RC2 + GeForce6200 - I wasn't expecting this

[spike]

Hello all,

I seem to be 90% through my Vista RC2 install (only 90% to go!). I've only encountered a couple of dramas so far.

1) When I start Media Center, is only shows a black screen IF I'm in 32-bit color. If I drop down to 16-bit color I can see Media Center OK, with the warning that I should switch to 32-bit.

2) Dual DViCO Fusion DVB-T Plus card issues as in other posts. I'm working through the info in these posts.

Apart from that the installation was fairly smooth, although it did take 2 hours for some reason. This seems a lot longer than other members have reported.

If anyone has any suggestions for issue (1) I'd appreciate it. I've done the latest nVidia beta driver thing....

Thanks

[spike]

The update is that through some brute force driver reinstallation, I seem to have the Fusions setup. I've been through the MC Tv setup, but hung on first attempt to view live TV More investigation required...

[drewhiggins]

When I installed Vista first time it took 2.5 hours. Next shot it took 45 mins and third clean install took 15 minutes. Not bad, maybe it gets quicker each time.

I noticed you updated your video drivers. What about the XP ones? Don't they work? All my XP drivers were all systems go.

Rather than installing the whole Dvico thing, just go to Device Manager and install drivers from disc, don't install the PVR software if that's what you're doing. Try that and see how you go. Or did you try changing the resolution and refresh rate, see what goes on there?

I know this is off your topic you're asking, but does the 6200 support all the Vista eye-candy crap? Because I want to make this into a proper media centre for the whole house (wireless PVR so everyone can watch HD and play MP3s from their desktops and laptops)?

Good luck with sorting out the Vista issues. I know you've probably been told but it is beta so there are bound to be problems. RC1 had about 1150 bugs in it when I last heard so...a long way to go.

[logifuse]

Originally Posted by drewhiggins

When I installed Vista first time it took 2.5 hours. Next shot it took 45 mins and third clean install took 15 minutes. Not bad, maybe it gets quicker each time.

Sounds like your Vista DVD is getting run in.

Mine took about 40 minutes I think (may have been less). I didn't need to manually install any drivers. My lowly 9600 Pro displayed the shiny desktop fine. MCE tuned all channels first go. Live TV worked straight after (I only use SD, but 2005 could handle the HD channels, while Vista freaked a bit on them). I didn't think the picture quality of the decoder was as good as through WinDVD in my 2005 boot (as you've commented on).

Overall, I didn't like it, but it wasn't because of any difficulties with the installation - that was a smooth as I've ever installed. I was genuinely shocked.

Justin

[drewhiggins]

That's what it seems. I hated the decoder - it is bad in WMP11 but MCE it works fine. Not as comparable as NVidia one. But I could not install PureVideo, it refused and said Fatal Error Occured.

But I turned off that god damn User account controller. It's like having an instructor on your PC 'can't do that...no, stay away from that...incorrect answer...don't pass go and don't collect anything....stay back it's an emergency....i won't let you'. Like that. But it is a dog with 512MB ram and a 9250 videocard'. Hopefully I can get a better videocard and an extra 512mb ram as well, I manage with 80GB, even with 1hr recordings.

I don't mind though...fun to try something new.

On another note how can i cut out the ads without using video editing software, get rid of the crap network watermarks and covert my DVR-MS recordings to WMV.

[spike]

Originally Posted by drewhiggins

I noticed you updated your video drivers. What about the XP ones? Don't they work? All my XP drivers were all systems go.

Rather than installing the whole Dvico thing, just go to Device Manager and install drivers from disc, don't install the PVR software if that's what you're doing. Try that and see how you go. Or did you try changing the resolution and refresh rate, see what goes on there?

I know this is off your topic you're asking, but does the 6200 support all the Vista eye-candy crap? Because I want to make this into a proper media centre for the whole house (wireless PVR so everyone can watch HD and play MP3s from their desktops and laptops)?

Good luck with sorting out the Vista issues. I know you've probably been told but it is beta so there are bound to be problems. RC1 had about 1150 bugs in it when I last heard so...a long way to go.

The XP drivers didn't fail, but had the same inability to display media center. I didn't think to try 16-bit color back then. I'm displaying on a NEC plasma, and don't have any other refresh rate options that I can see, except in other resolutions, and they don't make any difference to the black screen issue.

I don't get the Aero transparent window borders, which I'm taking as an indicator that I'm not getting the candy.

I don't really think these are Vista issues - more issues with the drivers for the HTPC-specific hardware that I'm running.

