Recommend a video card for 1080i playback.

[JGAM]

Hi Everyone,

It appears my problems with stuttering on 1080i playback may be related to my system/video card not being up to snuff.

Here's what I have:

I have a HP Media Center M7330n. Athlon 64 X2 4200+ 2.2 GHz with 1 GB RAM. Asus EN8400GS vid card (nvidia 8400 GS chipset) with 256MB DDR2 PCI-E. Windows XP MCE and the most recent stable release of Sage. The signal from my Starchoice box is 1080i.

I was looking at replacing the video card with a different model to try and get smooth playback from the HD PVR. Any recommendations for a Nvidia chipset card that with give me smooth playback? It sounds like I'll have to turn on hardware acceleration on the card.

Am I correct in thinking that a better video card will help with this problem, or do I need to replace the entire PC?

Thanks again.

[SWKerr]

Have you already edited the properties file to use the ArcSoft codec?

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

Does it work when you set your video driver to 720P.

[JGAM]

Thanks SWKerr, I checked and the Arcsoft Codec line is in the properties file.

I'm really starting to wonder if it's a actually stuttering in the recording, not just playback. It also appears at 720p. I'm almost positive I didn't see it initially.

[HelenWeathers]

I've had no problems with my nVidia 7950 thru 9600 series cards from a variety of manufacturers. I always get a minimum of 512mb on board memory as every 256m card I have had has stuttered/jerked when playing real HiDef content. Stretched s-video works with less memory though.

[Chriscic]

I spent a great deal of time getting the hardware acceleration working properly with my ATI 2600Pro AGP. With latest drivers hardware acceleration works great on non-PVR up to 1080p video files I was unable to play before. However, HD-PVR files still play back like crud (choppy) even though it's definitely using the Arcsoft decoder and hardware acceleration (CPU-usage is low and with hw accel off my Sage slows to the point of being nearly unresponsive and I have close via task manager).

So, in other words, good luck, but don't count on success just because you have hardware acceleration. Maybe you'll have better luck with Nvidia for some reason.

[JGAM]

Chriscic,

Yes, I guess my concern is I spend a lot of money on a new video card to find out the playback isn't any better and it's something wrong with my HD PVR, or just a general issue with these devices.

Thanks.

[Chriscic]

My opinion is hardly definitive, but I believe the problems are a function of the file format. Hopefully whenever the new HD-PVR drivers/firmware arrive adding 5.1 support and fixing the file format bugs that Sage has pointed out (if Hauppauge actually make the fixes), things will be better. We'll just have to wait and see. Personally I think it would be pointless to test a new video card or muck around with any configurations until then.

Sage and HD-PVR is just so close to being an awesome combo, but right now doesn't cut the mustard.

[SWKerr]

I have a 8500GT and and a 7300GT and both work fine. I cant belive that it is the video card. The thing is HDCP Compliant which means it was designed for BluRay. Lots of people have had trouble getting the HD-PVR to work without some tweaking.

I posted this before but your problem sounds a lot like what I had at first. My system just did not like the ArcSoft software. You might try uninstalling it and using the CoreAVC codec. It is very inexpensive. Or try what I did in the post below.

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34919
From My Post:
It has been awhile since I set it up but I also had some initial problems as well. I initially installed it without installing the ArcSoft software and hence no ArcSoft decoder. Everything recorded but there was some skipping. After researching it I figured out you could select your decoder by editing the properties file. (details from geektonic.com below)

Since I had not installed the ArcSoft software I did not have the decoder for the fix. As soon as I installed the ArcSoft software it started skipping very badly. It skipped badly in the ArcSoft software as well. I uninstalled it and all was back to normal. I had no idea how to just install the decoder so I ended up installing on the minimal components from the ArcSoft install so that the codec installed and none of the possibly offending software and did the properties hack for the ArcSoft decoder. All was good after that. I had the exact same problem with the Client box.

I have now tried CoreAVC and the ArchSoft decoder and both seem to play perfectly. I bought the CoreAVC decoder since is allows me to read the files with MeGUI and convert and edit them as I would like. The CoreAVC solution might look just a little better.



