DVD: Video flickers...

[ilusnforc]

i took my DVD-ROM out of one of my comps and put it into another one, both machines on XP Pro, both compaqs using cable select option, XP picked up the drive instantly and it worked fine. That was about a week ago, i put a DVD into the drive today and tried to play it through Windows Media Player, InterVideo WinDVD, and InterActual Player and all of them have the same effect. it will play the DVD intro flickering like a strobe light, then flickers the Menu, and when you play it the video just dissappears and when you hit full-screen it will flash the video for a second as it transitions to and from full-screen. The audio works fine and i cant remember ever messing with anything that would affect this, any ideas?? i did try changing resolution, tried different movies, tried removing the drivers and letting XP re-install them, still no change. Thanks

[pc_dr.j]

Flickering huh? OK let's see if I can help...

There are usually 2 different flicker effects - one appears like the screen goes blank for an instant; the other appears as the image jiggling up and down - I'm assuming from your description it's the former.

Since you're running XP, try this: 1) Right-click on your desktop; 2) Choose Properties; 3) On the Display Properties window, choose Settings then Advanced; 4) Choose the Monitor Tab; 5) Below the drop down Screen refresh rate menu is a box with the phrase ` Hide Modes That This Monitor Cannot Display '. Check that box (or leave it if it's already checked; if the box is grayed out, then go to no.6); 6) Go to the Screen Refresh Rate List and choose the highest refresh rate offered. 7) Choose OK then OK again; 8) Restart the computer and see the difference.

If the problem isn't resolved, then the flicker problem is the latter. In that case, go back to Display Properties> Settings. Check the screen resolution area and move the slider one position to the left. Click OK then restart your computer.

If the flickering still won't resolve you may need to replace either your graphics card, your monitor or both.

Whew I said a mouthful; hope this helps

[Bopper]

Also since you are running Win XP, and it may be a video driver issue, have you tried to restore the system back to a week ago, or more? if it were a driver, or SW related issue this would resolve it. there are naysayers out there that will say Restore does not work very well, but I work in tech support, and deal with problems of this nature everyday. you wouldn't beleive some of the problems I have "fixed" simply by restoring to a "good" history point.

[ilusnforc]

i did try the monitor refresh rate, in the drop down box there is only one option 60 hertz and the box is checked. i just updated my video card drivers from nvidia.com and the symptoms are getting better, the screen doesnt just go black anymore, its just flickering the video. To better describe it, the video looks like the first motion pictures ever made where they are just frames and it just flashes (almost like a strobe light?). I've never used the system restore on XP, will i lose any music or games i've installed and files or games that i have saved? thanks