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[bwa]

I have tried both v9 and V10, but I receive the message:


DVD Error:

1 out of 3 DVD-Video streams failed to render properly
-audio stream

Some things to check ......

After a few repeating error messages as above a new message is shown:

Media Center encountered errors while trying to play the last several files:

Error: Unknown error

....


Playback options/DVD Configuration tells:

Video Decoder Properties
Unable to show DVD video decoder properties ..... and some general nuts(:

The same message is displayed if Audio Decoder Properties is selected

DVD Filter listing is:

Sonic Cinemaster DS Audio Decoder
Video Mixing Renderer
Line21 Decoder2
Sonic Cinemaster DS Video Decoder
DVD Navigator


All my audio files (WMA,APE, WAV) plays fine, but DVD's are not.

I have installed WinDVD5 and TeatherTek DVD player software.

Please help.

[pipsqueak]

bwa

check to see if the dvd will play in win dvd 5 standalone first, then we can maybe isolate the problem

[bwa]

Yes, all other software works ok: WinDVD, TT, XPlayer, JovePlayer.

How is MC playing my dvd ? Using eksisting software or it's own ?

[pipsqueak]

it uses other decoders, see your DVD Filter listing:

Sonic Cinemaster DS Audio Decoder
Video Mixing Renderer
Line21 Decoder2
Sonic Cinemaster DS Video Decoder
DVD Navigator


mine is slightly different, using intervideo windvd and ac3. but we are in territory beyond my knowledge

[gpvillamil]

MC uses whatever DirectShow filters are installed on the system. The choice of filters is based on something called the "merit" system - each codec has a number indicating its suitability for a specific type of media. Some programs (such as Zoomplayer) allow you to override the merit system and choose codecs manually. It also allows you to manipulate the merit system. (The MC DVD Filter listing shows what Directshow filters it has chosen.)

The Sonic Cinemaster codecs that come with Theatertek are adapted for use with that program. At best, some of the picture quality settings are not optimal for other programs - TT changes them. At worse, the Cinemaster codecs may not work. However, Sonic has assigned them higher merit ratings than other codecs!

I would suggest you (temporarily) uninstall TT and the Cinemaster codecs, and see if MC works correctly with the Intervideo WinDVD codecs. (It works for me). If it does, then you should change the merit ratings for the codecs. (use Zoomplayer, free from inmatrix.com or Google for "change Directshow merit")

Alternatively, since your problem seems to be related to the audio part of the file, try installing the open source AC3 codec from http://ac3filter.sourceforge.net/. It has an option to override the merit system, and become the preferred audio decoder for DVD audio.

I actually use TT, WinDVD, MC and Zoomplayer for DVD playback. In order to have TT and MC working together, I used the filter editor in Zoomplayer to change the "merit" rating for the Sonic and Intervideo codecs so that the latter would be preferred. (MC will use Intervideo, but TT will always use its own codecs regardless of the merit setting). I also found that the open source AC3 filter performed better and gave more control than any of the commercial codecs, so I enabled the option to make it the preferred renderer.

With Intervideo (WinDVD) video codec and the AC3 audio codec, MC is a very good DVD player!

[bwa]

That cleared up a lot.

Actually I have just installed a XCard and a Holo3D solution. Is there a way to use Xplayer ( or another xcard player) instead ?

I also plan to use netremote, maybe this will help me ?

[bwa]

Ok, now I find a lot of filters, but I must admin I really don't understand what filer should I focus on.

My list:
Sonic Cinemaster DS Audio Decoder
Video Mixing Renderer
Line21 Decoder2
Sonic Cinemaster DS Video Decoder
DVD Navigator

Line21 Decoder2 ?

What exactly do I need to know about this ?

[gpvillamil]

MC is using all the filters in that listing for DVD playback. All of them are required for DVD playback.

Basically this is what they do:

Sonic Cinemaster DS Audio Decoder - is the codec for DVD audio - it can be replaced with the open source AC3 filter
Video Mixing Renderer - determines how video is drawn to the screen, whether overlay or VMR9
Line21 Decoder2 - closed caption information for NTSC video
Sonic Cinemaster DS Video Decoder - the codec for DVD video
DVD Navigator - the decoder for DVD menus, probably provided by Microsoft DirectX

The only filters we are really concerned with are the audio & video ones. Leave the rest alone. Also, all the changes necessary are done OUTSIDE MC. You don't need to change anything in MC.

This may not be an MC problem. The problem is that TheaterTek installs a "tweaked" version of the Sonic Cinemaster codecs AND sets them up to be the DirectShow defaults. However, the tweaked codecs don't really work so well with other programs.

Have you tried uninstalling TT and the Sonic Cinemaster codecs? By doing this, MC should use the Intervideo WinDVD audio & video codecs instead, which are less problematic.

If you want to fix the problem with the TT codecs without uninstalling them, download & install Zoomplayer, then go into Player Options, click button for Advanced Mode, select Filter Control, go to the Management tab, click button for Registered Filter Manager, find the Intervideo Video Decoder and Intervideo Audio Decoder and change their merit to a slightly higher number, like 00710000, then find the Sonic codecs and change their merit to a slightly lower number, like 00700000. Do this at your own risk!

This will make MC (and every other DirectShow player on your system, including WMP) choose the Intervideo codecs instead of the Sonic codecs, without having to uninstall TT.

[bwa]

Thanks for the info.

During the last two days I have reinstalled my whole HTPC. Created two partition TEST and PROD and switching between this to have ability to really test and tweek without destroying my production environment. This works rellay great. It's just boring to reinstall all software

So now I'm in TEST. Have installed Sigma drivers (XCard) and my Holo3D drivers, then I installed MC. And now MC using my XCard and Holo#d card, but it cannot play other than MPEG and VOB's. Not a entirely DVD.

So I installed WinDVD 5. So I will try to get it working no, and the try to 'promote' the Sigma hardware MPEG encoder.

[bwa]

Now my filers list is:

Video Renderer
Overlay Mixer
Line21 Decoder
Sigma Designs MPEG2-hardware decoder
DVD Navigator

If I selects Video Decoder Properties or Audio Decoder Properties i get the message:
Unable to show DVD video decoder properties... and a message to to playback and try again.

Now I can play vobs from my harddisk, but menus and navigation make MC freeze  

[gpvillamil]

I don't see an audio decoder in that list. Have you tried installing the AC3 filter from http://ac3filter.sourceforge.net/?

Also I think MC won't show audio or video properties unless there is a DVD in the drive.

As for the navigation issue, try installing the latest version of DirectX9.0b from Microsoft. The DVD menu navigation is provided by DirectX.

The TEST and PROD partitions are an excellent idea!

[bwa]

I have played some with the merits.

Now I see the following :

Playing from my DVD-drive works fine and uses the WinDVD drivers, navigating works fine. (But cannot find any MENU button to get into the DVD-Menu)

Playing DVD's ripped into a networked harddrive works very bad. It plays the 'logo' (Columbia Tristar with Bad Boys II and then stops), but uses the XCARD/Holo 3D drivers

If I play a shrinked DVD (menu and extras removed) it plays well but trying to jump to a chapter or fast forward freezes MC.

If MC ready for playing DVD's from a harddrive or a folder ?