How to get stutter-free VC1 bluray disc playback in Windows client?

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

I have always used the external player since I've gotten a bluray drive. Not because of playback issues, but I wanted the menus, subtitles, bdlive, and 3D... non of which are available in sage. I've never noticed any playback problems in sage, but I honestly don't know which of my bluray rips are even vc-1, as I've never looked.

Not very many. Lots of warner bros. movies are, but even then not very many. I've only got about 10 out of ~250 blu-rays (I don't remember how many I have).

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by mkanet

Panteragstk, I now have a supplemental MKVs (in addition to the respective ISO) for the few VC1 titles I have; just in case I want to play them back on my Windows client instead of on the HD300.

I currently use Arcsoft HD audio decoder to decode bitperfect DTS, ATC3, DTS-MA, TrueHD on my PC before sending it directly to my analog 7.1 speakers. It works perfectly and sounds great. This was the only way I was able to hear critical windows sounds (unrelated audio alerts) while watching a movie with mutichannel DTSMA, AC3, etc. All you need is TMT installed on your machine; or, you can install TMT 3's audio filter only (without installing TMT) using an alternate method. TMT's audio decoder when used via directshow has the same features as the full blown TMT player itself; including headphone, bass boost, SPDIF bitstreamed, PCM, etc; as long as your sound card support it. All I did was set Arctsoft HD audio as my "HD audio" filter for sageTV as well as for mpeg2 audio.

The only time I ever need to use an external bluray software player on the same PC are for movies which require subtitles.

Having said all this, not having m2ts VC1 playback on my Windows PC client isn't a significant problem for me; but very curious to know if there is a compatible VC1 decoder.

I may try the arcsoft decoder again. The last time I used it it worked, but I'm just used to ffdshow.

[Rico66]

I played around with VC1 for quite some time (trying various decoders), but I gave up on it and simply used an external player (MPC-HC) for m2ts. This has the added benefit that subtitles are also available.

The best option within Sage was using Arcsoft's decoder. Some people claim to have success using DXVA, but that didn't work in my case (I was using an older version that came with the hdpvr) as it was still stuttering, though only slightly. Non DXVA playback using an Arcsoft decoder was fine though on an I5 based system.

[frontlinegeek]

I am always blown away at how much trouble people have with playback and SageTV...

I use makeMKV to do straight rips of my BluRays or DVDs. I install haali splitter and FFDShow (Enable hardware support for both VC-1 and h264) and that is all for a PC client. I even have a turtle of a client in one room: A64-3500+ with 2 GB RAM, NVidia 8600GT, Kingston 30GB SSD, Win7 64bit and SageTV 7.1.9. This client will play ANYTHING I toss at it. Even a rip from a BD that is over 30GB for just the movie will play totally shudder free.

I literally do nothing else at all to get things to play clean on my systems.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by frontlinegeek

I am always blown away at how much trouble people have with playback and SageTV...

I use makeMKV to do straight rips of my BluRays or DVDs. I install haali splitter and FFDShow (Enable hardware support for both VC-1 and h264) and that is all for a PC client. I even have a turtle of a client in one room: A64-3500+ with 2 GB RAM, NVidia 8600GT, Kingston 30GB SSD, Win7 64bit and SageTV 7.1.9. This client will play ANYTHING I toss at it. Even a rip from a BD that is over 30GB for just the movie will play totally shudder free.

I literally do nothing else at all to get things to play clean on my systems.

I use .mkv for vc-1 only. I think you have to. I don't know anyone that has vc-1 playback success when in a .m2ts container. I too can play anything. I gave up on .m2ts for vc-1 a long time ago.

[sflamm]

I don't know anyone that has vc-1 playback success when in a .m2ts container.

I've been running VC-1 successfully within .m2ts for several years on both XP, 2003R2 and Win7.

The codec I have used successfully are: TMT2.x, TMT5.x, Windows DMO.
TMT2.x and TMT 5.x can be pulled from the respective trials or HD-PVR disc and Windows DMO for XP can be downloaded from Microsoft/web. Of course on Win7 the new Windows DMO is built-in.

The only issues I have had are with enabling hardware acceleration for VC-1 on older hardware... with that said, even without hardware acceleration I have smooth playback on all with CPU minimum of dual core AthlonXP / dual core E6300 (cpu usage around 50%) ...

[7up]

Originally Posted by frontlinegeek

I am always blown away at how much trouble people have with playback and SageTV...

converting to mkv is a reasonable solution, but thats not what people are having "trouble" with playback.

[sflamm]

I rip Blu-ray to .m2ts directly using clownbd:

http://www.clownbd.com/

As I said above playback is perfect on a wide variety of platforms.

[frontlinegeek]

Originally Posted by 7up

converting to mkv is a reasonable solution, but thats not what people are having "trouble" with playback.

If "you" are in control of the ripping format and you refuse to change it if it is better/easier/faster in another one, then "you" are contributing to having trouble.

BTW, my shock is even bigger when listening to podcasts that cover everything other than SageTV. Things "from the internets" can be a challenge sometimes but when you are dealing with Sage recordings or with the ripping of your own content, there are just so few excuses left for having a hard time. It might come across a bit witchy but that is how it sounds in my head when I hear of these issues.

[7up]

Originally Posted by frontlinegeek

If "you" are in control of the ripping format and you refuse to change it if it is better/easier/faster in another one, then "you" are contributing to having trouble.

BTW, my shock is even bigger when listening to podcasts that cover everything other than SageTV. Things "from the internets" can be a challenge sometimes but when you are dealing with Sage recordings or with the ripping of your own content, there are just so few excuses left for having a hard time. It might come across a bit witchy but that is how it sounds in my head when I hear of these issues.

