GeForce3, very dark video
 

I just put a new LiteOn Combo drive in a Win2000 system I've had in my
office for a while, to occasionally watch movies on DVD. I've installed
PowerDVD 6, an OEM version. The DVD plays but the movie is extremely dark,
so dark it's hard to make anything out at all, and there is no apparent
color. Tried reinstalling PowerDVD, made no difference. Does not respond to
any of the controls in PowerDVD.

At first I thought it was the new drive that had a problem, or possibly
PowerDVD, but I find I can't watch small video files on Windows Media Player
either. The same problem, extremely dark image.

So I'm wondering if there's some problem with my graphics card, a GeForce3
Ti 200. I've installed the 93.71 drivers. Monitor is a 15" LCD. Other than
trying to play a DVD or WMP video, the display looks great. No problem
running a graphics benchmark like 3DMark2000.

I find I can get pretty normal brightness and color with DVDs in PowerDVD
and video files in WMP only by moving the Hardware Acceleration slider down
to the 3rd position, "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D accelerations."
I've never had to do that before on any computer.

Is it possible that my drivers are too new for good video performance on
this GeForce3? If so, can anyone recommend more suitable drivers?

Neil

GeForce3, very dark video
 

roll back the drivers to 44.x or thereabouts, even 28s should do your card.

"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
. ..
I just put a new LiteOn Combo drive in a Win2000 system I've had in my
office for a while, to occasionally watch movies on DVD. I've installed
PowerDVD 6, an OEM version. The DVD plays but the movie is extremely dark,
so dark it's hard to make anything out at all, and there is no apparent
color. Tried reinstalling PowerDVD, made no difference. Does not respond to
any of the controls in PowerDVD.

At first I thought it was the new drive that had a problem, or possibly
PowerDVD, but I find I can't watch small video files on Windows Media
Player either. The same problem, extremely dark image.

So I'm wondering if there's some problem with my graphics card, a GeForce3
Ti 200. I've installed the 93.71 drivers. Monitor is a 15" LCD. Other than
trying to play a DVD or WMP video, the display looks great. No problem
running a graphics benchmark like 3DMark2000.

I find I can get pretty normal brightness and color with DVDs in PowerDVD
and video files in WMP only by moving the Hardware Acceleration slider
down to the 3rd position, "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D
accelerations." I've never had to do that before on any computer.

Is it possible that my drivers are too new for good video performance on
this GeForce3? If so, can anyone recommend more suitable drivers?

Neil

GeForce3, very dark video
 

You can also try resetting all your color settings, in Nvidia's
control panel. This has been known to fix this specific problem.

"tony h" wrote in message ...
roll back the drivers to 44.x or thereabouts, even 28s should do your card.

"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
. ..
I just put a new LiteOn Combo drive in a Win2000 system I've had in my
office for a while, to occasionally watch movies on DVD. I've installed
PowerDVD 6, an OEM version. The DVD plays but the movie is extremely dark,
so dark it's hard to make anything out at all, and there is no apparent
color. Tried reinstalling PowerDVD, made no difference. Does not respond to
any of the controls in PowerDVD.

At first I thought it was the new drive that had a problem, or possibly
PowerDVD, but I find I can't watch small video files on Windows Media
Player either. The same problem, extremely dark image.

So I'm wondering if there's some problem with my graphics card, a GeForce3
Ti 200. I've installed the 93.71 drivers. Monitor is a 15" LCD. Other than
trying to play a DVD or WMP video, the display looks great. No problem
running a graphics benchmark like 3DMark2000.

I find I can get pretty normal brightness and color with DVDs in PowerDVD
and video files in WMP only by moving the Hardware Acceleration slider
down to the 3rd position, "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D
accelerations." I've never had to do that before on any computer.

Is it possible that my drivers are too new for good video performance on
this GeForce3? If so, can anyone recommend more suitable drivers?

Neil

GeForce3, very dark video
 

Thanks to both of you. I did install the 56.55 drivers last night before
seeing these replies (no reason for that particular number, just thought I'd
try some much older drivers and sort of eeny-meeny-minie-moe) and that seems
to have fixed the problem. If there's any further problem I will try 44.x
and/or resetting the color settings as you suggest.

Neil


wrote in message
et...
You can also try resetting all your color settings, in Nvidia's
control panel. This has been known to fix this specific problem.

"tony h" wrote in message
...
roll back the drivers to 44.x or thereabouts, even 28s should do your
card.

"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
. ..
I just put a new LiteOn Combo drive in a Win2000 system I've had in my
office for a while, to occasionally watch movies on DVD. I've installed
PowerDVD 6, an OEM version. The DVD plays but the movie is extremely
dark,
so dark it's hard to make anything out at all, and there is no apparent
color. Tried reinstalling PowerDVD, made no difference. Does not respond
to
any of the controls in PowerDVD.

At first I thought it was the new drive that had a problem, or possibly
PowerDVD, but I find I can't watch small video files on Windows Media
Player either. The same problem, extremely dark image.

So I'm wondering if there's some problem with my graphics card, a
GeForce3
Ti 200. I've installed the 93.71 drivers. Monitor is a 15" LCD. Other
than
trying to play a DVD or WMP video, the display looks great. No problem
running a graphics benchmark like 3DMark2000.

I find I can get pretty normal brightness and color with DVDs in
PowerDVD
and video files in WMP only by moving the Hardware Acceleration slider
down to the 3rd position, "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D
accelerations." I've never had to do that before on any computer.

Is it possible that my drivers are too new for good video performance
on
this GeForce3? If so, can anyone recommend more suitable drivers?

Neil

GeForce3, very dark video
 

With that older video card I would recommend sticking with the 45.23 driver
for stability under varying software.

--

DaveW

___________
"Neil Harrington" wrote in message
. ..
I just put a new LiteOn Combo drive in a Win2000 system I've had in my
office for a while, to occasionally watch movies on DVD. I've installed
PowerDVD 6, an OEM version. The DVD plays but the movie is extremely dark,
so dark it's hard to make anything out at all, and there is no apparent
color. Tried reinstalling PowerDVD, made no difference. Does not respond to
any of the controls in PowerDVD.

At first I thought it was the new drive that had a problem, or possibly
PowerDVD, but I find I can't watch small video files on Windows Media
Player either. The same problem, extremely dark image.

So I'm wondering if there's some problem with my graphics card, a GeForce3
Ti 200. I've installed the 93.71 drivers. Monitor is a 15" LCD. Other than
trying to play a DVD or WMP video, the display looks great. No problem
running a graphics benchmark like 3DMark2000.

I find I can get pretty normal brightness and color with DVDs in PowerDVD
and video files in WMP only by moving the Hardware Acceleration slider
down to the 3rd position, "Disable all DirectDraw and Direct3D
accelerations." I've never had to do that before on any computer.

Is it possible that my drivers are too new for good video performance on
this GeForce3? If so, can anyone recommend more suitable drivers?

Neil

GeForce3, very dark video
 

"DaveW" wrote in message
. ..
With that older video card I would recommend sticking with the 45.23
driver for stability under varying software.

Thanks, Dave. I was thinking of going back to the 45.23 myself as I often
did use that because of its reputation for stability with older hardware and
Win98SE. I thought Win2000 might be different, and so far the 56.55 seems to
be working OK, but if any problem develops I will go back to 45.23.

Neil