720p issues... do I need to upgrade or fix something? (1 Viewer)

[fallenturtle]

TV-Server Version: none
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.2.0
MediaPortal Skin: foofaraw 1610 vs 0.2.2.0
Windows Version: XP Pro SP2
CPU Type: AMD Athlon64 3500+ 2.21
HDD: Maxtor 10gb (system drive)
Memory: 1gb
Motherboard: Gigabyte K8U-939
Motherboard Chipset: ULi M1689
Motherboard Bios: Award F5
Video Card: radeon 9800 pro
Video Card Driver: 8.36-070314a3-044981C-ATI
Sound Card: Turtle Beach Audio Advantage Roadie (USB)
Sound Card AC3: not active
Sound Card Driver: 5.12
1. TV Card: none
1. TV Card Type: none
1. TV Card Driver: none
2. TV Card: none
2. TV Card Type: none
2. TV Card Driver: none
3. TV Card: none
3. TV Card Type: none
3. TV Card Driver: none
4. TV Card: none
4. TV Card Type: none
4. TV Card Driver: none
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling: fans
Power Supply:
Remote: ATI Remote Wonder
TV: Optoma HD70
TV - HTPC Connection: VGA

I'm having issues with my setup regarding 1280x720p files. Most of them are in a mkv container. I'm using CoreAVC 1.3.0.0 with its default settings. A lot of my issues are varied between different files and and whether or not I'm viewing said file in Media Portal or Media Player Classic. My preference is to use Media Portal, thus why I'm posting here and not a general HTPC forums.

For the most part these files play. They are all 5.1 surround which I have going through ReClock 1.6 and then onto my sound card via DirectX. I was having issues before ReClock with some movies where it would seem that frames were being skipped (though when having a similar issue in MPC it said no frames were skipped. The most recent thing I've watched I haven't noticed any visible jumping, but the audio seems to be off from the video at varying degrees.

Some data that I don't know matters or not from MPC: on this most recent file there's 1-2ms of Jitter. The frame-rate jumps around from 28.62 up to 30.03 fps (the file is 29.970). Sync offset avg: 90m dev: 70ms.

Is there a way to get similar info out of Media Portal?

The video stream of this file is MPEG-4 AVC and the audio is 48KHz 6 channel DTS. This is generally what most of my 720p files are.

I guess my question is, using the above as an example and looking at my hardware profile, does it seems like all my problems are more likely software configuration issues, or do I just not have a beefy enough system to watch these files without issues. Most of the time, these files aren't unwatchable, its just that the audio will become unsync or the motion will stutter so I wonder if my system technically is just right on the edge of being able to handle these files.

If it does seem like a hardware issue, would it be better to get a new graphics card that can do x.264 on its own chipset, or does that tend to have its own issues as well. Do I just need more memory, or a dualcore CPU?

I'm just tired having always having to tinker with the settings and having to drop out of Media Portal. I realize there is no such thing as a perfectly smooth working HTPC system, but it seems there is something I must be able to do that will make my system somewhat better.

Thanks.

 

[Taipan]

Most of the time, these files aren't unwatchable, its just that the audio will become unsync or the motion will stutter so I wonder if my system technically is just right on the edge of being able to handle these files..

Have you checked the CPU% while watching these videos - you will probably find that it is hitting 100% at times, which would explain the motion stutters ....

 

[fallenturtle]

Most of the time, these files aren't unwatchable, its just that the audio will become unsync or the motion will stutter so I wonder if my system technically is just right on the edge of being able to handle these files..

Have you checked the CPU% while watching these videos - you will probably find that it is hitting 100% at times, which would explain the motion stutters ....

Yes, I popped Media Portal into windowed mode and opened up task manager and it showed that MP was around 99.

 

[ThaClown]

I would try different codecs, I use PowerDVD, has good result.
But 99% is not good so some different settings are in order.

 

[fallenturtle]

I would try different codecs, I use PowerDVD, has good result.
But 99% is not good so some different settings are in order.

I have an older version of PowerDVD. I take it the newer versions can decode x.264? Have you compared its performance to CoreAVC? It's been my impression that as far as software codecs are concerned, CoreAVC was the best... thus my concerns of performance issues under it.

Do graphics cards that support x.264 720p decoding do a smooth perfect job, or do they also have issues processing complex or highbandwidth scenes?

 

[pegisys]

Sounds like a software issue I have the same CPU and I only use about 60% on 720P files

I would say get graph edit and render the video, take not of the graph and cpu usage, then open mediaportal start the video the connect to a remote graph in graph edit then compare the graph and cpu usage

I had a problem with ffdshow and coreavc loading at the same time, to fix it I had to disable h.264 in ffdshow and I also gave coreavc highest priority for h.264 video.

 

[fallenturtle]

I've looked at my graph when viewing MP in windowed mode and it wasn't showing any odd codecs in there.

Well I sat down and compared and contrasted a bunch of my 720p mkv files. As far as the file stats are concerned, they are all using the same codec. Most have AC3 sound with a few having DTS but between those I didn't notice any correlating differences. I thought maybe the difference was the bitrate, because the one file that is absolutely horrible has a bit rate of 6765kbs (its also the only file that is 30fps and not 24fps like the rest of the bunch)... but then some files with lower bitrates did poorly as well where as some with higher bit rates didn't seem to choke as much as others... Some files use roughly 80-99 cpu where as some use around 60.

 

[ThaClown]

I have an older version of PowerDVD. I take it the newer versions can decode x.264? Have you compared its performance to CoreAVC? It's been my impression that as far as software codecs are concerned, CoreAVC was the best... thus my concerns of performance issues under it.

Yes I have a newer version of PowerDVD and it is far better on my system (it fully uses my HD2400 card for HD decoding so my CPU load is never over 20% when playing HD)

Do graphics cards that support x.264 720p decoding do a smooth perfect job, or do they also have issues processing complex or highbandwidth scenes?

Mine does a perfect job for me (movies like Startwars 2 run very smooth and clear even when Yoda is going MAD!!!

On the upgrade side: I'd go for a cheap AMD dualcore (mine is a bit fast I think), a HD2400 or HD2900 and a new version of PowerDVD.
With this you get a fast system that can play anything (just install AC3 and FFDShow), for me it is perfect and not too expencive.