[FriarTed]

When watching DVDs in full-screen mode (monitor is a 17" WXGA Widescreen (1440 × 900 Max Res)), I get an intolerable degree of distortion, hazy & gritty & obviously showing the digital grid. Game-playing & watching DVDs in centered small-screen mode is much better.
With all the praise this laptop got in the reviews, I would think the full-screen DVD graphics would be much better. No amount of adjustments in any video playing system (Windows Media, Real Player, etc.) has helped. Is this normal? Is this fixable by myself, or should I send it back to the dealer? Thank you for your help.
Specs are-
Model: Gateway NX860
Display: 17" WXGA Widescreen (1440 × 900 Max Res)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 1024MB 667Mhz DDR2 Memory (2-512MB)
Hard Drive: 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Optical Drives: CDRW-DVD Combo Drive
Video: nVidia GeForce Go 7600 (128MB)

[mphenterprises]

Hi Friar. I would presume that the video card was installed by Gateway, correct? I have some questions for you:

- Do you get the same poor resolution during full screen game play?

- Have you checked nVidia's website to make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card?

- Have you checked Gateway's website to make sure you have the latest firmware for your DVD drive?

- Have you ever had clear resolution during full screen play?

- Is your laptop still under warranty?

[FriarTed]

Hi Friar. I would presume that the video card was installed by Gateway, correct?

Correct.

I have some questions for you:
- Do you get the same poor resolution during full screen game play?

No, just during DVD play

- Have you checked nVidia's website to make sure you have the latest drivers for your video card?

No- this laptop is actually my long-distance girlfriend & she does not have Internet access to download them,

- Have you checked Gateway's website to make sure you have the latest firmware for your DVD drive?

Same as above
- Have you ever had clear resolution during full screen play?

Not DVD play.

- Is your laptop still under warranty?

Yes, She just wants to eliminate everything she can do herself before she sends it in for servicing to Gateway.

[mphenterprises]

Okay well without internet access of her own, she really does not have many options. I did a quick search and her laptop does have an integrated wireless card. So, her only option, in my opinion, is to go to a place that has free internet access (library, coffee shop, etc.) and download the latest drivers and firmware for the video card and DVD drive respectively.



For product specific support, Gateway requires a serial number. Since it is NEVER a good idea to post serial number information within a public forum, provide her with this link so that when she does go to one of these places to get internet access, she can start the process for the drivers and firmware. http://support.gatew...rs/dlcenter.asp



One question I forgot to ask is what application does she use to play DVD? If she only uses one application, she should really look into get another one. For example, if she only uses Windows Media Player, she should try to get a universal player such as VLC Player http://filehippo.com/download_vlc/



If after downloading the latest firmware, drivers, and another player she still has bad resolution during full screen play of DVDs, the video card may be bad. In that case, she should definitely send the laptop to Gateway to have it serviced.

[smax013]

FriarTed said:

When watching DVDs in full-screen mode (monitor is a 17" WXGA Widescreen (1440 × 900 Max Res)), I get an intolerable degree of distortion, hazy & gritty & obviously showing the digital grid. Game-playing & watching DVDs in centered small-screen mode is much better.
With all the praise this laptop got in the reviews, I would think the full-screen DVD graphics would be much better. No amount of adjustments in any video playing system (Windows Media, Real Player, etc.) has helped. Is this normal? Is this fixable by myself, or should I send it back to the dealer? Thank you for your help.

Specs are-
Model: Gateway NX860
Display: 17" WXGA Widescreen (1440 × 900 Max Res)
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo T5500 (1.6GHz)
Memory: 1024MB 667Mhz DDR2 Memory (2-512MB)
Hard Drive: 120GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive
Optical Drives: CDRW-DVD Combo Drive
Video: nVidia GeForce Go 7600 (128MB)

When you say distortion, hazy and gritty, can you be a little more specific (I realize it might be hard for you to be able to describe well enough for me to truly picture it)?



Somethings to realize...



1) Typical movies are filmed at about a 1.85:1 or greater. Typical old fashioned TVs and older monitors were about 4:3 (or 1:.33:1). Newer "widescreen" HDTVs are 16:9 (or 1.78:1). The screen on the laptop in question is about 1.6:1 (i.e. 1440:900 if it is set to that resolution). Thus, depending on what aspect ratio the DVD is filmed at (i.e. is it the widescreen version or the full screen version) and what "full screen" mode you are using (i.e. what setting you are using and/or how the program you are using to display the DVD does the full screen mode), you could be getting distortion from that. Most DVD player software will display DVDs with the black bars (letter boxes) to fill ou the sides or top and bottom so that the film can be displayed at its natural aspect ratio. But, some will allow you to literally fill the entire screen. If you are somehow doing the later, then you will notice distortion...unless the movie you are watching just happens to have been filmed at a 1.78:1 ratio, which is not too likely (or the software cuts on some of the view...which is what happens in some modes on HDTVs...you can change screen modes from 4:3 to 16:9 to some others typically). This might help some if you want a more detailed explanation of screen aspect ratios.



2) DVDs are NOT HD content. A computer monitor is essentially an almost an HD screen. You typical DVD is technically a 480i format, which is basically 720x480 resolution. With a progressive scan DVD player, you can get 480p. It does not technically change the resolution, but it does create an optical illustion of higher resolution due to how it draws the picture on the screen. The point is that a typical DVD is a much lower resolution that your typical computer monitor. As a result, a DVD will look rather "grainy" on a typical computer monitor when you run in full screen mode. It is kind of the same reason that some standard defintion TV programs look worse on a HDTV set then they do on a regular old fashion standard def TV set. The HDTV (or computer in this case) still needs to fill in all those pixels. So, you have roughly twice the resolution that needs to be filled in by something that is not designed for it. This tends to be noticeable. To some degree, it is optical illusion, so to speak...but due to real technical differences.



I point this two things out because they are normal thing that can (and do) cause distortion when playing a DVD on a computer. It could be what you are dealing with...but it could be something else. That is why better understanding what you mean by distortion, hazy and gritty is important.