PC DVD Playback bad :(

[Rootstonian]

I have about a 3 year old Sony DVD ROM/RW. Never had any problems with it.

Now, ANY DVD I play back in it is all "dark". I've tried about 5 different DVD's and all do the same "darkness" thing. All, however, play fine in another PC's dvd or my regular dvd players.

The Sony still reads CD's, will burn CD's and will read and burn DVD's.

And I am not experiencing ANY video problems at all. And I've tried 3 different software DVD players.

Any ideas???

[Rootstonian]

Hmmm..no takers! Good.

Now I have the perfect excuse to take my DVD ROM from my gamer and put it in place of the Sony. Then, I guess I'll be "forced" to go out and get dual DVD burners for my gamer...I am SO upset! ROFL

[Whir]

It's probably a video overlay brightness issue, rather than something to do with the hardware.

[Rootstonian]

And how does one fix that Whir?

I'm watching the same DVD on my gamer and it's fine vs. my "other" pc.

[Whir]

Depends on your software. I can go into the normal graphics properties panel and in advanced, there's an overlay tab that lets me control brightness, contrast, gamma, etc.

[Rootstonian]

I'm aware of that area...but ALL other graphics are perfect.

Worth a try I guess

[RobRich]

Some video card drivers offer seperate controls for 2D, 3D, and video overlays.

You can also check your media playback app, as some offer intermediate video control for gamma, color, and other related settings.

[Rootstonian]

Wow! Awesome guys....something a 20+ year vet of computing didn't know. Card in question was a FX5500. Went into display properties and low and behold, the settings for brighness and contrast were at ZERO for Video/TV Playback.

Learn something new everyday. God I love this forum

Thanks again!!!!!!

Now I have my 19" dual monitors in front of me and my 15" off my file server watching a Stargate DVD....life is good!

[Whir]

[usslindstrom]

But... caugh... That one on your "gamer" machine is looking a little "used" anyhow.

Might be a worthwile investment for another one.

[Rootstonian]

Nice try Lindy

I can't beleive I didn't know about a "video" setting on that Nvidia card.

Oh well, that's why I love The Net; tons of smart people and information out there!