Need help with 1080i playback (Ati 4550 & Cyberlink decoder). Deinterlacing issue?

[Spartan]

...so yesterday I rebuilt my sage client computer, and here are the specs:

SageTV Client running latest version
2 GB RAM
AMD 5000 Black Ed. CPU
Gigabyte/ATi 4550 Video card connected to recevier via HDMI (Catalyst 9.3 drivers)
Pioneer Elite VSX-01 Receiver connected to Epson 6500UB projector via HDMI
Cyberlink PowerDVD9 decoders
GigE connection to SageTV Server
SageTV server records OTA HD via Hauppauge hvr-1600
Sage Client is set to use VMR9 & 3d acceleration is enabled.
I have tried FSE on and off, and no difference.
Windows XP SP3

Desktop resolution is set to 1900x1080 & 32bit color.

720p playback work perfect. This includes FOX & ABC. (CPU hovers at below 10%)
1080i playback is horrible. I mean really, really horrible. The playback is extremely choppy and totally unwatchable. The CPU goes to 50% (1 core is maxxed)

Now, here it where it gets interesting....

The same 1080i file played back in PowerDVD looks terrific and CPU stays nice and low.
The same 1080i file played back in GraphEdit also looks terrific and CPU stays nice and low as well.

I have turned on debug logging on the sage client and verifyed that Sage is using the Cyberlink video and audio renderers. However I assume it doing something with VMR9 de-interlacing which is causing the problem.

Please help!!! We're hosting a final four party on Saturday, and I need to be able to playback CBS!!!

[cychou]

Try using AC3Filter as your audio decoder! I find AC3Filter works best with Sage. Also you should always have FSE on for VMR9 (restart your SageClient after changing this setting, so it should work properly).

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by cychou

Try using AC3Filter as your audio decoder! I find AC3Filter works best with Sage. Also you should always have FSE on for VMR9 (restart your SageClient after changing this setting, so it should work properly).

Thanks, I appreciate the input. I failed to mention that I have tried the AC3Filter and it didn't make any difference from within Sage.

As for FSE, I have tried it both ways, but neither work. It should be noted that 720p with FSE off looks terrific (which is how I was able to view the CPU usage -- b/c Sage was windowed).

So, I guess the real question is, how/why is Sage Playback different from what GraphEdit is showing me?

[cychou]

Both GraphEdit and Windows Media Player are using VMR7 (Sage called it default) as the video render. I think PowerDVD is using overlay, so they are totally different.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by cychou

Both GraphEdit and Windows Media Player are using VMR7 (Sage called it default) as the video render. I think PowerDVD is using overlay, so they are totally different.

Really, that's interesting. We have a DirectShow guru at work, so I'll run it by him.

I never thought to click the properties of the Video Renderer in GraphEdit to see what its doing....

[Taddeusz]

You'll need to download DSFMgr so you can enabled DxVA acceleration. There is a checkbox in the filter settings to enable it.

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

You'll need to download DSFMgr so you can enabled DxVA acceleration. There is a checkbox in the filter settings to enable it.

I know I've checked the hardware acceleration box from within PowerDVD itself. Does that box not "stick" when the filter is used in a different graph?

[MorfiusX]

I had the same problem (similar setup) and eventually went to Arcsoft because nothing would allow DXVA with PowerDVD and SageTV Client. I switched to Arcsoft and it works perfectly.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Spartan

I know I've checked the hardware acceleration box from within PowerDVD itself. Does that box not "stick" when the filter is used in a different graph?

You can't change it from within PowerDVD. You need to download DSFMgr to change the setting for the filter itself.

[Spartan]

Ok, so DxVA *was* already enabled (did it via PDVD) and still nothing. Once I changed Sage to use VMR 7, everything was happy time.

As an aside, it appears that the Catalyst drivers still fail to deinterlace via hardware acceleration. This has been broken for all of the 9 series and maybe even 8.12 as well. If they ever release a cat with it turned on, I'll give VMR9 a rip again.

As an aside, I was finally able to get multi-channel PCM audio to come out of my ATi 4550. The cat 9.3 drivers have a special HDMI audio driver that only takes if there are no Realtek drivers installed. (nice, huh?) Once I removed the realtek drivers, it was happy time.

Finally, I did go back to using the AC3Filter (set to passthru). I really dig seeing the line level meters to let me know that the 5.1 is working ok.

Strange thing is that sound only works via Sage, and not thru windows itself. I have verifyed that WMP is using AC3Filter, but no sound is coming thru it. I'll tackle that one another day...

Thanks for all the suggestions!

[gplasky]

Follow this post and instructions:
Cyberlink decoder setup for Sage
So that SageTV will take advantage of DXVA with Cyberlink. Not sure if this works with the latest version 9 but previous versions did work. Deinterlacing with the latest ATI drivers (9.3) work fine for me using this config.

Gerry

[Spartan]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Follow this post and instructions:
Cyberlink decoder setup for Sage
So that SageTV will take advantage of DXVA with Cyberlink. Not sure if this works with the latest version 9 but previous versions did work. Deinterlacing with the latest ATI drivers (9.3) work fine for me using this config.

Gerry

Thanks for that! I've seen a similar tutorial somewhere about mucking around with the registry in order to get certain CyberLink settings to "stick". I'll have a look after the weekend is over.