Display in SageTV is garbled...any way to fix it?

[silkshadow]

I have seen a much toned down version of the problem you are having. When I clicked on a file in my recorded TV library, sometimes it takes a second to play and, right before it plays, I see a couple of those white streaks similar to what you are getting all over. Once the file plays I have no problem and it only occurs for that one second. I am using a MSI 6600.

I don't know if this will help, but this is what caused that to happen for me. I bought Nvida's decoder a while back but use PowerDVD because Nvidia was way too touchy. Now for this new Sage server I built, I recently bought Zoomplayer pro because I wanted to get the best DVD playback I could. This required FFDshow and Nvidia. So I removed PowerDVD and installed Nvidia .67. I had a ton of problems getting that to work right with Zoom. So I reinstalled powerDVD. Thats when these white streaks started happening. In fighting with the Zoom/nvidia problem I discovered that there was a new version of Nvida's decoder called pure video. I removed PowerDVD and tried that and Zoom started working. Whats more, I haven't see those white streaks again. I know it seems a far fetched thing that a MPEG2 decoder would cause direct3d problems, so I don't know if this would be helpful but I though'd I post. Maybe something in there would be helpful to you. Good luck!

[geogecko]

I had thought it might be a decoder problem, however, this was without even playing anything encoded. Just the Sage menu, and it wouldn't even appear correctly. The first time through, I did install nVidia's decoder, 1.00.67, but this last reinstall time around, I didn't even install that.

I'm having a hard time believing that there is something wrong with the video card, as I would think it would be an "all or none" type of situation, but maybe that's not how it works. I'm still waiting to hear back from BFG as to what they think the problem is, as maybe they have experienced the same issue with their cards.

At this point, I think I've tried just about everything I can on my end (after reinstalling Windows 3 times now). The only other thing I can think of, is that there is something bad in the particular OEM installation of Windows MCE that I have. I don't currently have the HTPC hooked up to the internet, so I haven't downloaded the latest updates after a new installation, but I'm pretty sure that the version of MCE I have, at least has SP2, as it asks for that during installation. Maybe I should try and do an automatic update.

I've been trying to put off registering Windows, just in case any of my hardware changes. I don't want to have to get involved with calling Microsoft to get Windows to work again, after changing something.

[stanger89]

Display corruption is a typical (maybe the most typical) effect of card problems. When you overclock a video card, long before the card stops working totally, you'll start seeing corruption of 3D stuff. If not even the dxdiag box works, there's probably something wrong.

Remember that the normal 2D stuff (windows UI, etc) and 3D use different parts of the card.

FWIW, have you tried disabling 3D Accelleration in SageTV?

[geogecko]

Nope, I haven't done that yet. I disabled 3D accelleration in dxdiag, which ended up making the Sage display properly. I assume that Sage must check to see if 3D acceleration is enabled when it is opening, and disables it if so. I may need to try changing the acceleration variable in Sage Properties to false, and see what happens in that case. Just another thing to try.

[nielm]

Originally Posted by geogecko

I may need to try changing the acceleration variable in Sage Properties to false

It's in detailed setup->Advanced...

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by geogecko

I assume that Sage must check to see if 3D acceleration is enabled when it is opening, and disables it if so.

I think it's more like if you disable it in dxdiag, it disables it globally, and nothing can use it, so when Sage tries to, it can't and falls back to software rendering.

I may need to try changing the acceleration variable in Sage Properties to false, and see what happens in that case.

My assumption is that Sage will be rendered OK, but that's really just a workaround, it's not fixing the problem.

[dex1]

Hey Everybody!

Well i just got the same type of display only worse. BUT this is what's changed.......

Everything has worked fine forever. A month ago i upgraded to a GF6200 from a Ti 4100. Actually introduced a few stutters on high motion playback but was able to change some settings on the nVidia drivers and minimize to no problem.

Everything still fine for the rest of the month running on a Dell 15" Digital LCD.
Yesterday i bought a dell 2005FPW. Changed my resolution to 1680X1050. And viola, i can watch DVD's no problem but anything sage recorded will go for a few minutes then zap out to the freaky screen on both video and menus. I can rectify it by restarting sage and it will last for a few minutes again.

So something in changing over to this new monitor and resolution seems to have caused this for my system.

Is there a resolution limit for sage or is there something in that particular resolution that freaks out a driver somewhere?

[geogecko]

I agree. The issue here is that the card doesn't seem to want to display anything that uses DirectX 3D acceleration. I'm at a loss for why the card doesn't seem to work.

However, you have a good point, that maybe it's just a Sage problem, however, I do see the same image issues when running the spinning cube in dxdiag, which means that both Sage and the 3D test have issues...

The case I'm using the card in requires the HSF to be removed though, and replaced with a copper block with heat pipes. I was very careful in removing the HSF, and used the Arctic Silver cleaning solutions to remove the old thermal grease. Once everything was dry, I then applied a new layer of Arctic Silver 5 (per the directions for a small CPU core), and attached the new copper block. I'm pretty sure I made a good thermal interface, as at full load, the GPU never reaches higher than 52C. I guess if I have to send the card back in, I will reattach the stock HSF. When the new one comes back, I'll just leave the stock HSF in place, and move the heat pipes out of the way, and see if I can use the card as it comes stock, and see if the problem still exists. If not, then I plan to make the same modification, and at that point, if it fails, I will just chalk it up as my fault for removing the HSF. I realize I could have damaged the card in some way by doing so, but having an electronics background, I felt I was extremely careful with the card when modifying the HSF. I'm hoping that I just received a dud to begin with, and that everything will be fine with a new card. It was bound to happen anyway, as I've never had to RMA anything before, and have always heard of people getting motherboards, video cards, RAM, etc, DOA. Part of the reason I chose BFG was because of their warranty service, so hopefully they will come through.

