One feature missing from PowerDVD that drives us (my family) nuts is the inability to change to 1920x1080 resolution upon starting.

Do you think you could add the ability to change desktop resolutions right before and right after launching PowerDVD?

Background:  Just like many other Media Center users, we have our HTPC hooked up to an HDTV that natively supports 720p and 1080i plus it has a good 5% overscan.  Viewing HD-DVD and Blue-ray movies at the full 1920x1080 makes them look absolutely fantastic, but the desktop is hard to read and is missing the perimeter.  On the other hand, using the HTPC as a PC, using the desktop, surfing the web, etc. works perfectly at our custom resolution within 720p (the custom resolution is something like 1180x688).

What I'd like to do is leave our default desktop at the custom resolution.  This allows anyone in our family to simply pull out the keyboard and mouse and make use of the computer, treating it as a PC.  What I need is whenever PowerDVD is launched, that the desktop (since PowerDVD uses the desktop resolution) changes to 1920x1080.  Once it exits, I need it to go back to the previous resolution.

Thanks for putting together this plugin.

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STB w/R5000HD USB I/O, Gigabyte GA-P35-DS4, Quad Q6600, 4.0 GB RAM, ATI HD 3870 512MB, Ultra XVS 600W PSU, 3x SATA 500GB, 2x SATA 300GB, LG GGC-H20L, PVR-250, Toshiba 51H83 (51" HDTV), Yamaha RX-V2400 Amp, 5x Energy Speakers, SVS Sub, Harmony 880 Remote

Thanks for the free plug-in!

I have a problem where if I start PowerDVD in VMC, it works fine, but I can't close it with the remote to go back into VMC.

I can stop PowerDVD from playing then hit the Green Button to go back to VMC, but that's not ideal, since if I put in a DVD movie, VCE and PowerDVD (since it is running in the background) will both try to play my DVD automatically, which is not a very desirable thing to do.

I can't find a way for PowerDVD to stop automatically play DVDs (I want DVDs to play in VMC) when it's already running.  Nor have I found a way to close PowerDVD without breaking out the keyboard and/or mouse.

I don't want to take out my keyboard and mouse at all with VMC, and so far I haven't really need to unless I am administrating it.  For sitting back and watching movies and TV, I rather just use the remote.

I really just don't have a solution for the remote issues some people are having.  My remote works by hitting the "i"  that makes a right click where I can arrow down to exit.  There are so many different remotes on the market that it would be difficult for me to come up with a script for every one of them. 

The best thing I can suggest is do a google search for PowerDVD Remote "your type of remote"  and see if there is a script already there for it.

Regards,
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

Hello, I got everything working from launching PDVD to using the remote. Except for one thing...I cannot get the mouse cursor to go away after it launches PDVD. I have tried to play around with the "alwayson top" settings in both media center and PDVD but it doesn't seem to do anything.  Can anyone tell me how to solve this? Thanks

Naddie,

Matt over at MissingRemote may have a solution for your problem check out this link and see if it will work for you.  MissingRemote

Cheers,
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

rushstrike,

I've noticed this when Playing HD DVDs, but not Blu-ray.  There is a program that I may be able to integrate called nomousy.exe that could fix the problem.  The only issue is that it would make the mouse completely invisible until PowerDVD is closed.  So if you don't have the ability to completely use PowerDVD with your remote to include closing the program this may cause issues.  I will be looking for other alternatives to fix the bug, another solution is to send the mouse to the upper left or upper right of the screen once powerdvd is launched but if someone has a dual monitor this could cause issues too.

As you can tell i'm looking for a solution but I want it to fit all needs, and since I can't change PowerDVD itself.  I am restricted to commands set in the wrapper EXE file.   

Hope this helps explain the problem, even though I don't have a solution as of yet.

Regards!
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

Quick solution may be to install Cursor Hider from Softexe.  That program will auto hide the cursor after a specified amount of seconds, seems to be a pretty good thing for most everything Media Center related.  The mouse reappears as soon as you move it.  The program has a 30 day trial.  After it runs out it just says please register like 5 time before working again.  If you want to get rid of that it's $19.95 for the program.  I did contact the company to see if they would be willing to sell me a stripped down version of it so I could integrate it into the plugin so i'm waiting for  their responce.

