Is my graphics card broken?

capo_2k · February 29th, 2012, 05:12

I've just started getting weird flashes of purple shapes or dots appearing during video playback. I've noticed it for the last day or so. Computer runs perfectly, along with games, but I'm not sure what's causing it.

The shapes are always the same colour, a kind of dark purple, and only flash on during animation. They also don't always appear! I get them in VLC media player and on YouTube, sometimes. They appear on certain videos...or maybe it's just random. Another strange thing is they are not visible when pausing the video, they will only appear during playback. Even when they're flashing all over the place in every frame, I can't get a screenshot of them.

I think I may have seen this in Killing Floor too, although I haven't noticed it yet in any other games. I played Killing Floor for the first time last night so I'm not sure if this is normal, but there appeared to be some purple dots floating around certain overlays or objects at certain times, particularly with the film grain effect.

Anyone know what could be causing this or have experience of it?

KrossX · February 29th, 2012, 06:11

Perhaps a driver bug with hardware decoding?

__________________

Princess Garnet · February 29th, 2012, 06:30

It sounds like it may be the video card (or drivers or Flash), but can you rule out the monitor? The fact that you can't get screenshots of them is a little suspect.

__________________
"The heart has it's reasons that reason knows nothing of."

**SCHUMI_4EVER** · February 29th, 2012, 12:57

I'd blame codecs first seeing as you seem to say it's more prevalent in vids than games. So uninstall all your old codec packs and get new ones.
(Though since VLC uses internal codecs it is kind of weird since codec issues shouldn't be affecting it so also reinstall VLC).

Did you install anything around the time it started happening? It may have corrupter your codecs somehow.

__________________

Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83Ghz stock) | ASUS P5Q | 2x2GB Transcend JetRam DDR2-800 | ASUS ENGTX260\HDTP\896M | Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit SP1

The Champ has retired but may his Legacy live on FOREVER !!!!

No$GBA DS FAQ 2.0

Get it right fools! The glass is HALF-EMPTY, not half-full!!!

!!! WARNING: Emulation requires a brain !!! WARNING: Emulation =/= Piracy !!!

Lasnap · February 29th, 2012, 14:26

The recent flash update may also be causing problems as it seems to be crashing a lot more then previous versions at least for me and have you updated to the new VLC 2.0?

__________________
Love Knows No Bounds!

lagunareturns · February 29th, 2012, 17:13

Get an air compressor and use it blow dust out the comp, video card and the pci exress slot the video card uses....

I had similar graphical artefacts and it was just dust.

capo_2k · March 1st, 2012, 13:56

I'm pretty sure the problem's gone now. I think it was the TV! All I did was turn the TV on and off, and it seems to have stopped.

It's a 37" hannspree 720p 1080i LCD HDTV incase you're wondering. (Running at res. 1804x1004 in 1080i mode with NVidia's desktop resize.)

February 29th, 2012, 05:12	#1
capo_2k Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: - Posts: 974	Is my graphics card broken? I've just started getting weird flashes of purple shapes or dots appearing during video playback. I've noticed it for the last day or so. Computer runs perfectly, along with games, but I'm not sure what's causing it. The shapes are always the same colour, a kind of dark purple, and only flash on during animation. They also don't always appear! I get them in VLC media player and on YouTube, sometimes. They appear on certain videos...or maybe it's just random. Another strange thing is they are not visible when pausing the video, they will only appear during playback. Even when they're flashing all over the place in every frame, I can't get a screenshot of them. I think I may have seen this in Killing Floor too, although I haven't noticed it yet in any other games. I played Killing Floor for the first time last night so I'm not sure if this is normal, but there appeared to be some purple dots floating around certain overlays or objects at certain times, particularly with the film grain effect. Anyone know what could be causing this or have experience of it?

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

February 29th, 2012, 06:11	#2
KrossX クロッスエクス Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Argentina Posts: 3,636	Perhaps a driver bug with hardware decoding? __________________

February 29th, 2012, 06:30	#3
Princess Garnet From Love and Limerence Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ohio Posts: 6,555	It sounds like it may be the video card (or drivers or Flash), but can you rule out the monitor? The fact that you can't get screenshots of them is a little suspect. __________________ "The heart has it's reasons that reason knows nothing of."

February 29th, 2012, 12:57	#4
SCHUMI_4EVER Hackin 'n Slashin Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Most-expensive-Internet-on-the-Planet Land : South Africa Posts: 26,308	I'd blame codecs first seeing as you seem to say it's more prevalent in vids than games. So uninstall all your old codec packs and get new ones. (Though since VLC uses internal codecs it is kind of weird since codec issues shouldn't be affecting it so also reinstall VLC). Did you install anything around the time it started happening? It may have corrupter your codecs somehow. __________________ Intel Core2Quad Q9550 (2.83Ghz stock) \| ASUS P5Q \| 2x2GB Transcend JetRam DDR2-800 \| ASUS ENGTX260\HDTP\896M \| Windows Vista Home Premium 64bit SP1 The Champ has retired but may his Legacy live on FOREVER !!!! No$GBA DS FAQ 2.0 Get it right fools! The glass is HALF-EMPTY, not half-full!!! !!! WARNING: Emulation requires a brain !!! WARNING: Emulation =/= Piracy !!!

February 29th, 2012, 14:26	#5
Lasnap Elven-Dragon Mage Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: USA Posts: 1,870	The recent flash update may also be causing problems as it seems to be crashing a lot more then previous versions at least for me and have you updated to the new VLC 2.0? __________________ Love Knows No Bounds!

February 29th, 2012, 17:13	#6
lagunareturns Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 1,317	Get an air compressor and use it blow dust out the comp, video card and the pci exress slot the video card uses.... I had similar graphical artefacts and it was just dust.

March 1st, 2012, 13:56	#7
capo_2k Registered User Join Date: May 2008 Location: - Posts: 974	I'm pretty sure the problem's gone now. I think it was the TV! All I did was turn the TV on and off, and it seems to have stopped. It's a 37" hannspree 720p 1080i LCD HDTV incase you're wondering. (Running at res. 1804x1004 in 1080i mode with NVidia's desktop resize.)