Snapstream's BeyondTV has better decoder?

[wtsitmn]

I built a new PVR to use with to my new big-screen HDTV, and am now trying to select the best software. Sage is far and away the most feature-rich, but the picture is inferior. Using BeyondTV with its Snapstream decoder, the picture looks crystal-clear for HD recordings. If I can just get Sage to look as good, I'm sold!

So, is the Sage decoder really inferior to Snapstream, or is there something I can do to correct this problem? I've tried every Sage video setting there is, but to no avail. BTW, not only is the Sage image grainy, it also has what I believe is referred to as "micro-jitters". And like I said, the BeyondTV picture is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Is Sage really inferior? Please say it ain't so!

[evilpenguin]

If you're talking about MPEG2 decoders, then I highly recommend checking out nVidia's purevideo decoders. Even if you don't have an nVidia card they are, imo, the best MPEG2 decoders on the market. I highly recommend taking advantage of the 30 day trial, you won't be disappointed.

[blade]

You don't have to use the Sage decoder. I use the Nvidia decoder and the PQ is very good. I'd much rather Sage continue to focus on their software and not worry about developing decoders. There are plenty available already.

[DFA]

I've always thought of the decoder that comes with SageTV as just a throw down decoder. It is more or less expected that in the end everyone (videophiles) will use their pet decoder. nVidia is without a doubt one of the most popular and for good reason. I've yet to see anything out perform it.

I would not judge Sage by the decoder. That's not what they are selling or premiering.

DFA

[Hector]

Personally I think the Sage decoder is provided as a 'known good' more than it is to watch tv.

Anyway I'm familar with what you're comparing the Sage decoder to. The Nvidia Purevideo decoder will look MUCH better assuming your video card is compatible. And if you really want to do this right be sure you have a video card that is. Well worth it considering the money we sink into our displays.

In any case these are two different issues. The PVR software decision is one thing, which decoder to use is another.

peace . . .

Originally Posted by wtsitmn

I built a new PVR to use with to my new big-screen HDTV, and am now trying to select the best software. Sage is far and away the most feature-rich, but the picture is inferior. Using BeyondTV with its Snapstream decoder, the picture looks crystal-clear for HD recordings. If I can just get Sage to look as good, I'm sold!

So, is the Sage decoder really inferior to Snapstream, or is there something I can do to correct this problem? I've tried every Sage video setting there is, but to no avail. BTW, not only is the Sage image grainy, it also has what I believe is referred to as "micro-jitters". And like I said, the BeyondTV picture is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT! Is Sage really inferior? Please say it ain't so!

[nielm]

When I tried the nvidia decoder, I didn't see any difference beween it and Sage decoder + dscaler deinterlacing (greedy2frame plugin)...
Is this because

• I use an SDTV via Svideo-out, so everything is blurry anyway
• there was a misconfiguration
• my gfx card (fx5200) cannot do much with the nvidia decoder
• or do I just need new glasses?

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by nielm

When I tried the nvidia decoder, I didn't see any difference beween it and Sage decoder + dscaler deinterlacing (greedy2frame plugin)...
Is this because

• I use an SDTV via Svideo-out, so everything is blurry anyway
• there was a misconfiguration
• my gfx card (fx5200) cannot do much with the nvidia decoder
• or do I just need new glasses?

SDTV-won't show the weaknesses as much.
s-Video out is the weak link. Not a lot you can do with that output so decoder probably won't make the big difference.
dscaler deinterlacing probably helps it to compare favorably to nVidia.
fx5200 doesn't have the hardware to take advantage of all the Purevideo features that can occur in hardware.
How many fingers am I holding up.?

Gerry

[nielm]

Originally Posted by gplasky

How many fingers am I holding up.?

uh... 7?
Thanks for the clarification

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by nielm

uh... 7?
Thanks for the clarification

It was a trick question. (None-it's a thumb.) Just checking if you need those glasses.

Gerry

[wtsitmn]

Thanks for all the help everyone. I'll give the nVidia decoder a try, although I have an ATI installed because I've had good luck with ATI hardware in the past and bad luck with nVidia. (Subject to change!)

