Some informed speculation needed!

Jolly_Roger

I recently posted a query regarding graphics problems with my computer. Just to recap, I have just had to have a complete software reinstall and replacement processor fan fitted to my computer, which refused to boot. This follows an episode earlier in the year when a fan on the graphics card also burned out, requiring replacement by the same shop.
My problem is that, although I now have a functioning computer, playing mpgs or DVD films results in a poor picture quality; everything appears overexposed. I spoke to the shop, which said they had never come across a graphics card problem with this defect. You see, jpegs and other static graphics are fine, while even games played on line are OK.
I have a horrible feeling that the shop will argue that the burned out fan on the processor has in some way contributed to this problem on the graphics card and will levy a flat £30.00 fee for correcting it. Even if you cannot solve the problem of why I am experiencing this irritation, what do you think might have caused it? Was the graphics card reinstalled badly or has there been some damage as a result of the processor fan burning out?

Joe_Bloggs

Have you checked your video overlay controls ? With these you have control of brightness, contrast, colour saturation, hue, gamma. These properties are used when displaying video material. See your advanced display properties page. What graphics setup do you have? What is the graphics card and what monitor do you have ?
J_B.

Jolly_Roger

Joe,
I have an NVIDIA GeForce FX5500 graphics card. I am currently using 1024 x 768 pixels with 32 bit colour.
The monitor is an NEC 1860NX 19".
I had no idea you could adjust video graphics or brightness. How do you do that?

blinky

Right click on desktop and select properties to bring up display properties.

Select the settings tab and click advanced

Select the Geforce (FX5500) tab

Select Video Overlay Settings from the new window that sticks out from the left hand side.

Jolly_Roger

OK, I fiddled around with all three controls, but got no improvement to the video quality, which still is overexposed. Which of the controls would have been the one that would have improved the video quality?

Joe_Bloggs

Any one of those video overlay adjustments should have produced an instantaneous change in the way the video overlay picture appears. Do you have on motherboard graphics and an additional graphics card ? What is the source of your video material. What graphics drivers are you using ? What operaing system an service pack may also be helpful ?
J_B.

Zaphod_Beblebrocks

sounds like 16 bit colour is being used,I know you set it to 32 bit but it might be wrth switching to 16 bit trying it then going back to 32 bit colour to see if there is a difference

Jolly_Roger

I managed to solve this one myself!
I was fiddling around with the NVIDIA control pannel, where all the various colour controls are to be found, when I saw a drop down menu called "Colour Correction". This has been set to "Desktop Only". When I changed it to "All", video commenced working properly!! How many times have you heard this type of story? If one tick is missing from one box then the thing doesn't work!
Anyway, I hope we have all learnt from that one.
Thanks to all of you for your speculations.