G74SX-NH71 with DVD play back flicker

[esotericman]

After a clean install, and using the latest stable video card driver, when I'm playing DVD's, every so often I get a hitch. It looks like some sort of lag, but I can not imagine what would cause it. I run Avast antivirus only, but at 12 gigs of RAM, I can not imagine that if it's doing something it would cause video play back lag.

Ideas or things for me to check?

Thanks ya'll.

[dstrakele]

Have you checked DPC Latency with DPC Latency Checker?

[esotericman]

This?
http://www.thesycon.de/deu/latency_check.shtml

If so, not yet. If not, then no also. I will shortly if this is the correct program link and get back to you.

[dstrakele]

That'd be the one! There are instructions on the download page on how to use it to find specific drivers that cause DPC Latency.

I'd also try uninstalling Avast Antivirus to see if behavior changes. The amount of RAM you've got has nothing to do with driver conflicts that may cause lag.

My G74SX-A1 came with a running trial of Trend Micro pre-installed. Did yours? If so, did you uninstall it prior to installing Avast Antivirus?

[esotericman]

I will install that and give it a go after reading the other threads on it.

I did a clean install, so no trend micro, but I assumed it might be virus software updating or something causing minor lag. I'm also learning the functionality of these things is not quite straightforward. I assumed the lastest stable driver from nVidia with 3 gigs of RAM would easily be enough to run on the laptop's screen with zero problems. I assumed wrongly. I was hoping to avoid the driver game, but if it's not the virus software, I guess I'll have to start. Maybe DPC checker will offer some information.

I'll be back.

[dstrakele]

If you have an Atheros WLAN card, make sure your Atheros driver is version 9.2.1.432 or later. An earlier Atheros version is notorious for high DPC Latency that results in a number of issues. See http://rog.asus.com/forum/showthread.php?5126-Any-Kind-of-Lag-and-Atheros-WiFi-Card

FWIW, I've run the NVIDIA stock 268.xx driver on the ASUS Factory OS, and the 290.36 and 290.53 beta drivers on a clean Windows 7 install with no DVD lag on any of them.

[esotericman]

Well, I think I found my answer. I ran DPC checker, and it was clean, way clean, impressively clean... while running it, I played a DVD. I saw the hitch, no spike on DPC checker... backed up the DVD, played same spot, same hitch.

Yeah, so it's not hardware or drivers, it's either the player doesn't like dust/dirt/whatever or the player I'm using is not caching enough. I use VLC Player because I really dislike Window Media Player.

So, suggestions? The -NH71 does not have a blue ray, nor am I going to upgrade. Maybe I should try another player? Suggestions?

[dstrakele]

esotericman wrote:
... backed up the DVD, played same spot, same hitch.

If I played a DVD that always had video issue at the same point, I would suspect bad media, rather than the DVD player. How does it play on another DVD device?

[esotericman]

Yes, I have watched that particular DVD a dozen times. Other DVD's do it as well on the G74sx but not on my old POS Dell from 2003. I have had cd players which seem very picky about media while others just run it regardless. I've attributed this to differences in lenses or laser power or caching. I could be wrong. Regardless, it's not noted on other players.