ATI AIW 128 problem-bottom half of MPEG-2 caps is GREEN!

[mastersmurfie]

All of a sudden, when capturing with ATI AIW 128 using Lordsmurf's (no affiliation ) guides, my caps to MPEG-2 play back with the bottom half of the piture green!!???

Im using the following settings in MMC 7.7:

NTSC (525)
Size: 352X480
3.90 MBit/second VBR
48K 16b stereo audio
leave interlaced

I tried changing a couple of things:

"De-interlace"d and the bottom half of the video was ok, but seemed like some distortion with the whole thing in general.

Changed the bitrate to 5.05 MBit/second, but got the same "green" lower half.

Any suggestions? This has happened suddenly-I just captured a few things last week, with no problems at all, and haven't changed any of my settings or drivers or anything.

TIA

[lordsmurf]

Copy protection? Or something changed (and you just don't know it yet, have anybody else using the computer?)

[mastersmurfie]

thought about copy protection...reminded me of when I first started using this card and the MV protection on video tapes...however this was recorded from composite inputs from cable box (HBO-remembered reading something about the cable company trying to copy protect the signal, I think)...

Only me and daughter on this computer, and I don't *think* she would know how to change anything...

[mastersmurfie]

Update...

Seems that if I capture "de-interlace" the problem goes away...what's up with that? Captured a full 4 hours of "IT" de-interlaced, with "visual masking" and was able to create a "perfect" DVD???

capture settings:

352X480
MPEG-2
48k 16B Stereo
4.80 M Bits/second VBR

[lordsmurf]

Defrag your HD, run a disk doctor. Maybe some driver files were corrupted by the HD.

Or the files were otherwise corrupted.

I'd reinstall the drivers.

Your daughter? How old... if teenager, maybe her "kewl" friends sent her an e-mail with video link, WMP asked her for a new codec, and viola... killed ATI drivers. Happens.

WMP9 is dead on this machine of mine... to hell with it. Piece of M$ $hit. All because of a codec it added to itself. Everything else works fine.

[mastersmurfie]

Lordsmurf...thanks for the replies...

unfortunately, I have already done all that you suggested (defrag, reinstall drivers...etc...)to no avail...

(funny thing...XP drivers from ATI website for my card WILL NOT install!!! something about "Can't run 16-bit Windows program" and "Cannot find file C:\ATI\WXP_R128_6_13_3279\SETUP.EXE (or one of its components)...blah blah blah...


Now...to hijack my own thread...

wanna do a full reinstall of XP home...and get a new ATI AIW card in the mix...any suggestions for a smurf with only about $100 Xmas money left?

Thanks

[lordsmurf]

Fry's (or outpost.com) has a special on OEM-boxed ATI AIW 7500 and 8500 cards, about $100 each.

Is your old card a 128 or 128PRO ?

[kpkilburn]

I have this same problem with my AIW Radeon 7500. The problem is that it happens sporadically and there's no way to know until the capture is viewed. That's a major problem when capturing 2 hours of video.

I just ordered the latest MMC from ATI since they allow upgrades only to a certain point free with the 7500. I'll see if that helps anything.

[lordsmurf]

No. ATI MMC updates are always free. Only the DVD player costs money, and it sucks anyway.

[kpkilburn]

[much profanity]!!!!!!!!!! As I'm posting this, I just realised that I misread it!!!!! MMC 8.8 DVD support... I thought I couldn't upgrade any of it. [more profanity]!!!!!!!

I was going to post the below info, but it's clear now that I've read it again...

Owners of RADEON™ 9000/9200/9500/9600/9700/9800 series graphics adapters, ALL-IN-WONDER® 9800 PRO/9700PRO / 9000 / VE multimedia adapters, or users who have an existing MMC 8.1 installation CD have access to a free upgrade to MMC 8.8. (requires an original installation CD to validate DVD decoder update).

Owners of older ATI products currently using MMC 7.7.0.1 or older software will need to purchase a new installation CD in order to install the MMC 8.8 DVD support. Information on purchasing an installation CD can be found at ATI.com.**

Oh well. The CD just arrived today. Lesson learned -- read things carefully.

[mastersmurfie]

Fry's (or outpost.com) has a special on OEM-boxed ATI AIW 7500 and 8500 cards, about $100 each.

Is your old card a 128 or 128PRO ?

Thanks lordsmurf...I'll give that a try...

ATI Info thing says "ATI RAGE 128 AGP 32MB RAM" so I guess it's just the 128

[lordsmurf]

Fry's (or outpost.com) has a special on OEM-boxed ATI AIW 7500 and 8500 cards, about $100 each.

Is your old card a 128 or 128PRO ?

Thanks lordsmurf...I'll give that a try...

ATI Info thing says "ATI RAGE 128 AGP 32MB RAM" so I guess it's just the 128

What is the capture chipset? THEATRE or BT/CONEXANT (878)

[mastersmurfie]

lordsmurf...did a little more searching than I have in a loooong time. Using the numbers off the chip on the card that says "ATI Rage Theater", I found this: http://support.dell.com/filelib/format.aspx?releaseid=r33940

Maybe I have some sort of Dell OEM thing, and never realized it. "ATI Rage 128 Ultra 32MB"?? I got this card off Ebay a couple of years ago...never had any problems till now...

Maybe I'll try these drivers, and see what happens...can't hurt anything...

[mastersmurfie]

Nope...no worky...error something about the drivers not compatible with the device...oh well

[lordsmurf]

If you have a bona-fide ATI card with a THEATRE chip on it, I can help you with an MMC 8.x hack.

[mastersmurfie]

OK...here's what I got...(after much crawling in the floor with flashlight, and hitting head several times on edge of desk... )

Biggest chip on card:

ATI Rage Theater
213RT1ZUA32
B7X7F
9936SS

Heatsink
Graphics by ATI
Rage128

smaller chip with white sitcker:
AIW128
AGP
53401


Stamped onto the card (Copyright) 1999 ATI Technologies

If you have a bona-fide ATI card with a THEATRE chip on it, I can help you with an MMC 8.x hack.

Send it on...I'll try anything...

Thanks again

[mastersmurfie]

Just another update...I guess I do NOT have a "PRO" card...tried everything I could throw at it. Even tried some "hacks" from the rage3d board...no luck...

Guess I'm just stuck with MMC 7.7 and having to capture "de-interlaced"... oh well...it works (for now...)

[next]

If you have a bona-fide ATI card with a THEATRE chip on it, I can help you with an MMC 8.x hack.

Great.....looking forward to it.

[lordsmurf]

If you have a bona-fide ATI card with a THEATRE chip on it, I can help you with an MMC 8.x hack.

Great.....looking forward to it.

I can't take credit for it... but I'll give it a better distribtuion than the author did. Plus I'll add a guide with images. Doing my part to keep those old cards alive.

[Riccardom]

I own an AIW 128Pro and I wonder if can install 8.x on Win98.
The maximum i got up to to now is 7.7 and it works quite well.
I would like to use videosoap to reduce noise of my aerial antenna.
But i tried with 8.1, 8.5 and 8.7: the installation ends without saying anything.
I'm looking forward your promised guide !

Riccardom