DVD Playback Black with PowerDVD???

[ImagoX]

I'm having playback issues with Cyberlink's PowerDVD that I wonder of anyone else here has seen?

I'm trying to play back actual store-bought DVDs as well as converted DVD files using a virtual DVD drive (specifically DaemonTools) and am experiencing the exact same issue:

When I try playing the file in PowerDVD, the movie plays (I can hear the audio through my speakers), but the video playback portion is hidden under a black box. In windowed mode, I can see a few pixels around the edges of the playback and in full screen more it's completely black. I've tried playing back both the store-bought DVDs and the DVD movie files mounted to DaemonTools on Windows Media Player 9, and they play fine. Cyberlink is baffled.

I'm using WinXP Pro on an AMD system running a GeForce 6800 viceo card with all drivers, DirectX, etc. patched to the latest versions. I really hope I can get this figured out, since I like Power DVD MUCH better than Windows Media Player- the tools in POwerDVD such as Screen Capture and the jog wheel are so much better thyan Winamp. Help!

[sfheath]

In some instances hardware acceleration can blank a window, for example, copying a screenshot. My first guess would have been DirectX but you say you've covered that.
On the machine I'm at, Win2000, hardware acceleration is in Display/Advanced/Troubleshooting. I can't remember offhand where it is on my XP Home machine.

[ImagoX]

Hmmm... interesting. But my issue comes when playing back, and not with a screenshot, although I haven't tried that. I posted in anothe rthread where someone else is having a similar type issue, only his video is blocked by a colored screen. Is anyone else trying to use this app on a system running a GeForce 6800 card? I've loaded POwerDVD on like 3 other PCs, including 2 desktops and a laptop and it's always worked flawlessly at whatever video defaults I've had set.... Too weird.

PS- I checked DXDIAGs and I have DirectX v.9c (whatever the latest version is) and all my games run good, so I believe I have the latest DX version installed properly.

[sfheath]

I mentioned screenshot as an example. I'm not familiar with the GeForce. Is it monitor only or a tv output?
It's frustrating I know when something you have works only on every other machine - been there myself days ago!

[ImagoX]

Monitor output, not TV. My DIVX player, WMP and everything else I've tried seem to work. Is there perhaps another free DVD player app that I can try to see if it's limited to the PowerDVD app? I love PowerDVD, mainly because it's really simple to do screen captures with that app (somehting that WMP's DRM setup blocks), but I'd try something else if there's an alternative... I hate it when I can't figure something like this out though....

Thanks for the help!

[sfheath]

PowerDVDs main competitor in these forums is WinDVD, which I had bundled with my burner but there's a free trial here; http://www.intervideo.com/jsp/WinDVD_Download.jsp

[ImagoX]

I'll give that a shot and see if it works. I actually was reading their product page when your reply came across. Not sure if it's worth $70 (if that's the case then I'll grumble and grouse but I'll stick with WMP). I wish that Cyberlink had some clue as to the nature of the problem, though.

[sfheath]

um, just a thought. have you tried another screen resolution? I know it sounds daft but I think someone came across that one a couple of weeks back!

[ImagoX]

Yep, tried 800X600, basic 16-bit color and it was exactly the same. I usually run in 1600X1200.

[ImagoX]

Oooooh... I like that WinDVD... It works fine on my laptop anyway. I'll be sure to trry it out on my home PC (the one having issues with Power DVD) when I get home. Does the trial version not have the ability to do screen captures, however? Weirdly enough, I did the animated GiF capture just fine but I can't do still BMP captures with this version. Not sure if ANY playback application is worth $70 though...

[eduqlm]

Almost same problem

I plugged the TV on my PC (via RCA cable). I can see desktop perfectly but if I play a DVD or DIVX I see a black box, even if it's windowed (I see desktop on TV and the black window).
It doesn't happen if I play a video recorded with my Canon A75 camera (in MJPEG format).
The sound is always perfect.
I have an Athlon 64 3200 and a GeForce 6600GT.
It's weird because the only thing I see black are DVDs or DivX!
Any ideas??

[anonymez]

you could:

1. set your tv to be the 'primary display'. do this through your graphics card's drivers

2. download 'media player classic', run it, press 'o' on your keyboard, click 'output', and choose 'vmr9'. close media player, and play your videos

i myself would use no. 2