Screen Flickering In WMC During Live/Recorded TV, Have Intel Graphics 4000HD

[idata]

Please help. I just completed a new build for an HTPC and for whatever reason my screen is flickering during both live and recorded tv playback. It's like a muted strobing flicker, and it's not constant or every show/channel. I have no idea what to do, I feel like I have tried everything.

Here is the info on my build:

Case - Silverstone Grandia Series SST-GD05

Mobo - AsRock H77 Pro4-M Micro ATX

CPU - I3-3225 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHZ Intel HD 4000 Graphics

RAM - G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2X4)

SSD - Intel 520 Series Cherryville 120GB

HDD - (2) WD Black 1TB

Cbl Tnr - Ceton Infinitv4

Optical - ASUS Black Blu-Ray/DVD

PSU - Antec BP350W

Everything else is running like a champ, just the screen flickering issue during WMC.

Thank you so much for any help. It's driving me nuts.

[RMitr1]

Do you have this always, or is it the problem described here:

That thread contains a link to some demo files showing various severities of the bug.

test files can be found here:

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/zwnr3fp2zq00aj9/GJ6ZzRW0zZ https://www.dropbox....0aj9/GJ6ZzRW0zZ

[idata]

No mine is not like that reported issue, at least not the way folks are describing it in that thread as I read through that entire thread before posting. It's totally possible that it's a related issue however, totally.

I have read some folks that said they removed the dynamic contract option under their intel control center, but I don't have that option as I don't have the intel control center, and I can't seem to find anywhere to download that software either.

Mine is constant, well it's intermediate but constant strobe like flashing that occurrs. But it's not every channel, it's not every program either. Last night during Walking Dead on AMC it was doing it, and I read earlier someone saying that if you put WMC through and extender like Xbox 360 or something that you won't get the flashing/flickering strobe screen, so I did that and viola no flickering/strobing. Runnint it through the xbox is no big deal really, just an extra step and I will need to update my Harmony One to give me all the same options in WMC while using it in the 360 that I have when using the PC directly. I'm just hoping that there is a better solution...

[idata]

Hi your not alone. I have the same issue on my WMC7 64bit box. It's only started happening since I upgraded my Intel Graphics drivers to the latest v15.28.8.64.2875. My machine has been running fine for years.

When playing back recorded TV I get random frames flash white. It is nothing like the other problem mentioned as there is no picture corruption in the sense of blocking or broken images.

It is very annoying.

OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-bit

Processor: Intel Core i3 2100T

Mobo: Gigabyte GA-H67MA-D2H-B3, Intel H67

Memory: 4GB (2x2GB) Corsair DDR3 XMS3

SSD: Samsung 128GB 830 Series

TV Tuner Card: BlackGold BGT3620

Thanks,

Mark

[idata]

Yup - I can confirm I'm having the same issue on a freshly built Windows Media Center x64 using Intel's DH77DF with i5 3570K. During live TV or recorded playback, I get the same flickering / background strobing effect. Not on all channels, seems to be HD channels only, and the premium/encrypted ones. Pretty annoying since this problem was first reported to Intel 6 months ago (and officially acknowledged in August). Rumor had it the next driver was going to contain the fix, but so far nothing...

Intel - any update on this? Pretty annoying/significant problem to have on a "Media" board running Windows 7. Pretty much grounds for everyone to return the board since it doesn't work with the world's most popular operating system.

Guess I should have purchased an older board with better drivers...

BTW - this is the first Intel board that's given me real trouble. I'm on my second DH77DF -- the first one completely died when attempting to update to BIOS v.103 via the Windows executable (I was more careful on the 2nd board, updating only via the BIOS' update tool using a CD with the updated BIOS file instead of updating directly from Windows).

[idata]

Go into the graphics settings for your Intel HD4000. Go to Media, then Image Enhancement, and uncheck the Adaptive Contrast Enhancement. Not sure why, but when this is checked I got all sorts of screen flicker. Hope it works for you!

[idata]

Fprevin,

I have no such feature for my HD4000. Is there somewhere I can download that control media/software you are referring to? I'd like to try that to see if it works.

On a side note this problem is unavoidable IF you run your windows media center through an extender like Xbox 360, that's what I'm doing and have been for a week now, and will continue to do until a fix is figured out by intel. It's really no hassel at all as it works exactly the same, and to be honest I think the picture is better being processed by the 360's dedicated, and I think the sound is better coming through the Xbox 360 than it is coming through the sound card included with my Mobo, a Realtek ALC892.

Plus I had issues with WMC not working properly, was receiving an error during WMC saying "video files not installed..." when trying to run the sound using only an HDMI from my HTPC to my Onkyo receiver. At first I removed the "use exclusively" option, and that caused the problem to stop BUT caused my sound to be output as PCM rather than bitstream, I prefer bitstream all day long. I eventually switched from having the sound output through the HDMI to using a optical out as that fixed my problem of getting the "video files not installed..." error, and allowed me to output the sound as bitstream rather than PCM, but I swear the sound is better through the Xbox...

Come on Intel help us out.

[idata]

Thanks fprevin. Unchecking Adaptive Contrast Enhancement fixed my flickering issue.

[idata]

Thanks fprevin!

You just solved my issue. Thanks for the info!

Turning off the enhancement fixed the problem of flickering on HBO!

