I have Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials on Blu-ray which is used for calibrating a playback system. It is a well recognized calibration tool that has been around since pre-Laserdisc days. This version is specifically geared for Blu-ray playback calibration.
I've successfully calibrated all of the picture settings, but it has come to my attention that it is not outputting the full 1080p resolution. At some point the processing is lowering the vertical resolution.
I can confirm that the non-Blu-ray part of my setup properly displays a full 1920x1080 picture. This can be confirmed with still image test patterns from the Windows desktop. So the problem is not with the display, cable, or non-Blu-ray resolution outputting from the graphics card. The problem only exists while playing back a Blu-ray disc.
Here are the detailed results of the tests patterns that relate to resolution:
Test Pattern: Pixel Phase -
This screen is video of a still image containing six rectangles. Each rectangle should contain vertical lines. The lines in each rectangle are different widths. No screen effect should be visible in any of the rectangles. Actual Result: All six rectangles have the screen effect. None of the rectangles contain vertical lines.
Test Pattern: Luminance Zone Plate, Circular Slow Phase Change -
This screen is a two-bit black and while image of ripples. There are ripples emitting from the middle of the screen and the right and left edge of the screen. If the display is correctly outputting 1080p there should be no interference between the ripples. Actual Result: There is visible interference centered horizontally at 25% and 75% of the screen width. There is also interference centered vertically at 0% and 100% screen height.
Test Pattern: Vertical Multiburst in a Split Field -
This screen is video of a still image containing horizontal lines of different widths. All horizontal lines should appear as horizontal lines. Actual Result: The 1/2 full, 1/3 full, 1/4 full, and 1/5 full resolution lines display correctly. The Full resolution lines incorrectly appear grey.
Test Pattern: SMPTE RP 133 Resolution Chart -
This screen is video of a still image containing a resolution chart. Actual Results: Oddly, the vertical 1 pixel lines display correctly. However, the horizontal 1 pixel lines incorrectly appear grey.
My conclusion is that four different test patters all confirm the same thing; Blu-ray playback is not outputting the full 1080p signal. At some point the processing is lowering the vertical resolution, and possibly lowering the horizontal resolution as well. The SMPTE RP 133 Resolution Chart did display the vertical lines (horizontal resolution) correctly. However, the Pixel Phase test pattern did not display the vertical lines correctly.
I'm using the 175.19 driver that was released June 23rd. However, the previous drives exhibited the same behavior. I'm using PowerDVD 7.3.
I'd appreciate any help anyone can provide to enable correct 1080p playback with the 8800GT. Even if no one has a solution, I'd love to see if anyone with a similar setup could confirm the same results on their system. The calibration Blu-ray disc is available on Netflix.
Thanks, for the help,
--Jon
I've successfully calibrated all of the picture settings, but it has come to my attention that it is not outputting the full 1080p resolution. At some point the processing is lowering the vertical resolution.
I can confirm that the non-Blu-ray part of my setup properly displays a full 1920x1080 picture. This can be confirmed with still image test patterns from the Windows desktop. So the problem is not with the display, cable, or non-Blu-ray resolution outputting from the graphics card. The problem only exists while playing back a Blu-ray disc.
Here are the detailed results of the tests patterns that relate to resolution:
Test Pattern: Pixel Phase -
This screen is video of a still image containing six rectangles. Each rectangle should contain vertical lines. The lines in each rectangle are different widths. No screen effect should be visible in any of the rectangles. Actual Result: All six rectangles have the screen effect. None of the rectangles contain vertical lines.
Test Pattern: Luminance Zone Plate, Circular Slow Phase Change -
This screen is a two-bit black and while image of ripples. There are ripples emitting from the middle of the screen and the right and left edge of the screen. If the display is correctly outputting 1080p there should be no interference between the ripples. Actual Result: There is visible interference centered horizontally at 25% and 75% of the screen width. There is also interference centered vertically at 0% and 100% screen height.
Test Pattern: Vertical Multiburst in a Split Field -
This screen is video of a still image containing horizontal lines of different widths. All horizontal lines should appear as horizontal lines. Actual Result: The 1/2 full, 1/3 full, 1/4 full, and 1/5 full resolution lines display correctly. The Full resolution lines incorrectly appear grey.
Test Pattern: SMPTE RP 133 Resolution Chart -
This screen is video of a still image containing a resolution chart. Actual Results: Oddly, the vertical 1 pixel lines display correctly. However, the horizontal 1 pixel lines incorrectly appear grey.
My conclusion is that four different test patters all confirm the same thing; Blu-ray playback is not outputting the full 1080p signal. At some point the processing is lowering the vertical resolution, and possibly lowering the horizontal resolution as well. The SMPTE RP 133 Resolution Chart did display the vertical lines (horizontal resolution) correctly. However, the Pixel Phase test pattern did not display the vertical lines correctly.
I'm using the 175.19 driver that was released June 23rd. However, the previous drives exhibited the same behavior. I'm using PowerDVD 7.3.
I'd appreciate any help anyone can provide to enable correct 1080p playback with the 8800GT. Even if no one has a solution, I'd love to see if anyone with a similar setup could confirm the same results on their system. The calibration Blu-ray disc is available on Netflix.
Thanks, for the help,
--Jon
