Automatic Refreshrate Changer (3 Viewers)

[edterbak]

could be a bug in ARC. Can you post this error with your logs in the SVN forum?

But is the problem with black screen gone now?

 

[Kotik]

Ok i noticed something interesting. Refresh rate goes back to the windows default ONLY when ARC is trying to change the rate over the windows API. So if you try to change it over dc.exe or ATI profiles then the refresh rate stays tuned on the last refresh rate used, all this while having the "use default rate" OFF. So this must be a bug or it is my VGA which is 4670. BTW anyone tried cat. 9.4 with the default options for ARC? I mean, no dc and no ATI profiles just plain default. I wonder if it is cat 9.4 the reason, i will try 9.6 and see if anything is changed.

BTW i did try 1.1 alpha clean with no svn, still getting exactly the same symptoms.

Basically right now if i want to watch 2 movies that have 2 different fps i have to click 2 times on each movie........ 1 time in order to force MP to change my refresh rate and and a second time to play the movie since that time it wont have to change the rate... which makes it pretty annoying to click and wait........click and watch...

Sorry if i make no sense but i spent the night fighting with the issue.

 

[edterbak]

My setup is:
XP + sp3 using vmr9 exclusive
ATI 4350 passive
MP1.02 (still because of the skins/plugin I use)

I have used Cat 9.4 till 9.7 without issues using the windows api ARC.

But I would suggest to use the "Foce RR". It only makes sure the refreshrate is set correctly. This can be helping if the current refreshrate is not detected correctly and MP "thinks" the refreshrate is already set correctly (while its not). So, it might help if this is happening. If itsnot, it wont do harm. But this suggestion has nothing to do with your issue.

Regarding your issue:
You are now using DC.exe? If so, it might be usefull to try and call the DC command from a .cmd or .bat file. This way you can combine the refreshrate changing command with the WAIT.EXE command. This might help you as well. Examples are in the openingpost.

 

[Kotik]

I reported it in the latest svn thread and i am able to reproduce the same error with a secon ION pc that i setup yesterday. So it is either my LCD TV or a bug in ARC.

I also did some tests with 3400 and 4300 ati series as u mention that this is the card u use and i still get the same problem, my tv model is SAMSUNG LE40A6556A

 

[edterbak]

Kotik,

Can you make a screenshot of your configuration screen of Dynamic Refreshrate Changer?

[edit]
I saw your post in the SVN topic. It is always wise to add your logs to the post. It is described in HERE how to do that.

 

[der_graf]

Hi there,

I've been using the refreshrate changer for quite some time now (running Mediaportal 1.1 Alpha) and it worked like a charm when I used the default setting, i.e. the Windows API (using Vista/EVR).

Now, after I've defined some custom resolutions in Powerstrip, I wanted to use the resolutions inside MediaPortal, but there is no effect at all...
I've created shortcuts within PowerStrip which specify these custom resolutions & entered the path into the MediaPortal configuration, as described in the first post of this thread.

Sadly, MP seems to not even try to change anything when I play any movies. :-(
There's no error message or whatsoever, MP just starts the movie with the current resolution.

My current workaround is using these custom resolutions via shortcuts on the remote, but that's far from an _automatic_ refreshrate change.

Does anybody have an idea why the PowerStrip shortcuts are ignored?
Might an upgrade to 1.1.0 Beta 1 fix the problem?

Thanks for your help!

 

[edterbak]

-Can you give an example for the commands you are trying to use in the ARC setup.
-Also a thing you can consider. Make use of a batch file. If the batchfile is working outside of MP, then from within MP it should work also.
-Can you also give all the refreshrates/resolutions you want to use in MP?
-Would you also be so kind to fill in your system specs. This always helps. Things like OS, Videocard. Drivers.. etc. all make help to know to solve the issue.

regards,

 

[Johan]

I think this is a codec issue. Are you using DXVA or software decoding. I notice the same when using MPC video decoder + dxva. With software decoding I do not notice it. This also might explain why you dont see it with DVD's Other codec is used then.

Has tried yesterday with ffdshow once again. You were right, with it brakes and artefacts are not present. Thanks for the help. It is a pity that with DXVA it does not work properly.

Well, technically it works, it just has a false start. When DXVA is officially supported in SVN's, this will probably be ironed out with bugfixes. In the mean time, I just skip 5 seconds after starting....

Has the issue with refresh rate changer and dxva problem when resuming from pause been resolved in any way?
Are there any better workaround then skipping +5 seconds?

Since I recently bought a LCD and this refresh rate controller suddenly made sense to me I want it to work perfectly.
My wife will kill me if I leave it like this (breaking the video on pause). I love the smoothness when playing movies at correct refresh rate but it's really sad that it won't cope with dxva.

 

[edterbak]

I think, and dont know if it is actually true, that the tearing problem is releted to the codec. I guess you use MPC-HC codec as well. With the latest SAF package I dont see this problem anymore, but this is still with MP1.02... I am just going to install 1.1beta1 and try it. I will let you know if it works or not.

I just switched to MP1.1beta 1. I am not experiencing any problems with the automatic refreshrate changer. It is functioning fine.
I have teste .avi .mkv and iso's (@24/25/29.9fps)

 

[tourettes]

I think, and dont know if it is actually true, that the tearing problem is releted to the codec. I guess you use MPC-HC codec as well. With the latest SAF package I dont see this problem anymore, but this is still with MP1.02... I am just going to install 1.1beta1 and try it. I will let you know if it works or not.

Tearing should be always caused by the video rendering component (MP) and not the codecs. To avoid tearing you need:

Under Windows XP - Use VMR9 only and exclusive DirectX mode
Under Vista - Use EVR only and enable AERO

If your setup doesn't match those you are a candidate to have tearing, and only good luck (or bad eyes ) are saving you from it. It all depends if the timing, the video texture (and GUI as well) must be drawn in really good timing (when no v-sync is done, which is true if you aren't full filling those two conditions), during the small amount of time when the GPU sits on vertical blank area.