PowerDVD Decoders and H.264 (1 Viewer)

[mellroc]

TV-Server Version: 1.0
MediaPortal Version: 1.0
MediaPortal Skin:
Windows Version: Vista 64
CPU Type: 3Ghz C2D
HDD: LOTS
Memory: 4GB
Motherboard:
Video Card: Nvidia 9400
Video Card Driver: Latest
MPEG2 Video Codec: Cyberlink PDVD8
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec: MPC

I'm using MP to watch Live TV Mpeg-2 HDTV streams, which are often interlaced, and DVD/BR rips. I only need 2 channel audio and no subtitles.

After much reading, it seems that popular opinion is, for my Nvidia 9400, the PDVD8 filters are the best choice as they most utilize all the picture quality processing/deinterlacing available in my video driver. With that in mind, I'd like to use them as much as possible in MP.

The first time I installed MP, (following the installation thread) I also installed Cyberlink PDVD8. When I chose my filters in MP, there were 3 PDVD8 decoders to choose from in Mpeg-2 and in H.264, along with all the other MPC, ffdshow filters, etc...

The 2nd time I installed MP, I followed the instructions in the SAF thread and only used the PDVD8 CLsva.ax (or something like that) file and let the SAF installer install that, along with Haali.

When I did this, I now had the PDVD8 Decoder as an option for Mpeg-2, but not for H.264. I assume this means that the CLsva.ax file cannot do H.264.

I also read in the SAF thread that Haali is needed to play .mkv files.
However, I took an h.264 1080p .mkv file, renamed it to an .mp4, and the Power DVD Application played it back just fine. So I assume this means that the PDVD8 decoders can handle my mkv files if I change them to mp4.

So my questions are:
1. Can/Should I use the PDVD8 Decoder to play back my H.264 mkv/Mp4 files in MP
2. If I can use the PDVD8 Decoder for h.264, and have it installed, then what do I need Haali Media Splitter for?
3. Is the CLsva.ax file, which is installed by SAF, only useful for mpeg2, and not H.264.
4. When I do a normal install of PDVD8, 3 PDVD8 decoders are available in MP for Mpeg-2 and H.264. What is the difference between the three?

Cheers!

Chris

 

[Pascal]

Hi Chris,

Just a personal experience with powerdvd h.264 codec. It gives sometimes strange results while zapping from and too a h.264 channel. This means, variation between normal tv and 2 frames a second tv. For this reason a reverted back to the coreAVC codec, which gives no problems at all.

However I run XP SP3 so I do not know if that makes the difference.

regards,

Pascal

 

[mellroc]

Interesting.

Luckily, all my TV is straight Mpeg-2 off of an HDHomerun.
All my h.264 is from DVD/BR rips.

So far the only issues I'm having with PDVD8 for Live TV is the teletext flickering at the top, and slight tearing on 1080i material. I think I can fix the former with that autoresize plugin thingy. From what I understand, I shouldn't be having any tearing with EVR/DXVA so I'm a little perplexed on the tearing issue. It only seems to happen on 1080i.

Thanks for the info though.