I'm relatively new to this whole concept of using a computer to record and display video. My understanding is that OTA Digital signals are already encoded, so decoding is the only issue where digital/HD is concerned. (That is, a digital tuner doesn't need its own encoder like an analog one would.)

Just to clarify things a bit, I'm using a new 60" HDTV connected directly to the video card using DVI/HDMI, so even the slightest irregularity is crystal clear.

Thanks again to everyone for the great tips. I'll follow up on whatever the outcome turns out to be.

[Hector]

Originally Posted by wtsitmn

I'm relatively new to this whole concept of using a computer to record and display video. My understanding is that OTA Digital signals are already encoded, so decoding is the only issue where digital/HD is concerned. (That is, a digital tuner doesn't need its own encoder like an analog one would.)

You're blurring several concepts sort of sideways. Signals are one thing, mpeg decoding/endoding another. Anything you send to your display needs a decoder. Forget the signal aspect right now, not relevant.

Just to clarify things a bit, I'm using a new 60" HDTV connected directly to the video card using DVI/HDMI, so even the slightest irregularity is crystal clear.

That part's correct. Either that or component will give you excellent results. The software decoder is by far the most limiting factor so its important to use the best possible.

Thanks again to everyone for the great tips. I'll follow up on whatever the outcome turns out to be

Best of luck. Let us know.

peace . . .

[wtsitmn]

The nVidia decoder did the trick! Being relatively new to this whole PVR thing, I didn't realize all decoders are not created equal. Silly me!

[mlbdude]

Not that it mattes now, but if you like the SnapStream one, it is actually the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder.

[aperry]

Since I have an ATI 9600XT, it comes with a version of the Cyberlink decoder. As I recall from when I used it before, the only problem I had with it was that it would sometimes go into a repeating bump-forward on a single press of it by me (then when I'd bump back to stop it, many minutes of show would have passed and I'd have to work my way back to where I left off). It didn't happen often, but enough to turn me away from using it.

The picture quality was fairly comparable to the NVidia picture.

[rp1790]

Originally Posted by nielm

When I tried the nvidia decoder, I didn't see any difference beween it and Sage decoder + dscaler deinterlacing (greedy2frame plugin)...
Is this because

• I use an SDTV via Svideo-out, so everything is blurry anyway
• there was a misconfiguration
• my gfx card (fx5200) cannot do much with the nvidia decoder
• or do I just need new glasses?

I have something similar, SVHS out and using the Nvidai de-coder, don't really see a difference between any of the decoders onto my SDTV. One thing though is that the Nvidia seems to be more prone to stuttering, if I switch to the Sage decoder I never get stuttering. I have a 6600 passive card.

[Ryokurin]

I used to swear by the Nvidia ones, but as of late the CVS builds of FFDshow has gotten the crown for me.

[Hector]

Personally I never thought the NVidia decoder stood out (at least not much) until viewing HD. I think that was in part because I was using the PVR-350/hardware decoder which for SD was stellar.

Strictly speaking about HD, has anyone gotten any better results with a software decoder than with NVidia Purevideo? Perhaps that's not a fair question unless using an Nvida based card.

peace . . .

[wtsitmn]

Originally Posted by mlbdude

Not that it mattes now, but if you like the SnapStream one, it is actually the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder.

Thanks for that tip. I found a copy of version 6, and it works great.
http://www.canadiancontent.net/tech/..._PowerDVD.html
The link says it's free, so hopefully it won't expire and ask me for money. Hey, gotta find some way to help pay for that big screen!

[Hector]

According to the link you sent its a free trial or 'free to try'.

peace . . .

Originally Posted by wtsitmn

Thanks for that tip. I found a copy of version 6, and it works great.
http://www.canadiancontent.net/tech/..._PowerDVD.html
The link says it's free, so hopefully it won't expire and ask me for money. Hey, gotta find some way to help pay for that big screen!

[wtsitmn]

Originally Posted by Hector

According to the link you sent its a free trial or 'free to try'.

peace . . .

During the install, I saw no mention of a trial period, and I installed it twice just to have another look. I also set my clock ahead a month and rebooted to see what would happen. It worked fine, except my trial copy of Sage expired! Time will tell.