MP 1.12 using wrong codec under Win 10? (1 Viewer)

HTPCSourcer

Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • May 16, 2008
    11,418
    2,335
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    Hi,

    After upgrading the machine HTPC1 (see SysSpecs) from Win 7 to Win 10, I realized that the LAV codecs would not work correctly anymore. Especially for HD I am getting just 43-45 fps for a theoretical 50fps with the kown consequences. Because of this I switched back to MS-DTV and all was good - I thought...

    While this is true for HD, SD shows are now displaying picture/audio asynchronicity after some time. When looking at the curves (Shft-1) I realized that MP 1.12 ignores the pre-defined MS-DTV and uses LAV instead :(. See TV codec settings (respective box in the video section is not ticked) and compare against the actually used codec:

    Filter.JPG Wrong Codec.jpg

    What am I doing wrong?
     

    HTPCSourcer

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • May 16, 2008
    11,418
    2,335
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    I wonder if MS may have gone as cheap as possible on licensing costs for W10 by paying for h.264 but not MPEG 2.
    Thanks for this idea. I just searched for it - and indeed MS is no longer providing the MPEG2 codec :confused:, Kind of in line with their policy to no longer support the Media Center.

    So now we are talking about a different issue of LAV not being 100% supported on this particular machine (in contrast to HTPC2 which has no issues using LAV). Seems as if the Win 10 Intel video driver implementation is still leaving some room for optimization.

    It is not clear to me though, why despite a perfect 50fps replay there would be asynchronicity after some time. If I have time this week-end I will look in more depth into this and the different LAV settings. I also noticed that there are some resume problems with MP crashing. Simple restart of the software then gives rise to a pretty whacky MP (choppy picture, etc.) and I usually have to reboot before getting he stable situation back.[DOUBLEPOST=1440090766][/DOUBLEPOST]EDIT: The MPEG2 codec is stil present on another machine, which upgraded from Win 8 -> 8.1 -> 10. I trust that I could copy the mpeg2 files to the other PCs and register the codec manually. Does anybody have an idea which files to look for?
     

    mm1352000

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • September 1, 2008
    21,577
    8,224
    Home Country
    New Zealand New Zealand
    Thanks for this idea. I just searched for it - and indeed MS is no longer providing the MPEG2 codec :confused:,
    I had a quick search myself but couldn't find info. So, would you mind posting a link to the info you found? I'd be interested to read.

    Kind of in line with their policy to no longer support the Media Center.
    Yes and no. To me it seems a bit inconsistent to provide a codec that supports h.264 but not MPEG2; especially when older versions (or same???) of the same codec supports MPEG2 on older versions of Windows.

    In general it sounds like there may be some GPU driver issues, which is not really surprising.
     

    HTPCSourcer

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • May 16, 2008
    11,418
    2,335
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    I had a quick search myself but couldn't find info. So, would you mind posting a link to the info you found? I'd be interested to read.
    Of course, but it is unfortunately in German: ;) https://ingoboettcher.wordpress.com/2015/06/06/mpeg-2-support-fr-dvd-und-dvb-unter-windows-10/
    There is an embedded MS blog link that talks about the MPEG2 codec elimination in Win 8: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/...ck-and-windows-media-center-in-windows-8.aspx. It's $2 license fee to Dolby per unit.

    Kind of in line with their policy to no longer support the Media Center.
    Yes and no. To me it seems a bit inconsistent to provide a codec that supports h.264 but not MPEG2[/quote]
    Somebody at Microsoft must have been pushing for additional "productivity"of said $2. It could nonetheless be interesting to see if other files or an exchange of he existing ones would actually lead to MPEG2 becoming available. However, this would not be covered by the MS Windows license and I would for sure not upload anything here :cautious:

    In general it sounds like there may be some GPU driver issues, which is not really surprising.
    @Sebastiii and I have spent a lot of time on this particular client since I set it up a year ago. You may remember that he made several attempts to find a cure for the resume problems that some of us have on Intel hardware platforms. Note that it is really the combination of Intel and MP. The systems resume perfectly from standby if MP is switched off. But that's another topic that I plan to analyze in more depth and then provide correct logs for Seb to take a look at them.
     

    Lehmden

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • December 17, 2010
    12,553
    3,934
    Lehmden
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    Hi.
    and indeed MS is no longer providing the MPEG2 codec
    this was the same on Win8... There the Mpeg2 Codec only was available when you've paid extra $$ for the WMC Addon...

    o me it seems a bit inconsistent to provide a codec that supports h.264 but not MPEG2;
    Not really. The h264 codec is available free of charge, but the Mpeg2 codec is about 2$ per every single license. So MS needed to pay 2$ for every sold Win7 (and Vista) Copy to the licence owner of Mpeg2. Same is for any other Software using MPEG2 Codec. Also not everybody using (parts of) the Code are paying the license fee. In Win8 MS didn't bundled the Mpeg2 Codec with the general version, only with the WMC Addon that costs extra and for this it didn't lower the profit for MS..
     

    HTPCSourcer

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • May 16, 2008
    11,418
    2,335
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    Hi lehmden,

    our answers crossed.

    The other machine I mentioned was actually migrated via Win 7 -> 8 -> 8.1 -> 10 and contains the full MPEG2 functionality. Any idea which files I would have to copy to HTPC1 to get my MS-DTV active for SD?

    This also teaches me that I better ndon't run a clean Win 10 install on my "Work Horse" as this would lead to losing the MPEG2 license.
     

    Lehmden

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • December 17, 2010
    12,553
    3,934
    Lehmden
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    Win 7 -> 8 -> 8.1 -> 10 and contains the full MPEG2 functionality
    The Mpeg2 must be a "relict" of Win7 then... But I can't tell you, which files to keep which filter to register...
    That keeps me thinking more than ever that Win7 probably is the best Windows of all times...

    While I'm experimenting with Win10 I had a lot of driver issues and I'm missing a lot functionality, So I decided to wait until the free upgrade will be ending before I "productively" change over. At this state Win10 is a mess and far away from being equal to Win7...
     

    mm1352000

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • September 1, 2008
    21,577
    8,224
    Home Country
    New Zealand New Zealand
    I would for sure not upload anything here :cautious:
    LOL, good idea. ;)

    Sebastiii and I have spent a lot of time on this particular client since I set it up a year ago...
    No, I don't recall... but I am aware of the Intel GPU issues, yes.

    The h264 codec is available free of charge
    Mmm, are you sure?
    MPEG LA administers licensing for both MPEG 2 and h.264:
    http://www.mpegla.com/main/programs/AVC/Pages/Intro.aspx

    I suspect MS may have agreed to pay for the h.264 license because it is cheaper (???) and/or because h.264 is so widely used for internet video.

    Any idea which files I would have to copy to HTPC1 to get my MS-DTV active for SD?
    Maybe only msmpeg2vdec.dll ... but it may have dependencies, I don't know. If you mess around with that stuff it is at your own risk.
     

    Lehmden

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • December 17, 2010
    12,553
    3,934
    Lehmden
    Home Country
    Germany Germany
    Mmm, are you sure?
    Not 100%, but the x264 codec definitely is free and without any violation of the h264 licence... I'm not sure if MS really uses the "original" h264 as everyone else is using x264 instead...

    Edit:
    Mpeg2 is a thing from the past for sure. DVD are sort of "antique" and SDTV is loosing more and more viewers, so paying such a lot money for something that old isn't too easy especially if you are a company that needs to maximise it's profit....
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Top Bottom