INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => JRiver Media Center 25 for Windows => Topic started by: haggis999 on November 22, 2019, 10:40:44 am

Title: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: haggis999 on November 22, 2019, 10:40:44 am
I would like to be able to run MC 25 on a Windows 7 laptop when I am away from home to play MKV files ripped losslessly from my Blu-ray collection (the relevant MKV files are stored on the laptop). However, one particular scene with a dark background always flickers as if it is lit by a faulty floodlight. This effect lasts for about 20 seconds. The same scene plays fine on my primary PC and my HTPC, both of which are running Windows 10. 

The laptop is an HP ProBook 470 G3 Notebook. I have upgraded all the drivers to the latest levels, as supplied by HP. Windows 7 and DirectX 11 are also up to date (Win 7 does not support DirectX 12).

Can anyone suggest what might be the cause of this problem or, even better, offer a solution?
Title: Re: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: JimH on November 22, 2019, 11:01:31 am
Does it happen with both Red October Standard and HQ?
Title: Re: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: haggis999 on November 22, 2019, 11:16:45 am
Does it happen with both Red October Standard and HQ?
On all three computers I mentioned I was running it under Red October Standard. I've just tried HQ on the laptop, but it didn't stop the flickering problem in that particular scene (the laptop is also not powerful enough to run HQ smoothly).
Title: Re: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: tij on November 22, 2019, 08:56:12 pm
Could be auto brightness/contrast ... laptop usually have it to conserve battery ... it detects ambient light and/or content brightness and adjust display brightness/contrast to save battery ... try turning that off
Title: Re: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: haggis999 on November 23, 2019, 05:57:54 am
Could be auto brightness/contrast ... laptop usually have it to conserve battery ... it detects ambient light and/or content brightness and adjust display brightness/contrast to save battery ... try turning that off

The power adapter for this laptop has just died and I can't fully check your suggestion at the moment, but it sounds like a plausible explanation. A replacement power adapter should be delivered early next week. I did try tweaking some of the Advanced Power Management settings for running under battery power, but MC then refused to play the video!

In the meantime, I have installed MC 25 on a slightly older laptop (an HP Probook 470 G1) and a quick test suggests that it appears to be working fine. The problematic MKV file plays without any video flickering in that dark scene. I didn't see any obviously different settings in Advanced Power Management than I remember from the other laptop, but will check that more carefully when I get some free time.
Title: Re: Flickering video problem when running MC 25 on Win 7 laptop
Post by: tij on November 23, 2019, 08:19:08 am
https://superuser.com/questions/1154015/win10-laptop-still-auto-adjusting-contrast

There is further link in that discussion that describe how to turn that thing off