Using Standard Definition Native Resolution for MediaPortal

[jackelectronics]

This topic is about using standard definition resolutions for Media Portal which are 720x480 to NTSC and 720x576 for PAL should someone else want to do so. I am in a PAL broadcasting country where standard definiton is still very heavily used.

I created a 861B complaint 720x576 @ 50.00 - P screen mode using the NVIDIA Advanced Timings Menu for use in MediaPortal and output to my monitor through a VGA connection. I also mirrored the output to my TV set using S-Video where I switched off the flicker filter and set to overscan in the NVIDIA TV device adjustments menu. This gives a set-top box quality image on the TV set.

As you may now, these resolutions are not square pixels for both the 4:3 and 16:9 screen aspect rations. In my case, I have a 4:3 TV screen in PAL and even though I play 4:3 material, there is still very small black bars on the top and bottom where the picture is a little squashed as it is resized to 720x540 rather than maintaining the full native resolution at 720x576. For 16:9 material, is it resized to 720x405 which is also squahed when it should be 720x432.

I corrected this issue by going into the calib720x576.xml and editing the Pixel Ratio value to 10667, which is 1.0667. Although I could use the in-built calibration feature, it does not give as much precision as you can only step in 0.01 intervals, which can lead to a few pixels still being different between 1.06 and 1.07.

For reference, I calculated the pixel rations as below where 16:9 is refferred to a anamorphic widescreen TV-set:
4:3 PAL at 720x576: 10667 (1.0667)
16:9 PAL at 720x576: 14222 (1.4222)
4:3 NTSC at 720x480: 08888 (0.8888)
16:9 NTSC at 720x480: 11852 (1.1852)

As I use my computer for both desktop and HTPC use, I used an AutoIT script to call MultiRes to change the screen resolution to 720x576, start MediaPortal and waits for it to exit and then calls MultiRes to switch back to the previous resolution. I used AutoIT as it is fully hidden as opposed to a command line window opening up for .bat and .cmd files whilst MediaPortal loads.

The AutoIT script is as below:
#NoTrayIcon
RunWait("C:\Program Files\MultiRes\MultiRes.exe /720,576,32,50 /exit", "C:\Program Files\MultiRes")
RunWait("C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe", "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal")
RunWait("C:\Program Files\MultiRes\MultiRes.exe /restore /exit", "C:\Program Files\MultiRes")

[djroketboy]

this is great, thank you!! I tried to follow most of it, but can't find where you "switched off the flicker filter and set to overscan in the NVIDIA TV device adjustments menu".

I have looked everywhere ('cept the registry), I am running nVidia driver 91.31, w/ a 6800 vanilla.

Also, in looking in the xml file, i noticed my overscanwidth is 712, if i change that to 720, I get no picture on the screen, but if i "go back" to the menu the movie shows up in the bottom left little area...

[deebo]

you can get a 1:1 pixel ratio widescreen res from nvidia by creating a custom resolution of 1024x576, and then setting the advanced timing of front-end active to 1024 instead of 720

[jackelectronics]

Originally Posted by djroketboy

this is great, thank you!! I tried to follow most of it, but can't find where you "switched off the flicker filter and set to overscan in the NVIDIA TV device adjustments menu".

I have looked everywhere ('cept the registry), I am running nVidia driver 91.31, w/ a 6800 vanilla.

Also, in looking in the xml file, i noticed my overscanwidth is 712, if i change that to 720, I get no picture on the screen, but if i "go back" to the menu the movie shows up in the bottom left little area...

Sorry I have not replied in a while, I was expecting this topic to have no replies! I don't go to this forum much except to post new tips or get support.

To turn off anti-flicker, set the resolution to 720x480 or 720x576. Go to the classic NVIDIA Control Panel if you are using the 90 series driver and then go to nView Display Settings. Once the SDTV output is enabled, right click the black TV and then Device Adjustments. Set the flicker filter all the way to the left and keep clicking the enlarge picture button in the screen positioning area to overscan.

In terms of the overscanwidth, I enclose the contents of my settings file as below:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<profile>
<section name="screen">
<entry name="offsetx">0</entry>
<entry name="offsety">0</entry>
<entry name="zoomhorizontal">10000</entry>
<entry name="zoomvertical">10000</entry>
<entry name="offsetosd">0</entry>
<entry name="overscanleft">0</entry>
<entry name="overscantop">0</entry>
<entry name="overscanwidth">720</entry>
<entry name="overscanheight">576</entry>
<entry name="pixelratio">10667</entry>
<entry name="subtitles">526</entry>
</section>
</profile>

[jackelectronics]

If you use the CyberLink PowerDVD 6 Codec, I also recommend that you make these changes to ensure the "best" set-top quality picture quality on the SDTV.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CyberLink\Common\CLVSD]
"UIUseHVA"=dword:00000000
"UIVMode"=dword:00020002
"UIEnableVMode"=dword:00000001
"UIVModeAuto"=dword:00000000
"FSVMMode"=dword:00000002

Also if you use PowerDVD 6 iteslf, use the following settings in Advanced Video Properties:
Hardware Acceleration OFF
De-Interlacing ON
Specify Manually
Always Perform De-interlacing
Median

Do NOT use Hardware acceleration. If you use the default pixel adaptive de-interlacing method (including hardware acceleration), you will see artefacts on the SDTV of 'pixels being left behind'. Also, during full motion video, it may ocassionally go jerky when there is a sudden motion after little motion, etc. This is because the deinterlacing engine goes on and off, which can cause problems.

[jackelectronics]

When you use MediaPortal configuration, it annoyingly creates registry settings for CyberLink PowerDVD 6 overriding the settings that I recommend for SDTV. I have now updated the AutoIT script to delete these settings on startup as below.

#NoTrayIcon
RegDelete("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\CyberLink\Co mmon\CLVSD\MediaPortal")
RunWait("C:\Program Files\MultiRes\MultiRes.exe /720,576,32,50 /exit", "C:\Program Files\MultiRes")
RunWait("C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MediaPortal.exe", "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal")
RunWait("C:\Program Files\MultiRes\MultiRes.exe /restore /exit", "C:\Program Files\MultiRes")

[jackelectronics]

If you are using clone output, ocassionally the VGA output may display 720x576 at 60Hz incorrectly when it should be 50Hz for PAL and may cause sluttering on the SDTV in both MP and video games.

I recommend you use the Refresh Rate Override and set 720x576 at 50Hz. If the page does not exist in the Classic Control Panel, add a dword named NvCplDisableRefreshRatePage with a value of 0 to the at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Global\NVTweak

Many video games don't like 720x576 at 50Hz but like 60Hz instead, which is incorrect for PAL. Using Refresh Rate Overrides forces it to 50Hz. By playing Tomb Raider Legend in 720x576 at 50Hz with both the VGA and the SDTV enabled makes your PC very much like a PlayStation 2!!!

Unfortunately, I do not guarantee that LCD VGA monitors will work with 50Hz as they specify a minimum of 60Hz unlike many CRTs. In that case, if you want smooth playback, you will have to disable the VGA output completely in NVIDIA Control Panel to avoid sluttering on the SDTV.

[Spragleknas]

When I understand this, it will probably become very usefull!

Allways intrested in better image quality.

Thanks for all your effort!!!

[NLS]

good instructions

of Okay you are interested in better image quality, invest in a nice HDTV

[jackelectronics]

Originally Posted by NLS

good instructions

of Okay you are interested in better image quality, invest in a nice HDTV

Yes, I quite would like to have one too so that I can use DVI to HDMI instead! I have to save up for one.