Can FFdShow improve my picture quality? (1 Viewer)

[elvis56]

Hi there,

I recently did a fresh re-install of everything. Removed all old registry entries, used Filmerit to make sure there are no errors of conflicts. I then reinstalled MediaPortal 1.0.1.0 along with Haali Media Spliter and SAF 3.47. I am using the latest PowerDVD codec as well. Everything runs fine but I cannot seem to figure out how to improve the sharpness of the picture quality i receive thru my plasmaTV...I have a Radeon ATI 3450 VideoCard and Catalyst Center running 9.3. I have it selected to let the application determine the settings. I actually have tried it both ways but cant tell the difference. When it comes to playing DivX or Xvid videos the picture is just not sharp. When there is a Black scene, I get shades of Green blotches on the screen. I see what can only be described as pinkish/redish blotches on skin tone colours. If I am watching something like a m-HD .264 film then I dont have an issue. The thing is though that these same xvid and Divx films don't look that bad if I try them using Windows Media Player.

I see that ffdshow has many options available for filtering. Are there any issues related to moving away from using SAF or do I use both together?

Any suggestions would be great. I don't want to screw up a good thing and have to re-install everything lol

thanks.

 

[frenzy]

Which codec is integrated in SAF for divx/xvid playback?

 

[elvis56]

Hi thanks for quick response. This is what it says in Hoborg's SAF thread. Hope it helps understand as I am still very green to this whole codec world lol

What SAF do:
-With SAF you can play almost all standart video files in MediaPortal.
-HD video will be using DXVA (h.264 and VC-1) only if your hardware are DXVA compatible and if your video files are made correctly.
-HD video + subtitles will not use DXVA (should be possible in MP 1.0.2)
-Mpeg2/LiveTV (not h.264)/DVD video will be using DXVA only when you use PowerDVD MPEG2 ''CLVsd.ax'' (SAF 3.11+) - more info down
-SAF is designed for playing video files with subtitles on HD or Full HD resolution (for best subtitles quality).
-SAF is designed and configured only for MediaPortal, you can see some side efect when using with different software (like WMP,...)

If you have your video files in avi format, you should consider to put them in to MKV container (this doesn't change quality, just container).

SAF (3.30+) will install & configure for you:
MPC-HC filters: v.1.2.997.0 (Beta!)
-FLVSplitter.ax
-MpaDecFilter.ax
-Mpeg2DecFilter.ax
-MPCVideoDec.ax
-MpegSplitter.ax
-VSFilter.dll v.2.39 (29.11.2008)
-xvid.ax+xvidcore.dll (1.3.0)

this is not to take away from Hoborgs great package because it works GREAT! I am just trying to improve my picture quality

 

[hoborg]

Which codec is integrated in SAF for divx/xvid playback?

SAF using XviD-1.3.0 to decode xvid/divx with max. postprocessing enabled for best possible picture quiality.

 

[jfirth8187]

can i ask how you enable xvid with post processing?

thanks, Jon.

 

[hoborg]

can i ask how you enable xvid with post processing?

thanks, Jon.

It is simple - use SAF

 

[jfirth8187]

i have installed saf just as per the instructions and it works very well indeed, thanks for the great work, but I've never been good with codecs and graph edit and the like.
Can't seem to find xvid under my mp configuration, or an unsure how to enable under postprocessing or within saf?

 

[hoborg]

i have installed saf just as per the instructions and it works very well indeed, thanks for the great work, but I've never been good with codecs and graph edit and the like.
Can't seem to find xvid under my mp configuration, or an unsure how to enable under postprocessing or within saf?

No need to configure anything.
It is working fully automaticly (dixv/xvid postprocessing is on by default).

 

[jfirth8187]

ah, then it is fine, thank you very much. hd looks really good with your codec. many thanks indeed.

 

[elvis56]

HD looks fine for me too, it's films that are xvid or divx that don't look good unfortunately.