Problem playing MPEG-2 files

[Wonderm00n]

TV-Server Version:
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.3.0 RC3 SVN 16490
MediaPortal Skin: Xface
Windows Version: Win XP Pro SP2 + All updates
CPU Type: AMD BE-2350 2.10GHz (OC to 2.52GHz)
HDD: 80Gb IDE + 120Gb SATA
Memory: 1,87Gb DDR2
Motherboard: Asus M2A-VM HDMI
Motherboard Chipset: AMD 690G
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: ATI Radeon Express 1250 (onboard)
Video Card Driver: 8.342.0.0
Sound Card: Realtek High Definition Audio (onboard)
Sound Card AC3: coaxial out
Sound Card Driver: 5.10.0.5391
1. TV Card: Hauppauge Win-TV-PVR-500
1. TV Card Type: Analog
1. TV Card Driver: 2.0.48.24227
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: Nvidia PureVideo Decoder
MPEG2 Audio Codec: Nvidia PureVideo Decoder
Satelite/CableTV Provider: TV Cabo Portugal (Analog cable)
HTPC Case: 3RSYSTEM MSTATION HT-1100
Cooling:
Power Supply: LC Power Super Silent 420Wt
Remote: iMON PAD
TV: LCD 37'' LG LZ37 RZ55
TV - HTPC Connection: Sub-D

Hi there,

I must have everything messed up on my system regarding playback of MPEG-2 files.
So far I haven't noticed any problem playing regular MPEG-2 files or DVD. (The DVD is being upscaled by ffdshow on Media Portal.)

But today i come across this great Panasonic HD Demo which is a MPEG-2 1080i file and A LOT of stuttering in happening when playing it both in WMP9 and Media Portal.

Let me explain:

- On WMP9, on the file properties it shows MPA Audio and MPV Video decoders. I would like this to be NVIDIA Pure Video, but the Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility says that NVIDIA is the preferred decoder already, but WMP9 is using MPA/MPV.
- Graphedit shows:
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> MPV Decoder Filter -> Video Renderer
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> MPA Decoder Filter -> Default Direct Sound

- On Media Portal, it's using NVIDIA, as you can see by what Graphedit shows:
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> NVIDIA Video Decoder -> ffdshow raw video filter -> VMR9
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> NVIDIA Audio Decoder -> Default Direct Sound

- VLC is the only program that plays the file smoothly (AND VERY NICELY!!!)

The CPU usage is about 20%, and the memory usage is about 25% when playing the file both in WMP9 and Media Portal, so it doesn't seem to be a lack of resources problem, but a misconfiguration.

Can anyone help me?

[Paranoid Delusion]

I had similar problem, easiest way of doing it is to copy the whole mediaportal directory to a safe backup location (HDD CD etc) and uninstall MP, reboot and reinstall MP without the MPV\MPA codecs, then install your svn.

Overwrite the mediaportal folder, if any settings have been lost with your backup.

You do not want to muck about with filter merits, can really screw up big style.

[Wonderm00n]

Still the same problem. A LOT of stuttering making it impossible to view.

I've re-installed MP just like you told me, unchecked MPV/MPA and also DSCALER, but when installing the SVN they come back. I've removed them with Filmerit.

Anyway I still have the stuttering issues both in WMP (now version 11) and MP:

- In MP, graphedit shows the same as my previous post

- In WMP11, I can't connect to the remote graph in graphedit, but if I render the media file directly in graphedit (which I suppose it's the same), I now get:
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> ffdshow Audio Decoder -> Deafult Direct Sound
- mpg file -> mpeg-2 demultiplexer -> NVIDIA Video Decoder -> Video Renderer

On WMP11 my CPU starts between 30 and 55% and then goes down and does not goes over 20->25% after about 20 seconds of playback time (but it's exactly when the playback becomes impossible...).
On MP the CPU is now always 55% to 65% when playing the mpeg file.
Memory does not seems to be a problem at all: less than 20% of usage at all time.

I can still see this HD mpeg file perfectly in VLC. 15 to 20% of CPU usage at all times.

So I'm guessing this is CPU related (?) Is there anyway to fix this?
I know that VLC uses internal codecs, but is it normal to have such a big performance difference, when using commercial decoders like NVIDIA (set to use hardware acceleration)?

I'm getting to a dead-end here...

[Wonderm00n]

I'm watching, right now, a Blue-Ray (Die Hard 4.0) with PowerDVD 7.3, with beautiful DTS sound going through SPDIF to my receiver, and with a FANTASTIC video quality with no stuttering at all...

Can my problem really be CPU/RAM performance related when I can see the mpeg file with VLC and I can even see this 38Gb Blue-Ray movie perfectly?

[ThaClown]

I'd say its codec related.....
I have the same problem with some of my HD files....
Here some results with various HD's:

300: Plays great but with 80% CPU load... (PowerDVD, FFDAudio used)
Black Hawk Down: Amazing with 25% CPU load... (PowerDVD, FFDAudio)
The Matrix: Plays well but with high CPU and codecs used are MPV and MPA (why???) and I just can not seem to change it!
Kill Bill: audio works, video does not. GrapEdit says something about wrong streams.... (could be damaged file)
Band of Brothers: Just amazing (PowerDVD, FFDAudio)
Transformers: Alot of suttering 99% load (PowerDVD and some strange deplexer wich probably is the problem)
Planet Earth: Smooth as silk (PowerDVD)

So im getting mixed results and am still working on the perfect codec mix....
Maybe we could start a HD codec Wiki or group to test together??

[SiLenTYL]

i am having the exact same issue..i think with the exact same file

[ThaClown]

All of my problems are fixed by using the latest update for PowerDVD!
Everythings runs fine now