(from geektonic.com)
If you want to use CyberLink PDVD8 Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)

If you want to use CoreAVC Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

If you want to use Arcsoft Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

If you want to use the Divx Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=DivX H264 Decoder Filter

[JGAM]

Thanks SWKerr. I will try your suggestions.

[JGAM]

Well I tried the CoreAVC codec, it doesn't seem to make any difference. I'm still getting the odd stutter. I'm really wondering if it's a problem with the HD PVR.

[SWKerr]

Did you completly uninstall the ArcSoft software. On my systems just having them installed casued everything to skip. Uninstalling it and using the CoreAVC codec worked fine. Eventually I was able to figure out that I could could do a custom install the ArcSoft software and only install the utilities and get the codec to install without all the skipping.

[JGAM]

SWKerr, no I didn't but will try that tonight. I tried setting the output resolution to 720p, still get the stutter. Again makes believe it's not the video card.

Thanks again.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by JGAM

Well I tried the CoreAVC codec, it doesn't seem to make any difference. I'm still getting the odd stutter. I'm really wondering if it's a problem with the HD PVR.

Does a recording stutter within the ArcSoft TotalMedia Theater application as well or only within Sage?

[JGAM]

The recordings stutter in both. Spent a little time last night uninstalling all the Arcsoft stuff and adding the line for CoreAVC to the properties file. Now nothing will play back. I get an error referencing a problem rendering the audio. Live Tv gives the same error. I messed with the MPEG audio decoder settings in Sage but nothing seems to work.

Any ideas.

Thanks again to everyone for all the suggestions to date.

[moamoa]

Explain this to me...

My config file has in it;
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

as I have never edited it.

However, I have installed the CoreAVC codecs on my PC. When I start to play any H264 content in SageTV I see the Core icon appear in the windows toolbar at the bottom (obvious running sage windowed for this), so I'm sure it must be using the core codec. I get great quality using a 1.6ghz duo with intel 945 onboard graphics. I was not really expect this to work, but it works perfectly with cpu chugging along at about 75%.

How is it using the Core, if the config file says Arc ?

Originally Posted by SWKerr

(from geektonic.com)
If you want to use CyberLink PDVD8 Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)

If you want to use CoreAVC Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

If you want to use Arcsoft Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

If you want to use the Divx Decoder add the following:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=DivX H264 Decoder Filter

[SWKerr]

JGAM

Look in the Sage.properties and the SageClient.properties (If you have one)
If you are running Sage as a service you will need to stop it first or the changes will not save.
add/edit the line videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=
with:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

I uploaded a jpeg of the setting I use on the Video\Audio section under the Detailed setup. To start with just run a video resolution of 1280 by 720. Adjust the resolution on your Starchoice box to 720p. Record something new to test with. Once you get it working you can up the resolution and see if that becomes a problem. (I personally only have one TV that will go to 1080i and I can to really tell a difference With a 42" Plasma. I am sure it is more noticeable with larger screens but to me it is not worth the extra file size.)

If this does not work you might want to get a small sample a good recording just to make sure it is not the recording. I might be able to upload one somewhere.

[SWKerr]

MoaMoa

My config file has in it;
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

as I have never edited it.

I really have no idea how the entry got there. I did mine so long ago now I can't be certain but I think I had to add the line the first time. I was using the instructions from geektonic.com at the time. Perhaps the ArcSoft install does it but I don't think so.

I really don't know how it could be playing with CoreAVC if the properties file is pointed ArcSoft. I would love it if a real expert could explain it.

I really had no way of knowing before what codec it was actually using. Turns out that that little CoreAVC icon is relatively new. It only showed up on one of my three machines and I had to update the other two to get it. I guess now I know.

I am wondering what setting you are using in your Video\Audio setting. Also check to see if you have two entries in the properties file. I suspect the CoreAVC software is just overriding it some how.

[JGAM]

Well, I bit the bullet and replaced the video card with a nvidia 9600GT 512MB card. Had to upgrade the power supply as well.

I replaced the video card, updated the drivers and tried Sage. It was terrible. Probably running around 1 frame/second! Tried a few settings, then removed Sage and deleted the Sage folder. Reinstalled Sage and all is well. Smooth playback!

Just a tip for those who don't know, for me removing and reinstalling Sage was a very important step.

Thanks for all the suggestions.