Problem playing DVD/VCD under Win XP.

[Anthony123]

Hi, I have a problem with movies now that I installed WinXP. I had no problems with this when I had Windows ME. I had formatted my hardisk and did a full reinstall of WinXP (not upgrade)

I have some VCDs, SVCDs. I used to have no problem playing my VCDs in Windows Media Player under Win ME. Then, after installing WinXP Pro, when I play any movie, the top, bottom, sides of the movies, whether in full screen or non-full screen mode, all have about 2 inches trimmed off so I can't see them. I know because only the top 1/2 of the subtitles are on screen. Also, when I do a screen capture with MPEG2 player or WinDVD, it shows the WHOLE screen in the .bmp caught! Even the parts i don't see when watching (the edges). These same VCDs played well in my DVD player on TV and also under the old WinME OS on this machine.

I have tried various things and installed including Elecard MPEG2 player, Elecard MPEG3 Codec, and WinDVD trail version etc., just to try them all out. None worked.

I have been suggested that there may be a setting in control panel? Or that I should reinstall XP (which I don't know how to do as it makes me format my harddrive and I cannot "copy over" like I did for Win 9x and ME.)

Someone suggested that also that WinXP is not compatible with my video card. I have a Geforce 4 Ti 4200 from Grandmars. And that there is a fix for this. If so, where?

Please help!!!!

[NooNoo]

Have you been to the windows update site and downloaded the fixes for dvd playback?

What screen resolution and colour depth are you running? What monitor do you have?

[silencio]

Is it possible that your monitor is out of adjustment? Try adjusting the height of the picture with the controls on the front of your monitor..

[Anthony123]

No, I tried. And anyway, this is even when I play with NOT full screen mode, like a little window.

And get this, I went to Microsoft suport site and I found this.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q289711

The thing is, I do NOT have a "Oblong LCD" screen but I thought I'd give it a try anyway. I played with Windows Media Player 6.2 and it worked at first, in that the screen was right. BUT. There was no sound, there was an error message which I closed.
So, in order to see what the error message was, I went back and restarted the movie in WMP 6.2 and this time, THE SCREEN WAS OFF AGAIN! I had NOT changed anything or any settings and all of a sudden on the second attempt, the sound was working but the video was again offscreen!!!

And besides, this is not a WMP specific problem. Even with Elecard's player, and WinDVD and POwerDVD, SAME! Unless some WinXP setting is affecting these softwares as well.

PLEASE HELP!!!!

[Anthony123]

Ok I have a screen resolution of 1152 X 824 but I have tried to change it to 1024 X 786 and it is still the same. And besides, this is true even in NON FULL SCREEN MODE.

Color Depth is 32 bit. Monitor is a Dell m770. It is not an oblong LCD or anything like that. Just a normal monitor that was left over from my "Dell" days (So is my keyboard).

As for the DVD playback fixes, I don't know. Because I just do windows update and then install everything. I do not remember a DVD playback fix. Do you have a link to such files?

Thanks a million!

[NooNoo]

Go to windows update and view your installation history

Also click on personalise windows update - check the box for windows catalogue and then you will be able to see ALL updates, not just the ones that windows thinks you need.

[NooNoo]

Originally posted by Anthony123
Ok I have a screen resolution of 1152 X 824 but I have tried to change it to 1024 X 786 and it is still the same. And besides, this is true even in NON FULL SCREEN MODE.

Color Depth is 32 bit. Monitor is a Dell m770. It is not an oblong LCD or anything like that. Just a normal monitor that was left over from my "Dell" days (So is my keyboard).

As for the DVD playback fixes, I don't know. Because I just do windows update and then install everything. I do not remember a DVD playback fix. Do you have a link to such files?

Thanks a million!

The specs for that monitor (http://www.ravenlorepc.com/M770.htm)

show that it cannot support 1024x768 above 60 hz - whats the refresh rate you have set?

Your problem is likely to be because you are running the monitor at a refresh rate is cannot handle.

[Anthony123]

Ok, progress!

I went into Windows Media player, and I checked
Tools > Options.
On the Performance > Video Acceleration, I set the slider to "None". Now it seems to be working right.

According to MS website, it says that this means that there is "a problem with your display adapter or driver" but no instructions to what this means or how to solve it. It says to update the "driver from the display adapter manufacturer"
What is this? My graphics card? Because I have the latest Nvidia drivers.

What does this setting affect anyway? Does it reduce performance to my playing of games? The movies are fine it seems but I am worried that it will affect other video stuff.

[Anthony123]

I set the refresh rate to 72mhz. But I put "Hide rates that the monitor cannot support and this rate was supported.

BTW it STILL Does not work with WinDVD or any other player!