How To Install Arcsoft Codecs

[nwboater]

In trying to solve a problem with Video lagging audio in HD TV Tech Support has asked me to select the ArcSoft Video Decoder for my H264 Video Decoder filter. In Detailed Setup Audio Video it does not show as a selection. When I installed the HDPVR I also installed the Arcsoft TMT/TME software and Drivers that came with it. Under program files Arcsoft there is a Codec Folder that has a lot in it.

Does anyone know how to get these to show in Setup?

Thanks very much.

Rod

[inskeepp]

Mine showed up without me doing anything.
I'm on win7 64bit and I installed them before SageTV if that makes any difference.

[macsupergeek]

Stop SageTV. Download and run directshow filter manager from softella dot com and set the Arcsoft Video Decoder to preferred and might as well do the Audio as well unless you are using AC3filter, which you should be. Then go into sage.properties or sageclient.properties and add ArcSoft Video Decoder to the following lines:


videoframe/video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder
add to these if want ArcSoft doing it all
videoframe/dvd_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder

then start sage back up again and enjoy.

But all this would only apply if you were watching files on the server or the HTPC machine -- I see by your tag you have and a HD100 and 200, in that case they decode the H264 and ArcSoft has nothing to do with it even if it is set on the server.

[nwboater]

Thanks very much for the responses.

Although I have Extenders, I want to use the HTPC so that the audio will go through our PC soundcard and then to our good audio system. I use the extender in this room for WAF, but it's audio only feeds the TV.

I did install the HD PVR on the Server before Sage. But on the Client I may have installed Sage first. Could that be why they don't show in Sage?

I have run the Direct Show Filter Manager but it did not find the Arcsoft Decoders. That's with the DX Cat window looking for DirectShow Filters.

The Arcsoft Codecs appear to be in the Folder Arcsoft/Total Media Extreme/Codecs. There are a whole bunch of files with the extensions .dll and .ax Some are named codec, some demux, etc. Seems like this should be what we want but they aren't showing up anywhere.

When I do get them to show in the Direct Show Filter Manager, how do I set them to preferred?

Thanks for editing your post to give details of what to put in the Sage Property Folder. I was going to ask you how - you beat me to it!

I gather I should be doing all this on the Client - not the Server?

Also in Sage Setup I am using AC3 Filter.

Quite a learning curve in this stuff!

I really appreciate all the help here.

Thanks,
Rod

[Narflex]

If the option isn't showing up in SageTV, then the filter probably isn't registered. Just go to a DOS prompt, then cd into the Codecs folder for ArcSoft and then type this:

regsvr32 AsVid.ax

It'll then give you a message about registration succeeded, then you should be able to select it in the UI (you'll need to restart SageTV after doing this).

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by Narflex

If the option isn't showing up in SageTV, then the filter probably isn't registered. Just go to a DOS prompt, then cd into the Codecs folder for ArcSoft and then type this:

regsvr32 AsVid.ax

It'll then give you a message about registration succeeded, then you should be able to select it in the UI (you'll need to restart SageTV after doing this).

That did it! Thanks so much. And it solved my problem with the video lagging the audio by about 10 seconds.

But now I have another problem. My poor old Dell 3 Ghz P4 is running at 100% CPU on HD (fine on SD) and it's fan is screaming! Not a usable system. Anybody here know if an upgraded video card might help, or is the old PC just being asked to do too much. Down the road I want to get Blue Ray on the system and that may task it even more.

Guess I should start a new thread in Hardware on this, but thought someone may have some ideas here.

Thanks again for all your help - that's each of you that posted here.

Rod

[UgaData]

Now that the Arcsoft Codec is showing, you will want to verify that HA is turned on. The fact that things are working indicates it maybe turned on but I have found it turned off more than once for no apparent reason.

I use Graph studio to check the Arcsoft Video Codec properties to verify that DXVA1.0 and DXVA2.0 are selected. I believe there are others tools to accomplish this as well.

[macsupergeek]

get a better video card like an ATI 4670 should work or if you want a little more humph, I am running a GTS250 and I can play live HD full screen on a 23inch LCD

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by UgaData

Now that the Arcsoft Codec is showing, you will want to verify that HA is turned on. The fact that things are working indicates it maybe turned on but I have found it turned off more than once for no apparent reason.

I use Graph studio to check the Arcsoft Video Codec properties to verify that DXVA1.0 and DXVA2.0 are selected. I believe there are others tools to accomplish this as well.

Yes HA is turned on in Sage. I looked for some kind on HA in my Nvidea Control Panel and couldn't find anything there.

I recently downloaded GraphStudio, but don't have a clue how to use it. How do I check the Arcsoft Properties as you suggested above?

Thanks very much for your help.

Rod

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by macsupergeek

get a better video card like an ATI 4670 should work or if you want a little more humph, I am running a GTS250 and I can play live HD full screen on a 23inch LCD

Thanks for your suggestions.

Before buying a new video card can I be fairly certain that my present card is the bottleneck, and not the CPU? Or the rest of the old Dell?

