Codecs SAF v5.02 *final* (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder) (11 Viewers)

[doskabouter]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

I think my signal strength is good enough, I tested it with the tv app from the dvb-t tuner before the installation of mp 1.1, but the issues I see I can't test with that app, because with it I can't switch between the other tuner-card and the dvb-t. However, I will try it with different drivers when I have the time.
If I have the low fps-count after zapping, pressing stop, and reselecting that channel, then it plays smoothly, so the matter isn't that urgent. (only a few notches down for the WAF)

 

[Larzon]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

I did get proper playback under mp 1.0.2 so i think my hardware is capable.
...
The only problems I have now are those framedrops after zapping, and an occasional audio out of sync (probably caused by the framedrops), and they occured both with saf 4 stable and the 2 saf 5 versions I tried (now running SVN100811). The codecs I selected are exactly what is recommended in the start post, for tv I did it as the second choice (if you have digital TV source).
...

Hey doskabouter,

I've been troubleshooting a similar issue on my machine, but using XP (with VMR9) here.

Just curious, when you installed MediaPortal 1.1 did you try playing live TV prior to installing SAF? Did the native MePo codec MPC (Gabest) have the same issue?

Reason I ask is my system plays live TV (1080i and 720p) perfectly with MPC (Gabest), but I never got live TV to work well with any codecs in SAF. (Thus I use SAF only for DVDs.)


I think this tip appears elsewhere in this thread, but for convenience:
If MPC codecs are not visible in MePo config after installing SAF, you need to re-register the codecs. Example here is for re-registering the codecs in Windows XP. (Path is different in Vista/Win7.)

for MPC - MPEG-2 Video Decoder (Gabest ):
> Start > Run > regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Mpeg2DecFilter.ax"

for MPC - MPA Decoder Filter [audio]:
> Start > Run > regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\MpaDecFilter.ax"

 

[doskabouter]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

I did try the mpc-codecs, and for a while I though I've found it: there was this checkbox with "set interlaced flag for output"!
without checking it it played steady at 25 fps, checked it wasn't playing steady at 50 at all.
I have to experiment some more but somehow I've got the feeling I'm on the right track

 

[pal.sch]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

Hello Hoborg,
first, thank you for your excellent work, it is very useful!!!

Now my question:
I have a HTPC, a Sound Receiver and an LCD-TV.
My HTPC is connected directly to the LCD-TV with an VGA-cable and for the sound with a normal 3,5mm jack. At same time my HTPC is connected to my Sound Receiver through HDMI.
Now, if my Sound Receiver is switched off, for my HTPC it is the same, as there is no Sound Receiver connected. So my HTPC get a signal on HDMI only if i switch on my receiver. Then in windows appears a new sound device (hdmi) which i can choose as standard sound device.
My wish: If i switch off my receiver, i want to hear DolbyDigital/DTS sound through my LCD-TV speakers (encoded by the installed codecs). But if i switch my receiver on, i want a automatically enabled passthrough of DolbyDigital/DTS sound to my receiver (so my receiver encode this DD/DTS code).

Now i have MediaPortal 1.1.0 Final installed, and the last SAF 5. but if i choose "enable passthrough" on the SAF installation, i cant hear my DD/DTS sound if my receiver is switched off. So i must switch my receiver on, or i must disable the passthrough in ffdshow audio.

Is it possible to have this things does automatically????

Thank you,
palsch

DD=AC3

(sorry for my bad english)

 

[kiwijunglist]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

pal.sch - use a macro and assign it to keyboard shortcut/remote button to toggle passthrough

 

[Larzon]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

I did try the mpc-codecs, and for a while I though I've found it: there was this checkbox with "set interlaced flag for output"!
without checking it it played steady at 25 fps, checked it wasn't playing steady at 50 at all.
I have to experiment some more but somehow I've got the feeling I'm on the right track

Yes, in FFDSHOW > Output,

disabled Set interlace flag ==> The GPU is not asked to perform deinterlacing.
In order to make CPU do it you must also enable FFDSHOW Deinterlacing function.*

enabled Set interlace flag ==> The GPU is told to perform deinterlacing, and you can specify the method.**
This can overwork the GPU, especially if it is doing resizing and/or noise reduction.***

* hoborg's deinterlacing tips:

FFDshow Linear blending deinterlacing is one of fastest, PDVD or Gabest use this one too, but causing blur effect, YADIF deinterlacer is on other side of coin, this one eat a lot of CPU power, ffmpeg deinterlacer is middle way - good quality/CPU useage.

** Force Weave simply combines the odd and even fields into one frame, and thus requires little effort by GPU. I found it useful during troubleshooting, but it's not good for real viewing due to pronounced combing (jagged edges) when objects move across the image. Auto allows GPU driver to select method, e.g. on my NVIDIA it is a Linear Blend as I recall.

