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TV-out blank in area of DVD or TV video

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ArtQ

Technical User
Nov 11, 2002
1
US
I have an ATI All-in-Wonder Radeon 7500 with TV-out. It works perfectly except when I try to include a DVD or TV image in the output to the TV. I'm trying to use the TV-out in clone mode so I can use both the monitor and the TV at the same time. Everything appears on the monitor (any windows I have open including a DVD or TV image if that program is running) On the TV everything appears correctly except the area of the TV screen (window) where the Video picture is t be. That area of the TV screen is blank. Does anyone know if the Video out to the TV (when it is the secondary display) in clone mode is supposed to be blanked out for some reason? I thought maybe it was a copyyright protection problem on the DVD's but was assured it is not (it would be lighter and darker) and only if I went through a VCR (which I don't) and besides the TV signal is not copyright protected. Any help would be appreciated. - Art
 
Did you ever get this working ?

I have experienced exactly the same problem with a Radeon 9000PRO 64MB AIW running on a Dell Pentium III 700 MHz.

Perfect DVD- and TV-player window on the PC Monitor. TV will show desktop picture, but with blank windows for the DVD- or TV-players.

I have tried all permutations of PAL standards. Full screen DVD/TV does not work either.

I assume that the problem might have to do with the dual monitor/TV operation or resolution, but changing to 800x600 resolution did not work.

Any ideas ?
 
Following a late night research session yesterday the problem appears to be solved:

I have now learned that although video cards may support dual screens and tv-out, they seldom (never ?)support dual video. A graphics card actually sets up a black frame in the monitor picture onto which it puts the video picture (video overlay). The format of the overlay is specific to the primary screen.

Hence, if the PC monitor is the primary screen, video overlay will only show on the monitor. The secondary TV screen will only show the allocated blank frame.

To get video on the TV, you have to redefine the TV as primary, PC as secondary, either in socalled Clone Mode (both showing the same picture, except for the video overlay or as Extended Desktop where you can drag a window across from one screen to another. In both modes video overlay will only show on the primary screen.

This is of course a bit clumsy & inconvenient when the family is eagerly waiting for the long announced DVD show.

Fortunately the setup of my Radeon 9000 offered a way out. Under desktop Properties/Display (don't give up, it might be hidden under another similarly named tab depending on your SW version) a preset Scheme called something like Switch Screens could be activated.

Eureka ! The PC now runs in single PC monitor screen mode (with video overlay) and by pressing the Hotkey (Alt F5)it toggles to TV single screen - still with video overlay.

And what's more - it maintains high resolution, high frequency when on the PC monitor and lower resolution & 60 Hz when on TV.

A sidetrack: This exercise also serves perfectly to illustrate the superior quality of PC monitors, the awful prehistorical resolution of the TV set, the incredible patience of the consumers and/or the equally astonishing adaptability of the human brain.

How long, lord, oh how long ....?
 
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