Blue ray rips: H.264 is Smooth; VC-1 is jittery

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Bagal

You can download the filters on their own and just pick out the ones you want, they're available here: http://sourceforge.net/projects/mpc-hc/files/, just choose the appropriate 'Standalone Filters' package depending on whether you're running on 32 or 64bit.

The actual decoder you want is called 'MPCVideoDec.ax', and you'll need to register this for it to then be available in Sage, have a look at Damian's article on MediaSmartServer.net, the article concentrates on setting up Bitstreaming HD audio in Windows Media Center but it's also a very useful guide to manually setting up codecs and registering them as the default for the system etc.

Sage is a 32bit application so you don't need the 64bit filters.

[Bagal]

ah yes, good point!

[craigap]

I just spent the last few hours messing with this. First I was able to successfully register the MPC video decoder. I went into Sage setup and selected it for VC-1. I played a video and it was violently choppy (sound was fine). I decided to see how the file was drawn out under Graphstudio. The .m2ts file would not open. I found that I had to register the gabest splitter in addition to the MPC video decoder to get a graph drawn. In the graph it was using the Windows DMO decoder. Through hell and high water I was able to rename the WMVideoDec.dll so that windows wouldn't use it. Setting merit as high as I could for the MPC decoder wouldn't work and Windows doesn't seem to let you change the merit on the DMO decoders. Anyway, after adjusting merits of sever filters I finally was able to get a graph that used gabest splitter to MPC decoder to Enhanced Video Renderer as the system default for the VC-1/.m2ts video file, FFDshow audio renderer to Default direct sound device to bitstream. Playing the file with Graphstudio the VC-1 playback was beautiful.

With the exception of the gabest splitter this is how I have Sage Set up for VC-1 playback. When I play the video in Sage it is still choppy as all hell. The Windows DMO filter was at least tolerable. This was not.

So my question is: Is it possible that the Gabest splitter is being used by Sage and it shouldn't be or vice versa; or something else? I'm don't really know how all that works.

EDIT: Forgot to mention that when using the MPC decoder my CPU usage is nice and low, DXVA is at least working.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by craigap

I just spent the last few hours messing with this. First I was able to successfully register the MPC video decoder. I went into Sage setup and selected it for VC-1. I played a video and it was violently choppy (sound was fine). I decided to see how the file was drawn out under Graphstudio. The .m2ts file would not open. I found that I had to register the gabest splitter in addition to the MPC video decoder to get a graph drawn. In the graph it was using the Windows DMO decoder. Through hell and high water I was able to rename the WMVideoDec.dll so that windows wouldn't use it. Setting merit as high as I could for the MPC decoder wouldn't work and Windows doesn't seem to let you change the merit on the DMO decoders. Anyway, after adjusting merits of sever filters I finally was able to get a graph that used gabest splitter to MPC decoder to Enhanced Video Renderer as the system default for the VC-1/.m2ts video file, FFDshow audio renderer to Default direct sound device to bitstream. Playing the file with Graphstudio the VC-1 playback was beautiful.

With the exception of the gabest splitter this is how I have Sage Set up for VC-1 playback. When I play the video in Sage it is still choppy as all hell. The Windows DMO filter was at least tolerable. This was not.

So my question is: Is it possible that the Gabest splitter is being used by Sage and it shouldn't be or vice versa; or something else? I'm don't really know how all that works.

Yes you're right, using either the mpc video decoder or the ffdshow dxva decoder allows flawless playback outside of Sage.
But afaik, it's not possible to use another splitter for m2ts in Sage, and the Sage splitter does not connect correctly to these decoders.
There have been many discussions about this during the Sage 7 beta. Unfortunately Sage refuses to acknowledge that there is a problem and/or to fix this issue.

[craigap]

What is the name of the splitter that SageTV uses for BDMV/VC-1/.m2ts? I'd like to insert that filter in place of the Gabest splitter into a graph in Graphstudio and have Graphstudio process the video to see it I get the same crappy results as playing the video directly from within sage.

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by craigap

What is the name of the splitter that SageTV uses for BDMV/VC-1/.m2ts? I'd like to insert that filter in place of the Gabest splitter into a graph in Graphstudio and have Graphstudio process the video to see it I get the same crappy results as playing the video directly from within sage.

