DVD playback - Powerdvd>OK, same from Mediaportal>black screen (1 Viewer)

[edterbak]

I have got a weird problem for a while...
I use Powerdvd 7.3a codecs to play my dvd's. Its working great, BUT....
I have an dvd-image of Stargate - the ark of truth. When I load this DVD from Powerdvd itself it starts in the proper DVD menu and you can press play to see the DVD. All ok here..
>> But when I use MediaPortal and select the exact same imagefile, all I see is a black screen. After ~3 seconds all commands stop functioning. Stop/back doesn't work. The only commands still working at that moment is CTRL-ALT-DEL which blinks in and out... or on the remote the hybernate function. The rest just does nothing and you see nothing.

I use the powerdvd codecs to play dvd's from whithin Mediaportal, so it 'should' be exactly the same as playing from within powerdvd itself... right?

I dont know what the cause is of this error. Looked for the cause at DRM stuff, but this appears not to be the case. The image does not have DRM. But I did try AnyDVD.. Same result And also, why does it work from powerdvd directly?

I hope someone can help
TV-Server Version: RC1 + latest SVN 6-7-2008
MediaPortal Version: RC1 + latest SVN 6-7-2008
MediaPortal Skin: aeon + monochrome 2.1
Windows Version: Windows XP
CPU Type: AMD 2300BE (passive:scythe mini)
HDD: 750GB Samsung
Memory: 2GB
Motherboard: Asrock ALiveNF7G HD720p 5.0
Video Card: ATI HD3450 (passive)
Video Card Driver: ATI Catalyst 8.4 + wdm driver 8.5
Sound Card: onboard
1. TV Card: 1x TwinHan Mantis (2033)
1. TV Card Type: DVB-C
1. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Powerdvd 7
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Powerdvd 7
h.264 Video Codec: Powerdvd 7
HTPC Case: Antec Fusion V2 silver
Cooling: Hardly any > no noise
Power Supply: Corsair 520W
Remote: Microsoft MCE remote
TV: Sony 32KDL3000
TV - HTPC Connection: ATI: DVI>HDMI (video+sound through one cable)

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

But when I use MediaPortal and select the exact same imagefile, all I see is a black screen

If it is only this single file, then there is some form of drm\corruption that is causing this.

If you have any decent video editing software which allows remuxing a file, might be worthwhile trying.

 

[edterbak]

Thanks for the reply!

I'll check if its purely this file. I have tried a dozen or so other files, without problems. But I think not enough to be 100% sure... Will do!

About the remuxing of a file... Can you recommend a good tool for this? (I'm not familiar with remuxing)

 

[Sphero]

Hey,

I have the same problem when playing single .vob files. It seems MP launches Windows Media Player on the background or loads a feature of it. When I play the .vob file in Windows Media Player I get an error: "Windows Media Player cannot skip to the requested location". That would explain the black screen in MP

Windows Media Player sucks big time. Every other media player plays the file fine. I tried Windows Media Player Classic (from K-Lite), PowerDVD, Nero Showtime and VLC Player. All work fine exept Microsofts crappy player.

It is possible to select an external player, but is it somehow possible to make adjustments in the MP source code to integrate an other player or get WMP to work?

 

[edterbak]

The problem is still not gone. In Powerdvd the movie works fine... But from within MP using the same powerdvd plugins this movie does not work.
I checked other DVD's. Nearly all other dvds work. Some have issues with a DVD-menu like you dont see whats selected, but the rest is OK...

Does anybody got some good suggestions?

 

[edterbak]

Update:

I just installed MediaPortal SVN-Snapshot:-06-22-2008 17-10h - Revision:19453.rar
And at the moment almost everything works perfect!!! This single DVD still does not work from within MP. I got rid of this movie.

Now I use the MPA codec to passthrough SPDIF. This was impossible in the past with MPA decoder and had to use Powerdvd/KMPlayer instead.
This together with MPV Video decoder or ATI decoder results in perfect images. Maybe the ATI Catalyst 8.6 and HDMI from realtec (1.96) solved a lot of my problems..
-----------------------------------------------------------
>>> EDIT <<<

Ok I'm sorry, but a new problem appears... I hope this one is simpler.

When I use VMR9 I can watch DVD's perfectly. Subtitles are seen correctly and the DVD-menus work propperly. BUT, when I watch TV (server) in full screen, the screen is completely black. Channels are changable (this menu is visible ontop of the black image). When I press [backspace] and a smaller view of the TV channel along with the menu is visible, I can see the TV channel propperly. Perfectly good image then.

When I switch from VRM9 to EVR the TV channels are watchable in full screen. So it seems the problem is solved. Where it not that DVD-menu's and subtitles often dont work than.

So the problem in short: With VRM9 all ok except TV in full screen. With EVR TV ok but DVD's+subtitle problems

I use/tried:
- VRM9 exclusive or not makes no difference.
- the standard 96dpi font size is used
- different video codecs makes no difference (tried MPV, Cyberlink, ATI)
- different audio codecs makes no difference (tried MPA SPDIF passthrough, Cyberlink)

Is it possible to only use EVR for TV-server and VRM9 for the rest? Or is there some other solution.

 

[edterbak]

Hmm.. Problem solved. Its a driver issue from ATI Catalyst. The black screens when in full screen mode is a result of a faulty driver. Reverted from Catalyst 8.6 back to 8.5. Perfect view now in everything with VRM9... Im happy!!!!

 

[bob808]

thanks edterbak - will have to try that... have been going crazy with my tv showing black screen with audio on full screen, but as soon as I come out of full screen it works - this is in live tv so was really annoying me!

bob

 

[edterbak]

thanks edterbak - will have to try that... have been going crazy with my tv showing black screen with audio on full screen, but as soon as I come out of full screen it works - this is in live tv so was really annoying me!

bob

Yes. VERY annoying... Had the exact same thing here. Now it is Ok. I just cant use the hardware decoding untill this has been solved by ATI.

 

[thargs]

TV-Server Version:
MediaPortal Version: RC1
MediaPortal Skin: default
Windows Version: XP Pro SP3
CPU Type: E2180
HDD: Samsung sata 240gig
Memory: 1gig DDR2 Corsair
Motherboard: Asus P5KPL-CM
Video Card: ATI X800
Video Card Driver: Latest
Sound Card: Asus onboard
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Tinytwin Digital Now
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: default
MPEG2 Audio Codec: FFdshow
h.264 Video Codec: FFdshow
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Silverstone
Cooling: basic
Power Supply: 500W Coolermaster
Remote: Microsoft Remote
TV: Samsung LCD
TV - HTPC Connection: Sub-D


I dont know if my problem is similar but

In live TV with powerDVD 7.2ultra I can see the TV in small screen but when I make it full screen its black. I also use the latest ATI driver for an older X800 card.

With default MPA driver all is fine.

Maybe it is a driver issue.