Member Avatar for ggeoff

Hi

took ages to access the message field. Still my problem is my pictures are fine having full contrast and colour. My videos are aweful. They are washed out - lacking in both colour and contrast. I am running XP Pro and also have another PC running XP pro which does not have this problem. it doesn't matter what video viewer is used the results are still poor.

geoff

Edited by ggeoff because: spelling error
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Good troubleshooting from and well done for finding a quick fix. When still images look correct but video is washed out the cause is almost always the video pipeline rather than the monitor itself: still images are presented by the desktop/RGB pipeline, while video is often decoded in a YUV path, passed through renderer/overlay and converted to RGB by drivers or codec filters. That different path means driver/video-renderer settings, YUV->RGB conversion (limited vs full range), hardware overlays or a newly-registered codec/filter (QuickTime or a codec pack) can change contrast and saturation for video only.

Practical checklist to reproduce and fix the problem:

  • Play the same video file on the working machine to confirm the file itself is OK.
  • Try a player that uses its own rendering (for example, a portable player like VLC) to see if the problem follows the renderer or the system.
  • Temporarily disable hardware acceleration or switch the player’s video output/renderer to rule out GPU video processing as the culprit.
  • If the problem appeared after installing QuickTime or any codec pack, temporarily uninstall or disable those components and test again.
  • Do a clean GPU-driver install from the vendor (choose the clean/custom option or use a removal tool if you’re comfortable) so any corrupted video settings are reset.
  • Reset the monitor to factory defaults and run a quick calibration to rule out OSD/profile issues.

Advanced checks and notes: for deeper diagnosis inspect the DirectShow filter chain (GraphEdit/GraphStudio) to see which decoder/renderer is being used, or use a filter like ffdshow to force a correct YUV->RGB conversion. Keep a record of driver and codec versions that cause or fix the issue so you can reproduce the working setup if an update reintroduces the problem. If the issue returns after reinstalling drivers and removing suspect codecs, hardware failure in the video path becomes more likely.

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Member Avatar for BigPaw

We will need to know the exact make and model number of your computer's video card, please. Do you know this information, or how to find it?

Click on Start > In the 'Run' field type "dxdiag" and press 'Enter' > Click an the 'Display' Tab.

You should now see a full description of your video card.

Member Avatar for ggeoff 
------------------
System Information
------------------
Time of this report: 1/16/2013, 17:47:31
       Machine name: DELL9200
   Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.120821-1629)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Inc.                
       System Model: Dell DXP061                  
               BIOS: Phoenix ROM BIOS PLUS Version 1.10 2.5.3 
          Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU          6600  @ 2.40GHz (2 CPUs)
             Memory: 3070MB RAM
          Page File: 988MB used, 3964MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
  DirectX Files Tab: The file mfc42.dll is incorrectly installed in the Windows folder and should be deleted.
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
          Music Tab: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.
        Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw:  0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay:  0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow:  0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce 7900 GS
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0292&SUBSYS_037010DE&REV_A1
   Display Memory: 256.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1680 x 1050 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Dell 2007WFP (Digital)
  Monitor Max Res: 1680,1050
      Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
   Driver Version: 6.14.0011.6371 (English)
      DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
 Driver Date/Size: 9/17/2007 07:07:00, 5783040 bytes
      WHQL Logo'd: Yes
  WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
              VDD: n/a
         Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
    Mini VDD Date: 9/17/2007 07:07:00, 6853088 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-41D2-11CF-8D6B-7B2300C2CB35}
        Vendor ID: 0x10DE
        Device ID: 0x0292
        SubSys ID: 0x037010DE
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Revision ID: 0x00A1
      Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_A ModeMPEG2_B ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A 
 Deinterlace Caps: {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YUY2,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(UYVY,YUY2) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(YV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
                   {6CB69578-7617-4637-91E5-1C02DB810285}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_PixelAdaptive 
                   {335AA36E-7884-43A4-9C91-7F87FAF3E37E}: Format(In/Out)=(NV12,0x3231564e) Frames(Prev/Fwd/Back)=(0,0,0) Caps=VideoProcess_YUV2RGB VideoProcess_StretchX VideoProcess_StretchY DeinterlaceTech_BOBVerticalStretch 
         Registry: OK
     DDraw Status: Enabled
       D3D Status: Enabled
       AGP Status: Enabled
DDraw Test Result: Not run
 D3D7 Test Result: Not run
 D3D8 Test Result: Not run
 D3D9 Test Result: Not run
Inline Code Example Here

Thanks BigPaw

Edited by ggeoff
Member Avatar for BigPaw

Does your monitor have a 'Menu' button that would allow you to see the monitor's settings and then set it to default-setting? (or manufacturer settings) Does this fix the problem?

If that doesn't work have a look at this image, it should be exactly as you would see your Nvidia Control Panel. Do you see which window you need to select in the Nvidia Control Panel? Do you see the 'Restore' button? Please click on that, which should reset your card's settings.

If this doesn't work, then I would suggest that you uninstall your video driver, restart your computer, and then reinstall your video driver.

If that doesn't work then there may be a fault with your video card. Was it bought and fitted recently?

Member Avatar for ggeoff

Thanks BigPaw,

I have accessed the Nvidia control pan el it is not the same as in your link. I get a message that control panels have been consolidated into a single application. I can't see anything wrong with my monitor as all material apart from movies display perfectly. There is no option to reset the card's settings. I'll try uninstalling the video driver.

Member Avatar for ggeoff

I have uninstalled the driver or did I uninstall the card? Anyway I have managed to get a decent rendering of video. Thanks BigPaw :)

Member Avatar for BigPaw

That's great news, well done. :-)

Member Avatar for ggeoff

Thanks BigPaw,

I think the problems first occured when I upgraded Quicktime Player to Quicktime Pro, but that might have been a coincidence.

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