I think it's mpegdemux.ax.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by craigap

What is the name of the splitter that SageTV uses for BDMV/VC-1/.m2ts? I'd like to insert that filter in place of the Gabest splitter into a graph in Graphstudio and have Graphstudio process the video to see it I get the same crappy results as playing the video directly from within sage.

SageTV MpegDeMux

if you use .mkv for vc-1 you can use the gabest splitter with sagetv. Just go into regedit and change enablesagetvstreamdemux to 0



You can also give the arcsoft filter a try as that works well also without converting to .mkv. Sage uses mainconcept codecs for mpeg encoding and I've used the mainconcept vc-1 decoder with success as well.

[craigap]

I want to avoid MKV. I'll keep working on this. Thanks guys.

How do I go about getting the arcsoft decoders intalled? Similar to the MPC ones?

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

SageTV MpegDeMux

if you use .mkv for vc-1 you can use the gabest splitter with sagetv. Just go into regedit and change enablesagetvstreamdemux to 0



You can also give the arcsoft filter a try as that works well also without converting to .mkv. Sage uses mainconcept codecs for mpeg encoding and I've used the mainconcept vc-1 decoder with success as well.

Even Arcsoft stutters within Sage, at least the version that I use, which is the one that came originally with the hd pvr. It supports dxva, cpu usage is low. It's not that obvious as it doesn't stutter as badly as mpc or ffdshow. I quit using Sage for vc1, and use MPC HC instead. As an added bonus it also supports sub titles...

[Bagal]

Originally Posted by craigap

I found that I had to register the gabest splitter in addition to the MPC video decoder to get a graph drawn. In the graph it was using the Windows DMO decoder. Through hell and high water I was able to rename the WMVideoDec.dll so that windows wouldn't use it. Setting merit as high as I could for the MPC decoder wouldn't work and Windows doesn't seem to let you change the merit on the DMO decoders.

The Win7DSFilterTweaker allows you to change the default codecs for Win7 without having to mess around with the registry or renaming files etc, the app was linked to from the previous article I mentioned at MediaSmartServer.net.

Originally Posted by craigap

I want to avoid MKV.

Is there a particular reason for this (other than the obvious of not wanting to convert a ton of files, which I wouldn't want to do either)? Just curious, that's all...

Originally Posted by craigap

How do I go about getting the arcsoft decoders intalled? Similar to the MPC ones?

I think you need to have an Arcsoft product (such as Total Media Theater) or have them come free with something such as the HD-PVR to get them (unless you can find them via other means...), I've never used them so I can't say for certain, Arcsoft do have trials of their products so you might at least be able to test them before committing to anything.

[craigap]

Well, I've confirmed what I've already been told. The arcsoft decoders did not work properly either.

The reason I don't want to do MKV is pretty much exactly that....I don't want to put more time into it. Also, I had trouble with MKV and MyMovies. Didn't really try to troubleshoot it because I figured I'd just stay with .m2ts.

Oh well. Thanks for all the help though. I've decided to see what SageTV has to say about this.

[Polypro]

WMVideoDMO needs horsepower to work. MyC2D E6600 is at 50%, but it's smooth. I use the Arcsoft codec sucessfully...however: You need one that allows access via DirectShow. Arcsoft used to allow this in early v2 TMT installs, but then stopped. A user on Doom9 posted a checkactivate.dll that would bring the newer version back into use. Your option is to get one of the early ones, or a new one with that .dll. It's for sure voodoo, but it is possible. Let me try something....

Ok, looks like it worked. Unzip, rename, and scan with AV (cuz who am I, LOL)

IIRC, that may be the latest TMT3 codec...which I have in my TME folder (don't ask)...but it works here.

This is what I'm using ATM. The .dll goes wherever you put the codec...use something like DirectShow Filter Manager to register it. I would restart the comp...DXVA is flakey when you start messing with codec swapping in the same session.

Not responsible for any damage

P

[Rico66]

Originally Posted by Polypro

WMVideoDMO needs horsepower to work. MyC2D E6600 is at 50%, but it's smooth. I use the Arcsoft codec sucessfully...however: You need one that allows access via DirectShow. Arcsoft used to allow this in early v2 TMT installs, but then stopped. A user on Doom9 posted a checkactivate.dll that would bring the newer version back into use. Your option is to get one of the early ones, or a new one with that .dll. It's for sure voodoo, but it is possible. Let me try something....

Ok, looks like it worked. Unzip, rename, and scan with AV (cuz who am I, LOL)

IIRC, that may be the latest TMT3 codec...which I have in my TME folder (don't ask)...but it works here.

