fast action blurs

[johnsees]

Hello, folks.
When I first got my computer with a DVD player, I noticed that it wasn't like watching a TV: fast action or fast panning is blurred on my screen, then it's sharp again when things slow down. I just figured it had something to do with watching videos on my specific computer.
But, in the last couple weeks I've gotten a new monitor, new video card, and new drivers. And videos still look the same.

So, is because I'm sitting too close to the monitor, or is it just that videos look different on the computer, or what?

Thanks

[jagabo]

What monitor and graphics card? What player?

LCD Monitor response time? Response time is subject to a lot of cheating on the part of the manufacturers but a long response time leads to blurring when things are moving on LCD displays.

Deinterlacing? A blend detinterlace will look blurry or like double exposures.

[guns1inger]

Computer monitors are progressive, with ni hardware deinterlacing. Most software players have deinterlacers built in, but these are not as good as the hardware deinterlacers that TV sets have. I have yet to see a software player look as good as a TV

[jagabo]

But most commercial NTSC DVDs are encoded progressively. The player doesn't need to deinterlace.

[johnsees]

Well, I just found out that I can change the refresh rate to 75 and it looks better. Not perfect, but maybe guns1inger explained why.

The monitor is a Hannspree HF199H with a Radeon 7000 card. I can't find the response time anywhere. I tried several players (VLC, MPC, and Nero) and the result was the same with all of them, except Nero doesn't look as good even when there's no action; the picture just isn't as sharp with Nero. Why would that be? (Use small words please! )

[johnsees]

I used software that came with the display driver (Catalyst from Radeon) to set the refresh rate to 75, and I can see the difference in video from when it was set to 60. But when I look in the WinXP Control Panel at monitor properties, it shows the refresh rate to still be 60 (with no other options). Can someone tell me why this is?

Thanks

[aedipuss]

lcd displays are not very adjustable. they have a set refresh rate and are best when locked into their native display resolution. they are not nearly as pretty to watch/use as a good analog crt. as for fast fps gaming they are atrocious, and headache inducing.

[johnsees]

When I was talking about fast action, I was just talking about videos. (Fast is a relative term. )
But this monitor accepts refresh rates from 60 to 75, and I was wondering why Windows shows the refresh rate to be 60, when the driver software shows it to be 75.

[jagabo]

You'll have to ask Microsoft.

[edDV]

Are these store bought movie DVD or something you recorded? Progressive DVD is encoded at 23.976 fps and are played typically with 3:2 frame repeats at 59.94 fps. Screen refresh affects flicker not the motion issues you describe. You should see no motion blur effect from a progressive DVD.

If you play an interlace store bought DVD (e.g. sports or variety), your software player will need to deinterlace. If it doesn't you will see line split during motion on a progressive monitor. Deinterlace methods can lead to blur.

Some software players use display card hardware deinterlace. The Radeon 7000 is a lower end card for hardware deinterlace.

If you want full deinterlace control play back with VLC and experiment with the various Video-Deinterlace modes. Default is no deinterlace.

[johnsees]

I'm not actually using the DVD, I'm using the files I store on the HDD. Movies like Bourne and Shrek.
Flicker? Hmmm... maybe that's a better description than blur, because it's not smooth action when they're moving fast. It's hard to watch.

I've just discovered VLC; I'll play with it.
Thanks.

[edDV]

I'm not actually using the DVD, I'm using the files I store on the HDD. Movies like Bourne and Shrek.
Flicker? Hmmm... maybe that's a better description than blur, because it's not smooth action when they're moving fast. It's hard to watch.

I've just discovered VLC; I'll play with it.
Thanks.

If these are your own encodings, the problem is your deinterlacer-encoder settings.

[jagabo]

Does it seem to strobe -- clear for about 1/10 second, then fuzzy for 1/10 second, clear again, fuzzy again?

[johnsees]

I'm not actually using the DVD, I'm using the files I store on the HDD. Movies like Bourne and Shrek.
Flicker? Hmmm... maybe that's a better description than blur, because it's not smooth action when they're moving fast. It's hard to watch.

I've just discovered VLC; I'll play with it.
Thanks.

If these are your own encodings, the problem is your deinterlacer-encoder settings.

Well, I don't really have any idea what "deinterlacer-encoder settings" are. I usually use DVD Decrypter, and I don't see any setting for that. Can you give me some idea what I might need to do different?

[johnsees]

Does it seem to strobe -- clear for about 1/10 second, then fuzzy for 1/10 second, clear again, fuzzy again?

That's pretty hard to say. I mean, 1/10 second is pretty short! I just know it seems to jerk, but it's only when things are moving fast on the screen.

[edDV]

Does it seem to strobe -- clear for about 1/10 second, then fuzzy for 1/10 second, clear again, fuzzy again?

That's pretty hard to say. I mean, 1/10 second is pretty short! I just know it seems to jerk, but it's only when things are moving fast on the screen.

Assuming a store bought DVD...
Could be your CPU can't keep up with decoding action so reverts to skipping frames.
Could be normal 24 fps film motion issues.
Could be normal telecine judder if the DVD is interlace encoded.

[johns0]

Usually when you see blurring and blocky artifacts on fast motion is due to low bitrate of the film you are watching,not enough info is sent to the fast scenes,either the movies are not store bought,re-encoded or just poor quality shot,i get no blurring or artifacts at all on store bought dvd's on my lcd monitor.