V/R
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

This looks like a great solution to all of my Blu-Ray VMC integration woes but I am having an screen resolution issue. I would like to display PDVD in 1080i (max allowable by my tv) as my VMC is also set to 1080i...  The problem is that when operating the system from the desktop, the icons and text are just too small on my 50" DLP.  Also, if there is any movement on the screen, either by the mouse or any other departure from a static picture, the borders around a (and all) window jitter.  It is really annoying and does not occur in 720p mode. So I like to operate my desktop environment in 720P.  What is interesting, the jitter is not noticeable in full screen VMC or full screen PDVD while in 1080i mode.  It looks great!

So the idea is to have PDVD launch at 1080i, automatically setting the resolution to 1080i from 720p with an execute command on launch of PDVD.  And on exit from PDVD to set the resolution back to 720p...   Any ideas along the line of the inline /fullscreen command that will make this work?  Anyone heard of this jitter problem on Samsung DLPs? 

(I have tried various type of video cards from 8500 GT to Ati 2400 pro and 2600 XT.... Also messing with Hz settings from 30 to 29--since it is a 1080i setup)

Thanks much!

R/, 

Joe

armyb77:

Unfortunately without knowing if this is effecting all 64-bit users I can't say what the problem is as I don't have Vista 64-bit.

But basically if you install the plugin from what i'm reading it should work just fine.

The wrapper .EXE is nothing more then a BATCH file that was converted to .exe.

A great plugin armyb77 but I too have just loaded up the plugin after installing Powerdvd7.3 and upgrading it to 3516a (just doing b now) and I cannot get PD to run up. MCE minimises, then nothing. I have tried the commands you suggested to check it runs up ok and it does this fine from the cmd prompt. I have uninstalled and reinstalled the plugin, PD is located in the default location. Have you any other suggestions I might try to get this going. This is the last step of what seemed like a perfect installation, would love to complete it ok

 

Thanks

 

Phil

I haven't tried it yet, but I'm pretty sure the latest version of Powerdvd already does all of this without the need for a plug-in. I will check tonight.

It looks like the 64-bit version just doesn't work.  I'm sorry about all of that.  My wife will not let me change over to 64-bit to do the testing she has things the way she likes them so I can't touch anything.

If the new version does fully integrates PowerDVD without the plugin then that's great, I personally only expected this to be an interm fix and not something that would be needed once Cyberlink finally did what they should have done in the first place.  Arcsoft's TotalMedia is a step in the right direction and i'm hoping that Cyberlink sees the light and follows suit.

Cheers,
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

I just updated to the new version of PowerDVD and I don't see any change as far as Media Center integration.  Unless i'm still missing something users need to still use the plugin or manually make the changes as before.

V/R
Armyb77

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

I might have made a mistake in the 64-bit, can you please see if you have MCECyberlink.exe in "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\PowerDVD\"  ?   I might have overlooked that and put the install root to C:\Program Files\CyberLink\PowerDVD\  so when it is trying to launch MCECyberlink (the wrapper program) nothing is coming up because it isn't there.  An easy check is to do a START->RUN "C:\Program Files (x86)\CyberLink\PowerDVD\MCECyberlink.exe"  If it says it can't be found then i'll repackage the program and update the site with a new version that should fix the problem.

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Community Plugins and Add-ons OurMediaCenter.com

I too have got the latest of their site and have no indication of any more integration. Has noone else with 64bit version got this working, I had thought that some have managed it so it was probably something I am not yet doing right. The concept must equally apply to both versions surely. Do you actually needf to have a bluray disc inserted for PD to start up or would it start up empty? I do not yet have a pucker disc to try it on (that will be tomorrow with any luck) but I was just testing it all out in anticipation.

The file is there alright and if I run it by hand MC springs back up again. I thought that was the program that was used when you return from PD not involk it.