can't watch any video, distorted colors

[kelseyk]

I recently built a computer with all new components. the problem that I am having is that I am unable watch any video. whether it be from the internet or through the dvd rom. videos play, but with colors that are so far from normal that you can barely tell what you are watching. the pictures and desktop and everything else is fine, just can't watch video. the card that was installed is a MSI ATI radeon 9600pro 128mb ddr. any help would be appreciated since I am about ready to throw it out the window. I am running windows xp pro with sp2. thanks

 

[Grok451]

Sorry if this is way too obvious, but are your display settings set to True Color (32 bit)?

 

[zephead]

install all of the latest drivers for your system components.

 

[Vigilante]

Get your new ATI drivers from https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=27

Don't get the all-in-one. Scroll down to the low-speed downloads and get just the driver and the control panel. Leave the others alone.

If not that it could very well be a codec problem. You say "any" video but is it like MSN online video? Or divx video? Or quicktime? Could be a codec problem. Try finding a plain-jane AVI video or have windows search your hard drive for a video that came with windows. Anyway, as an experiment.

 

[kelseyk]

some video works

Alright well Ive been trying things. It seems that I can watch viedo through the apple website using Quicktime. When I insert a dvd into my drive I cannot watch it, nor can I watch files downloaded from the net using windows media player. Hope that helps some thanks

 

[Vigilante]

There are a LOT of video codecs when you think about it. With DIVx and MPx and so forth. With each manu having their own format as well.

As for DVD, you can't watch a DVD without decoder software. Such as PowerDVD or WinDVD.

But you could try download the Klite Codec MegaPack from http://www.free-codecs.com/download/K_Lite_Codec_Pack.htm. As you can see by the listing, it includes a LOT of codecs! Install it at your own risk (in case a codec conficts with one you already have etc...).

Once that is installed you may want to restart. Then try playing your downloaded videos.

Lastly, you won't be able to watch some videos unless you have a license to. Kinda like WMA audio files can have a license. But that is at the whim of the video creator.

Maybe that helps.

Lastly, if you DO have a DVD decoder like PowerDVD, make sure your region code is set properly for the disk you're viewing. Next change your resolution. If you are on 1024x768 then change to 800x600 and try to watch etc... This has worked for me sometimes. Especially if your DVD has audio but NOT video. If it has nothing at all, well, there you go.

Try those things and see what happens.

Good luck

 

[kelseyk]

figured something out

well once I typed my last post I realized that I almost answered my own question. It seems that the problem was only with windows media player. Once I loaded the newest version of media player everything started to work. Then I ran into the problem of not having a decoder program. But, like was mentioned in the previos post the particular disk I was having problems with had its own software not requiring a decoder program (some windows high-def WMV), but was launching media player with distorted colors. so now it seems to be working. thanks for the replies and help