Video plays then goes blank

Windows XP SP 2 using WMP 11 to watch a DVD, or a video clip the movie will
play for 30 seconds or so and then the screen goes blank. The audio
continues, but I'm staring at a slightly grey screen. No other way to stop
it other than to turn the computer off. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Also, tried to use CyberLink Power DVD to view the DVD, same thing. After a
brief viewing, the screen goes blank, but the audio continues.

Quicktime video files work fine, FLV files work fine.

Maybe the free VLC Media player would work for you.

VLC Media Player
http://www.videolan.org/

And...it's possible that you need to update your video driver.

Not enuff info.
Why haven't you updated to SP3 - You should.
Implied it is any DVD, that are proven to play in a standalone player or
another PC? And what type of video clip - mpeg? WMV? ???
In what media player do .flv files play fine? Is it VLC, then try the DVD(s)
in VLC, if they play OK, then it's not the DVD at fault. But as it happens
in PowerDVD as well, it could be a decoder issue, or registry corruption?
So when WMP or PowerDVD goes blank when playing a DVD, the actual
media player freezes the PC?
Any error messages?
Try disabling anti-virus + firewall software then attempt playback (make
sure you are disconnected from the evil of the internet before you disable
such software). If it plays OK with AV+FW disabled, I'd suspect a rootkit,
but you would have had plenty of previous warnings?
In the MS knowledge database the only listed and unhelpful solution is
this: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928898
But though that is specific to Vista, it is WMP11 and a known issue.
What spec is your XP computer, has it ever been able to play DVD's?

Why? Updating to SP3 caused unwanted issues on all 3 PCs that I updated.
Fortunately, I can state that the one thing about SP3 that does work well -
is its own uninstall routine. While SP3 works for some people, there are a
significant number for whom it causes problems.

I was mistaken, I have updated to SP3. I'm using the NVIDIA Quadro FX
3450/4000 SDI and the driver is up-to-date.
Yes, the DVD's work in a standalone player and on other computers.
Mpeg, avi, and wmv files exhibit the same results on this computer.
FLV files play on an FLV player. I just downloaded the VLC player and will
try it.
When the DVD starts in either WMP or PowerDVD, it will play for about 30
seconds and then the screen goes balnk. The audio continues. However, I
have not been able to find a work-around to either stop the player or have
the monitor resume from the blank screen.
No error messages.
I will try and disable the Anti virus and will also stop the screen saver.

I just downloaded and installed the VLC player.
Started the avi file and it played for approximately 2 minutes. The screen
resolution then changed - it appeared to elongate vertically. About 2
minutes later, the screen went to a white background with vertical, jagged
blue lines. The audio continued as described in earlier posts. I could not
find a work-around so I had to turn off the computer.

VLC normally plays anything you load into it.

Sounds serious...have you encountered any other
issues of this type? I don't know what the problem
is but I wonder if you might have a hardware issue
with your Video Card.

You said your video driver was up to date...did you
download it from the Nvidia site? They show version
182.65 released on May 4, 2009.

Please clarify, have any of these problematic video files + DVD's
previously played OK in both WMP and PowerDVD on that PC?
Or have the same video footage of whatever format, always been
problematic?

Are they specific codec orientated files, such DivX or XviD?

We need to eliminate your graphics card, do DVD's now play OK
when using VLC?

Are there any other problems with that PC that you may have thought
unconnected with the video/wmp issues?

Have you made any changes, such as virtual memory settings?

In Device Manager is anything flagged with an exclaimation or
questionmark?

DVD's used to work on the PC.

I tried to play a DVD using the VLC player, but after 4 minutes the screen
elongated. About a minute later, 1/4 of the desktop was a blue screen with
the player occupying the remaining 3/4 of the desktop. However, the bottom
of the desktop was not visible - could not see the taskbar, Start button,
quick launch, etc. The screen then went blank a few minutes later, but the
audio continued. I rebooted, turned off the screen saver and unplugged the
internet connection and tried it again. One minute later, the screen went
blank.

