Try CCCP/FFDShow and set it to use libmpeg2 for MPEG2 decoding. Then you can use FFDSHow for adjusting the levels and also its other postprocessing features.
I have never tested EVR on XP. Most likely VLC does not use it. It also does not use the PowerDVD filters. Actually, I think its internal decoder is libmpeg2.
I think I speak for a lot of people here when I say that CCCP is nearly impossible to get working properly. When I do manage to get CCCP playback to actually work in Media Center, I have two problems:
1. Video quality is disappointing. It doesn't appear to be deinterlaced and if it is, the deinterlacer is very poor. When there is fast movement, I see the interlace lines horribly and still images flicker around corners and edges.
2. Fast forwarding is worthless. Anything above 5x displays almost no image updates.
With the PowerDVD codec, I can fast forward at 100x and the visual image updates are the best I have ever seen...DVD fast forwarding doesn't even compare! I get probably 3 frames per second of instant updates at 100x!
When I play DVDs directly in the PowerDVD player, they look breathtaking (perfect). Through Media Center (using the PowerDVD codec) reveals contrast / saturation issues. At a minimum, I can say it doesn't look as good. The deinterlacing, upscaling, etc., all seem fine. The main problem is that through MC the video looks brighter so blacks are more grey. When I watched a DVD through PowerDVD I saw some of the blackest blacks I'd ever seen on our projector...the same ones I enjoy when watching a Blu Ray disc.
Could you please point me to a tutorial Alex on how to setup CCCP for DVD playback? I just tried again and if I select the "ff" one or the "Gabest" video codec, I get the playback error.