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VMC live/recorded TV issues

  • 12-02-2008 9:18pm
    #1
    subway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭


    so my MCE was due for a reinstall and i thought i'd give VMC a whirl first.
    there are still some features i dont like (media library instead of folder browsing for one) but there seems to be workarounds for most things.

    one problem i cant get around is the live tv.
    lets get the hardware cleared up
    p4 2.4, 512mb ram (looking for an upgrade), pvr 150 and a nvidia 6200.
    tv was perfect under MCE and looked great on my 37" fullHD
    firstly using the latest nvidia drivers i couldnt wathc any tv using vista at all.
    i would get a signal error followed by the whole system locking up - unless i used purevideo which doesnt support hardware rendering...

    so i downgraded to a 2 month old driver and the windows mpeg decoder now works, along with the powerdvd one.
    the picture is really bad, looks like software rendering, ie ghosting blurring, lack of color etc.
    and the cpu useage is up at 95, hitting 100.
    so im thinking everything is being done in software.


    i know the pc isnt top of the line or anything but as its only mpeg2 i think the problem is that the video card isnt doing any work and the cpu is upscaling (zooming) to 1080p giving me the above issues.

    can anyone suggest what they are using to get good qualty tv in VMC.
    a dvr-ms that looked perfect earlier today now looks like crap.
    is it the (p)OS?
    is it the hardware?
    or is it me?

    please help...


Comments

  • #2
    bazwaldo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭bazwaldo


    I reckon its your graphics card or driver or its settings. I put together a new PC and installed Vista and all the drivers etc.
    Ran VMC, ran through the TV setup and was watching TV through it a few minutes later. Little or no configuration required compared to 2005. I'm using the microsoft mpg decoder which is the default and didn't change any settings for it. My input to the TV card is composite (NTL digital).

    Have you tried looking at a recording from your 2005 install on your VMC? Also, try a DVD and some different types of video formats. Might narrow the problem down a bit.


  • #3
    subway
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,131 ✭✭✭subway


    update - im back on 2005 as of yesterday

    i tried a dvr-ms from 2005 on vista and it looked poo.
    the cause of the problem seems to be with nvidia.
    apparently their drivers for vista dont work properly with the new OS.


    can i ask what gfx card you are using (for reference when i try to upgrade to vista agin in a few months)


  • #4
    bazwaldo
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,772 ✭✭✭bazwaldo


    My gfx is a Gainward nvidia 8500gt 256MB. To be honest its bit slow. TV/Video works perfect but sometimes the display when switching apps takes a number of seconds. My older PC had a bog standard cheap ATI and I think I preferred the colour from it. Also the drivers/settings from ATI were more extensive. I'm using a CRT telly with the new VMC and have to overscan rather than set the correct size which I could with the ATI card.

    My TV card on my 2005 MCE was a club3d zaptv 1000 which isnt supported on Vista. Now I use a haupppauge 150 and I'm not impressed with the quality compared to the club3d card. Theres not many options for supported TV cards and they're all a bit pricey.

    Overall though I find VMC much better than 2005. Setting up 2005 and keeping it working was a full time occupation. I rarely have to touch my Vista box since setting it up. And once you get used to the new menu system in VMC its pretty good.


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