The Notebook Review forums were hosted by TechTarget, who shut down them down on January 31, 2022. This static read-only archive was pulled by NBR forum users between January 20 and January 31, 2022, in an effort to make sure that the valuable technical information that had been posted on the forums is preserved. For current discussions, many NBR forum users moved over to NotebookTalk.net after the shutdown.
Problems? See this thread at archive.org.

    Poor video quality

    Discussion in 'Alienware 14 and M14x' started by kimjo42, Oct 3, 2011.

  1. kimjo42

    kimjo42 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    209
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Hello,

    I am using VLC to watch movies on my M14x, but the quality is just horrible. Picture is very dark and when I try to play with the settings, I can eventually see more details but the quality suffers greatly.

    For some reason I can't use the Nvidia GPU with VLC, the control panel will not give me the option to switch GPUs. It keeps HD 3000.

    Could it be because I keep my screen at 1600 x 900?

    I downloaded the Doctor Who season finale in HD 720p and the vid is unwatchable, full of square artifacts, a jumbled mess.

    I'm running the 285.26 driver for Nvidia and stock driver for HD 3000. Should I update this one?

    How can I watch videos in decent quality on this laptop?
    Games are fine.

    And before I'm called an IP thief, I pay for cable, which in Canada is more expensive than anywhere else in the world, I get SPACE but I missed the episode, so I downloaded it.

    Thanks!
     
    kimjo42, Oct 3, 2011
    #1
  2. Brabostaan

    Brabostaan Notebook Deity

    Reputations:
    238
    Messages:
    1,452
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    55
    How about powerdvd?
     
    Brabostaan, Oct 3, 2011
    #2
  3. kimjo42

    kimjo42 Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    23
    Messages:
    209
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Yes, I could change player and use powerDVD, or something else, but I've been using VLC for years on my old desktop with a CRT monitor, and I never had any problems.

    Is there a reason why the image is so bad on the M14x? Drivers, settings?

    I haven't tried DVDs yet so I don't know how they would fare.
     
    kimjo42, Oct 3, 2011
    #3
  4. Stain

    Stain Notebook Consultant

    Reputations:
    56
    Messages:
    262
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    30
    Right click on the VLC exe file and set it to use Nvidia graphics.

    I do not know why you are having issues with the integrated video though. I am still waiting for my M14x to arrive, but my M11xR2 can play videos fine with VLC and integrated graphics
     
    Stain, Oct 3, 2011
    #4
  5. DarkFame

    DarkFame Notebook Enthusiast

    Reputations:
    1
    Messages:
    47
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    15
    This sounds like a codec issue to me.
     
    DarkFame, Oct 4, 2011
    #5