MP1.2 Beta + CoreAVC - MKV Playback jerky, not smooth. (1 Viewer)

[luci5r]

Setting the dxva option in CoreAVC doesn't mean dxva is actually used, only if the video supports it. Alt-Tab to see if dxva is enabled (the tray icon will say so if it is). CoreAVC won't accelerate VC-1, only x/h264. You can check if mediaportal is using different codecs than in i.e. mediaplayer classic with graphedit. I see no stutter when using core avc, only when hardware acceleration isn't working properly.

Ray,

I fired up MediaPortal and started playing one of the MKV's where I can see visible jerk; I switched to tray and saw no icon (or evidence) for DXVA. How do I make sure DXVA is used?

I downloaded GraphEdit but i can't figure out how to use it to determine what codecs MediaPortal is using. How can i check this?

Thanks!!

EDIT:

I did not have "Use Tray Icon" enabled in CoreAVC. Once I did enable it - when I play an MKV using MediaPortal, the CoreAVC Icon does indeed pop into the system tray. I can right-click the icon and it opens up the CoreAVC Configuration window. "DXVA" is checked in there. However, I don't see any individual Icon for DXVA or any other indication - if there is one - of DXVA being used.

GraphEdit results:

 

[mm1352000]

Hmm,

Something about the audio side of that graph doesn't look right. There should only be one audio codec, and that could be messing things up. According to your logs, these are your video settings:

<entry name="audiorenderer">Default DirectSound Device</entry>

<entry name="mpeg2audiocodec">ArcSoft Audio Decoder HD</entry>

<entry name="mpeg2videocodec">MPC - MPEG-2 Video Decoder (Gabest)</entry>

<entry name="h264videocodec">CoreAVC Video Decoder</entry>

<entry name="aacaudiocodec">ArcSoft Audio Decoder HD</entry>

I would try using the Microsoft codecs for MPEG 2 audio and video. Monogram would also be recommended for AAC.

What format is the audio stream in the troublesome vids?

 

[luci5r]

Hmm,

Something about the audio side of that graph doesn't look right. There should only be one audio codec, and that could be messing things up. According to your logs, these are your video settings:

<entry name="audiorenderer">Default DirectSound Device</entry>

<entry name="mpeg2audiocodec">ArcSoft Audio Decoder HD</entry>

<entry name="mpeg2videocodec">MPC - MPEG-2 Video Decoder (Gabest)</entry>

<entry name="h264videocodec">CoreAVC Video Decoder</entry>

<entry name="aacaudiocodec">ArcSoft Audio Decoder HD</entry>

I would try using the Microsoft codecs for MPEG 2 audio and video. Monogram would also be recommended for AAC.

What format is the audio stream in the troublesome vids?

mm,

I did as you advised; switched out the Codecs.

This is my configuration window:

This is the new GraphEdit result:

I think 99% of my MKV's have DTS 5.1 ... all the videos I have tested so far have DTS. I'm going to try & play an MKV with Dolby Digital 5.1 ... I just browsed & found 2. Will report back on that.

Thanks.

I would try using the Microsoft codecs for MPEG 2 audio and video. Monogram would also be recommended for AAC.

What format is the audio stream in the troublesome vids?

mm,

You may have stumbled on to the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!!! Not to proclaim salvation just yet, but I think you just solved my problem.

After changing the settings to what you had suggested, first off I played a couple of my MKV's with Dolby Digital 5.1 (instead of DTS) and they seemed to play absolutely fine. No stutter!! I even turned on the Shift + 1 graph thingy and I saw a smooth line - no bumps in the graph.

Next - I started playing MKV's with DTS 5.1 ... and they all seemed to be playing fine. No stuttering. The Shift +1 graph showed a straight smooth line.

I can still see some stuttering on the file that I had originally been testing on - incidentally - that was the First video I ever tried to play on MediaPortal. I have over 180 MKV's ... at this point I have tested at least 15 and all are playing fine except that ONE MKV (Burn After Reading). It is now becoming very apparent to me that the problem seems to be with that (or in that) MKV and not MediaPortal or my Codecs. Although I must add - BEFORE I had switched to your recommendations on the Codecs - I did see stuttering in all & any MKV I was playing. Your recommendation seems to have fixed the stuttering on all of my MKV's except Burn After Reading and quite honestly, I'm willing to live with that.

The only reason I'm still holding off on granting a 100% Solved to this problem is because, as I said, I do have over 180 MKV's and I've only tested about 15 or so. I still need to go through more of them to make sure the "majority" of them play fine. That would give me the assurance I need.

If this problem is out of the way - then I'm down to my last couple of annoyances remaining with my setup (i.e., Hauppauge remote not working with ArcSoft Total Media Theatre for ISO's; Wake up the HTPC from sleep using the remote; and lastly ... the EPG thing for my TV Guide & IR Blaster for recordings).

THANKS --> You're a rock star!