requesting best MP/HTPC configuration

Kian · 2008-09-12, 10:59

Hi guys,
i am using MP for half a year now and have invested a lot of time to figure out the optimal settings for playing xvid/divx and mkv/x264 files (both 720p and 1080p)

still today i do not know what the best/working settings would be especially with regard to hardware acceleration for x264/mkv files.

as i am using a vista system and ATI 8.6 catalyst drivers for my onboard GPU (ATI HD 3200), i am still wondering which settings are optimal. any best practices from your side would be helpful as this forum does not really have a thread with this kind of information.

if anyone of you managed to fulfill the following criteria, i would be happy to read your config details (which codecs you are using, using VMR9 or EVR, which display settings, which GPU/driver, which settings exactly in MP has been set):
1. hardware acceleration for mkv files
2. optimal quality playback of movies (xvid/mkv/blueray discs)

looking forward to read your posts, if there are any persons who can report successful settings

revs · 2008-09-12, 11:16

This is a very difficult question to answer - as it is personal preference for everyone.

I have the following and am very happy:

Codecs: PowerDVD 8, ffdshow, quicktime alternative, real alternative, halli (?) mkv splitter

PowerDVD is the Default player, but ffdshow or another is used if needed. Happens automatically.

Depending on the source material the refresh rate is changed.

For Blu-Ray I load up PowerDVD 8.

I am on XP so use VMR9. My Graphics Card is an ATI 3450.

Kian · 2008-09-12, 11:19

@revs
and hardware acceleration is working for mkv files?

i agree that it depends on personal preference but maybe one can read success stories here and try out your settings and decide in the end which one works best for them.

revs · 2008-09-12, 13:00

I havent really got many mkv files - and the ones I do play fine, ive never checked whether H/W acceleration is working though.

tamvegas · 2008-09-13, 02:58

I had an ATI 3650 in my HTPC and playback was okay. Not great by any means. I tried an nVidia 8600gt and the difference is very noticeable. And it's cheaper too.
I use the Cyberlink 8 codecs and ffdshow with excellant results. The BluRay and HD playback excellant as well.
Also, with the 3650 I could only get 1024x768 resolution on my 60" monitor(looked really weird).
With the nVidia the full 1920x1080 is available. Using 1200x1024 with large fonts for ease of use.

musa · 2008-09-15, 07:07

Hi, I'm using Vista 32 and (I think) the same ati motherboard as yours, the one with the onboard ati hd 3200. Using 8.8 catalyst drivers.

For codecs, I'm using CCCP at the moment but I'm using a different ffdshow tryout version.

For a better idea of setting up ur codecs for video playback, you can try the MEDIAPORTAL codec guide
I'm going to scrap CCCP and follow the guide because it does almost the same thing but the codecs/filters CCCP uses are not as updated.

For optimal quality playback of dvds (ie Mpeg 2) and divx/xvid videos, I used resizing in ffdshow to "upscale" them to my tv's native resolution. Works pretty well and better than normal upscaling dvd players imo.

I'm using VMR9 with Gaussian Quad filtering. EVR kills my OSD menu during dvd playback. Dunno why.

For h264/mkv playback, I'm not using hardware acceleration (since not all mkvs are encoded with HA capability). Instead I'm using Corecodec's latest version of CoreAVC for h264 playback. It's definitely one of the best (if not the best) software solutions for smooth h264 playback. In fact, I find no need for hardware acceleration since coreavc works best for me. But a decent cpu is required.

For HD DVD / Blu ray playback, I'm using Arcsoft's TMT (and Anydvd HD for decryption). So far I have no problems with it and I really hate powerdvd 7 and 8.

kiwijunglist · 2008-09-16, 05:16

Hi

I'm using XP PRO SP2 and same mobo 780G with onboard ATI HD3200

Using catalyst 8.9 beta drivers.

I use MPC-HC with default settings, this gives me hardware acceleration for all the 720P/1080P H264 mkv files i have

For TV i use CoreAVC. I was using PDVD8 Ultra 2021 however we have interlaced channels and the hardware acceleration of interlaced channels unfortunately has a bug. However it did perform better than coreAVC, but i had to stop using it because of the bug.

