Help-Brand new Laptop terrible quality DVD playback

[Stevethesearcher]

Hello,

I just bought a brand new Laptop running Windows 7. Its a Samsung R530. They are considered to be a decent budget Laptop for general computer use.

Well here is the problem. The DVD playback quality is terrible. DVDs will play but the picture quality is terrible. Its grainy and fizzy looking.

I have tried a few things such as checking monitor resolution. I have it set at the recommended level. Played around with that but no joy. I downloaded the latest driver for my Graphics card. That didnt work. I downloaded a Windows 7 Codec package and that did not help. I know there are certain power settings for Media playback in Windows 7 so I optimised these but that did not work.

I was using Windows Media Player so I downloaded VLC on advice but that did not work either.

I have been reading online that this other people are also having similiar problems. One suggestion was to turn down the video accelerator in Windows 7 but the killer is that this option is grayed out for me on my Laptop.

I would be grateful if anyone has any ideas. I am prepared to try anything.

Steve

[aedipuss]

check to see if hardware acceleration is even working.

start/run dxdiag

click the video tab after it finishes it's check.

[Stevethesearcher]

aedipuss,Thanks for your reply. Ok I just did that and it said

Direct Draw enabled
Direct 3D enabled
AGP texture enabled

Frankly none of this means anything to me. When it comes to Graphic cards video codecs and so on I really am a total rookie.
However I am sensing that these video accelerators could be significant. I am not sure where to go in Windows 7 to check the video output. Obviously the control panel but in there where?

[aedipuss]

and dxdiag said "no problems found" at the bottom in the notes section?

how about opening up task manager and seeing if the cpu is being hogged by something during playback. control/alt/del start task manager and select the processes tab.

[handyguy]

You could take it to the store & ask them to check it.

[Stevethesearcher]

No problems found after dxdiag. 64 processes were running which is a lot but having quickly looked at a DVD again. The movie is playing perfectly as regards motion and sound but the picture quality is dreadful. Weak looking, text is jagged and pixellated and when there is a dark part you can really notice the poor quality with lots of onscreen noise.

[poisondeathray]

How does the DVD look when played on another computer or player? Could something be wrong with the DVD? Is this a retail DVD?

What happens if you rip it to your HDD and play it from there? (e.g. DVD Fab HD Decrypter) Is the problem limited to playing physical DVD media?

Have you tried other video formats? Like xvid/AVI, or even flash like youtube? ie Is the problem limited to MPEG2/DVD? or a global issue like graphics card drivers/settings

[Stevethesearcher]

poisondeathray- I have tried different DVDs so its not DVD. I am pretty sure its a global issue. It could be something really simple that I am missing.

My graphics card driver is up to date so thats not it. Settings could be an issue.

The key thing to remember is that the DVDs play fine. They dont stutter or skip. Its simply the dreadful quality which is the issue.

I will have a look at Flash movies now.

[Stevethesearcher]

Ok I have just checked a flash video and it looked awful really jagged. Therefore the problem is with all video or display. I have my screen resolution set at the default setting. So I am pretty sure its a global video or display problem.

Believe me it could be something really simple. Dont assume I havent checked something really obvious because maybe I havent. Any further thoughts now?

[poisondeathray]

When you say "grainy" , are you seeing something resembling horizontal lines?

DVD's that are interlaced, or have telecine won't be played back properly by WMP or VLC by default. They need to be deinterlaced or inverse telecined. Standalone players (ones hooked up to a TV) do this normally by default.

DVD playback software like PowerDVD or WinDVD should be able to play it properly

EDIT: I didn't see your above comment saying flash being jagged as well. Did you check a video that is known to be good? Many youtube videos are low quality for example. What URL did you check? If you want something consistent with decent quality, try some apple movie trailers, for example

[Stevethesearcher]

poisondeathray-I am referencing my flash movies with my other Laptop which works fine. I have just seen a flash movie and if the video is dark in places I am seeing something almost like squares. The darker the movie both DVD or Flash the more obvious the problem.

It was like little pulsing square in the black background. Plus all text looks terrible very pixellated. Does that give you any ideas?

[poisondeathray]

Flash movies are low quality and you often see pixellation in dark areas, so that's doesn't necessarily indicate anything.

It might be your levels aren't adjusted properly (white & black), but that doesn't explain pixellated text (assuming the text looks fine on the other laptop)

And these DVD's look fine in the other laptop as well , using the same software?

If you were able to take a screenshot it might help

[aedipuss]

when you say default resolution does that match the "native" screen size. lcd's have one size they work best at which is the native one.

[Stevethesearcher]

This is an example but I am not sure how to get this picture bigger.

[Stevethesearcher]

Thats my screen resolution at the end there 1366x768

[aedipuss]

well that's the correct native display size. like pdr said a software dvd player like powerdvd, windvd or arcsoft total media theater might work better. i got nothing else to offer.....