*** In your GPU driver settings beware of Noise Reduction. (In the ATI setup it is called De-noise.) For NVIDIA 9400 enabling this function while simultaneously performing deinterlacing creates excessive load on GPU, as evidenced by extreme stutter/frame drops.


The following summary was originally intended for a separate post, but I'll include it here since it relates to above.

The NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GPU cannot handle the load of resizing and noise reduction while also performing deinterlacing, and so I've come up with this configuration. It works great on my system since the CPU can easily handle the deinterlacing.

Using MediaPoral 1.1 final, SAF v5 100811.

1) GPU is set to 70% Noise Reduction. (Other driver settings are default.)
This works well even for live TV (either 1080 or 720).

2) MediaPortal Config > TV codecs:
> MPEG-2 video = MPC - MPEG-2 Video Decoder (Gabest ) . . . . (This performs deinterlacing in the CPU.)
> MPEG / AC3 audio = MPC - MPA Decoder Filter

3) MediaPortal Config > DVD codecs:
> DVD video = ffdshow Video Decoder
> DVD audio = ffdshow Audio Decoder

4) FFDSHOW Video > my custom DVD preset:
> Preset autoload condition: on a DirectShow filter presence = DVD Navigator
. . (Any other presets should be configured NOT to load for DVD playback.)
> Deinterlacing: ffmpeg . . . . (Any method within FFDSHOW performs deinterlacing in the CPU.)
> Resize & aspect: multiply by 2.00; uncheck Process pixel aspect ratio; check No aspect ratio correction
. > Settings: Luma = Lanczos, number of taps 3.00; Luma blur = 0.60; Chroma blur = 0.30
> Sharpen: unsharp mask = 40
> Output: uncheck Set interlace flag; colorspace = YV12


Notes on FFDSHOW settings for DVD:

These settings are a work in progress, but I'm happy to say it makes a DVD on the hi-def TV look better than the old standalone DVD player feeding component video to the analog TV.

I'm using Resize mainly for the Lanczos blur function, which seems superior the other Blur & NR options for cleaning up the DVD picture. When watching a DVD (in MediaPortal) I can choose Zoom = Original, which is now 960 lines (= 480x2), or Zoom = Normal if I want to enlarge it to fill the screen. (In latter case, is this additional resize done in the GPU?)

For DVDs with rapidly changing grainy noise (such as Chicago), I have configured a button on my remote to send Ctrl+Alt+B, which engages FFDSHOW > Blur & NR. There I have enabled Temporal smooth = 2, which helps tremendously.
However, be warned that any of the FFDSHOW temporal smoothers will prevent the display of DVD menus that use still frames!!! You have to make sure to toggle it back to OFF at the end of the movie.

 

[jojoro]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

I have problem with playing .m2ts files.
Sound and image quality are great, but movie runs faster (2x) than sound! Its look like movie plays fast forward 2x and sound plays normal.
VLC plays the movie OK, but MPC -HC and Media portal don't
I have the newest version SAF 5.0 and MePo.
I Have win7 ultim. 64bit
Sorry for my poor english

 

[pal.sch]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

@pal.sch - use a macro and assign it to keyboard shortcut/remote button to toggle passthrough

Do you know, how can i toggle passthrough of ffdshow with a macro?
I tried to find a solution to make it with command line, but i doesnt find something.

 

[hoborg]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

Hello,

don't know, if anybody asked before, but when I play SD movies encoded with H.264, DXVA is used and no resize is applied, the movie is being played in the original resolution. Is there a way to change this ? Thanks.

Hi.
You cannot use postprocessing (resize) if you are using DXVA.

Question : when i want to play .mkv and .avi ( sofar) i get : unable to play video codec error: AVC error on the .mkv and a DX50 error on the .avi file. I didn't installed any other codec just saf 5 .

What am i doing wrong , or is it saf 5 ? Do i have to reinstall saf?? unlocked version ( don't want to get all broken if u know what i mean).

thx in advance

niels7

deinstalled saf , installed latest version , unlocked and did exactly as i should........still same problem
In graph it use the correct codecs i also can play the .avi and .mkv
In Mediaportal i can't play these files..........anyone a solution or tips and tricks?

= MePo problem. Use default skin, disable all installed plugins, etc.
Rule are simple, if it play in Graphstudio, SAF working as it should.

I have problem with playing .m2ts files.
Sound and image quality are great, but movie runs faster (2x) than sound! Its look like movie plays fast forward 2x and sound plays normal.
VLC plays the movie OK, but MPC -HC and Media portal don't
I have the newest version SAF 5.0 and MePo.
I Have win7 ultim. 64bit
Sorry for my poor english

Didnt you enabled audio passhtrough?

 

[jojoro]

Re: SAF v5.00 experimental (based on FFDShow DXVA decoder)

Didnt you enabled audio passhtrough?

No I did not.