I'll try playing with the codecs to see if I can get around the Live TV hang. If not I'll have to roll back to XP and wait for newer drivers I guess.

[drewhiggins]

Try a different monitor maybe. Have you got an old CRT there, I would try that and see if the same thing happens.

Could you try reinstalling Vista and see if that fixes it - remove your video card, just run off VGA mobo drivers and don't install any drivers. Then if Live TV works it's a video issue. I would check the CPU usage as well, so make MCE smaller, fire up your sidebar and check out CPU usage, unless you have a usage meter on your case?

That's about all I can think up now. I'll do some research for you about the issue.

Actually, I forgot to mention I have a hang on LiveTV about three minutes on my Radeon 9250. These are from the driver CD. So the MS ones work a lot better, I have found.

[drewhiggins]

Just looking around...
GeForce6200 fails in VMCE

I've also linked to a PDF file which is from NVidia regarding Vista
NVidia on Vista

And finally, a MCE-specific post for 6200 cards:
WinMatrix.com addresses MCE drivers

Hope that helps. I'm still looking for answers because I was considering this card but maybe I don't know if you've said about this problem.

Cheers

[spike]

Thanks for all that, that's great. I'll drag my old CRT out and see how I go.
Other weird things I notice:

• my Plasma is being detected as Generic PnP Montior. Under XP it was detected as NEC PX-42VR5W
• My nvidia control panel doesn't list all the modes that the driver version release (9.5.8.4 ) says it should for 1360x768.

Stay tuned...

[spike]

Righto...

Plugged in the CRT, and my plasma no longer comes up as a second monitor. I have the same 32-bit colour issue with this monitor (so's it MUST be the GeForce6200). I can however view live TV, so that must be something to do with the plasma.

Come home XP, all is forgiven!!!

[drewhiggins]

OK then, now I know. How did you get the plasma up and running on XP before, or was it just install drivers and PnP the plasma in the DVI input?

And usually if it is detected as PnP you won't get the 1366x768 resolution that it said because it's using generic Windows drivers. The same thing happens with the latest drivers on the Nvidia 5200FX, so use earlier drivers is all I can think of.

As well, here's some more pointers.

I am having to reinstall Vista RC1 now because I got a weird 'bad stub recieved' message. Don't know what it meant so it's going to work after installation, hopefully!

Another thing, did you install all the extra Nvidia crap or just each driver through Device Manager?

Oh and as well, 96.x series drivers are having problems with exactly what you mentioned, LiveTV not displaying in 32bit on the GeForce6.x series (6100-6800GT) and Nvidia knows about it so they're working on a fix which will be here soon because Vista RTM has been released.






PS: Just saw your new post pop up as a GMail reminder; it is the GeForce doing it. Try another card if you can grab one cheap. Well at least you can watch TV now on it but try a different card and if it doesn't work take it back.

Hope I could help. Good night and at least you know the prob lies with the card, not the plasma. But how about the CRT; is it a generic one or does it have a full name for Properties?

Like your signature, it is interesting and clever...I'll have to think up an interesting one now.

[spike]

A couple more final pieces of information:

I can get the plasma to show live TV, but only at 1024x768x60Hz 16-bit. Kind of defeats the purpose.

My plasma is connected with both VGA and DVI at the moment, but under Vista only VGA works if they're both plugged in.

I thought I'd see if I could manually select the plasma in Add Hardware, but no luck.

I noticed your post about rebuilding. Good luck.

[drewhiggins]

You could increase the refresh rate couldn't you to about 65Hz? Then that may solve the 16bit colour issue to 32bit maybe? What does your XP setup say it is set at?

I reinstalled Vista and it works better, even with live TV. It found 20 services including 2 radios, but no SBS yet. I have a feeling it just ain't gonna get it.

[Wolf]

Originally Posted by drewhiggins

Hope that helps. I'm still looking for answers because I was considering this card but maybe I don't know if you've said about this problem.

This is a tad off topic I'm aware, but you should still consider the 6200. I've been running one for roughly a year, and I've had no problems in MCE05, and when I installed Vista Beta 2 I still had no problems. Sure the experience index said 2, but I could still watch Live TV and display windows with the Aero prettiness. I'm running RC-1 5728 right now, and it's just as good as running under MCE05. Aero is on right now, and up until a few minutes ago I could watch Live TV (I installed my nVidia decoders and now I've stuffed it up). The 6200 is a good card, you just want to have at least 256MB of Video RAM on board to make-up for it's lack of GPU power. Hey, it's what I'm running, and it's working fine at 1800x1440.