[geogecko]

Originally Posted by dex1

Hey Everybody!

Everything still fine for the rest of the month running on a Dell 15" Digital LCD.
Yesterday i bought a dell 2005FPW. Changed my resolution to 1680X1050. And viola, i can watch DVD's no problem but anything sage recorded will go for a few minutes then zap out to the freaky screen on both video and menus. I can rectify it by restarting sage and it will last for a few minutes again.

So something in changing over to this new monitor and resolution seems to have caused this for my system.

Is there a resolution limit for sage or is there something in that particular resolution that freaks out a driver somewhere?

Hmm...this is interesting. I'm using a Dell 1905FP, and my resolution is set to 1280x1024. I wonder if there is some problem with resolutions. However, aren't a lot of people using the 6600GT (and similar) cards with HDTV's without issues, including 3D?

I wonder if I should change the monitor resolution to 800x600, and see if Sage still behaves the same way.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by geogecko

I agree. The issue here is that the card doesn't seem to want to display anything that uses DirectX 3D acceleration. I'm at a loss for why the card doesn't seem to work.

However, you have a good point, that maybe it's just a Sage problem, however, I do see the same image issues when running the spinning cube in dxdiag, which means that both Sage and the 3D test have issues...

Well I was trying to suggest that (while not a Sage problem) there might be a Sage workaround.

The case I'm using the card in requires the HSF to be removed though, and replaced with a copper block with heat pipes. I was very careful in removing the HSF, and used the Arctic Silver cleaning solutions to remove the old thermal grease.

I'm almost certain now, it's got to be a video card issue. Had you not modified it, I agree it would have been weird for it to fail, but given that you've replaced the HSF, it's almost got to be some sort of heat/stability issue with the card.

Once everything was dry, I then applied a new layer of Arctic Silver 5 (per the directions for a small CPU core), and attached the new copper block. I'm pretty sure I made a good thermal interface, as at full load, the GPU never reaches higher than 52C.

That seems really high, I'd investigate improving the cooling for the card.

I guess if I have to send the card back in, I will reattach the stock HSF. When the new one comes back, I'll just leave the stock HSF in place, and move the heat pipes out of the way, and see if I can use the card as it comes stock, and see if the problem still exists. If not, then I plan to make the same modification, and at that point, if it fails, I will just chalk it up as my fault for removing the HSF. I realize I could have damaged the card in some way by doing so, but having an electronics background, I felt I was extremely careful with the card when modifying the HSF.

Actually in light of this latest post, I doubt the card is defective, but it probably is operating beyond it's limits. Try getting it cooler and see if it works right. Maybe open the case and point a fan at it?

Just curious what case are you using? Are there heatsinks on the RAM?

[geogecko]

I didn't think 52C was abnormal for a GPU temperature. During idle, it's around 47C or so, if I remember correctly. The card does have RAM heat sinks, however, maybe you have a point here. The RAM sinks are fairly hot, if I remember correctly, and now that there is no fan blowing over them (from the GPU HSF), maybe they are running too hot. I guess this may not have been a good choice in video card, since the RAM is also overclocked from stock speeds. I wonder if there is a way to remove the overclock, or if it's hardwired.

I will try placing a fan directly over the video card, and see what the results are.

As for the case, here is more information, you can see the modification I had to make in order to make it work with the case.

Case

[dex1]

For whatever it might or might not be worth. I just tried it again. Everything worked fine until i moved the mouse, causing it to appear. At that point everything went funky although the audio and controls still worked if you just guess at where they should be.

I took some pics if someone can tell me how to post them......

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by geogecko

I wonder if there is a way to remove the overclock, or if it's hardwired.

Do a search for coolbits, you should be able to expose the "overclocking" controls, which you could use to underclock the card.

/drool

That's an ATech right? I almost bought one of those.

[GbrNole]

anything upto 65 degrees C is normal for a 6600gt. those suckers run HOT.

[stanger89]

Yeah, you might be right, but I'm betting you could fry an egg on the RAM

[geogecko]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Do a search for coolbits, you should be able to expose the "overclocking" controls, which you could use to underclock the card.

/drool

That's an ATech right? I almost bought one of those.

Sweet. Thanks for that bit of information. I'll be checking that out tonight. First I think I'll see what the fan does, if that seems to work, then I'll try and underclock the card until I no longer need a fan to cool it off. I don't think the card really needs to be that great, especially since I'll be using an SDTV for now.

Yep, it's an A-Tech, guess I should have mentioned that somewhere on the site... It's been nearly 10 months or so, since I decided I wanted to build one of these...and now that I have everything, I still am having issues. Go figure.

[geogecko]

Yes, the RAM is rather hot, if I remember correctly. I guess it's expecting to get cooling from the HSF, which is no longer mounted. Hopefully underclocking it will keep it cooler, or at least, clocking it at stock speeds... I have a temperature probe, when I get home, I'll see what temperature those heat sinks are sitting at. I'm guessing at least 55C, as they were almost too hot to touch.

[geogecko]

Core is clocked at 525MHz, standard is 500MHz.

Memory is clocked at 1050MHz, standard is 1000MHz.

Not much of an overclock, but I wonder how low I could go on the memory without affecting things too much? Maybe 900MHz?

[Blue]

Do you by any chance have another system you could install the 6600GT in? Reproducing the problem in another system would probably convince me that it's a bad card.

[geogecko]

I wish I did, but my aging PC only has an AGP slot...

Even though the memory is only 5% overclocked, it seems to me, the RAM should be able to handle it, considering the majority of other 6600GT's out there don't even use RAM sinks, but then again, maybe the air from the HSF is enough to cool them.