MP to play Hi-Def Vista recorded DVR-MS files (1 Viewer)

[StarTV]

Hello all once again. It has been a while since I posted and I'm here to try out MP again.

I'm setting up a new HTPC for the small LCD in our bedroom using Media Portal with XP Pro (SP3) with which I was going to use for videos and hopefully stream recorded tv (DVR-MS files) from the lounge room Vista HTPC to the bedroom.

Note that I'm using the SAF utility as the codec.

All works fine when streaming standard def DVR-MS files but with HD content the picture freezes or plays with no sound. To check the DVR-MS file I converted one of the HD recordings to mpeg using VideoReDo and the video played flawlessly so the problem seems to be the DVR-MS format. I also checked to see which codec was being used with graph edit and it shows cyberlink as the decoder as would be expected using SAF.

I tried using VLC, WMP 11 and MPC on another XP computer in the house and I had bad stuttering on all players. I then downloaded PDVD 9 and installed it to see if it would work and it manged to play back the the HD files but it wasn't de-interlaced (might have been a setting???). I then tried a couple of other things and then I couldn't play the HD files again with PDVD

So my questions is:
Has anyone manged to set up a codec to play back HD DVR-MS files recorded on Vista in MP?

If all fails I'll probably have to set up Vista MCE on this HTPC.

Cheers

 

[Taipan]

Hi StarTV,

I assume that the DVR-MS files are recorded TV programs?

Does the stuttering problem occur on both 720p (ABC, SBS) and 1080i (Seven, Nine & Ten) HD recorded programs?

Do you get the same stuttering if you copy the DVR-MS file to the client machine and play it directly (not via streaming)?

What version of MediaPortal are you using?

What are the hardware specs of the client PC?

What is the CPU% on the client PC when the stuttering occurs?

When you processed the HD DVR-MS file through VideoReDo, did you simply remove the DVR-MS wrapper and retain the MPEG2 pixel size (i.e., if it was a 1080i DVR-MS, it stayed as a 1080i MPEG2)?

 

[StarTV]

Thanks Taipan for responding. I think you helped me out several months ago when I started with MP.

Your questions are answered below:


I assume that the DVR-MS files are recorded TV programs?
Correct

Does the stuttering problem occur on both 720p (ABC, SBS) and 1080i (Seven, Nine & Ten) HD recorded programs?
Stuttering or freesing occurs only on the 1080i channels but there was an exception which was Nine HD. I recorded Spiderman a few weeks back and it played video but without any sound. Non HD channels play fine including the 720P ones. I don't know why spider man played and the others didn't. Media info show it as a 1920x1080i video @ 15Mbps.

Do you get the same stuttering if you copy the DVR-MS file to the client machine and play it directly (not via
streaming)?
I did on another xp computer in our house but it didn't play. I don't think it would make any diff on the MP one. Note that the Bedroom HTPC can play back BR ripped M2TS files without a problem.

What version of MediaPortal are you using?
MP 1.0. system specs are displayed now. Apologies.

What are the hardware specs of the client PC?
refer to System Specs

What is the CPU% on the client PC when the stuttering occurs?
Playing the spiderman it was just under 50%. The system is not stressed. I just tried a recording of The Hulk now and it played without any sound at 50%. Bloody computers!It kept freeaing the other day.

When you processed the HD DVR-MS file through VideoReDo, did you simply remove the DVR-MS wrapper and retain the MPEG2 pixel size (i.e., if it was a 1080i DVR-MS, it stayed as a 1080i MPEG2)?
Just removed the wrapper.

There must be something impeding the HD shows but I don't know what. I may have to try a reinstall unless you have any ideas?

 

[StarTV]

I'm starting to think it is an audio issue more than anything else.

When I started skipping backwards and forwards with the HD recorded videos I'd hear an audio click and then the video would play but without any sound. I then installed AC3 filter and enabled it in MP and the videos would play on start up but with no sound.

 

[Taipan]

I tried to reproduce your problem in my setup (using the CyberLink video decoder), but I am unable to play the HD DVR-MS files at all ....

I need to do some more research to find out what is going on .....

I assume that you are playing the DVR-MS files via the "My Videos" section of MP?

 

[StarTV]

Are the HD DVR-MS files you played from a vista PC?
Are you able to play standard def recordings?

There are guys on the Australian Media Centre site that have WMP11 playing HD content and I'm trying to find out what codecs they're using. Here is the LINK. If WMP11 can play it then MP should as well.

If all fails I'll have to go with Vista but I only have one bought copy of it. Don't know if I can make it work on the other computer which has XP.