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Media center horrible video quality (windows 7)

post #1 of 15
3/6/10 at 4:09am
Thread Starter 
First of all I apologize if this has been asked and explained before, but as a bit of a A/V noob, lot's of info in here flies over my head, but I did try searching alot before posting.

My problem is this, I built my first HTPC for the front room and soon realized that the video quality was garbage in both Qam and over the air Network HD channels. Also, just playing various AVI's and MKV's off my hard drive too.
I thought it was an issue with my (somewhat) crappy 52" bravia dlp, as I got a rude awakening about the supposed 'FULL HD' is indeed not, my native res.....
But going back to the main issue, here is a screen shot of VLC and WMC playing the same file...on my main desktop computer on a Samsung computer monitor.
SAME HORRIBLE IMAGE!! (WMC is below the VLC)
h**p://img514.imageshack.us/img514/2825/wtfie.jpg

Am I missing something here?

And again, sorry if this is something easy, and or been done before, but I could not find a solution.
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post #2 of 15
3/6/10 at 5:41am
This is usually a problem with overscan / native resolution / desktop resolution. For people to be able to help post the model number of the TV / video card or igp / desktop resolution.
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post #3 of 15
3/6/10 at 5:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by spacetoilet View Post

First of all I apologize if this has been asked and explained before, but as a bit of a A/V noob, lot's of info in here flies over my head, but I did try searching alot before posting.

My problem is this, I built my first HTPC for the front room and soon realized that the video quality was garbage in both Qam and over the air Network HD channels. Also, just playing various AVI's and MKV's off my hard drive too.
I thought it was an issue with my (somewhat) crappy 52" bravia dlp, as I got a rude awakening about the supposed 'FULL HD' is indeed not, my native res.....
But going back to the main issue, here is a screen shot of VLC and WMC playing the same file...on my main desktop computer on a Samsung computer monitor.
SAME HORRIBLE IMAGE!! (WMC is below the VLC)
h**p://img514.imageshack.us/img514/2825/wtfie.jpg

Am I missing something here?

And again, sorry if this is something easy, and or been done before, but I could not find a solution.

What is wrong with the image? if you are concerned about the difference between VLC and MCE it's a levels issue. The MCE levels can be expanded via a registry hack to match the VLC levels. Is that what your concern is?
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post #4 of 15
3/6/10 at 6:08am
Oh, that's BBC. Try some live sports instead, but understand that even that is overcompressed and bitstarved artifact fest. That's just how HDTV is (at least in the US).
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post #5 of 15
3/6/10 at 8:23am
You sure thats a HTPC? With Office installed?

I agree with the above, levels issue.
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post #6 of 15
3/6/10 at 8:30am
Oh, that's BBC.

No, That's John Adams from the miniseries of David McCullough book..
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post #7 of 15
3/6/10 at 8:48am
You should go here and download an IMAX 1080p test files to get a less compressed 1080p quality video. It would be a better benchmark than heavily compressed HDTV that's 720p or 1080i.
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post #8 of 15
3/6/10 at 12:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ams123 View Post

This is usually a problem with overscan / native resolution / desktop resolution. For people to be able to help post the model number of the TV / video card or igp / desktop resolution.

Not for this issue, I'm getting the same things on my desktop rig. And that image is my desktop rig using a monitor.
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post #9 of 15
3/6/10 at 12:14pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by beaups View Post

What is wrong with the image? if you are concerned about the difference between VLC and MCE it's a levels issue. The MCE levels can be expanded via a registry hack to match the VLC levels. Is that what your concern is?

Sounds like it yeah, but aside from colour levels, the detail is bad too?
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post #10 of 15
3/6/10 at 12:15pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by jrwalte View Post

You should go here and download an IMAX 1080p test files to get a less compressed 1080p quality video. It would be a better benchmark than heavily compressed HDTV that's 720p or 1080i.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jrwalte View Post

You should go here and download an IMAX 1080p test files to get a less compressed 1080p quality video. It would be a better benchmark than heavily compressed HDTV that's 720p or 1080i.


Ok, here is one of those test images...

h**p://img694.imageshack.us/img694/1670/whaaa.png

Oh, and once again, this is not even on my HTPC this times, this is my desktop rig, using a regular PC MONITOR. So this is not an over-scan or HDMI problem.

Check out the lack of detail on the mountains, the bad colours, and the black levels on the imax camera..

(VLC on left, WMC on the right)
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post #11 of 15
3/6/10 at 12:23pm
Thread Starter 
Oh and for the specs, this is my main PC
q6600 2.4ghz 4g RAM ATI 4870

..and HTPC
ASUS M4A785TD-V EVO Mobo with on board ATi 4200. AMD Athlon II x 4 630, ATi 650 TV wonder PCIe

and again, I get this quality on both rigs, and the images I posted are on my desktop rig using monitor, not my HTPC using bravia. I get same 'greenish' washed out bad detail vids in WMC on both.
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post #12 of 15
3/6/10 at 2:40pm
Paste this into a text file, rename it xx.reg, and reboot then try the video again in MC.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Debug\\ehPresenter.dll]
"NominalRange"=dword:1
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post #13 of 15
3/6/10 at 3:58pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by almostinsane View Post

Paste this into a text file, rename it xx.reg, and reboot then try the video again in MC.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Debug\\ehPresenter.dll]
"NominalRange"=dword:1

Hey thank you, that has given me somewhat decent black levels now in WMC. But the detail still looks a little garbage when compared to VLC or other players.
Is there any other tweak I need to apply?
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post #14 of 15
3/6/10 at 6:59pm
If VLC looks better then you have some other problem. VLC is the worst of the bunch.
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post #15 of 15
3/7/10 at 7:14am
Unless VLC has been updated, it doesn't use DXVA. Instead, it's using CPU cycles and its own algorithms for upscaling/deinterlacing/denoise, etc.

On the other hand, 7MC uses DXVA and will use the video drivers upscaling/deinterlacing. By default, ATI turns on some video features that you want to turn off. Go to your CCC under Avivo Video and select the tab All Settings. As a base, you should start with the below. You can always play with or test other settings that may help your image quality, such as the Advanced Color and Advanced Quality sections.

Under Basic Color you should have 'Use Application settings' checked.
Under Advanced Color everything should be turned off
Under Basic Quality you should check Use automatic deinterlacing and Pulldown detection.
Under Advanced Quality and all sections below it, you should have everything disabled.
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