Video pixilation playing DVD’s with Windows Media Player 11

[bkoopers]

I just starting using a new Dell computer with Windows XP Pro SP3. When using Windows Media Player 11 to play a DVD (from a hard drive folder or from a DVD), the video is pixilated (although it does at times appear perfect for a second). Windows Media Player 11 plays avi files perfectly.

I also have Roxio Creator 2009 installed. It comes with a Cineplayer program that plays DVD perfectly (no video pixilation). I contacted Roxio support and they say that Roxio Creator 2009 contains the codecs required to play DVD’s using Windows Media Player 11 and since Cineplayer plays the DVD’s OK, there is no need install any other codecs and I should contact Microsoft technical support to find out how to fix Windows Media Player 11.

If it is a factor, my graphics card is an NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420.

The same DVD videos played perfectly using Windows Media Player 11 on my old Dell computer (which died and needed to be replaced).

I know I could just use Cineplayer or another DVD player (I tried the VideoLAN VLC media player and that works OK too) but I prefer to use Windows Media Player 11.

What do I need to do to eliminate the pixilation problem when playing DVD’s with Windows Media Player 11?

Thanks to anyone who can help me out.

 

[linney]

You could see what this utility says about the WMP Codecs.

Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...AC-0AB6-4990-943D-627E6ADE9FCB&displaylang=en

 

[BadBigBen]

CinePlayer and WMP11 both use different codecs, that is why one works the other does not...

suggestion would be to update FFDSHOW to the latest version...

Installation and configuration

...after installation of ffdshow, compatible DirectShow or VFW media players such as Media Player Classic, Winamp, and Windows Media Player will use the ffdshow decoder automatically, thus avoiding the need to install separate codecs for the various formats supported by ffdshow.

Source: ffdshow Wikipedia

Download:

http://ffdshow-tryout.sourceforge.net/

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[bkoopers]

The Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility says that the 3 codecs installed are not compatible with Windows Media Player 10. Does that apply to Windows Media Player 11 too?

I downloaded and installed ffdshow_beta6_rev2527_20081219.exe but Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility still shows red circle x's in the MP10 Compatible for:

ffdshow Video Decoder ffdshow.ax 1.0.6.2524
MainConcept MPEG-2 Video Decoder mcm2vd.ax 7.5.0.35746
Sonic Cinemaster VideoDecoder 4.3 CinemasterVideo.DLL 4.3.0.0

In the MCE Compatible column, the ffdshow has a red circle x but the other 2 have a green check mark.

When I installed ffdshow, there was a "Select Components" window and a "Decode the following video formats with fddshow". I accept all the default selections. Was that what I should have done?

What else can I try?

 

[linney]

That is as far as I know is the latest Decoder Checkup Utility so I assume it applies to WMP11 and onward until it is replaced?

This is a good site for WMP problems.

http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html#codecs

http://zachd.com/pss/pss.html#wmp11

See if your Nvidia Card will allow you to try the Acceleration and rendering settings mentioned in this article.

Certain kinds of video content do not play after you apply a windowless skin such as the Revert skin to Windows Media Player

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/938920/en-us

 

[BadBigBen]

I got to admit, since I do not use WMP11 for anything, I am unable to troubleshoot that further... I prefer VLC and Media Player Classic for all my video viewing pleasure (XP, VISTA, and W7)...

the FFDSHOW filters (codecs) where installed correctly, in that you took the default route...

now the only other suggestion, would be to try the KLite Mega Codec Pack, as it has all the CODECS that you will ever need for playback...

http://free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Mega_Codec_Pack.htm

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[gbaughma]

You might also try installing the KLite codec pack.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_lite_codec_pack.htm

I keep it on my flash drive just to be able to install it on machines where things won't play properly.



Just my 2¢

"What the captain doesn't realize is that we've secretly replaced his Dilithium Crystals with new Folger's Crystals."

--Greg

http://parallel.tzo.com

 

[bkoopers]

I installed the KLite Mega Codec Pack but it did not fix the problem. DVD's are still pixilated in Windows Media Player 11.

Does anybody have any other suggestions to try?

 

[BadBigBen]

now we know it is not a CODEC problem, or a hardware problem as other media players work fine...

the only thing left over is WMP 11 itself... or DirectX...

so my suggestion: update or reinstall WMP and if that does not work, install the latest DirectX...

WMP 11

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/download/AllDownloads.aspx

DirectX End-User Runtimes (March 2009)

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...E5-5CE1-4032-A207-C693D210F616&displaylang=en

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[bkoopers]

Using those Microsoft links, I re-installed WMP11 and that did not fix it and I then re-installed DirectX and that did not fix it either. I then restarted the computer just in case it needed that for the new installs to take effect but DVD's are still pixilated in Windows Media Player 11. I then tried again using Roxio Cineplayer and that still plays DVD perfectly (no video pixilation).

Does anybody have any other suggestions to try?

I discovered one other issue that may or may not be related. I have been trying these experiments by playing DVD videos that I created using Pinnacle Studio (either located on a hard drive or on a DVD disc in a DVD drive). I just tried playing an official DVD that I purchased inserted in the DVD drive and Windows Media Player 11 pops up this window:

"Windows Media Player cannot play this DVD because there is a problem with digital copy protection between your DVD drive, decoder, and video card. Try installing an updated driver for your video card."

Roxio Cineplayer plays this DVD without a problem.

Is it possible that the pixilation problem I am seeing is caused by Windows Media Player 11 erroneously thinking that the videos are copy protected? If yes, what needs to be done to fix that problem?

Should I try installing an updated driver for my NVIDIA Quadro NVS 420 video card (if there is one) or what else could be the cause and fix for this digital copy protection error message?

 

[BadBigBen]

well updating the nVidia drivers (yes there is a new one, as they get updated quite fast) can't harm in this case, and is worth a try...

You may want to take a look at the following KEY, in the registry (example here: it's from my system), it lists which codec is being used:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video

values:

PreferredMPEG2AudioDecoder {A753A1EC-973E-4718-AF8E-A3F554D45C44}

PreferredMPEG2VideoDecoder {8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}

the second value points to:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{083863F1-70DE-11d0-BD40-00A0C911CE86}\Instance\{8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}]
"FriendlyName"="CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)"

you could hunt down the CLSID for the CinePlayer Decoder and then replace it in the KEY above (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\...) and reboot and then test...

you may also wish to take a look at:

Supported software MPEG-2 DVD decoders in Windows Media Player for Windows XP and Windows Vista

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;306331

Ben
"If it works don't fix it! If it doesn't use a sledgehammer..."
How to ask a question, when posting them to a professional forum.
Only ask questions with yes/no answers if you want "yes" or "no"

 

[linney]

Your error message gets a goodly number of hits on Google, have you checked any of them out?

http://www.google.com/search?q="Win...-au&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&startIndex=&startPage=1

 

[bkoopers]

This key has the indicated value:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Service\Video
value
PreferredMPEG2VideoDecoder {83225718-780E-46C2-8912-E21766D029BE}

and

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{083863F1-70DE-11d0-BD40-00A0C911CE86}\Instance\{83225718-780E-46C2-8912-E21766D029BE}
values

"FriendlyName"="Sonic Cinemaster® VideoDecoder 4.3"
"CLSID"="{83225718-780E-46C2-8912-E21766D029BE}"

Therefore it appears to be using the CinePlayer Decoder.

Even though it looks that way, I suspect WMP is using the
MainConcept MPEG-2 Video Decoder (that was installed with Sorenson Squeeze) and that is the problem. Is there a way to set the video decoder that WMP uses (without editing the registry - which I am not sure exactly what to change)?