[eivinn]

I have now, when TV-out is working properly, found that the quality of playing movies from both DVD's and QuickTime is really low. It does look like there is no overlay on the TV-out with block effects in dark color transitions. It does not appear on LCD, DVI or CRT output.
The problem does still exist with mirroring, and when the "movie" is on in display preferences (not mirroring then).

Is this a common problem or am I the only one?

I find it really disturbing that my PowerBook cannot be used even as a DVD-player.

-----
12" 1Ghz, 768MB

[tooki]

It has more to do with the color response of a TV. Computer displays are much more accurate devices than TVs, and so when a computer displays to a TV, it's not always an optimal result. Standalone DVD players typically are tuned to display well on a TV rather than a computer display.

That said, my PB's output of DVDs looks pretty darned spiffy. A real DVD player might look a bit better, but I certainly am not complaining about how it looks from mine.

tooki

[eivinn]

Does this mean that I could get a better response using SuperCal to calibrate the TV output and try again? I have been using the NTSC/PAL profile up to now.

I haven't got a TV myself and hasn't had the opertunity to try this after I last tried hooking up the TV.

[Spheric Harlot]

my 12" powerbook Rev. A's (analog) video out looks pretty damn good on this twenty-year-old National TV.

Some ideas (don't yell at me if these were obvious to you):

Could it possibly be the TV's A/V tuner at fault? Our old TV had a problem with the external input, while the National has a pristine image.

Length and quality of cable *is* important for video stuff. Avoid unnecessary extensions/adapter constructions; keep cable as short as possible; try different cable placement to reduce possible interference; get well-shielded cable.

-s*

[vexingv]

i have to agree with the original poster...the tv output (via svideo) on the powerbook isnt too hot. the dark colors come out blocky/pixelated. i've been a pc user and my pc (radeon 9500 pro) using the same svideo cable puts out a much higher quality picture. i also think it has to do with the post processing in the parcticular program used. maybe the codecs available for the mac arent as good? i tried turning on post processing in vlc which made the pixelation a bit better but not by much.

how are you guys getting hiigh quality video on your tvs?

[eivinn]

I have now tried making a new profile in SuperCal for the TV. It didn't end up with any visual changes to the already existing PAL/NTSC profile.

So the problem still exist, and I can confirm that I have never seen this problem on newer notebooks with an ATI graphics adapter.

[urrl78]

Are we all sure iDVD is using the Graphics module? I remember my old PC days where DVD was run entirely by software, namely PowerDVD. You could adjust color and brightness with this player too. Very cool and its still available, but don't know if there is a Mac version yet. I don't get it when people remark how bad DVD looks on the Powerbook or when piped to the TV. My 17" ALWAYS looks superb to me and I have owned a PC laptop before. I might suggest taking a DVD movie to an Apple store and check for the same anomaly on other units. That's what I did before I bought my 17" Aluminum Rev "A". I noticed back then though, the 12" screen simply did not have the color quality or resolution or brightness of the 15". Back then even the Ti had better overall quality than the 12". I was very disappointed in the 12" screen when I performed this comparison for myself. Hope things have changed with the 12" since then, but I have not heard where they have improved the screen. I don't believe the origional poster mentioned which model he had, did he? Would be interested if he performed this little test, and which model he has. Anyone can observe where blockiness occurs in a certain section of a movie and go to a store and perform this test just to see if there is a difference in the larger units. I certainly saw a difference. It was totally, totally obvious.

[eivinn]

I believe I have a rev B PowerBook (is 12", has 1GHz and DVI out). It was bought in december 2003. I do know that the LCD screen isn't as good as the bigger brothers, but the problem is with the TV output.

It's an easy explanation to why the 15" and 17" PowerBook hasn't got this problem. They have got an ATI graphics adapter. My 12" has an Nvidia one.
If anyone can comment on this, please elaborate.

[urrl78]

Actually my 17" has a 64 MB nVidia graphics chip and it looks fantastic. All I am saying is there may be some reason the 12" output quality to the TV is possibly stepped down. It may not be the type of chip but the rest of the hardware that leads to not only the LCD display but the S-video out port. But I am just guessing. The only way to prove my theory would be to hook a 15/17" Powerbook to a monitor and compare it with a 12" on the same monitor. But I doubt if you know of anyone in your area who is willing to try this experiment with you. I certainly don't in my area. Powerbook owners are few and far between, except perhaps in the same household.

[eivinn]

I'm the only one I know that has a Mac at all so I cannot compare.

One thing is for sure. My problem only exist on the Television screen. I have tried a 19" CRT and a 19" LCD with DVI connector and movies, desktop, images, etc, are all displayed beautifully like on the built-in LCD (no bad color transitions or block effects). That said, it's only compared with my eyes, but the block effects on the TV is visible to everyone I've shown it to.

I'm used to CRT's and the built-in LCD in my PB is heeps better for my eyes, in my opinion, though it's colors and viewing angle is worse than the 15" and 17".

[eivinn]

Sorry. Duplicate post here...