Beginners Question?

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by shawncochran

I just want to make sure you've configured 'everything' that needs it. Have you gone into WMP10 into the advanced area and selected "prefer other" so you're using the nVidia decoders and not the AC3?

I'm setup just like you -- using nVidia for audio/video & DVD w/ SPIDF output and I get DD5.1 from my HDTV bcasts OTA. For the record: not all HDTV programming sends 5.1 -- I've noticed that some shows are bcast in HD but the audio is 2.1 WFIW. There's also a configuration I had to make in the nStantMedia area before my output was 5.1 -- because there's some kind of default setting in there for the output VIA SPIDF to be 2 channel rather than 5.1

I am at work now and will not be able to check with WMP10 until tonight, but thanks for the help! I am really not sure how to check the setting with WMP10. Can you tell me how to use media player to check the settings?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Steve52

I got purevideo bronze in a bundle with a PVR-150 from pcalchemy. I got on the Nvidia site and saw that purevideo comes in three flavors the only difference being DD 5.1 & DTS, but the DD 5.1 & DTS addon for Gold and Platinum editions only come into play if you are not using SPDIF. I am using SPDIF so as far as I can see the bronze edition has everything in it I need.

It does, I am running what is now called "Bronze" (bought mine before they offered 3 versions), and they can pass DD/DTS just fine.

I am however not getting DD5.1 sound from SageTv.

There are two probable problems:
1) The decoder isn't set to S/PDIF (I believe I posted a picture of what it should be set like in another thread).
2) You're not using the nVidia audio decoder.

The fact that you get any sound at all is evidence that you're likely not using the nVidia decoder. Of course that could be because of 1. So, as recommended above, make sure you've got nVidia Audio Decoder selected (in Audio and DVD sections just to make sure), and make sure in the decoder Speaker Config, it's set to "A Receiver" via "An S/PDIF Cable".

SageTv sent me an e-mail saying that they don't directly support DD 5.1. Well DD 5.1 is "the" sound standard for HD so how can you support HD and not support DD 5.1. I don't understand?

I think they mean that they don't provide a decoder that will decode/pass DD/DTS. This is not really unusual, DD/DTS support is usually an extra. And FWIW, I don't think any of the other PVR softwares (MCE, BTV, etc) even ship with decoders.

Anyway unless I can get my video working the sound is a mute point anyway.

On the Video side, make sure you've got nVidia Video Decoder (not nVidia Post Processor) selected as the video decoder. Also make sure DXVA is enabled in the decoder. I would set Deinterlace Control to "Auto" and Deinterlace Mode to "Best Available". If DXVA is already enabled, try disabling it.

[Steve52]

I don't know how to check or adjust Nvida Pure Video any way other than what is in SageTv itself, so I can't check for spdif or speaker A. I also searched but could not find stranger89's thread on configuring purevideo. Both DXVA are set to default (Enable is not an option)in Sage. Should I be using FSE mode it is not currently set to on?

I just tried to run sage with all of these changes I could make that you listed and it won't run. Gives an error message. Also after being left on all night the guide is now faster. Does it take awhile to download the guide information? Just curious.

[stanger89]

Here ya go:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...9&postcount=62

As for the settings, try the attached registry file. It will set them up like I mentioned above.

[Steve52]

Looks like my HD problems as far as video quality have been fixed. Thank you for the help stranger89! I did not however install your file. I decided after reading what everyone said that I must have a problem with PureVideo so I downloaded and installed the latest version from the Nvidia web site. It now works and I have seen none of the freezes and hichups I was getting before. Picture quality is very good with a slight redness to peoples faces. Is that normal? I am using a component connection, and I have heard that component connections have a red push.

The sound is a different story. Still no DD 5.1. When I installed the new driver it never gave me any setup options. I really don't understand why you don't get an option at time of setup. I think Nvidia needs to fix this. I have also seen no icon to adjust with. I guess you have to play an mpeg file with WMP10 to get the icon, and I don't have one to play. This seems crazy to me.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Steve52

Looks like my HD problems as far as video quality have been fixed. Thank you for the help stranger89! I did not however install your file. I decided after reading what everyone said that I must have a problem with PureVideo so I downloaded and installed the latest version from the Nvidia web site. It now works and I have seen none of the freezes and hichups I was getting before. Picture quality is very good with a slight redness to peoples faces. Is that normal? I am using a component connection, and I have heard that component connections have a red push.

