Blocky Video (Loss of Quality) in MediaPortal (1 Viewer)

[maloh]

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: MCE
CPU Type: AthlonXP 2800+
HDD: 120GB IDE 7200rpm
Memory: 1024mb
Video Card: Radeon 9800 pro
Video Card Driver: Latest Catalyst
Sound Card: TerraTec Aureon 7.1
1. TV Card: AVerMedia A16D Hybrid + FM
Projector: Targa 2810 PD (DLP)

Hi all,

I am new to these forums so let me just say how great MediaPortal is and how much I appreciate the work that goes into it.

My problem is one that really bothers me yet I am sure there must be an easy way to fix it.

I have all the latest codecs installed and when playing movies in WMP all is great. However when I use MediaPortal the image loses quality and becomes blocky. I have tried all of the decoders listed in the MP movie player configuration but none of them make any difference. The videos are DivX/XviD.

I have searched the forums to see if I can find any previous posts with the same problem but so far it hasn't helped. The brightness/contrast are identical in MP and WMP so they are not the issue.

I love MediaPortal's media player (and it works superb with my AverMedia remote) so I would really love to sort this out.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Mark Aherne

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Are you using FFDShow for the playback of Xvid\Divx or have you got the individual codecs installed ?

Any codec packs installed (not recommended)

Please try and list any codec related software installed ie quickplayer, realplayer etc.

 

[maloh]

Thanks Paranoid,

I'm currently using the K-Lite (Mega) Codec pack:

• FFDShow :
- FFDShow [rev. 885]
- extra plugins
- FFDShow VFW interface
• DirectShow video filters :
- XviD [version 1.2.0-dev with v1.1.2]
- DivX [version 6.2.5.34]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (Cyberlink) [version 6.0.0.3402]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (DScaler5) [version 0.0.8.0]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (MainConcept) [version 1.0.0.78]
- MPEG-1 / MPEG-2 (Ligos) [version 4.0.0.77]
• VFW video codecs :
- XviD [version 1.2.0-dev with v1.1.2]
- x264 [rev. 600]
- Windows Media 9 VCM [version 9.0.1.369]
- On2 VP6 [version 6.4.2.0] [Encoding]
- On2 VP7 [version 7.0.10.0] [Encoding]
- Intel Indeo [version 5.2562.15.54]
- Intel Indeo [version 4.51.16.2]
- Intel Indeo [version 3.24.15.03]
- Intel I.263 [version 2.55.1.16]
- Huffyuv [version 2.1.1 CCE Patch 0.2.5]
- I420 (Helix) [version 1.2]
- YV12 (Helix) [version 1.2]
• DirectShow audio filters :
- MP3 (Fraunhofer) [version 1.9.0.311]
- AC3/DTS/LPCM (AC3Filter) [version 1.11]
- AC3/DTS/LPCM (InterVideo) [version 7.0.27.191]
- MP1/MP2 (MainConcept) [version 1.0.0.78]
- Vorbis (CoreVorbis) [version 1.1.0.79]
- AAC (CoreAAC) [version 1.2.0.575]
- AAC (3ivX Pro) [version D4 4.5.1]
- MusePack [version 1.0.0.3]
- Monkey's Audio [version 1.00]
- WavPack (CoreWavPack) [version 1.0.3]
- FLAC (illiminable) [version 0.73.1936]
- Voxware MetaSound [version 1.0.0.12]
- AAC encoder (3ivX Pro) [version D4 4.5.1]
• ACM audio codecs :
- MP3 (Fraunhofer) [version 3.4.0.0]
- MP3 (LAME) [version 3.97]
- AC3 (ffcHandler) [version 1.3.1]
- Vorbis [version 0.0.3.6]
- DivX Audio [version 4.2.0.0]
• DirectShow source filters :
- MP4 splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.6.400.11]
- MP4 splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3]
- Matroska splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.6.400.11]
- Matroska splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.2.9]
- Ogg splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.6.400.11]
- FLV splitter (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.1]
- MPEG-TS splitter (Haali Media Splitter) [version 1.6.400.11]
- MPEG demuxer (Cyberlink) [version 1.0.0.4528]
- MPEG demuxer (Gabest) [version 1.0.0.3]
- MPEG demuxer (MainConcept) [version 1.0.1.20]
- MPEG demuxer (Elecard) [version 1.0.31.51211]
- MP3 Source (DCoder) [version 1.3]
- SHOUTcast Source [version 1.0.0.1]
• DirectShow subtitle filter :
- DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter) [version 2.37]
- DirectVobSub (a.k.a. VSFilter) [version 2.33]
• DirectShow audio filters (general purpose) :
- Morgan Multimedia Stream Switcher [version 0.9.9]
• Encoding tools :
- LAME CLI and DLL [version 3.97]
- LameDropXPd [version 3.97]
- OggDropXPd [version 1.8.9 aoTuVb4.51]

I've opened up the FFDShow configuration and tried loads of different settings, includig switching the codecs from libavid to DivX/XviD (and even done "Right Side Only" to compare) and no matter what I've done the image is still blocky.

I really can't understand this because in WMP the image quality is perfect (but don't get me wrong, I REALLY want to use MP's media player).

Any suggestions would be really appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[leohuf]

Hey everyone,

I'm having the exact same problem here... and I also have the K-Lite Codec pack installed... maybe I should try to unnistall it?

Thanks in advance,
Leo.

 

[leohuf]

Well,

with a more in-depth search throught the forums, I came up with the anwser!!!

I got a clue on how to fix this from previous posts in this thread: https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/problem_video_quality_xvid_avi-t13476.html

I also posted my solution (wich I think is better than the ones previously posted) there.

I actually found 3 or 4 threads about this same problem... perhaps this is not so uncommon?

Best regards,
Leo.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

The problem's encountered when using codec packs, is they change too many of window's defaults, That's why they are never recommended.

Makes for to many unknowns, not good when trying to keep things simple and reliable.

 

[Jean-Marc]

I also have the same quality problems with DVD, a huge quality difference between any DVD reader available into my computer and MP...
I yet posted about that in the french forum, without any help, so it seemed to me that the problem was due to my configuration...
It is true that the codec "video renderer" helps BUT when I use it, I can't anymore use the A key to swith the language, I can't use the Y key to change the sub titles, the S key doesn't work to change the screen size...
Any help??

Why do we have so many codecs options?? Just one will be enough, but one THAT WORKS, please developpers...

 

[maloh]

I'll try this out when I get home.

Thanks a million for the help guys.