All the other codecs are the default ones that come with mediaportal

View Poll Results: Are you happy with your current video playback in MP?
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2008-09-12, 10:59	#1 (permalink)
Kian Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 98 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts Country:	requesting best MP/HTPC configuration Hi guys, i am using MP for half a year now and have invested a lot of time to figure out the optimal settings for playing xvid/divx and mkv/x264 files (both 720p and 1080p) still today i do not know what the best/working settings would be especially with regard to hardware acceleration for x264/mkv files. as i am using a vista system and ATI 8.6 catalyst drivers for my onboard GPU (ATI HD 3200), i am still wondering which settings are optimal. any best practices from your side would be helpful as this forum does not really have a thread with this kind of information. if anyone of you managed to fulfill the following criteria, i would be happy to read your config details (which codecs you are using, using VMR9 or EVR, which display settings, which GPU/driver, which settings exactly in MP has been set): 1. hardware acceleration for mkv files 2. optimal quality playback of movies (xvid/mkv/blueray discs) looking forward to read your posts, if there are any persons who can report successful settings Last edited by Kian; 2008-09-12 at 11:03..

2008-09-13, 02:58	#5 (permalink)
tamvegas MP Donator Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Las Vegas, NV Posts: 101 Thanks: 8 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts Country: My System	I had an ATI 3650 in my HTPC and playback was okay. Not great by any means. I tried an nVidia 8600gt and the difference is very noticeable. And it's cheaper too. I use the Cyberlink 8 codecs and ffdshow with excellant results. The BluRay and HD playback excellant as well. Also, with the 3650 I could only get 1024x768 resolution on my 60" monitor(looked really weird). With the nVidia the full 1920x1080 is available. Using 1200x1024 with large fonts for ease of use. Last edited by tamvegas; 2008-09-13 at 03:03..

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2008-09-12, 11:16	#2 (permalink)
revs MP Donator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London Age: 26 Posts: 1,047 Thanks: 49 Thanked 48 Times in 33 Posts Country: My System	This is a very difficult question to answer - as it is personal preference for everyone. I have the following and am very happy: Codecs: PowerDVD 8, ffdshow, quicktime alternative, real alternative, halli (?) mkv splitter PowerDVD is the Default player, but ffdshow or another is used if needed. Happens automatically. Depending on the source material the refresh rate is changed. For Blu-Ray I load up PowerDVD 8. I am on XP so use VMR9. My Graphics Card is an ATI 3450.

2008-09-12, 11:19	#3 (permalink)
Kian Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 98 Thanks: 2 Thanked 5 Times in 5 Posts Country:	@revs and hardware acceleration is working for mkv files? i agree that it depends on personal preference but maybe one can read success stories here and try out your settings and decide in the end which one works best for them.

2008-09-12, 13:00	#4 (permalink)
revs MP Donator Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: London Age: 26 Posts: 1,047 Thanks: 49 Thanked 48 Times in 33 Posts Country: My System	I havent really got many mkv files - and the ones I do play fine, ive never checked whether H/W acceleration is working though.

2008-09-15, 07:07	#6 (permalink)
musa Portal Member Join Date: May 2008 Posts: 30 Thanks: 4 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Hi, I'm using Vista 32 and (I think) the same ati motherboard as yours, the one with the onboard ati hd 3200. Using 8.8 catalyst drivers. For codecs, I'm using CCCP at the moment but I'm using a different ffdshow tryout version. For a better idea of setting up ur codecs for video playback, you can try the MEDIAPORTAL codec guide I'm going to scrap CCCP and follow the guide because it does almost the same thing but the codecs/filters CCCP uses are not as updated. For optimal quality playback of dvds (ie Mpeg 2) and divx/xvid videos, I used resizing in ffdshow to "upscale" them to my tv's native resolution. Works pretty well and better than normal upscaling dvd players imo. I'm using VMR9 with Gaussian Quad filtering. EVR kills my OSD menu during dvd playback. Dunno why. For h264/mkv playback, I'm not using hardware acceleration (since not all mkvs are encoded with HA capability). Instead I'm using Corecodec's latest version of CoreAVC for h264 playback. It's definitely one of the best (if not the best) software solutions for smooth h264 playback. In fact, I find no need for hardware acceleration since coreavc works best for me. But a decent cpu is required. For HD DVD / Blu ray playback, I'm using Arcsoft's TMT (and Anydvd HD for decryption). So far I have no problems with it and I really hate powerdvd 7 and 8.

2008-09-16, 05:16	#7 (permalink)
kiwijunglist MP Donator Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 1,879 Thanks: 135 Thanked 191 Times in 141 Posts Country: My System	Hi I'm using XP PRO SP2 and same mobo 780G with onboard ATI HD3200 Using catalyst 8.9 beta drivers. I use MPC-HC with default settings, this gives me hardware acceleration for all the 720P/1080P H264 mkv files i have For TV i use CoreAVC. I was using PDVD8 Ultra 2021 however we have interlaced channels and the hardware acceleration of interlaced channels unfortunately has a bug. However it did perform better than coreAVC, but i had to stop using it because of the bug. All the other codecs are the default ones that come with mediaportal