ATI Catalyst 8.8-8.9 + EVR = No picture (1 Viewer)

[SweMart]

You always hear the devs saying that device drivers are to be blamed for everything. Here's an interesting situation:
- ATI Catalyst 8.5-8.7 works without "any" problems in EVR mode
- ATI Catalyst 8.8-8.9 doesn't work with EVR in MediaPortal

I did this:
1) Started MP and connected graphedit to the graph. See the attached picture named "Step 1 - Try watching TV form within MP.jpg". No picture, quite interesting that the subtitle filter(dvbsub2) keeps displaying the subtitles. One frame is displayed before the screen goes black. Sound keeps playing fine.

2) Save the graph. Quit MediaPortal and started the graph manually in Graphedit - the picture works. See the attached picture named "Step 2 - Play graph using Graphedit.jpg"

How can this not be a MP bug?

VMR9 mode works fine. Please note that I've tried the following codecs with the same result: MS, PDVD8, MPV, Avivo. The problem is also present in all other plugins i.e. DVD, Movies etc.

I've attached debug mode logfiles.

(Please just do not ignore this, I've proven this 10 times during the evening by reverting back and forth between 8.7 and 8.9. Done "Drive Sweeper", safemode etc etc to be certain)

Edit: Another post describing the same issue can be found here > https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...works-but-evr-gives-black-screen-vista-45183/

TV-Server Version: 1.0 RC2 + Latest SVN
MediaPortal Version: 1.0 RC2 + Latest SVN
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Wide
Windows Version: Vista Ultimate SP1
CPU Type: AMD64 X2 6000+
HDD: Seagate 320GB
Memory: Corsair 3GB
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-M55S-S3
Video Card: Club3D ATI HD2600Pro 512MB
Video Card Driver: 8.9
Sound Card: Realtek HDMI
Sound Card AC3: HDMI
Sound Card Driver: 2.04
1. TV Card: Digital Everywhere FloppyDTV-C
1. TV Card Type: DVB-C
1. TV Card Driver: 4.5N
2. TV Card: Digital Everywhere FloppyDTV-C
2. TV Card Type: DVB-C
2. TV Card Driver: 4.5N
MPEG2 Video Codec: ATI Avivo
MPEG2 Audio Codec: MS
h.264 Video Codec: PowerDVD 8.0
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Comhem
HTPC Case: Silverstone LC17
Cooling: Noctua NH-U9F
Power Supply: Zalman 600HP
Remote: MCE 2005 Remote+Keyboard
TV: Sony Bravia KDL-52W4000
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI

 

[chemelli]

Sorry but I cannot confirm this behaviour.

I'm running 8.8 (both drivers and CCC, very important) and EVR + Vista. Everything run very smoothly.
I was forced for other reason to format my pc and maybe this is why a straight install of 8.8 works...

Simone

 

[SweMart]

Sorry but I cannot confirm this behaviour.

I'm running 8.8 (both drivers and CCC, very important) and EVR + Vista. Everything run very smoothly.
I was forced for other reason to format my pc and maybe this is why a straight install of 8.8 works...

Simone

Well, EVR mode works in other DVB and DVD apps. The fact that I can save the graph created by MediaPortal and then play it using GraphEdit shows that there's something wrong with MediaPortal.

(+ the fact that 8.5-8.7 works without any problem. I can revert back and forth to prove this)

I'd love to help out testing this since I need 8.8 or 8.9 badly to get performance on 1080i HD broadcasts.

Edit: I find there are quite a lot of posts similar to the one below:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...vision-20227-rar-45117/index2.html#post304707

"No picture att all when I run EVR mode."

You can always tell people to reinstall the OS, this consumes a lot of time. I have a PC with nothing other than PDVD8, Haali, DivX and CoreAVC on.

Edit 2: I see lots of weird messages that I've never seen before in the logs:
2008-09-19 00:59:34.908310 [Debug][MPMain]: VMR9Helper: Playing -> Repainting, Frames 123
2008-09-19 00:59:35.058691 [Debug][MPMain]: VMR9: Repainting -> Playing, Frames: 123
2008-09-19 00:59:36.063509 [Debug][MPMain]: VMR9Helper: Playing -> Repainting, Frames 0
2008-09-19 00:59:37.601497 [Debug][MPMain]: VMR9: Repainting -> Playing, Frames: 3

 

[caveman]

I tried with the latest SVR build and ATI 8.8, I could only get a picture when using EVR.

But i'm also still in the test and Configuring phase

 

[SweMart]

I've solved the problem without reinstalling.

I admit defeat, the problem wasn't MediaPortals fault but it was down to old junk that older ATI drivers had left in the registry.

To solve the problem I did the following:
1) Uninstall Catalyst 8.9
2) Reboot the PC into Safe Mode
3) Ran "Drive Sweeper" from Guru3d.com
4) Did a search in the registry for "ATI", found something like 50 different keys relating to the drivers
5) Rebooted and installed 8.9

 

[chemelli]

I admit defeat, the problem wasn't MediaPortals fault but it was down to old junk that older ATI drivers had left in the registry.

Happy you solved it and it was not MP fault

Simone

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

I admit defeat, the problem wasn't MediaPortals fault but it was down to old junk that older ATI drivers had left in the registry.

+1 for how easily MP is screwed by drivers, unforunately there is nothing Team-Mediaportal can do about these kind of problems.

This is why a driver cleaner is really advised to be used, and that includes removing previous settings.

 

[Justchill]

Same problem here: black screen on DIVX + X.264 movies in Mediaportal. Also using cata 8.9. I'll try your solution, SweMart!

I did everything you said... didn't help, any suggestions?

=> installed Catalyst 8.7 => EVR works again.. ???