GUI blinks and flickers

[hellmelt]

Area: Media Portal Program
MP Version: 0.1.3.0
Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: Windows XP Home SP2
CPU Type: Intel P4 2.0 GHz
Memory: 512 MByte
Motherboard Chipset:
Video Card: PowerColor ATI Radeon 9250
Video Card Driver: Version 5.7 with Catalyst Control Center
Video Render Type: VMR9 as well as Overlay
Video Codec Type & Version: Cyberlink DTV as well as Intervideo
Audio Codec Type & Version: AC3
TV Card: Twinhan DVB-T CI
TV Card Type: DVB
TV Card Driver: BDA 1.2.1.9
Parts of the "/log/MediaPortal.log":
2005-08-04 07:26:43 Mediaportal is starting up
2005-08-04 07:26:43 Set current directory to :C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal
2005-08-04 07:26:46 Set registry keys for intervideo/windvd/hauppauge codecs
2005-08-04 07:26:46 verify that directx 9 is installed
2005-08-04 07:26:46 verify that windows mediaplayer 9 or 10 is installed
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Check if mediaportal is already started
2005-08-04 07:26:47 delete old log\capture.log file...
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Check skin version
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Load key mapping from keymap.xml
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Init playlist player
2005-08-04 07:26:47 creating the WINLIRC device
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Initialising WinLirc...
2005-08-04 07:26:47 WinLirc window not found, starting WinLirc
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Winlirc process not found
2005-08-04 07:26:47 done creating the WINLIRC device
2005-08-04 07:26:47 Init players
2005-08-04 07:26:47 initializing DirectX
2005-08-04 07:27:03 start fullscreen
2005-08-04 07:27:03 ClientSize: 800x600 screen:800x600
2005-08-04 07:27:03 MAP: using default mappings for DirectInput
2005-08-04 07:27:03 texturemanager:dispose()
2005-08-04 07:27:03 TexturePackerispose()
2005-08-04 07:27:03 Load key mapping from keymap.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:03 load localized strings from:language\Swedish\strings.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:100758 text:File dialog
2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:102016 text:Notification
2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:102015 text:Mini Menu
2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:102009 textelection dialog
.
.
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2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:878 texttorage
2005-08-04 07:27:03 language file:language\Swedish\strings.xml is missing entry for id:877 textriorities
2005-08-04 07:27:04 Load fonts from skin\BlueTwo\fonts.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:04 fonts.InitializeDeviceObjects()
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:debug height:12 texture:512x512 chars:[32-255] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font10 height:10 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font12 height:12 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font13 height:13 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font14 height:14 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font16 height:16 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font18 height:18 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:dingbats height:25 texture:1024x1024 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:05 Loaded font:font32 height:33 texture:256x256 chars:[48-59] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Loaded font:font48 height:50 texture:512x512 chars:[48-59] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Loaded font:font72 height:75 texture:512x512 chars:[48-59] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Loaded font:fontSVT height:13 texture:512x512 chars:[32-256] memleft:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Load skin BlueTwo
2005-08-04 07:27:06 LoadWindowPlugins()
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Load plugins from :plugins\windows\Dialogs.dll
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Load plugins from :plugins\windows\DotMSN.dll
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Load plugins from :plugins\windows\WindowPlugins.dll
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Opening music database
2005-08-04 07:27:06 music database opened
2005-08-04 07:27:06 Loading references from skin\BlueTwo\references.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:06 original skin size:720x576
2005-08-04 07:27:07 Init MPScript
2005-08-04 07:27:07 C:\Program\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\scripts
2005-08-04 07:27:07 opening tvdatabase
2005-08-04 07:27:07 tvdatabase opened
2005-08-04 07:27:07 xml:skin\BlueTwo\tvOSD.xml image id:350 width:0 height:0 gfx:-
2005-08-04 07:27:07 xml:skin\BlueTwo\videoOSD.xml image id:350 width:0 height:0 gfx:-
2005-08-04 07:27:07 WindowManager.Load
2005-08-04 07:27:07 load calibration800x600.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:07 WindowManager.Preinitialize
2005-08-04 07:27:07 TexturePacker: fontengine add texure:199
2005-08-04 07:27:07 texturemanager:added:skin\BlueTwo\media\background _bar.png total:0 mem left:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:07 texturemanager:added:skin\BlueTwo\media\black.bmp total:1 mem left:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:07 WindowManager.ActivateWindow
2005-08-04 07:27:07 xml:skin\BlueTwo\home.xml image id:1000 width:0 height:0 gfx:-
2005-08-04 07:27:07 TexturePacker: fontengine add texure:196
2005-08-04 07:27:07 texturemanager:added:skin\BlueTwo\media\hover_my plugins.png total:2 mem left:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:08 texturemanager:added:skin\BlueTwo\media\background .png total:3 mem left:184549376
2005-08-04 07:27:08 window:MediaPortal.GUI.Home.HomeWindow init
2005-08-04 07:27:08 skin initialized
2005-08-04 07:27:08 DX9 size: 800x600
2005-08-04 07:27:08 video ram left:180224 KByte
2005-08-04 07:27:08 running...
2005-08-04 07:27:08 Mediaportal.OnStartup()
2005-08-04 07:27:08 Recorder: Loading capture cards from capturecards.xml
2005-08-04 07:27:08 Recorder: card:1 video device:TwinHan DVBT BDA Capture Filter TV:True record:True priority:10
2005-08-04 07:27:08 Recorder: tv channel changed:BBC World
2005-08-04 07:27:08 PlugInManager.Load()
2005-08-04 07:27:08 Load plugins from :plugins\process\ProcessPlugins.dll
2005-08-04 07:27:08 PlugInManager.Start()
2005-08-04 07:27:08 open folderdatabase
2005-08-04 07:27:46 window:MediaPortal.GUI.Home.HomeWindow deinit
2005-08-04 07:27:47 texturemanager:CleanupThumbs()
2005-08-04 07:27:47 Total Memory allocated:1,70 MB
2005-08-04 07:27:47 window:MediaPortal.GUI.Music.GUIMusicFiles init
2005-08-04 07:27:48 Texturemanager loaded temporay:\Jullw\Download\folder.jpg 128x128 format:X8R8G8B8
2005-08-04 07:27:48 texturemanager:added:\Jullw\Download\folder.jpg total:4 mem left:145752064
2005-08-04 07:27:58 Mediaportal.OnExit()
2005-08-04 07:27:58 Card:1 stop
2005-08-04 07:27:58 PlugInManager.Stop()
2005-08-04 07:27:58 texturemanager:dispose:\Jullw\Download\folder.jp g frames:1 total:5 mem left:145752064
2005-08-04 07:27:58 Mediaportal.OnExit()
2005-08-04 07:27:58 MediaPortal done