If "you" took the time to read this thread, the very FIRST post clearly states that converting to mkv is a workaround. If "you" don't know how to playback the VC1 disc, without converting, have "you" added anything to the discussion? I'm happy that converting to mkv works, but the topic isn't "...stutter free VC1 mkv playback"

[frontlinegeek]

Originally Posted by 7up

I'm happy that converting to mkv works, but the topic isn't "...stutter free VC1 mkv playback"

Hey snippy....

It also does not say MKV not allowed as a solution.

Why make things complicated is the issue here that is at hand. You seem to be totally obsessed with m2ts. If you are blocking out all other options, then that is where you will stay.

A fix is a fix is a fix. In my experience, if it is less work, it is not a workaround but a FIX.

Beyond this, I digress as it just seems that all over the internet, people want to make this issue harder than they need to...

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by frontlinegeek

Hey snippy....

It also does not say MKV not allowed as a solution.

Why make things complicated is the issue here that is at hand. You seem to be totally obsessed with m2ts. If you are blocking out all other options, then that is where you will stay.

A fix is a fix is a fix. In my experience, if it is less work, it is not a workaround but a FIX.

Beyond this, I digress as it just seems that all over the internet, people want to make this issue harder than they need to...

If you're ripping anyhow then yes, why not convert to mkv. But m2ts is also about direct BDMV playback. And that part is problematic, if it happens to be vc1.

[jmv]

OK, I've been ripping blu-ray to .mkv (even did HD DVD to .mkv)...but I have NEVER successfully played back a blu-ray through a windows client using sage. They play back fine in the Windows 7 built in media player and they play back fine using VFC. But stutter like hell or don't start at all in SageTV. Believe me I've tried, but I always fail.

It sounds like we have multiple folks in this thread who have successful paths. Are folks willing to document all the steps required to get seamless SageTV playback of .mkv containers of blu-ray? I would really, really appreciate as this has been on my must do list for years . I'm currently on SageTV 6.6.

[mkanet]

1. Download and install the latest LAV splitter.
2. Download this registry file and double-click it (then, click okay to confirm updating registry). All it does is change the below registry setting from 1 to 0. You can always change it back.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DirectShow]
"EnableSageTVStreamDemux"=dword:00000000

3. Completely restart sageTV.

This should allow you to play bluray VC1 MKV files.

Originally Posted by jmv

OK, I've been ripping blu-ray to .mkv (even did HD DVD to .mkv)...but I have NEVER successfully played back a blu-ray through a windows client using sage. They play back fine in the Windows 7 built in media player and they play back fine using VFC. But stutter like hell or don't start at all in SageTV. Believe me I've tried, but I always fail.

It sounds like we have multiple folks in this thread who have successful paths. Are folks willing to document all the steps required to get seamless SageTV playback of .mkv containers of blu-ray? I would really, really appreciate as this has been on my must do list for years . I'm currently on SageTV 6.6.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by mkanet

1. Download and install the latest LAV splitter.
2. Download this registry file and double-click it (then, click okay to confirm updating registry). All it does is change the below registry setting from 1 to 0. You can always change it back.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DirectShow]
"EnableSageTVStreamDemux"=dword:00000000

3. Completely restart sageTV.

This should allow you to play bluray VC1 MKV files.

That reg key is only valid for v7. Version 6 is quite a bit more difficult as .m2ts is not supported by sage in that version. All you need to do is make sure the merit of your decoders is correct and sage will play back the files just fine. If you are using a codec pack get rid of it. Depending on your video card you could use either the mpc-hc splitter and decoder or the lav splitter and cuvid decoder (nvidia only). I've used both with great results.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by mkanet

1. Download and install the latest LAV splitter.
2. Download this registry file and double-click it (then, click okay to confirm updating registry). All it does is change the below registry setting from 1 to 0. You can always change it back.
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DirectShow]
"EnableSageTVStreamDemux"=dword:00000000

3. Completely restart sageTV.

This should allow you to play bluray VC1 MKV files.

The issue is not about mkv playback. The problem is about m2ts playback, and changing the splitter for that doesn't work this way and furthermore breaks live tv.

[Polypro]

Like sflamm, I just use Arcsoft's codec and VC1 plays fine. WMVideo DMO plays fine too, but my C2D is at 80%. I messed with this *a lot* in the beginning...I own TMT2, 3, and 5, as well as TME from the HD-PVR disk. I can't remember which Arcsoft one I ended up with (I think I put TMT 5's in the TME folder, using the checkactivate.dll hack) but it works. I would say Install TME and use that one...Sage seems to want to pick that one if I can remember a support email during experimentation. I like the 'one interface to rule them all approach, too' ...but having TMT auto launch on disk insert is a lot easier!... I still don't do that though


P

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Rico66

The issue is not about mkv playback. The problem is about m2ts playback, and changing the splitter for that doesn't work this way and furthermore breaks live tv.

Changing that key doesn't break live tv. There is another that will disable all sage splitters, but I can't remember what it is. That key is for the .mov, .mkv, and some others. The .ts, .m2ts, .mpg, etc. splitter is still enabled.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Changing that key doesn't break live tv. There is another that will disable all sage splitters, but I can't remember what it is. That key is for the .mov, .mkv, and some others. The .ts, .m2ts, .mpg, etc. splitter is still enabled.

Yes that's what I said (or rather trying to say...). The key mentioned above is for mkv etc.
But this thread here is about m2ts and if you try to disable the sage splitter in that case (which cannot de done with the method described here) you'll likely break live tv.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Rico66

Yes that's what I said (or rather trying to say...). The key mentioned above is for mkv etc.
But this thread here is about m2ts and if you try to disable the sage splitter in that case (which cannot de done with the method described here) you'll likely break live tv.

It's just that the guy asking again was using ver 6.6. m2ts isn't supported by sage.