Blurry image in MP only (1 Viewer)

[broadscott]

MediaPortal Version: 2.0.0.4
Windows Version: Media Centre
CPU Type: Sempron 2800+
HDD: 160BG
Memory: Generic 512Mb
Motherboard: Asus KV-MX
Video Card: GeForce 5200
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Winfast DTV1000T
1. TV Card Type: Digital
1. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: LeadTech
MPEG2 Audio Codec: LeadTech
HTPC Case: Antec NSK 2400
Cooling: Stock
Remote: MCE
TV: CRT
TV - HTPC Connection: S-Video

I am getting blurring picture with MP only. The MP GUI as well as TV show blurry images to the point where you can't read text displayed on the screen. This only happens when using MP. I have tested with the software that came with my card as well as GB-PVR and they both give clear/crisp images. Any possible reason for this?

Love MP btw - so many more features than all the other free/non free options!

 

[faleloncio]

Hi

I have no too much experiencie on working with S-Video, but when I tried it some time ago, I saw what you said: Text was not readable at all.

I presume you have a CRT-TV connected thru your S-Video connector to your HTPC. In that case, you must remember CRT-TV resolution is lower than 800x600, so I think you must try to reduce your output resolution to the lower than your graphics card let you do.

I hope this help you.

 

[broadscott]

I realise that with a crappy old crt I wont be getting the best picture. But, when using Media Portal the picture is blurrier than when viewing exactly the same image using the Winfast software or GB-PVR - leading me to assume this is an issue with my MP setup. Are there any settings I can play with that might possibly alleviate this problem?

 

[broadscott]

Just throwing a completely ill-informed idea out there - could it be caused by the renderer? I know MP uses VMR9 exclusively. I am not sure what the WinfastDTV software is using, maybe Overlay. Will check it out tonight to see if it makes a difference.

 

[thechad]

Renderer would be where I am looking, try testing another product that uses VMR9 or even watch a movie in WMP with VMR9 enabled.

 

[broadscott]

I tried switching the renderer on my Winfast software that came with my card. Aside from some diffrerence in colour (Overlay looked more colourful), both were much sharper than TV in MP. I am using the Leadtek codec in MP to watch TV - why the difference? Even the MP GUI is blurry.

 

[broadscott]

I have determined that the problem almost definately lies with the VMR9 renderer. Using VRM9 in the winfast pvr, while sharper, displays some of the problems I see in MP (jerky/blurred images when quick motion). The overlay renderer has none of these problems. Is there anyway to use the overlay renderer in MP (or an old version of MP)?

 

[broadscott]

I installled MP 2.0RC1 to test if using the Overlay renderer made a difference - it didn't! So it seems to be a more general problem with Medi Portal (or my setup). I have no idea what could be causing it. All other programs using Overlay have a sharp picture, so I dont think it is an issue with my graphics card. Help please, it's the only thing stopping my HTPC setup from being perfect using Media Portal!

 

[mPod]

Did you try using other codecs? The Leadtech codecs you mentioned in your template are not recommended. Try MPA/MPV (which come with MP) or maybe Cyberlink PowerDVD, Intervideo WinDVD or nVidia PureVideo.

In MP's configuration.exe / Television / Deinterlace mode... Set deinterlacing to None (if no result, set to BOB). Also set deinterlacing mode in your MPEG codec (depends) to BOB or SMART / VMR default.

 

[broadscott]

I'm stuck on using MP 0.2RC1 at the moment, since while this doesn't give as clear a picture as the Winfast software, it will suffice. Having trouble learning to live without all the extra goodies though in later MP releases. I just don't understand how when using the Winfast software you can't tell the different between watching TV on computer or just through normal TV, but in MP you can easily tell there is picture degredation/jerky movement (even when using Overlay). Oh well, it's still worth using MP for all the other amazing options/capabilities!