Brand new build, Windows 8 Media Center, Intel i5 3470, Asus Micro ATX board.

Thought I was going crazy until I googled and found this thread!

[ROBERT_U_Intel]

Hi All

A fix for this issue has been checked into the latest driver. We should be posting it to Intel Download Center within a few days. I will update this thread with the driver links once it has been posted.

[idata]

No mine is not jumping like that. Mine is more like a flashing white strobe during live and recorded tv playback.

I wish I could adjust those settings that everyone is speaking of, but I have no idea where to find those settings as I seem to NOT have that control interface. Someone help a brother out!!!

[idata]

If you have the Intel driver installed, you should be able to access them by:

Right click on the desktop and select screen resolution

Select advanced settings

On the new window, at the top, you should see Intel control panel

[idata]

This is what my problem looks like. Is this what you see?

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2dgxakgac9gcva8/My%20Movie.wmv My Movie.wmv

I have a Samsung 900X4C-A01 Laptop, Intel i7 3517U with HD 4000, running Win7 x64. I bought an Avermedia A827M Hybrid USB dongle, which I tried in different computers, and mine is the only one where the problem occurs.

I've since installed the latest drive (Version:15.28.10.64.2897), tried using both Windows Media Center and Avermedia's AverTV, and I see flickering in both. And I don't know if this is relevant, by my signal is analogic, not digital.

I have tried some of the solutions described throughout this tread, but so far nothing worked.

[idata]

No mine didn't look like that.

Yours seems to jump wheras mine flickered white.

[EJohn7]

I have an i7 4770k with Intel HD Graphics 4600 and this problem still exists. I have strobing/flickering in Windows Media Center. I do not see any dynamic contrast option. How do I fix this issue?

[JMonr2]

My living room HTPC has this problem as well in Windows Media Center. I have an i5 4570s with Intel HD Graphics 4600 updated with the latest drivers in Windows 8. I am also using the Intel DH87RL motherboard in this system. As the original poster stated, it is slight flicker like a strobe light, and it only appears during certain programs on some channels. However, it is still quite annoying.

I have another Windows 8 PC with access to my networked Silicon Dust HDHomerun TV tuners, and it does not have this problem when I am broadcasting the same channels simultaneously. The other PC is my gaming computer, and is using an Nvidia GeForce GTX 670 discrete graphics card.

On a side note, I also have audio/video stuttering/sync issues when replaying purchased videos in iTunes 11 using the living room system with the Intel HD 4600 graphics. I have tried numerous recommended troubleshooting steps with no luck. Once again, my gaming system with the Nvidia GTX 670 does not suffer from these issues.

I had hoped that I would not have to add a discrete graphics card to my living room system for power consumption reasons, but it appears that the Intel drivers are not ready for prime time and I will be forced into purchasing a separate card.

[DBuki]

I was experiencing the same issue with my HTPC, but found a solution. I'm using the i5-4570 with HD 4600 GPU. If you go into the Intel HD Graphics control panel, under the Video section there's a drop down in the top left corner. It's not the most conspicuous, didn't notice it the first few times I opened the panel. From the drop down select Image Enhancement, then click Advanced, and then change Contrast Enhancement from On to Off. That solved the issue for me.

[JMonr2]

Thanks! I actually hadn't noticed the menu in the top left corner. Turning off contrast enhancement got rid of the flickering for me as well.

[DRuss1]

Also happens with the 4400.

The problem is with the crappy hardware the cable companies use to recode the video. It is constantly sending out wrong info on the frame rate causing the display driver to reset its image enhancements to the new rate. Don't blame Microsoft or Intel for this. This is only a problem for hardware that pays attention to that info. Once again I screwed out of hours of time by Comcast.

To fix the Intel 4400 graphics controller 29/59 problem:

- Right-Click on the desktop

- Select Graphics Properties

- When the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel opens click on the Video icon

- In the upper left there is a dastardly hidden pull-down menu labeled Video. Pull it down and select Image Enhancement.

- Select Advanced on the top menu

- Under Contrast Enhancement select Disable

At this point the flicker stopped but the stutter was still there. I then turned off every enhancement I could. Film Mode Detection, Noise Reduction - Application Setting, Skin Tone Enhancement, Sharpness -Application Setting, Set refresh Rate to 59p, Quantization Range Limited, IT Content Disable (This made a BIG difference)

[DRuss1]

Also happens with the 4400.

The problem is with the crappy hardware the cable companies use to recode the video. It is constantly sending out wrong info on the frame rate causing the display driver to reset its image enhancements to the new rate. Don't blame Microsoft or Intel for this. This is only a problem for hardware that pays attention to that info. Once again I screwed out of hours of time by Comcast.

To fix the Intel 4400 graphics controller 29/59 problem:

- Right-Click on the desktop

- Select Graphics Properties

- When the Intel HD Graphics Control Panel opens click on the Video icon

- In the upper left there is a dastardly hidden pull-down menu labeled Video. Pull it down and select Image Enhancement.

- Select Advanced on the top menu

- Under Contrast Enhancement select Disable

At this point the flicker stopped but the stutter was still there. I then turned off every enhancement I could. Film Mode Detection, Noise Reduction - Application Setting, Skin Tone Enhancement, Sharpness -Application Setting, Set refresh Rate to 59p, Quantization Range Limited, IT Content Disable (This made a BIG difference)