Audio render problem getting HD-PVR files to play

[popechild]

I should start by saying I don't actually have an HD-PVR yet, but I'm trying to figure out if my system is up to the task of playing the files back if I get one. I've downloaded a few sample clips from the internets, have updated Sage to the latest version, etc. The clips play back great on my HD extender. But when I try to play them on my client I get the following PlaybackException error:

There was a problem rendering the audio portion of the content for playback.

I don't know the difference between the audio decoder and audio renderer or which one I should be looking at. I've got the CoreAVC video codec installed and listed in my properties file, so I'm assuming based on the error I'm getting that this is an audio problem.

How do I begin to troubleshoot this? I've searched the forums but have yet to see anyone else getting this problem on playback. Thanks!

EDIT: I should mention that the clips don't play in WMP either, and if I drag them into GraphEdit I get an error asking me if I have the correct filters installed. And everything non-HD-PVR plays back great (OTA HD, DVD, etc.) What am I missing?

[popechild]

Okay, so I downloaded the free trial of Arcsoft Total Media Extreme and installed it. I can now see the video clip if I play it in ArcSoft's video player. however, I still have no audio. If I try to open the clip in GraphEdit now it does open (it wouldn't before), but gives me the error message: "Some of the streams in this movie are in an unsupported format." When I click OK on that, it shows me that the ArcSoft MPEG Demux is being used, and shows me that CoreAVC Video Decoder is handling the video, but doesn't have anything connected to the audio output of the demux.

I tried inserting the ArcSoft Audio Decoder and connecting it to the audio output of the demux, but it gives me the error "The filters cannot agree on a connection. Verify type compatibility of input pin and output pin. No combination of intermediate filters could be found to make the connection. (Return code: 0x80040217)."

I'm totally buggered here. Does anyone have any suggestions at all?

[popechild]

Alright, if I'm not alone in my echo chamber here, a quick update on my question.

I finally got some audio! But not through Sage. In fact, it still won't play at all in Sage, as it gives the playbackException about the audio renderer still.

What finally got the audio to work in Graphedit and in the ArcSoft player was installing the Haali splitter. Not exactly sure why that did anything though.

Anyway, now it will play back with audio and video in those programs, but I got no love in Sage. Graphedit shows that it's using the CoreACC Audio Renderer by default. I've got the Sage audio renderer set to default. Any ideas what's going on now?

[paulbeers]

Audio does not playback in the Arcsoft total media package. I know, because I downloaded it and I didn't get any audo and it has been discussed in these forums. Only the decoder that comes with the HD-PVR that can be used within Sage will have audio playback. And yes, because the Arcosoft TMP doesn't render the audio, I am sure that Sage is puking on it. The best thing to do, is just see if your system can handle the video playback and what level of CPU/studdering/etc. you are getting. The audio isn't going to be as big of a deal (for CPU usage, etc) as the video so as long as everything plays back well, then you SHOULD be okay if and when you get a hold of the "real" decoder needed for Sage.

[popechild]

Well, since downloading and installing the Haali splitter, the audio has been working fine in everything except Sage - including in the ArcSoft Total Media Extreme player. Is there a reason that Sage can't use the CoreAAC audio decoder that is being used by graphedit/wmp/etc.?

[Apap]

You might try to specify which AAC decoder sage uses in your properties file. This helped my client pc get audio working.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...933#post283933

[popechild]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

Audio does not playback in the Arcsoft total media package.

Yeah, scratch what I said about audio in ArcSoft. It thought it was working, but must have just been remembering graphedit/wmp/etc.

Originally Posted by Apap

You might try to specify which AAC decoder sage uses in your properties file. This helped my client pc get audio working.

That sounded promising, but didn't seem to do anything. Maybe I'm getting the syntax wrong? I tried "CoreAAC Audio Decoder" and "ArcSoft Audio Decoder."

Could Sage really need an audio decoder that only comes when you purchase the hardware, when other apps seem to be able to use CoreAAC just fine?

[IVB]

Did you get this working? I'm having audio-render issues too, both on 1 client PC and both my HD100 extenders.

[IVB]

never mind, totally phased on upgrading to the beta firmware. that did it for the HD100's. I don't use that client PC ever, so i won't worry about decoders/etc there.

[popechild]

No, I didn't. I've got the newest Beta, so it works fine on the extender, and it plays back fine in WMP or graphedit, just not Sage. I'm going to assume this would be fixed if I actually bought and installed the HD-PVR drivers and such. I don't know how or why that would do it, but that's what I'm hoping anyway. Since my main desire was to check whether or not my system could play the files back smoothly, I figure I can wait to figure out if there's actually an audio problem for when I buy the PVR. I won't have cable or sat until football season, so no use springing for it just yet.

In the meantime, if anyone stumbles on this thread and has a solution for the audio render problem, I'm all ears.

[technazz]

Originally Posted by popechild

No, I didn't. I've got the newest Beta, so it works fine on the extender, and it plays back fine in WMP or graphedit, just not Sage. I'm going to assume this would be fixed if I actually bought and installed the HD-PVR drivers and such. I don't know how or why that would do it, but that's what I'm hoping anyway. Since my main desire was to check whether or not my system could play the files back smoothly, I figure I can wait to figure out if there's actually an audio problem for when I buy the PVR. I won't have cable or sat until football season, so no use springing for it just yet.

In the meantime, if anyone stumbles on this thread and has a solution for the audio render problem, I'm all ears.

Post your Clients videoframe/ entries in the properties files,maybe Sage is forcing it to use something you don't have installed.

Technazz