Media Center loses video signal

ablelocks

I'm not sure if that is the correct way to describe it, but here's what happens :

Windows Media Centre 2005 / NVIDIA Geforce 7300 LE graphics card / WinTV-PVR-500 MCE

If I minimize media centre during live or recorded playback, when I return to media centre the video signal is gone - I just get a black screen. I have to close and restart Media Centre.

This can sometimes happen if I pause recorded playback to go to the guide (for example) - media centre loses the video and I have to close and restart.

Also happens if I switch (cntrl/tab) between applications on the pc.

Selecting a different channel or recorded program doesn't work either - media centre has to be closed and restarted.

This doesn't seem to be a loss of TV signal - if it happens while recording, the program continues to record and can be viewed when finished (if I close and restart)

I don't get any error messages.

It's not a huge issue, but it is starting to bug me. Any ideas as to how to fix it? I downloaded the most recent drivers for the graphics card and TV card 3 weeks ago, but that didn't solve it.

ablelocks

any ideas on this - it doesn't happen when playing a dvd thru media center by the way.

does this suggest the problem lies with the TV card?

subway

tv card is fine if the program records.
i suggest, firstly, rolling back to a previous version of the drivers for the graphics card.
if that doesnt fix its possibly your mpeg decoder, which one are you using and are there any updates or older versions you can roll back to?

if you switch to an xvid then return to the tv does the image return?
what resolution are you running your desktop and mce at? (are they the same)

ablelocks

it happened with the previous driver version of the graphics card too.

mpeg decoder - I don't know is the answer, so how to I check and verify what's the right version?

haven't switched to an xvid - I don't have any movies in that format.

The pc is connected to a widescreen CRT TV (should prob. have said that in the op). Resolution is set to 1024 x 768 currently, but I did change it to 800x600 to see if that made a difference - it didn't. (I'll prob. be changing to 800x600 this weekend anyway). I made these changes in the desktop display properties - should I have made changes in the NVIDIA software / Media Centre settings instead or as well?

bazwaldo

Install Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility to see what mpeg2 decoder you are using.

Did you try thegreenbutton.com? Great source for problems like this.

Seeing as playing DVDs work its probably not your mpeg2 decoder though. And if changing channels is a problem, that seems weird.

I reckon its something to do with your graphics card driver. If you can try a few different versions (older and latest) to see if that changes anything.

ablelocks

mpeg decoder :

there are 2 listed

Avisoft Mpeg video decoder - red x under MCE compatible and recommended not to set it as preferred decoder. No option to update.

The other is Intervideo NonCSS Video decoder for hauppauge ver 4.5.29.230. Red x under MCE compatible. It tells me to check for updates but the update link brings me to purchase decoders, not update.

Shouldn't there be a decoder listed for the NVidia graphics card? And if so, do I have to purchase it as an upgrade or should I be able to find it on the Nvidia website?

And thanks for the responses guys - the green button is a good resource but nobody is responding to my post there!

bazwaldo

Yeah, the PureVideo Nvidia decoder needs to be purchased. Don't know how much it is exactly, I think around 15 dollars. Go to the nvidia website for details. The Intervideo decoder was one I used on my 2005 box and it worked fine. Although if I remember correctly I had the noncss one which I got as a free download from the hauppauge site but it was the Intervideo version from one of its DVD products that I used. In fact I found it better than the nvidia or cyberlink ones. I had an ATI graphics card so I don't know if the nvidia decoder works better with an nvidia graphics card. I doubt it though.

There was another free one from www.videohelp.com called dscalar which worked ok too.

ablelocks

it was the mpeg decoder - I downloaded a trial version of the nvidia one and it solved the problem.

thanks for the help!