Question regarding Nvidia driver issues

[PcTeknic]

There's no solution for the last two Nvidia drivers?.
PinballX doesn't display some videos after updating the graphics card, you can hear the sound, but the screen is black.
I know Tom is aware of this and has been trying to fix it, but I see that two months later, we're still having the same problem.
Reverting to the previous Nvidia driver might be a temporary solution, but not a permanent one.
Are there any other solutions? Is there any word on when this will be fixed?

[Draco1962]

I split this from the Feature Request thread. This is a query regarding a known issue and more appropriate to be asked and responded to within the General forum.

There may not be a fix possible for PinballX as the issue, as noted in several posts, is Nvidia-inflicted. Tom has attempted to address as much as he can to date. 

Such is the way with software development - sometimes the only fix is a workaround.

That said, no ETA for a fix at present.

[PcTeknic]

Thank´s Draco
I think that while the problem stems from a change in Nvidia drivers, the frontend needs to adapt to that change.
HyperSpin and other frontends don't have this problem with the new Nvidia drivers.
It's a shame, because I've been using PinballX for over 10 years, I've lost count, but I suppose it's been more than 15 and I wouldn't want to have to switch now.

[Draco1962]

Hyperspin and other frontends do not necessarily have the same code base. Some may be easier to adapt than others. 

Patience.

[PcTeknic]

I've noticed something that I'm not sure will be helpful, or if Tom already knows.

I've noticed that the videos that aren't playing are the ones I recorded with PBXRecorder.

And the videos that are playing are videos from Zen Studios (FX2, FX3, FX, M) and other Steam games that I recorded with Nvidia and later edited with VSCD Free Video Editor.
The problem might be in the code that PBXRecorder uses.

[scutters]

PbxRecorder isn't supported actively anymore so any changes to the encoding there (if that's the issue) are unlikely. If you want to stick with pbxrecorder you could try changing the existing output options it already has (mp4/flv etc) to see if that helps, or try the recorder built into Database Manager instead.

For PinballX attaching an example video might help Tom to look into it further, as well as confirming you've tested it against all the Media Foundation setting options available in PinballX 7.23 (Yes, No and Sample Grabber) with no success.

[PcTeknic]

Tom has been aware of this problem for two months now. The videos play because the audio works, but the video screen is black.

I'll record a video when I can.
I'll also try changing the settings in PBXRecorder and PinballX.
I don't use Database Manager.

[Draco1962]

3 hours ago, PcTeknic said:

Tom has been aware of this problem for two months now. 

On 5/27/2026 at 10:05 AM, PcTeknic said:

Thank´s Draco
I think that while the problem stems from a change in Nvidia drivers, the frontend needs to adapt to that change.
HyperSpin and other frontends don't have this problem with the new Nvidia drivers.
It's a shame, because I've been using PinballX for over 10 years, I've lost count, but I suppose it's been more than 15 and I wouldn't want to have to switch now.

I don't know if you mean to or not, but the tone of your responses comes across as if you don't feel that Tom (and the rest of the team) is doing enough to try to fix this issue to meet your expectations.

I hope that I am wrong and misreading the intent of your posts. 

Scutters is correct. PBXRecorder was created by gtxjoe as a community tool, not Tom, and is not a core PinballX feature. Its last published version (1.6) dates back to 2017, and there has been no active development or compatibility updates for modern VPX, B2S, or Windows changes. PBXRecorder is not part of PinballX development and receives no fixes or compatibility patches.

Scutters provided an alternative solution and it may be worth your while to give it a try.

[Tom Speirs]

Definitely sounded very off to me too. i spent a lot of time and money researching and fixing these problems and you don't even provide a frigging log file. I guess you get what you pay for buddy.

[Mike_da_Spike]

15 hours ago, PcTeknic said:

I don't use Database Manager.

Maybe you could give it a try for creating your videos. We’ve spent a lot of time building this recorder, and it’s one of a kind. It records videos in a different way than all the others (vpx) recorders. Not saying you should switch over, but just give it a try, as Scutters said.

[scutters]

20 hours ago, PcTeknic said:

I'll record a video when I can.

Sorry, i meant attach one of the videos you have issues with in PinballX rather than recording a video of the issue.

[Tom Speirs]

It sounded off to the native English speakers but all is forgiven! As always we will all try and help. Please follow up with what was requested.

Cheers,

Tom.

[PcTeknic]

The tone in writing is subject to interpretation, especially when using a translator...
I've been around for years, I've shared my creations, and I even did the Spanish translation for PinballX. I don't think I deserve to be doubted.
And bringing up this problem isn't to criticize PinballX or PinballX Recorder (of which I use version 1.9), it's to try and help find a solution. I thought that mentioning that videos recorded with PBXRecorder were failing, while those recorded by other means weren't, would help solve the problem.
Today I'll be able to try the other recording method. I don't mind trying things, even though I've been using PBX Recorder for over 10 years.

[PcTeknic]

This video is recorded using PBX Recorder 1.9

[PcTeknic]

Well, after installing PinballX Database Manager and its dependencies (.NET Framework 8 for it to work and copying FFMPEG to the PinballX directory so it can record the videos), without intending to offend anyone or make comparisons, here's what I've found.

- The videos play correctly with the new Nvidia driver.

- You can't choose the video length (although 45 seconds is fine).

- You can't choose which videos you want to record; it will record all three (playfield, backglass, and DMD). You can't record only the DMD, only the table, the table and backglass, or anything else you want.

- The videos are automatically placed in their corresponding folder, although it takes quite a while. The first time, I thought I had deleted them instead of saving them, but the videos appeared after a few minutes.

- The Backglass video also recorded the table for me (I'll try again; perhaps running it a second time, since I couldn't see the videos, caused a glitch).

- The recording is done exclusively table by table; you don't have the option to have it record all the tables in a new setup (leave it recording, go to sleep, and see if it's finished the next day).

I'm not sure if re-recording all the videos with the aforementioned issues is feasible.

It might be easier to convert them using a program so they can be displayed by PinballX with the new Nvidia driver.

Now there are over 3,000 videos to edit, but once that's sorted, I'll only need to edit the videos added after recording them with PBXRec, or record them directly with PBX Database Manager.

[PcTeknic]

More Test.
I recorded a video in .f4v format instead of .mp4 using PBXRecorder 1.9 and it still doesn't play with the new Nvidia driver.

Attach log file.

The reason the database manager records the playfield again instead of the backglass might be that it reads PinballX.ini, and all my monitors have the same ID there, and then I give it the coordinates. But following that logic, it should also have recorded the playfield in the DMD video.

 

log.txt

[Tom Speirs]

its the video. its never going to work. its recorded with the default x264 4:4:4. it wont even play in windows. It needs to be a pixel format of 4:2:0. just rerecord the video with something else.

 

[Draco1962]

3 hours ago, PcTeknic said:

More Test.
I recorded a video in .f4v format instead of .mp4 using PBXRecorder 1.9 and it still doesn't play with the new Nvidia driver.

Attach log file.

The reason the database manager records the playfield again instead of the backglass might be that it reads PinballX.ini, and all my monitors have the same ID there, and then I give it the coordinates. But following that logic, it should also have recorded the playfield in the DMD video.

 

log.txt 3.89 kB · 1 download

Not sure that troubleshooting PBXRecorder output is going to happen - sorry.

I am sure that there is plenty of help with any issues you may run into using Database Manager.