I tried a DvDrip-aXXo (avi) file in my DivX Player - it worked perfectly.
This file caused the screen to go blank in both WMP and PowerDVD.

No other problems with the computer, no changes to virtual memory and no
indications in Device Manager.

OK, so the DVD's are probably not the standard mpeg2/VOB format,
but using the DivX compression technique, no doubt one of the issues
are lack of codecs, but you should get an error message to effect that
WMP/PowerDVD cannot play such file types etc or similar?
Start here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/win...faq/codec.mspx

This is the most uptodate DivX codec pack (at top of page)
It claims compatibility with all media players. Including WMP 6 and above.
http://www.divxmovies.com/software/
Download and install it.

This is the DivX FAQ.
Section 4.2 details a link to a program: DivFix
I've no idea if file corruption maybe the cause of the frozen PC etc.
But you may like to try it to fix any possible corruption.
http://www.divxmovies.com/faq/#4.2

I used a store bought DVD, and tried to play it in the VLC Player. The DVD
started fine and played perfectly until about 4:10. At that time, the screen
elongated again changing the aspect. About 90 seconds later, the screen
pixelated into blue, white and green kaleidescope, but the audio continued.

This time instead of rebooting, I removed the digital video source from the
monitor - waited about 30 seconds - and then reattached it to the monitor.
The screen was back and the FLC Player was reduced in size. My other open
windows (Outlook email and windows explorer) were reduced as well. Other
than that, the desktop was perfect.

I went to the links that you provided and read the WMP frequently asked
questions. The codecs are for WMP 7 and greater. I'm currently using
11.0.5721.5230, so I did not download it. The others appear to be for the
DivX player - it's the only one that works.

The issue is not a frozen PC, rather it is a video problem because the audio
continues to work, and I just determined that the screen resumes if you
disconnect and reconnect the video cable.

I'm still willing to try anything to resolve this problem so please continue
making recommendations/suggestions.

What? Do you mean it is a DVD drive mounted in your monitor?
Try and clarify.
When you say you removed "digital video source from the monitor"
Explain what that means.

Do you have an XP disk or was XP preinstalled?
(This question is to determine if we can perform a repair install).

This is obviously too complicated for you when it really is very simple!
"WMP7 and greater" means your WMP11, you should have downloaded
and installed, sigh....

You are going to download and install this program
http://www.belarc.com/free_download.html
Follow the instructions, it will perform an audit of your PC.
We will then try and determine if it is a graphics driver issue.
And if any hotfixes are missing.
(You have SP3, a fool posted to thread about it, ignore him -
SP3 is an all important update)

Rather than perform a cold shutdown, have you tried Task Manager
to end task?
You call up Task Manager in XP by holding down keys: Ctrl+Alt+Del
Read about here
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/323527

Play a problematic DVD or video clip, when it gives you grief with
screen blanking but audio continuing, call up Task Manager
Click the Applications tab
End task on WMP.
report back
The next step is a process of elimination to try and discern if ending task
on other applications or processes solves the problem, if so, then
there is a conflict.

These may seem strange questions but are pertinant:
Is your keyboard fully functional and all keys function with none
stuck down?
Nothing is resting on the keyboard, such as a mouse?

Disconnecting "video cable", so it is a PC with an attached monitor,
and what type of cable - DVI or VGA

I meant the DVI cable that plugs into the monitor - the video cable.
The DVD drive is located in the computer.

I tried to watch a streaming press conference the other day. The video
played for about 3 minutes and then the monitor did the same thing. When I
unplugged the DVI cable from the monitor, the computer played a chime
indicating that it had been unplugged, and when I plugged it back into the
monitor the video continued playing.

I then borrowed another monitor - the same model - and tried it. After a
few minutes, it too went to a grey screen. Therefore, I can only assume
either the specific model monitor is not compatible with the computer for
playing videos or the video card may be causing problems.

XP came preinstalled.

Task Manager does not work.

No keys are stuck.

I understand WMP7 and greater. Due to the fact that I'm using WMP
11.0.5721.5230, I already have the most up-to-date codecs.

Downloading Belarc.