You probably just need to calibrate your display.

The sound is a different story. Still no DD 5.1.

Like mentioned above, you need to set it to S/PDIF. The easiest way is through the WMP DVD settings.

When I installed the new driver it never gave me any setup options. I really don't understand why you don't get an option at time of setup. I think Nvidia needs to fix this. I have also seen no icon to adjust with. I guess you have to play an mpeg file with WMP10 to get the icon, and I don't have one to play. This seems crazy to me.

You have to understand that these decoders are meant for use in WMP or MCE, both of which give you setting dialogs. IIRC there was originally talk that they wouldn't be made publicly available at all, but at the pleading of a bunch of AVS forum members (many who were beta testing the 3.0 version), nVidia decided to publicly release them and I think we're better off for it.

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You have to understand that these decoders are meant for use in WMP or MCE, both of which give you setting dialogs. IIRC there was originally talk that they wouldn't be made publicly available at all, but at the pleading of a bunch of AVS forum members (many who were beta testing the 3.0 version), nVidia decided to publicly release them and I think we're better off for it.

Thats good to know. Thanks!

[Steve52]

Well I still have not been able to get DD 5.1 sound. I got Nvidia PureVideo installed and that fixed my video problem, but I still cannot get DD 5.1. I downloaded and printed out the PureVideo Users Guide, and I understand where and how you are supposed to set the audio up. The problem is that even using WMP10 and playing a DVD I still cannot access the settings. When I double click on the Nvidia icon in the system tray I get the "Nvidia Decorders Properties" window, but it has no audio tab only video and color. The Audio and Karaoke tabs are not there. I do not have a DVD player in my HTPC. I copied a DVD to the HTPC and played it with WMP, but no audio tab shows up. Anyone have any ideas?

[stanger89]

That means another decoder is getting used instead of nVidia for audio.

1) Download Deccheck and verify nVidia is the preferred decoder
2) In WMP, with a DVD playing, Tools->Options->DVD->Advanced will bring up the config dialog for the decoder being used. If it's not nVidia consider uninstalling the one that's there.

Alternately, get a hold of graphedit, or Radlight Filter Manager, either of which will let you access the nVidia audio decoder settings manually.

More alternatively, in regedit, in:
HKLM\Software\Nvidia Corporation\Filters\Audio
Set:
ConnectedDevicePropControl = 2
EnableSPDIFPassThru = 1
SpdifPropControl = 1

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

That means another decoder is getting used instead of nVidia for audio.

1) Download Deccheck and verify nVidia is the preferred decoder
2) In WMP, with a DVD playing, Tools->Options->DVD->Advanced will bring up the config dialog for the decoder being used. If it's not nVidia consider uninstalling the one that's there.

Alternately, get a hold of graphedit, or Radlight Filter Manager, either of which will let you access the nVidia audio decoder settings manually.

More alternatively, in regedit, in:
HKLM\Software\Nvidia Corporation\Filters\Audio
Set:
ConnectedDevicePropControl = 2
EnableSPDIFPassThru = 1
SpdifPropControl = 1

As far as I can tell no Nvidia Audio Decorder is installed. "Realtek HD Audio" was install and also "High Definition Audio Driver Package KB888111".
So how do you install Nvidia Audio Driver? I would have thought it would have installed automatically with PureVideo.

[stanger89]

I didn't say it wasn't installed, I said it's not being used. You can have more than one installed. Did you go through any of the procedures I listed?

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I didn't say it wasn't installed, I said it's not being used. You can have more than one installed. Did you go through any of the procedures I listed?

Yes. Number 2. It said the realtek was being used so I uninstalled the realtek in control pannel add/remove programs. While there I noticed the KB888111 audio driver, but I did not see specifically a Nvidia Audio Driver unless it is inside one of the orher Nvidia drivers listed.

Thanks again for all the help, but I am really confused here, and probably over my head with some of the things you listed. Looks like one of them required a registry edit which I have never done.

[stanger89]

Well I'm confused too, I don't know why your drivers would be coming up in there, on both my boxes, I get the DVD audio decoder that's default on my system (nVidia on one, AC3Filter on the other).

I'd probably just go the regedit method and make sure you specify nVidia Audio Decoder in Sage.

Also don't confuse drivers and decoders, they're different things.

