Micro stuttering (judder) with hd2600xt HW accelerated H.264

[pnyberg]

TV-Server Version: SVN 16587
MediaPortal Version: SVN 16587
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: XP SP2
CPU Type: AMD X2 4200+
HDD:
Memory: 2GB
Motherboard:
Motherboard Chipset:
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: HD2600XT
Video Card Driver: 7.11
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: FireDTV
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Cyberlink 7.3 Build 3104
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Dscaler
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV: ACER 3705
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI-HDMI

Hi

Bought myself an HD 2600 XT just to have the HW decoding of h.264 Live TV.
I am having the HW decoding working cause my CPU is only "idleing" more or less when watching 720p h.264 live TV.

But my problem is that I am having these micro stutters all the time (judder?). Not that very much but still there. When running only SW decoding the stuttering is gone (tested both wiht Cyberlink and CoreAVC decoders)!
Also when running HW acceleration using Powerdvd Ultra on a recorded h.264 .ts file picture is also smooth.
Tried DVBviewer using VMR9 there is also these stutters (judder)...

As I said the stuttering is not that much but since the SW decoding is having nothing of this - it is ultrasmooth then you tend to notice these stutters more...

If I can't get this to work as smooth as SW decoding I'm gonna have to return the card.

Anybody with the same setup that don't have these stutters (or judder?)?

[pnyberg]

*bump*

Am I the only one trying to use an HD2600 to view live 720P h.264 TV with Mediaportal?
Would be nice to hear if there are someone that has this working...?

I also have Haali Media Splitter installed (comes with CoreAVC) is that something that can be a problem with DXVA?

Grasping for some advice here...

[dukeelam]

Are you running the TV in 50Hz when watching TV?
As you say its smooth on prerecorded h264 that probably is a framerate closer to 60Hz it should be less stutter if your screen is at 60Hz refreshrate. Hard to say if its that kind of interference stutter between the 50Hz TV signal and the screen refresh.

I have seen alot of driver problems about those cards here and elsewhere too ( ATI drivers )

Hope it works out.

Regards
Duke

[pnyberg]

I run my LCD in 50 Hz so that should not be any problem... especially since the problem goes away when not using DXVA with the same decoder (Cyberlink), but thanks anyway.

Would be nice to hear if someone has this working out there ...? Then I could be certain it is my system setup in some way...

[pnyberg]

Hi again... talking to myself here...

But I thought I should update all of you of my findings. When checking the codecs used in Graphedit i can get it to run smooth as long as I don't use VMR9. As soon as I choose VMR9 as video renderer the frame rate goes down to 34 more or less and the jitter stat starts to rise... When using the "normal" video renderer I get perfectly smooth playback with framrate of 49-50 and no jitter.

There is no way to NOT use VMR9 inside MP?

Anyway I have installed the latest patch to quartz.dll (running version 6.5.2600.2905 date 2006-05-10) but to no avail. Is this a VMR9 bug or is there some workaround?

[joystick]

Have you done some tweaking, do you know the avsforum, where there are some 120 Pages of hints and a tweakig guide for the HD 2x00 series?

Link to tweak:
http://exdeus.home.comcast.net/ati-hd2x00/


cheers
joystick

[pnyberg]

Thanks Joystick, yes I found that thread myself - that is why bought the card...

To answer yuor question: yes, I did the ExDeus registry tweaks and got a beautiful picture everywhere except the "micro stutters" in VMR9/MP (that is probably caused by frame drops in VMR9 as explained in my above post) when playing h.264 HD .ts (or live).

I'm just curious if there is no one out there that is using an ATI HD2xxx and don't experience this inside MP?
And if it exist some workaround for this..?

[joystick]

Well, unfortunately I think I can't help you, 'cause I using Vista and EVR, no stutters here....

[pnyberg]

Well this is interesting though - cause if it works with Vista I might consider upgrading. Are you then using EVR - and you don't have any other issues with MP (like channel change times, timeshifting, recording etc)?

The EVR support inside MP is still under development isn't it?

Regards

[joystick]

Yes I am using EVR, and you get HW acceleration under Vista.

There is a slight issue, which does not bother me too much, in MP.
When you change channels with chup or chdown, you get a switching delay, up to several seconds. When changing channels via the miniepg in mytv you get immediate smooth channel changing.

Everything else is actually working quite good.

AND: The Picture is MUCH better using EVR. (Blacks are black, colours re more vivid).
BUT you need to enable Aero.

cheers

joystick