How can I get Black "Black Bars"

[jtrick]

I've been using Sage TV for a few weeks now, and I really love it, but I cannot find any way to make the black bars on each side of my 16x9 DLP tv black when displaying a 4x3 picture. The bars are kind of a dark purple. My computer-tv hookup is calibrated correctly. I get black bars with other tv software, and I get black in the actual tv picture, I just can't figure out how to make the side bars black. This seems like a pretty minor issue, but it's driving me nuts.

Thanks

[falchulk]

Are you using VMR or overlay? What are you using to output the video signal?

[salsbst]

If you have black selected as the "Video Background Color" in Detailed Setup / Advanced then I don't have any advice.

[jtrick]

I'm using overlay, since VMR only displays in a window (is there any way to change that?) I am using the DVI output from my radeon 9500 card to my tv. I run 1280x720 resolution (that's the native resolution for my TV) and I have been using this computer to surf the web, play games and watch DVD's for about a year, so adding the tv card was pretty easy. I'm pretty sure that the video background color is set to Black, but I'll double check that again.

[ErsatzTom]

Under Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Advanced disable Overlay Color Keying. This one had me for a while too. I assume you are using overlay since your description fits exactly with what I saw.

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[jtrick]

Disabling color keying fixed the purlple bar problem ....... but it made the menus and guide non-transparent. It also adds some weird ghosting like artifacts to the menu. As much as I hate the purple bars, I can't live without the transparent guide and menus. I remember trying to turn that off before, but I didn't leave it off long enough to notice that the purple bars were gone.

I installed the newest build today, and the purple bars are smaller now, and they change based on the aspect ration I choose. If I use source, the bars are purple for about 3/4 of the way to the screen edge, if I choose 4x3, they are purple for about 1/3 of the way. This seems really strange, since the menu settings are the same for both of these.

[kny3twalker]

know where you are with the color keying issue
if you use VMR 9 the problem will not be there will the ghosting
but overlay and default(VMR7) seem to have issues with the guide ghosting
whats worse is that with VMR 7 the ghosting with video background leaves the ghosted image on the picture even when exiting the menus

[turak]

Originally posted by jtrick
I'm using overlay, since VMR only displays in a window (is there any way to change that?)

What decoder are you using? cyberlink won't work with VMR9, but most of the other decoders will. You may also need to update your video card drivers. For me VMR9+Latest Catalyst drivers+nvdvd decoders works well.

[jtrick]

Thanks, the nvdvd decoder with VMR9 works! I never would have thought to try the nvdvd with an ATI card. That is the only decoder I tried that did not play VMR9 in an Active Window. The purple bars are gone now, and the PQ is much better. The colors are more vibrant. Of course, now I have the stuttering and tearing issue that others are reporting. Oh well, it's still a step in the right direction. Maybe one of these days I'll learn to wait to jump into a new product and/or technology until after it has matured....nah... that would take all of the fun out it it!

[kny3twalker]

actually the tearing issue seems to gone with the lastest release
Are you running RC1?
As for the stuttering well never seen VMR 9 not do it so far with SageTV
Finally all decoders will work with VMR9 except powerDVD codecs even the ATI version of the cyberlink decoder will work

[jtrick]

Hmmm...I'm running RC1 and I see tearing. It's not bad, but it is there. Also, I could not get either cyberlink ATI or sonic to display in anything but a window with VMR9.

[kny3twalker]

very strange, I choice VMR 9 with 3d acceleration disabled then enable it afterward, make sure to put evrything else(mode and deinterlace) at default
make sure to have the newest drivers for your video card
and then sleep and rewake sage then try to watch TV

[jtrick]

Thanks for everyone's help on this. RC2 fixed things up for me. I ended up going back to overlay with Sonic decoders. After watching the NVDVD with VMR for a day, I realized the colors were just too bright. They were aftificially bright and I was getting some serious red push. Everyone was looking sun burnt. With RC2, the Sonic decoders look very good in overlay, and I don't have the purple bars anymore. Colors are bright, but natural looking. I also could not play a dvd with NVDVD through Sage, it would crash to desktop everytime. Anyway, I'm happy now with this setup.