PowerDVD plays DVDs with limited colors

[semmel]

Hi,
I have noticed this on various computers so far and always forgot to ask around, so here goes:

When I play any regular video DVD on any of my computers in PowerDVD (versions 6 and 7, I think), the color gradients aren't smooth at all - it's like the video is playing in 256 or 4096 colors.

I do have other codecs installed from the usual free codec packs you can find online, and I bet there's MPEG2 encoders included, but I doubt that PowerDVD would use anything but it's own codec.

Also, I first noticed this on a laptop (both internal monitor and included TV out) about 6 years ago when I didn't even know about additional codecs yet...

Any idea what I can do? Is this normal?

Thanks!

[Baldrick]

It's not normal.

Have you tried play with play another player like vlc, kmplayer, mpc? Does it look the same or is it just with PowerDVD?
So it happens on all your computers??? Same Powerdvd version?

[semmel]

My first encounter with this was on a laptop designed for Windows 98 with TV output - I thought it was the TV output or the video card.

Now I have a fairly new computer (built in January) with a nice nVidia card (6800 I think). This is a different version of PowerDVD, version 7 I think.

I haven't tried other players yet - I somehow figured "maybe it's normal, maybe you just can't see it on TV because of lower resolution", but I have seen you on the boards, and you know your stuff
So I guess it's NOT normal...

That was my main question. Now I gotta go back and run a few tests this week-end...

Thanks so far! I'll post what I find.

[semmel]

Hm, you are on the right track - in MPC the same DVD looks fine, in PowerDVD it doesn't...

I'm using PowerDVD 7.3 Ultra on my current computer.

Do you think I can find out using gSpot what codes are being used?
Shouldn't PowerDVD use its own codec and ignore whatever else is installed?

Any ideas how I can force PowerDVD to look "prettier"?

Thanks!