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DVD Playback NOT 100% clear

post #1 of 10
8/5/04 at 1:26pm
Thread Starter 
Hey Y'all. Got my Dell 9100 two weeks ago... love it very much. Purchased it mainly for PCDJ software (I am a mobile disc jockey)... so far so good with the program.

I played around with the resolution for a bit (settings, scaling, DPIU adjustments and all)... and screen looks great... websites, Icons, fonts, all looks great!

However, when I play a DVD on the DELL Mulitmedia software that came with CPU, the playback is a bit fuzzy, not a ton, but just enough to upset me. I mean 1680x1050 should be ultra clear esp. for DVD playback. I played Gladiator in widescreen and the picture was 98% clear... a little foggy. I also have an older 5150 and played it here... works and looks great... like it should.

I have set the apsect ratio to 16:9 and am using Letterbox setting in mulitmedia (cyberlink). Also have tried turning off hardware acceleration... but to no avail... nothing changes it!

Just so you know... The entire screen is filled except the top and bottom... and I have NOT tried is to video out (TV) as of yet.

Shouldn't this movie playback as clear as day?!?!?!

Should I try another program (such as POWER DVD)?

As I write this - maybe I should try Windows Media 9.0?

Any insight would be most appreciated! Thanks

BP
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post #2 of 10
8/5/04 at 1:33pm
There are other threads on this too my friend...

I too am a mobile DJ/Studio, nice to meet another. Dell Media Center has to be the cheapest program there is. Use another like PowerDVD (thats what I use... nice!) or WMP9. WMP9 works surprisingly well for being a microsoft product.

If you do any recording or anything, you are going to want to get the Soundblaster Extigy or a higher end sound system as the sound in our units are less than desireable.

Enjoy your laptop, it can connect to anything...TV, HDTV, projectors (hint hint, lightshow, hint)...

just my $.02
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post #3 of 10
8/5/04 at 1:41pm
Thread Starter 

Down with Dell Multimedia!!!!!

Thanks for the reply mobile man. I will try using WMP9 and PowerDVD.

Do I already have PowerDVD on my system? I think I do.

In response to the audio... I am using an ESI Gigaport AG... let's me output sound to 7.1 surround if necessary. Although, I run it to line 1 and Line 2 of my mixer... works very well so far.

Appreciate the quick reply... keep spinnin'

BP
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post #4 of 10
8/5/04 at 4:00pm
Thread Starter 
Does a different media program (wmp9, PowerDVD, etc.) really make a difference in the playback of the program?

Or does it just give you options for settings?
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post #5 of 10
8/5/04 at 5:01pm
A movie, yes. Sound Qualities vary too.
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post #6 of 10
8/5/04 at 9:40pm
Program makes all the difference. I also prefer Power DVD 5, the Dell media experience is horrible, so steer clear.
stu
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post #7 of 10
8/6/04 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 

making progress - I think

I did unistall the Dell Media player and Installed POWERDVD 4.0 (which I like much better as a program), and picture comes out a little better. However... when viewing the display from 2 feet or closer, it still appears a little fuzzy (not so muuch the characters in the movie, but the background and such). When viewing from 2 ft or more, all looks fine... but I figured when viewing at a very close distance... the display would be RAZOR sharp @ 1680x1050 res... AM I wrong to think this?

I once read in a post (I think it was the DELL COMMUNITY forum), that with this resolution.... DVDs should appear to be unbelievable, the viewer should be able to see things in a movie never seen before due to the clarity of the picture... I am not experiencing this... what else can I do? Do keep in mind that the display for everything else, pictures, websites, programs is 100% sharp and looks great... it is just the DVD that is 98% clear at best. 15.4" Widescreen, Dell 9100 64MB ATI RADEON 9700 Graphics

Thanks for helping out!
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post #8 of 10
8/7/04 at 8:13am
You are under a false impression. Basic DVD resolutions are generally 720x360 pixels which means they have to scale up to the full screen. Of course this scaling causes some conflict between physical/ virtual pixels (a pixel cannot be half-on/ quarter on, etc as may be required in some cases when scaling) and the picture will look a little blurry. This is normal. Trust me, DVDs do look fantastic on these LCD's... just sit a natural distance from the screen, you will hurt your eyes being that close anyway.
stu
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post #9 of 10
8/9/04 at 9:55am
Thread Starter 

Thanks



Stu,

Appreciate the feedback... DVD watching will not be the main use for this CPU and when it is... I will sit a natural distance away.

Thanks again.

BP
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post #10 of 10
8/9/04 at 10:38am
No problem
Have fun with it, I'm sure you will!
stu
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