Blu-Ray / HD-DVD Player with PowerDVD (a working solution) (3 Viewers)

[thesystemera]

Hey guys... Going slightly mad here.. What code do I put in my HD_Starter.ahk file to allow my 45 button WinTV Hauppache remote to exit PowerDVD using the top green button... I've scanned everywhere... I'm not using IRRemote but rather the origional method of translation through HD_Starter as my irremote application seamed to cause crashes and hangs all the time. Please, I've been working on this for days AARRGG!!!!

 

[kszabo]

Skin for PDVD8

here is a plain skin for PDVD8 to be used with mediaportal.

unzip and put it into the skin folder of PowerDVD8 (C:\program files\cyberlink... you know). Start powerdvd and select skin in configuration.

enjoy

Edit:
a newer one also: simple4mp_v2.dll

Edit:
A QuickGuide for everyone how to change PDVD8 skin:
1. download and install ResourceTuner (30-day trial) from Heaventools
2. start ResourceTuner and open one of the attached skin.dll file
3. replace the pngs of the skin in section IMAGE:
INDICATOR\PDVD_1280x1024.PNG, ...1280X720.PNG and 1280X800.PNG to a png of your choice (eg. Photoshop)
4. replace INITIAL\SKINTHUMBNAIL.BNP to a small preview of 183x126 px bmp (this will be shown in PDVD configuration menü)

you can mod a copy of the original BlackSatin.dll also, but you have to edit the SKIN.XML:
remove this section in in <!-- Video --> (the dolby, surround, HD etc. icons will not be shown this way)

<ImageArranger name="FeatureIcon" left="10" top="10" right="886" bottom="494" ResizeStretchX="100" ResizeStretchY="100"
Show="1" Anchor="Bottom" DrawingDirection="BottomLeft to TopRight"
ItemCountPerRow="100" IconDiffX="5" IconDiffY="5" IconWidth="75" IconHeight="50" Alpha="150"
ShowInVideo="FALSE" ShowInVisualization="FALSE" FullScreenShiftX="0" FullScreenShiftY="-73">
<Command name="ImageArranger"/>
</ImageArranger>

Edit:
I've just reckognized that in PDVD8 you can change your startup picture manually also You need just one skin without the features icons shown

 

[musa]

Yes. Thank you so much for the Pdvd8 skin! Awesome! I'll go plug it in when I'm off work today

 

[kevin939]

Hi, I got this working fairly seamlessly for starting powerdDVD from MP. However I stillgot stutter from some HD-DVDs. I soon realised there was a problem with trying to control the refresh rate before powerdvd started. Basically the frame rate for HD-DVDs and blu-ray appears to differ. I also suspect that there are different rates on different discs......

Anyone know how to "read" the current video frame rate for powerdvd? If there is a way then I can change the script to read it and change the refresh rate to match.
[I tried reclock but as soon as I played an HD-DVD the reclock got unloaded)

Cheers

 

[kimko]

hey kevin 939

blu-ray are ALL with a framerate of 24 fps. (i don't really know about hd-dvd actually) so you will need a display that supports 24hz or a multiple of that (48/72/120Hz). And the grafix card has to switch to that framerate. otherwise it will do a 2:3 pulldown (if your display runs at 60hz) which causes the picture to stutter.

 

[kevin939]

Hi, have an ATI card and can select 24/50/60 hz refresh rates and us this script suitably modified to switch to 24 fps when I go to powerdvd. The TV (PLASMA screen) takes these refresh rates no problem.

The problem I have is that HD_DVDs appear to be 29.9xx - I had thought them 23.9xx. Maybe they vary.
The script is plugged into MP as a menu item which is currently set to the graphics card to 24fps - great for bu-ray, not good for HD-DVD (or DVD if I ever wanted to use powerDVD for those).

I could of course have two scripts - one for blu-ray and one for HD-DVD but thats a pain. I would much prefer to be able to detect what the video frame rate is and change it the card refresh rate to match - then I can handle all the extras too. [I do this using another plugin for all my videos stored on the PC)


So how can I get powerdvd to tell me the frame rate?


Chee

 

[some1]

right click in main window and select "show information"

 

[kevin939]

I tried that and unfortunately it does not tell me the frame rate - well it doesn't on version 7.3.

It does tell me the audio bit rates and sample rate but nothing relevant about the video

 

[kimko]

that's actually a good point. i think i remember HD-DVD having 29.9...fps
So it would be important to get that refresh-rate on the tv-screen. tell us if you found a solution. maybe the only way is having two plugins-buttons after all...

 

[RoXoR]

Hi, the plug-in works fine. So thanks to you guys!!

But my Logitech Harmony remote control doens't work with powerdvd8.

I've used this tutorial IR server suite to make the remote control working with mediaportal


So what can I do? - Please help me


---
my solution:
I modified the script - If powerdvd starts, the inputservice will stop and iMON will start.