Movies are dark except in full screen mode

[lifire]

I've read a whole bunch of stuff about overlay, codecs, brightness settings in BSplayer itself, but it still doesn't make sense to me that if I watch a movie at 100% it is impossible to make anything out; the picture is much too dark. However, if I play the video fullscreen, it is fully visible. I can take the same video in windows media player and see it just fine @ 100% or full screen. I know it can't be a codec problem because of that.

Also, if I change the brightness settings in BSplayer, when I go to full screen it is much too bright then (white washed). It seems 100% and full screen share the same setting changes, but not the same initial settings.

I'm using the latest build and did a default install, haven't really changed any settings having to do with video or codecs/filters.

Thanks.