Synopsis: When I start MediaPortal the GUI flickers and blinks. Parts of the window gets occasionally black, and other parts of the window appear in the wrong place. See the picture. It can be a lot worse, though. Changing codecs and renderer makes no difference. Not surprising since this occurs immediately, before any attempts to watch movies or TV are made. When I go to my Music the window is so garbled so I cannot read the titles and don't know where to click...

With the Cyberlink decoder, the TV picture is fine, however! All other programs behave normally.

I've tried this on VGA (14" LCD screen) as well as TV-out (S-Video). No difference. When I run dxdiag and try the Direct3D tests, the display is a bit faulty. Is my graphics card faulty, or is it a bad model?

Any solution would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
hellmelt

[Callifo]

First Id check video card temp (mp uses directx which would cause it to heat up). If thats ok then try underclocking the video card.

Either that or try and play a proper 3D game and see how that goes.

[hellmelt]

Originally Posted by Callifo

First Id check video card temp (mp uses directx which would cause it to heat up). If thats ok then try underclocking the video card.

Either that or try and play a proper 3D game and see how that goes.

I find it hard to believe that the card is too hot. If so, when the PC is freshly started and cool, things would go for a while, and then get worse and worse. This is not the case. And nothing else is showing any problems, only MP and the Direct3D test. The Direct3D test shows exactly the same errors all the time, which also speaks against a temperature issue.

Try a 3D game? Any suggestions on a small, freeware / demo game?

Does the video card have a temp sensor, if so, how can it be monitored. Or should I just touch it and feel if it is hot - and put an extra fan in and see if it gets better, or what? And what utility do I use to underclock?

Forgot to mention in my first post that changing skin makes no difference. Neither does fullscreen vs. windowed.

/hellmelt

[Callifo]

3DMark 03 ( http://www.futuremark.com/download/?3dmark03.shtml ) should work fine (05 wont run on that card). Card doesnt have temp sensor so you'll just have to feel it.

[Taipan]

Originally Posted by hellmelt

When I run dxdiag and try the Direct3D tests, the display is a bit faulty. Is my graphics card faulty, or is it a bad model?

If you are also getting errors with dxdiag, then I would suggest that you have a faulty graphics card - can you swap it for another one, or try another graphics card in your PC?

Also, do earlier versions of the ATI drivers display the same errors?

[hellmelt]

Tried an old GeForce 4 MX yesterday. It worked!

Then I read about another guy who used the ATI 9250 with MP, worked fine.. So it seems like my card is faulty - or rather something in the combination motherboard - firmware - graphics board - windows - driver. My mobo is more than three years old, with only 4x AGP. Tried to use SMARTGART to change AGP speed and FastWrite, made no difference.

Anyway, if it was a simple hardware fault the problems should be more random, I suppose.

I will try my 9250 in some other box.

[hellmelt]

If anyone should be interested in how it ended?

I tested the 9250 in an other box at my work. The window bars and icons were wrong. dxdiag Direct3D tests failed. Conlusion -> card broken.

I was to lazy to try to get it repaired or replaced. Bought a 9550 instead. Works great!

/hellmelt