PowerDVD 7 not visible as Video Decoder choice ?

[voidpt]

Anybody know how to get CyberLink PowerDVD 7 visible in the Video Decoder choices in SageTV Client ?

Story goes like this. I've previously used PowerDVD 6 as Video Decoder in SageTV. Recently I upgraded to PowerDVD 7 and the choice disapeared from the 'MPEG2 Video Decoder Filer' in SageTV. But no problem, the Default choice used PowerDVD 7 anyway. But now I've installed NVidia PureVideo to experiment a little with hardware accelerated decode. Now PureVideo is what Default triggers. So I have no choice to select PowerDVD 7 when PureVideo is installed. I can uninstall PureVideo to make PowerDVD 7 default again. But I would like to be able to switch without doing that.

So why did PowerDVD 6 show up as selection in SageTV, and PowerDVD 7 not ? Is there any trick to do to make SageTV see PowerDVD 7 as a selection ?

The Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility shows the following line for PowerDVD 7:
- CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7) | clvsd.ax | 6.0.2.2806
Tried to set this decoder as 'Preferred'. But PureVideo is still used if Video Decoder in SageTV is set to Default.

All software should be up-to-date on version front:
- SageTV 5.0.4
- CyberLink PowerDVD 7.0.1724.0
- NVidia PureVideo Decoder 1.02.223
- NVidia ForceWare 91.33 Beta

Any tips is apreciated.

[Motofreak75]

I have the same problem, and contacted support, they just told me to

Uninstall it, restart the machine and install it again. Now restart one more time. Sage should see it Detailed Setup and you should be able to pick it.

but that didnt help either.....

[bcjenkins]

Check out Radlight Filter manager. Use the merit settings to manage filter priority. Look under Direct Show filters for codecs. http://www.radlight.org

hih

B

[voidpt]

Disclaimer -> Whatever you do in registry because of this post, I'm not responsible for any problems occuring

Thanks for the tips. Re-install didn't work (I think that tip is a general tip they give for Decoders not working, that is probably not the case here). The priority in Radlight might work, but I still want PowerDVD visible as separate selection in SageTV.

Ok. Some good news. I think I've managed a workable solution to get it visible in SageTV. That 'friendly' name of the PowerDVD decoder changed name from 6 to 7, like this:
- "CyberLink Video/SP Decoder"
to:
- "CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)"

This name reference do not seem to be embedded in the new CLVSD.ax file. It is still refered there without '(PDVD7)'. I searched registry for the new reference and only found it 2 places:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{083863F1-70DE-11d0-BD40-00A0C911CE86}\Instance\{8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}]
"FriendlyName"="CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}]
@="CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)"

Checked same place in old PowerDVD 6 installation. And there it was without the '(PDVD7)' reference. But the GUIDS/CLSID's were the same.

So with PowerDVD 7 installed I edited registry to this (removing ' (PDVD7)' at end):

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{083863F1-70DE-11d0-BD40-00A0C911CE86}\Instance\{8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}]
"FriendlyName"="CyberLink Video/SP Decoder"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{8ACD52ED-9C2D-4008-9129-DCE955D86065}]
@="CyberLink Video/SP Decoder"

Not 100% sure if you need to reboot to make it active. I did to be sure. But after this SageTV Client got 'CyberLink Video/SP Decoder' as a choice again. And I can switch between PowerDVD and PureVideo.

Would very much like to get a comment from SageTV devs on this. To me this looks very much like something that could be fixed in the SageTV Client. For some reason it does not like the new name. Too long ? Brackets ?

Too tired to write a support incident now. Maybe later

[voidpt]

One correction. I found one '(PDVD7)' string inside CLVSD.ax file. Not sure how important it is. Not going to de-assemble it Hope the reference name is not important and that it is the GUID/CLSID that count in all cases.

Thanks for the comment jds23. I have put a support request to SageTV now. Referencing this post. So we'll see how it goes. I would like to have it work without the registry workaround.

[mayamaniac]

just curious, how is the PowerDVD 7 decoder's quality? How is it compare to PureVideo or intervideo? Also, is it any different from powerDVD 6?

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

just curious, how is the PowerDVD 7 decoder's quality? How is it compare to PureVideo or intervideo? Also, is it any different from powerDVD 6?

If you are using DXVA you'll get the same video quality from the three decoders.

Allthough there are other factors that impact video quality:

* The video card you are using (Nvidia / Ati; old or new generation card)
* The type of video : 25fps / 30fps
* The type of video stream (type of interlacing)
* The video renderer used (overlay or vmr9)
* Using DXVA or not

For me with an ATI X1800XL, with 25fps video form either a DVB-T or DVB-S stream, using vmr9 with DXVA, I'm more pleased with the Cyberlink decoder than with the Nvidia.

But for me there is no difference between PDVD6 or PDVD7 (though with PDVD7 deluxe you also get a H.264 decoder).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Motofreak75]

Originally Posted by StephaneM

I'm more pleased with the Cyberlink decoder than with the Nvidia.

But for me there is no difference between PDVD6 or PDVD7 (though with PDVD7 deluxe you also get a H.264 decoder).

Regards,
Stéphane.

I notice a big difference in Pdvd viewing HD content between PDVD6 & 7. Pdvd 7 using alot less cpu power than 6, I compared it to purevideo and Cyberlink matched Nvidia, on using the same amount processing power for 1080i feeds on a few C-band and Ku bands.

I just wished Sage supported H.264

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by Motofreak75

I notice a big difference in Pdvd viewing HD content between PDVD6 & 7.

Well I can't tell you, all my HD is in H.264 and the Cyberlink codec doesn't want to use DXVA at all, so I use CoreAVC.

Regards,
Stéphane.

[Narflex]

You can also edit this property in your properties file:

videoframe/additional_video_filters=CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)

[voidpt]

@Narflex

Thanks for the properties tip. Just changed registry back to default '(PDVD7)' name for the PowerDVD decoder. Then edited my SageClient.properties file on my client like you indicated. Working fine. Now showing up in SageTV Client selection list.

Also got a reply from support request that this would be fixed permantently in next release of SageTV. Thanks for the excellent support.

@mayamaniac

Have not tested the InterVideo decoder. My use of PowerDVD and PureVideo is limited to DVB-C MPEG2 signal in SD resolution (no HD). And I'm only viewing it on my PC (not connected to any 'real' TV display). With that said, I have a preference for PowerDVD decoder over PureVideo. Can't really give an absolute statement on what makes it better. One thing i feel is that PowerDVD is better to smooth / take the block'iness out of viewing when scaling on my LCD display.

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by Narflex

You can also edit this property in your properties file:

videoframe/additional_video_filters=CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)

Don't forget the audio as well.