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Well I'm confused too, I don't know why your drivers would be coming up in there, on both my boxes, I get the DVD audio decoder that's default on my system (nVidia on one, AC3Filter on the other).

I'd probably just go the regedit method and make sure you specify nVidia Audio Decoder in Sage.

Also don't confuse drivers and decoders, they're different things.

I made a mistake in the number 2 instructions, and I believe I looked at a different screen. When I follow your path exactly I get a screen that has a window saying "AC3 Filter".

Also should I reinstall the "Realtek HD audio" driver?

[stanger89]

Probably, and while you're in the AC3Filter config, go to the system tab, and check "Prefer Other Decoder" (Might not be worded exactly that way).

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Probably, and while you're in the AC3Filter config, go to the system tab, and check "Prefer Other Decoder" (Might not be worded exactly that way).

Well stranger89 that did it. I have DD 5.1 now. I don't know why anyone would be up at 12:24 am my time (may have been earlier where you live) on a Sunday morning to help me but thanks! That was harder than it should have been, and I would never have got it to work without you.

I kind of hate to ask after all this, but I have other problems to work out and I am anxious to get started now that my video and audio problems have been fixed. The next thing I need to get working is the aspect ratio fill options, they don't work for me. When I click on the option to stretch the video to fill the Sage window (which is all of the screen if you are in full screen mode) nothing happens. You still have bars on the left and right side. I have tried this with SD playback and SD playack from a digital channel that was broadcasting a 4:3 SD picture. Same thing no stretching happens. I looked for something about this in the manual, but could not find anything to help.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Steve52

Well stranger89 that did it. I have DD 5.1 now. I don't know why anyone would be up at 12:24 am my time (may have been earlier where you live) on a Sunday morning to help me but thanks! That was harder than it should have been, and I would never have got it to work without you.

I look at it as 12:24 Saturday night

I kind of hate to ask after all this, but I have other problems to work out and I am anxious to get started now that my video and audio problems have been fixed. The next thing I need to get working is the aspect ratio fill options, they don't work for me. When I click on the option to stretch the video to fill the Sage window (which is all of the screen if you are in full screen mode) nothing happens. You still have bars on the left and right side. I have tried this with SD playback and SD playack from a digital channel that was broadcasting a 4:3 SD picture. Same thing no stretching happens. I looked for something about this in the manual, but could not find anything to help.

Some of the AR's will overlap in their effect, like Source and 4:3 will probably be the same (with default settings) for 4:3 content. But some questions:

What, specifc, AR are you talking about (Fill, 4x3, 16x9, Source)?
Where are you choosing it?
Have you changed the Zoom settings?

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by stanger89

I look at it as 12:24 Saturday night



Some of the AR's will overlap in their effect, like Source and 4:3 will probably be the same (with default settings) for 4:3 content. But some questions:

What, specifc, AR are you talking about (Fill, 4x3, 16x9, Source)?
Where are you choosing it?
Have you changed the Zoom settings?

What, specifc, AR are you talking about (Fill, 4x3, 16x9, Source)?

The only option I have found to fill the screen is to right click the mouse and you get a pop up window that gives aspect ratio options: Fill/Source/4x3/16x9. None of these do anything on my system.

Where are you choosing it?

From the above pop up window.

Have you changed the Zoom settings?

I don't know what that would be. I don't remember ever seeing anything about zoom, and I looked thru the manual this afternoon looking for something about zoom and couldn't find anything so if I have changed any zoom settings I did it unknowingly.

[nielm]

Have you changed the Zoom settings?

I don't know what that would be.

Detailed Setup / Multimedia / Aspect Ratio Settings (Manual page 167).

Also see http://www.sage-community.org/index....i/AspectRatios

[Steve52]

Originally Posted by nielm

Detailed Setup / Multimedia / Aspect Ratio Settings (Manual page 167).

Also see http://www.sage-community.org/index....i/AspectRatios

I have Users Guide 4.0-A. The word "ZOOM" does not appear on page 167.

As I said while playing a recording that was broadcast in 4:3 mode I have tried clicking on each of the Aspect Ratio settings described on page 167, but nothing happens.

I am not sure how sage is supposed to work, but when using my STB and a show is broadcast in 4:3 I have a button on my remote which will stretch the video to fill the screen. I actually have several options for how to fill the screen. More options from a digital channel than an SD channel, but several either way.

What I am asking is how do I do this with sage?