MyTv full screen problems (2 Viewers)

[fromaron]

TV-Server Version: N/A
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.3.0 RC3
MediaPortal Skin: Blue Two Wide
Windows Version: XP Pro
CPU Type: Duo2 1.6 Ghz
HDD: 80 MB
Memory: 1 GB
Motherboard: Gigabyte G31MX-S2
Motherboard Chipset: Intel
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: GeForce 8400 GS
Video Card Driver: Latest from NVIDIA
Sound Card: Intgrated
Sound Card AC3: SPDIF
Sound Card Driver: Latest
1. TV Card: WinFast DTV2000H
1. TV Card Type: Hybrid
1. TV Card Driver: Latest
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: Leadtek
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: Leadtek
TV: 42" Philips Plasma HD
TV - HTPC Connection: Component

This is my first post here and I have to thank the MP team for their great effort in developing the application.

I have recently built my first HTPC and installed the MP on the fresh Windows.
I had to fiddle with my card definition file and some other settings to get everything working, including a remote control which came with the card.
There are only three problems I can't seems to get around with and these problems are driving me nuts, completely deminishing the joy I am having with MP.

Problem 1. When in MyTv I select a channel and then try to maximise the Tv window or go to full screen mode I get a blank screen with only sound. The sound is great . If I go back to home and then MyTv again it will work in full screen no problems. If I close MP completely and restart it again I have to repeat the same procedure in order to watch Tv in full screen. I have tried different codecs and settings without any luck.

Problem 2. When I watch HD channels I can see jittering which makes the Tv experience unbearible. Again, I have tried different codecs, played with de-interlaced configuration, tried different Video card settings, still no joy. I have to add that software the TV card came with works absolutely perfect, producing very good picture quality on HD and SD channels. I read somewhere that the video card should run at 50Hz for PAL TV, my card doesn't have the
50Hz scan rate setting, only 60Hz. Plus the fact that PVR2 from WinFast works fine in my mind eliminates the scan problem.

Problem 3. When I try to go to window mode from full screen mode the application freezes completely and I have to shut it down using the windows task manager.

I am not sure if anyone else has experienced simillar problems and only hope that solution is available. I will appreciate any suggestions as I have no ideas at the moment how to overcome these problems.

 

[Marcusb]

Hi and welcome to the forums

For your #1 problem, I have similar on the upstairs PC but not on the downstairs one. It just started happening with a recent SVN, so you may find it better to roll back to RC2 and apply an SVN update from about three weeks ago. I figured the issue I saw was due to the fact that upstairs I have MP running on the second screen (the TV) and not the primary monitor. Do you have the same set up or just standard single screen?

For #2, your hardware looks fine, but have you made sure the codecs you use take advantage of hardware accelleration? Only some codecs do, such as Nvidia, PowerDVD and WinDVD. Even if you are using those, you need to make sure the hardware option is selected.

For #3 Does the freeze only happen when playing full screen video? If so, this is a known issue. It's been open for a very long time, but I think a solution has been very elusive.

 

[fromaron]

Thank you for your reply.
With my Problem 1 I have only a single screen mode, so I will try to rollback to the previous version.
As far as codec used I am not sure where to enable the hardware acceleration option. Can you please advise on that? I am still very green .
And the Problem3 is seems the one you mentioned. It's a pitty as the button on my remote is very easy to locate
.

 

[Marcusb]

It's strange about problem 1 though, as my HTPC downstairs (thankfully the main one) works perfectly *knocks on wood*.

For the hardware accelleration, if it is a standard codec you are using, then look in the directshow filter section of configuration. Otherwise, you can also look in the application that installed the codec. For example, with PowerDVD, open the PowerDVD app and look in the configuration section there. An option will be to enable hardware accelleration.

 

[fromaron]

It seems like I managed to fix this "strange" problem No.1. As soon as I ticked EVR option in the DirectShow filter, the full screen mode start working straight away. No need anymore to go back and forth. This made me kinda a happy .
The video jitter problem is the one which still on my list. I have installed PowerDVD 7, enabled its hardware option. This made a huge difference in the picture quality. The jitter is hardly noticable now when you watching news or movies, but cartoons .... You can't really concentrate on cartoons, Simpsons are almost unwatchable, the jitter is tremendous, causing headaches and tyring eyes. What else can be done here? Once again the same shows are played back perfectly OK using WinFast PVR2 software.
Would it be benefitial to change the video card resolution settings. The thing is according to my plasma screen specification it's native resolution is 1024x1024. The screen is 1080i compliant. When I use component output in 1080i mode the screen resolution is 1920x1080. This makes me think the TV is scaling down horisontal 1920 to 1024 using internal circuitries. Could it be the whole system can't keep up with fast moving objects, can't process them fast enough, causing the jitter?
I can setup a custom resolutions using Nvidia control panel. What other people oppinion on this, is it worth while to try or I will be wasting my time there?

 

[fromaron]

Not enough processing power?

I am almost there, problems 1 and 3 finaly fixed. The only thing (apart of screen saver kicking in) I have to work on is the problem 2.
Now I am not sure what is the definition for the jittering problem is. I thought that there is only one problem here, but as I discovered depending on the codec used the screen jittering becomes real problem, when image is jumping almost 30% of the screen horisontaly. This is happening on only some codecs and on SD channels, high definition channels worked fine. As I mentioned before the problem is clearly the codec related and by changing it to another one fixes the problem.
I wrote this above only to clarify that my problem (jittering) no.2 is not this one. I am talking about slight image offset, noticable during fast object movement, I can see two images of the same object horisontaly ofset (ghost or shadow effect). It's like the video card cannot process the video image fast enough. Once the object stops or slows down, the second image catches up with the main one. This problem mainly noticable when you watch sport or cartoons.
I don't know what codec is used in Winfast PVR2 application, but the problem doesn't exist there.
I have installed NVIDIA PureVideo codec, enabled hardware acceleration. After the codec installation I have selected the Nvidia codec and the jittering was huge. Then I have selected the Leadtek DTV decoder codec, and looking at the MP configuration the NVIDIA PureVideo still there as separate entry in the DirectShow. This seems to made a big improvement, still minor jitter at realy fast moving pictures.
Is it correct that I have to select diferent codec from withing MP settings menu or I have done something wrong?

 

[fromaron]

I finally sorted all problems out.
The main annoying jittering was due to the VMR9 exclusive mode. Once I unchecked the box, the video quality went to near perfect and I am very happy now. Have to add that in the process I got rid of the NVIDIA PureVideo altogether and installed Power DVD 7.
BTW, running latency tool swowed me around 20microseconds latency with the hardware accelerated Power DVD and without it. So the problem wasn't caused by lack of processing power, just pure video drivers issue.

 

[csberto]

It seems like I managed to fix this "strange" problem No.1. As soon as I ticked EVR option in the DirectShow filter, the full screen mode start working straight away. No need anymore to go back and forth. This made me kinda a happy .

I desperately searched for the solution of this problem for a long time. You've got it. It makes me very, very happy!!
Merry Christmas and a happy New Year