I don't think much of nVidia cards / drivers for HTPC work.

[Mithrandir]

Hi,

The 77.xx serives drivers are quite old now and the 1xx.xx series seem better suited to vista.  I would try 97.xx or 98.xx series drivers and see if you have any better luck.

HTH

M.

[JONCAT]

Get the Microsoft DVD check utility to make sure PureVideo is the default decoder on your system; if not, this utility let's you define it.

Have you checked DVD Properties (right click on screen during DVD playback or through Options menu) to see what is selected there? Any chance FFDshow is installed and enabled for PostProcessing in MC DVD options?

DC

[jmone]

Tearing is a problem with the Lower Spec'ed nVidia cards at Higher Resolutions (eg 1080) with HW acceleration, I'd try in order:
1) Turn off HW Accelleration.
2) Drop resolution to 720p or even 480/576 if you don't have any HD Media that you are playing from your HTPC.
3) Get a higher speced Video Card (apparently the ATI cards are better and you can still use the PureVideo Codec - which I currently do on an Intel G33 Integeated Graphics Chipset).

[JONCAT]

You can offload video processing to the GPU with an ATI card & Purevideo...cool.

I think a 6600GT should be able to handle 1080P, certainly 720.

DC

[jmone]

I think a 6600GT should be able to handle 1080P, certainly 720.

All these cards can "handle" 720 and 1080 (according to the box) but I certainly found that tearing was an big issue at 1080p and still noticable on 720p on a 6200TC especially with HW Acceleraton.  I then went for a 7600GS and it was better (but still have problems IMHO).  The Intel G33 chipset is fine on 720p but was showing tearing on 1080 when I tried it.  I have not really played with 1080p as 720p looks best with my current plasma (this may change with my soon to be received 1080p Pio Kuro 60").

EDIT - FYI have played alot with all the different settings in the PureVideo codec both with and without HW Acceleration and I just don't get any advantage from having it on and in many cases it is actually worse.  But then again I do have a Q6600 in the HTPC so decoding video is NOT a problem for me with the CPU.