Good computer, graphical issue

[gokuson123]

Hi all, I've posted here a few times, prob should put my specs in a comment below my name. Anyway, right now I'm having issues with blotchy graphics when PC gaming. I just started playing stuff like Fallout 3 and Call of Duty 4 to try this computer out on, and the graphics are like the cut scenes from Final Fantasy 7, where it's all blotchy and stuff, course that was cuz it was a PS1. I have a 9800 GTX overclocked to 811 on the core and 2028 on the shader (no artifacts after long testing with Half Life 2 and ATI Tools =D), btw Half life 2 and all episodes ran super good with about 40-60 FPS constant fully maxed settings.

Both Fallout 3 and CoD4 have very blotchy intros as if I was watching a Starcraft 1 cut scene, and the gameplay isn't much better. I am using a 32 inch Toshiba LCD HDTV, but it's going form a DVI to a VGA port on the TV, I have a DVI-D to HDMI cable on the way. I have only seen this with these 2 games but that is cuz they are the only ones with encoded video in them, I am an avid World of Warcraft fan and the trailers and game cinematic do both have this issue.

I also tried watching Lord of the Rings DVD on this computer, same thing. Felt like watching a tiny compressed version which was encoded with a bad codec. Anyone seen this happen before?

 

[mactronix]

As far as the graphics issue goes have you tried running the newer games with the Overclocks backed off ? I say this because running Half life 2 and fallout 3/CoD4 are a completely different kettle of fish altogether, The extra strain on the card could easily be enough to make the OC unstable. I had a very similar issue with Farcry 2. I could play at all settings on Ultra high but it slowed right down in a fire fight. So i overclocked the card a bit and settled for a custom set up that worked well with the system(mostly High). Anyway i came across a waterfall and decided to see what it looked like on all Ultra. I wasn't moving so it would be just a picture show and i already knew the set up could handle it right ? Wrong the card crashed out and it wouldn't even consider starting the game unless i droped the graphics settings again.

What is the TV resolution set at ? If its 1080P then the problem could be the cable as VGA doesn't support that high i don't think, we had a thread about Blu-ray and VGA last week and it was said that a VGA cable would drop the res to half. If that's right then that would sure mess up the image.

Mactronix

 

[gokuson123]

TV is 780p, resolution 1360X768. Game gets perfect framerates, just...doesn't look good. It stays at about 39C when playing a game (GPU temp), so I know it's not overheating. I tried playing with non-overclocked settings, same thing. Would you like a screenshot?

 

[mactronix]

Yes send us a shot and i can maybe get a better idea
mactronix

 

[gokuson123]

http://img229.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shot0000ly4.jpg+

http://img266.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shot0001yp2.jpg

http://img266.imageshack.us/my.php?image=shot0002av5.jpg

It's not as easy to see without seeing them in moton but when the videos play you really see the blotches and hard areas of shadows and stuff.

 

[gokuson123]

It wont let me edit above post so here are working links >.<


By gokuson123

 

[gokuson123]

No one know why it's doing this?

 

[mactronix]

Yes i see what yopu mean it definatly looks like some sort of bad compression. You are sure the Card is outputting the correct resolution ?

Mactronix

 

[Kari]

I'd bet it is just be the dvi-vga cable messing things up...

 

[gokuson123]

Yes i see what yopu mean it definatly looks like some sort of bad compression. You are sure the Card is outputting the correct resolution ?

Mactronix

I tried it on low, high, stock settings on the game contorl panel and Nvidia Control Pan

 

[gokuson123]

Bump. Really need this problem fixed...unable to watch movies or play any modern game on a $1,100 machine I built.

 

[Kari]

get the darn digital cable, that should fix it

 

[gokuson123]

It will be coming in in a bit, but I was just reading that sometimes it will look worse cuz of VGA working better with natural resolutions and having a higher pipeline for data than DVI and HDMI (if properly shielded and stuff). =(

 

[mactronix]

The VGA is not better your info is back to front, its as Kari says most probably what the problem is. Im not talking about settings im talking about output resolution the two are not linked at all.

Mactronix

 

[gokuson123]

How come this issue only happens when i want to watch videos or in game videos? I just went to a site that hosts Hi Def game trailers, watched the new FF one and it looks pretty horrible, yet normal gaming is fine.

 

[Kari]

eh so it only happens with videos? desktop and other stuff is fine?

well that has nothing to do with the cable then, maybe you have some messed up videocodecs installed or nvidia drivers have some video enhancing settings that are all wrong...

 

[gokuson123]

I have used a driver sweeper and reinstalled latest Nvidia forceware, gone over my settings multiple times, ect. Still can't watch videos of any form properly, but can play games on maxed settings at perfect framerates :S I'm starting to go insane over this, can't watch anything without feeling like I'm in 1990. I think if I pulled a magnet over a VHS tape it would provide a more enjoyable viewing experience.