offload the CPU with ATI codec for HDTV ? (1 Viewer)

[lsandini]

TV-Server Version: MediaPortal 1.0 RC2 (rev19657)
MediaPortal Version: MediaPortal 1.0 RC2 (rev19657)
MediaPortal Skin: Foofaraw (EXCELLENT !)
Windows Version: Vista Ultimate
CPU Type: Intel Core 2 Duo E4600
HDD: WD Scorpio 2.5" SATA
Memory: DDR2, 2x1GB
Motherboard: Intel DP35DP
Video Card: Radeon HD2600XT
Video Card Driver: Catalyst 8.7
Sound Card: Intel® High Definition Audio (Intel® HD Audio)
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: 5762_5713_v68
1. TV Card: Floppy DTV
1. TV Card Type: DVB-C
1. TV Card Driver: 4.4.5N
2. TV Card: Floppy DTV
2. TV Card Type: DVB-C
2. TV Card Driver: 4.4.5N
MPEG2 Video Codec: see text
MPEG2 Audio Codec: see text
h.264 Video Codec: see text
HTPC Case: Zalman HD160 Plus
Cooling: Noctual 8cm fans x2, Scythe Ninja mini passive on CPU
Power Supply: Antec Phantom 500W
Remote: Microsoft MCE
TV: Philips 32" PF5320
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI


Hello,

Just curious about the ability of graphic cards to do the MPEG-4 or VC-1 decoding, keeping the CPU free from that job. Nvidia uses the Purevision (or what was it called?) and ATI uses their AVIVO technique.

For watching HD TV content, I have been using Cyberlink PowerDVD7 codecs, with which my intel E4600 is under a 50% load on average. Since my gfx card is a HD2600XT, I downloaded and installed the AVIVO package today, and selected the ATI MPG codec in the TV tab of Mediaportal settings.

It works, HD content is displayed, but in fast action scenes, there is blockiness, and in some cases, image lags after the sound. CPU use is also 50% in average, so not much offloading there. I am back to the PowerDVD codec. CoreAVC works too, but the image is a bit less saturated and a bit grainy in the darks, CPU use is also about 50% so no difference there.

Am I doing something wrong with my settings, or is this a common finding. Should the decoding be offloaded more effectively with the ATI codec ?

Lorenzo

 

[gloomyandy]

Hi,
For me I can play SD files with about 5-10% cpu usage. I use the Power DVD 8 codecs. I found that using EVR with Aero enabled gives the best results under Vista. Make sure you have use DXVA set to true in the Direct Show filter settings...

Andy

 

[wkim75]

h.264 files need to be encoded with certain parameters to be accelerated. You might be playing something that wasn't encoded 'correctly'. Do a search around, there's tons of people writing about it..

But if your cpu is up at 40-50%, it's more than likely that you're not getting hw acceleration..

ATI has two drivers available..
One from Nero, and one from Cyberlink (you need to download and install the demo player, but you don't actually have to use it.)

After you install the Cyberlink one, under MP Configuration -> Movies -> Movie Player, under H.264 video decoder, you can pick "Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (ATI)".

 

[lsandini]

Thank you wkim75, apparently one learns something new every day

Well I downloaded the trial version of teh Cyberlink codec for ATI, and selected the "Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (ATI)", but unfortunately I get only a black picture when I tune to an HDTV channel.

I don't watch that much BluRays or H.264 encoded stuff, other than HDTV. I selected the mentionned codec only for TV, and reverting back to the PowerDVD. I need to look further into that and try the Nero codec. I'll report back later.

Lorenzo

 

[gloomyandy]

You may want to try the latest PDVD8 codecs from cyberlink (Just download and install the PDVD8 trial version). They work very well for me for both SD and HD content. As mentioned above though if you download HD content from the web you may not get hardware acceleration. It all depends on how the file was encoded.

Andy

PS If you use your current PDVD7 player you may want to check what will happen to it if you install the PDVD8 trial. Not sure how well the two will get along!

 

[lsandini]

Ok, this seems to work now.

I enabled Aero and switched to EVR, and with PowerDVD7 or 8 codecs, the CPU use is now 15-25%, 20% on average. Also, the power drain seems to be lower, since the fan of my PSU isn't spinning like mad anymore. I still have to tried more codecs when I have time later.

I wonder if there is a page on the ATI/AMD website, with info about the typical CPU use with their 2x00 line of products, HW decoding enabled or not ?

Anyway, I'd be happy to hear about your experiences with various codecs

Lorenzo

 

[gloomyandy]

Hi,
Not sure about the ATI forums but there are lots of threads over on the various avs forums
AVForums Home
and a hugh thread here...
ATI Radeon HD 2X00 (2400,2600,2900) series owners thread - AVS Forum
They make interesting reading....

Andy

 

[jameson_uk]

I wonder if there is a page on the ATI/AMD website, with info about the typical CPU use with their 2x00 line of products, HW decoding enabled or not ?

There wont be as too many variables.

I have an Intel E4500 with an ATI 3650 card. Playback of H264 material when hardware acceleration is working means something like 10% CPU. Without hardware acceleration this jumps to 70%.

To get hardware acceleration you need to meet several criteria but mainly you need a card that can do the decoding and a codec that will ask the card to decode it (the powerDVD ones seem to do this quite well). If you have both of these and are still not seeing hardware acceleration then this gets a little more tricky...

 

[gloomyandy]

You might find this of interest, it has a table showing various cpu usage figures for different file types/codecs...
http://www.avforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666171

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

gloomyandy

Nice find and next comment is not directed at anyone.

Remember though, they are not playing the files through MP, which does recommend a DX9 card with at least 128mb memory, so the onboard S3 comment, just will not work with Mediaportal

Regards