Rod

[macsupergeek]

go to videocardbenchmark dot net -- from the select a page pulldown menu choose searchable video card list type in 8400 gs -- your card is a 139, the 2 I listed are well above that. And since what are you doing is GPU instensive, the decoding of video, the higher the number like in 700-1000 range the better off you are. I don't know the sweet spot, but more is always "gooder".

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by macsupergeek

go to videocardbenchmark dot net -- from the select a page pulldown menu choose searchable video card list type in 8400 gs -- your card is a 139, the 2 I listed are well above that. And since what are you doing is GPU instensive, the decoding of video, the higher the number like in 700-1000 range the better off you are. I don't know the sweet spot, but more is always "gooder".

Thanks for the Benchmarks link - very interesting.

I'm going to make a post in the Hardware forum where it's appropriate.

Thanks again for your help here.

Rod

[Polypro]

If DXVA is enabled in ASVid.ax, you should see very low CPU usage when playing an HD-PVR file (assuming your GPU does DXVA). Certain versions of TMT and TME do not allow other DirectShow programs to use DXVA. You usually need an early version of TMT 2 or TME or a modified checkactivate.dll from Doom9, to get the latest decoders to do DXVA. The MS decoder is no muss, no fuss, and does DXVA perfectly (Win7 Only).

P

[UgaData]

Originally Posted by nwboater

Yes HA is turned on in Sage. I looked for some kind on HA in my Nvidea Control Panel and couldn't find anything there.

I recently downloaded GraphStudio, but don't have a clue how to use it. How do I check the Arcsoft Properties as you suggested above?

Thanks very much for your help.

Rod

With Graph Studio open

Click on Insert Filter - a list of all the filters available should appear in the left pane

Select the Arcsoft Video Decoder -> then click the properties button (lower right pane).

I am relating the above from memory, so I apologize if I have the steps wrong. I have step through them in other posts so a search on my posts should find it.

I used to have an 8400 GS and for the most part it worked OK, till it burned out. I seem to remember that some 8400s can handle HD OK and some are iffy.


Check this thread\post:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...ht=GraphStudio

[nwboater]

Polypro & UgaData,

Thanks very much for all the good information. I think we are finally getting somewhere, although it's not solved yet.

Here's what I've done.

1. Got the Custom checkactivate.dll from Doom9 forum and installed it in the Arcsoft codec folder.

2. Registered asvid.ax

3. With GraphStudio opened the Properties page for Arcsoft Video Decoders. The boxes for DXVA 2.0 & 1.0 were not checked. I checked them clicked apply and thought I'd be home free. Wrong!

When I go back and look at Properties again the 2 boxes are unchecked. There seems to be no way to keep them checked. So I'm wondering if it's because my GPU doesn't support it, or, more likely, that the version of TME that I have is too old. It's date is 12/19/08. If that's the problem I guess I need to get a newer version.

What do you think?

Thanks for all the super help here. Last night I didn't know what DXVA was!

Rod

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by nwboater

So I'm wondering if it's because my GPU doesn't support it, or, more likely, that the version of TME that I have is too old. It's date is 12/19/08. If that's the problem I guess I need to get a newer version.

That's the same date that mine has and I have refused to let it update; it's the version that installed off the TME disc. Also I don't think you need the doom9 hack for that version. I haven't used it and (knock on wood) I've never had DXVA issues.

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by Spectrum

That's the same date that mine has and I have refused to let it update; it's the version that installed off the TME disc. Also I don't think you need the doom9 hack for that version. I haven't used it and (knock on wood) I've never had DXVA issues.

Thanks for confirming the date. Do I understand that DXVA is working in your system?

Have you ever checked your Arcsoft Properties to see if DXVA is enabled there?

I just looked at the EVGA website and for my 8400GS card they show "Full Microsoft® DirectX® 10 Shader Model 4.0 Support" under Features. It sounds like DirectX is supported. But I wonder if I need to have DirectX 10 installed for this to work. Going to try to find out that version is now.

Thanks,
Rod

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by nwboater

So I'm wondering if it's because my GPU doesn't support it, or, more likely, that the version of TME that I have is too old. It's date is 12/19/08. If that's the problem I guess I need to get a newer version.

It's rather the opposite, your version is not old enough. The TME version that came with the original HD PVR disc dates around 06/08 and does support DXVA, if you simply register the codec as described. Newer versions don't.

[nwboater]

I just checked and my version of DirectX is 9. From some Googling it appears that XP will not install DirectX 10 - oldest OS for that is Vista. Also from a bit of Googling I read that some applications written for DirectX may not run on older versions than what they are designed for.

If all of the above is true it is making me think that I cannot have Hardware Acceleration with my card that looks like it's designed for DirectX 10.

What say you experts our there?

Thanks,
Rod

[nwboater]

Originally Posted by Rico66

It's rather the opposite, your version is not old enough. The TME version that came with the original HD PVR disc dates around 06/08 and does support DXVA, if you simply register the codec as described. Newer versions don't.

Thanks Rico66. Any idea how to get that older version?

But if what I just said in my previous post about needing DirectX 10 is true it may all be a mute point. Hopefully I'm not understanding it correctly and that's a non issue.

Rod