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[benn600]

Is there a way to have Media Center, upon selecting to play a DVD, output standard 480p through the video card?  The reason I ask is that we're using the Anthem D2 pre-amp, which has an outstanding upconverter, so sending it the native DVD resolution would allow it the chance to upconvert it.  This would also likely improve DVD playback because the computer wouldn't be trying to upconvert it however it is capable.  This would need to revert the resolution for theater view, of course, so it would mean repeated switching as playback changes.  I can see using a feature like this even on our great room setup with the Denon 3808ci receiver.  Of course it won't compare to the D2 but it will do a better job than the computer.

Thanks.

[benn600]

Bump.  What do you think of this idea?

[MrHaugen]

I'm tempted to bet my left leg that good post processing with ffdshow would beat you're pre-amps upscaling. Using upscaling for DVD players that don't have this kind of ability, is understandable. But when you are using a computer, and you have better alternatives, I don't really understand the problem. I might be wrong here! Havent used a upscaler for a while now, so there might have been advancement on this front, but I still think post processing beats it.

[benn600]

You're telling me that our Anthem D2 pre-amp, renowned for fantastic upscaling, with a retail price tag of over $7,500, is not as capable as a generic computer box costing around $500, very little of which goes to the video processing hardware.  Most goes to the hard drive, memory, etc., which has essentially no impact on video upscaling.

I have tried upscaling with ffdshow and when enabled, the frame rate drops to hardly anything and CPU usage skyrockets to 100%.  The system I am using is not able to run the upscaling fully.  I do get usable video signals when outputting 1080p but there are noticeable issues including jagged lines as the video card cannot fully keep up.  I see the same issues on my Mac Pro, which has a high end graphics card.  Something about speed somewhere along the line.  Set top boxes never seem to produce this issue.

I figured people would step up and say this was something that should be investigated!  Am I missing something here?  This seems like the perfect solution to the assumption that, which I have heard from many sources, "a computer cannot compete with a cheap upconvert DVD player by any stretch of the imagination."  They are not designed to upconvert 480p to 1080p.  Of course our D2 has among the best upconversion hardware available on the market.  Hardware is nice because it has enough power to do exactly what is needed in real time with no exceptions (in decent equipment).  Since our main video comes from the MC computer, we need to maximize its quality.

[MrHaugen]

That's what I said. Have to wait till I get my hands on a high end scaler like this, to test my theory though. One downside with post processing on a comupter is that you have to have  a descent computer to run the good setting. Low and mid range computers can be a problem. I've never noticed any jagged lines with post procesing when I used Zoom Player with Wideo Mixing Renderer 9 Exclusive. MC only have VMR 9 and can therefor produce tearing in certain movies. Another problem with computers and post processing/upscaling is the uneven framrates. Especially on panoramic movements. This should be better on most hardware upscalers. So down the end, it might just be a choise of what is most important to you. Or what you dislike most.

As it goes for you're request, I will give you my support. Would probably try this way my self one day as my equipment get's more high end.
First I hope a Movie database and a better Theater View skin/layout is implemented though

[benn600]

uneven framrates. Especially on panoramic movements.

Exactly.  This is a great way to describe what I see.

Yes, I do wish they would add some of my suggestions in MC13.  They are, without a doubt, adding some amazing features but I haven't noticed anything that specifically helps with what I actually need added for a better MC setup.  I won't reiterate what I've asked for several times around the forum.

I just know that ... whatever I have right now is not acceptable.  On our nice LCD, I notice issues as you described and others.  I just have to figure out how to remedy these and I think letting, even my Denon receiver (well under two grand) upscale will be better.  I have heard from several sources that computers are just not capable of what a dedicated upscaler can do.  This is why I was looking for a high end upscaler graphics card, which theoretically could pack the punch that an upscaler does.  But with a fancy pre-amp, I get upscaling on all sources instead of spending a lot for each and every source.

[benn600]

Bump.

Please, is this a decent idea?  It appears to be but maybe I'm missing something.

[Alex B]

I see lots of words, but you are really not explaining how your setup is configured and what exactly you want MC to do.

I can output native DVD resolution when I set my secondary display output to 720x576. This if for European PAL DVDs. For NTSC you would need to use 720x480. Though, since I don't have an upscaling receiver I usually have the display output set to my TVs native resolution. I use a standard nearby 17" LCD monitor for MC's GUI and a TV for the actual video output, but probably you have a different setup.

[benn600]

I need Media Center to display theater view at 1920x1080.  When content is played that is less than this resolution, MC should switch to output the native resolution of the content.  So, upon selecting play on a piece of content, MC would change the video card resolution to that of the video content (less than or equal to 1080p).  This way, our Anthem D2 will receive the native content and it can do the upscalling to 1080p, instead of having the computer upscale and output 1080p.

This make sense?

[Alex B]

It makes more sense.

I guess the first step could be to separate the theater view resolution setting from the full screen video playback setting. I suppose that would be easy for the developers. They would just need to add one additional option. It would provide a single separate full screen resolution setting for all video playback.

It would be quite a bit more tricky to make MC to automatically adjust the full screen resolution according to the played content. Video files can be of any resolution and display drivers provide only certain settings. Should it use the closest setting when there's no exact match? Should also the aspect ratio be taken into account when the resolution is set?

[benn600]

I'd be content if it only noticed VIDEO_TS full resolution/quality DVD playback and then switched to, perhaps, 480p.  640x480 or 800x600.  Either would likely be fine.  This is all a bit forward looking because we can't setup our D2 or any other theater equipment until our theater is finished (Other Hardware "Theater Progression" thread going).  But I figured and hoped this would be obviously a great idea and it would get implemented quickly.  Guess not.

[MrHaugen]

I just noticed you could set the desired screen resolution upon fullscreen playback to about anything you want. Have you tried that? Just right click on the screen and choose the resolution. This will probably not stick for the next playback you do, but it might be something..

[benn600]

I will definitely need to look at that.  I remember seeing a lot of settings that can change the resolution but had forgotten where they were and only thought they were intended for dual monitor use.  I'll look at them when I get a chance.

Thanks.