This is what I'm using ATM. The .dll goes wherever you put the codec...use something like DirectShow Filter Manager to register it. I would restart the comp...DXVA is flakey when you start messing with codec swapping in the same session.

Not responsible for any damage

P

As said above Arcsoft decoders also don't work properly (at least in certain configurations). I have an Arcsoft decoder (from the early HD PVR disc) that does support DXVA (CPU usage is very low), but it still stutters a little bit in Sage. It's almost watchable, if you don't know compare it e.g. with playback in MPC-HC.
And yes the WMVideoDMO needs horsepower, but it doesn't really use all that's available. When I try that, it only reaches between 30 and 40% CPU usage (on a quad core), and it stutters.

[panteragstk]

I just want to let you know that when I had massive amounts of playback issues it turned out to be my system configuration that was causing the problems. The codec pack I had installed did something very odd and reinstalling windows and loading the bare minimum fixed everything. I have no issues now.

[Wakecrash]

I had issues with vc-1 being jittery on my pc client when played within sage. I gave up and installed the dvd/blu ray plugin that automatically launches arcsoft play dvds or blu rays and now play back is smooth with low cpu useage.

[craigap]

Originally Posted by Polypro

WMVideoDMO needs horsepower to work. MyC2D E6600 is at 50%, but it's smooth. I use the Arcsoft codec sucessfully...however: You need one that allows access via DirectShow. Arcsoft used to allow this in early v2 TMT installs, but then stopped. A user on Doom9 posted a checkactivate.dll that would bring the newer version back into use. Your option is to get one of the early ones, or a new one with that .dll. It's for sure voodoo, but it is possible. Let me try something....

Ok, looks like it worked. Unzip, rename, and scan with AV (cuz who am I, LOL)

IIRC, that may be the latest TMT3 codec...which I have in my TME folder (don't ask)...but it works here.

This is what I'm using ATM. The .dll goes wherever you put the codec...use something like DirectShow Filter Manager to register it. I would restart the comp...DXVA is flakey when you start messing with codec swapping in the same session.

Not responsible for any damage

P

Already tried this and unfortunately it didn't give me smooth playback. CPU usage was low though. Around 25%. I'm getting DXVA from the Arcsoft and MPC decoders judging by the low CPU usage. It just stutters horribly for some reason.

[lovingHDTV]

Originally Posted by craigap

Well, I've confirmed what I've already been told. The arcsoft decoders did not work properly either.

The reason I don't want to do MKV is pretty much exactly that....I don't want to put more time into it. Also, I had trouble with MKV and MyMovies. Didn't really try to troubleshoot it because I figured I'd just stay with .m2ts.

Oh well. Thanks for all the help though. I've decided to see what SageTV has to say about this.

What did you find out? I filed a bug and they want log files showing the errors. I do this kind of work all day and can't bring myself to creating log files to debug software for fun after work. I'm hoping they figure this out and get it fixed.

The frustrating thing for me is that it all worked great in v6 because I could use the Haali splitter. Being stuck with the broken Sage splitter really sucks.

dave

[craigap]

Originally Posted by lovingHDTV

What did you find out? I filed a bug and they want log files showing the errors. I do this kind of work all day and can't bring myself to creating log files to debug software for fun after work. I'm hoping they figure this out and get it fixed.

The frustrating thing for me is that it all worked great in v6 because I could use the Haali splitter. Being stuck with the broken Sage splitter really sucks.

dave

I sent in one set of logs thus far and have yet to hear anything back. I sent the logs on Tuesday. Hopefully they'll have something to say tonight.

[jimbo67]

If you have an ATI video card, I suggest you download and install the Avivo Package. It is an optional download at the AMD website. This is not part of the standard video driver update.

For Windows 7 64 bit:
http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloa...win7-64.aspx#3


This is a media codec package that takes advantage of the hardware on your video card.

Also, your closed caption will work better with this installed

[craigap]

Originally Posted by jimbo67

If you have an ATI video card, I suggest you download and install the Avivo Package. It is an optional download at the AMD website. This is not part of the standard video driver update.

For Windows 7 64 bit:
http://sites.amd.com/us/game/downloa...win7-64.aspx#3


This is a media codec package that takes advantage of the hardware on your video card.

Also, your closed caption will work better with this installed

Already tried it, but I'm appreciative of the suggestion.