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Hi;
I'm looking for a better DVD player for Win XP.
The ones I have used are:
InterVideo WinDVD 5
Cyberlink PowerDVD 5
Windows Media Player 11

The best of this bunch is WinDVD 5, but the problem that all share is the Gamma or Brightness/Contrast when playing a DVD.
For some reason I cannot properly adjust these parameters for my liking.
When I attempt to adjust them in NVidia control panel I am unable to use the settings when the DVD player is active in full screen (or standard mode).

My video system is BFG with GeForce 6800.

Is there a better DVD player out there?

Thanks

FW

Can't you adjust gamma/contrast inside the player software (sorry, I'm not familiar with any of these)? Also, do the nVidia control panel gauges apply to overlays or normal graphics? Usually the overlay and normal settings are separate.

VLC is an universal media player that comes with its own codecs and doesn't depend on the OS. You can adjust anything you like..

Yes, the Nvidia control panel allows correction for overlay, full screen video, and desktop separately. Problem is that when I try to adjust for full screen, nothing happens. The only adjustment that changes the video is 'All'.

I somehow think that I am still better off using my regular TV for DVD's until I can afford to buy a true HDTV panel.
Perhaps some computer displays are better than others for video.
I have a ViewSonic VX2000 20" panel. It is supposed to be 'HDTV ready', but I'm not really sure what that means, except that it has a DVI input.

FW

Yes VLC media player does not use the OS and depends on it's own codecs so try that one for DVD playing as I use it all the time to watch movies, dvd's and listen to music

Use the "overlay" controls for video, as most media players use overlays. The controls' effcts don't show unless you have a video playing.

Try another video type other than dvd, see if it looks screwed up too. Also avoid using nVidia's video settings in the nVidia control panel unless you absolutely have to, it is very easy to screw up the way video looks and very hard to make it look better than it did before you touched it.

If other videos look bad too while pictures look fine it is your nVidia control panel settings for video. Now there is/was a known issue with one of the drivers (maybe more) where simply viewing the video settings screwed them up without appearing to change anything. If this is the case try the latest drivers and don't touch the control panel for that.