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[the-order]

Am currently running newest versions of both Media Center 13 and the CCCP and my playback of .MP4 video files is very awful.  When I play, Media Center lags up a bit like I am running a slow computer and it can't keep up with the video so the play back is very laggy (low/jerky framerate). Also when switching to fullscreen mode to watch video, it lags and the picture often just locks on one frame and doesn't continue while the audio keeps going. I can play .MP4 files just fine in WMP11 without any problems at all. I am lost on what I can do to remedy this problem. All other video files run great.

[dlmax63]

I also use this file format a lot because of an IPod and a desire for lossless. However, I use m4a which as I understand it is the same. I don't use cccp. Instead I use DC-Bass. It seems to be very quick.

Alex gave me some links in another thread (for a different purpose) that you may want to check out:

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=47737.msg327238#msg327238

[bunglemebaby]

I'll give this a bump because I'm having the exact same problem. My assumption is that there is something awry with my Direct Show filter options for MP4 files. The problem is that I currently know very little about Direct Show filters (read- I read the MC manual section about this and the CCCP blurb) and so I'm not quite sure what I need to tweak.

If anybody has been successful in playing MP4 files in MC13 (or MC12 too, same deal there) please let us know what you've done to make them play.

Thanks a bunch,
JB

[dlmax63]

Bunglemebaby:

Follow the link I posted previously. On that thread, a couple of posts up, a beta tester (Alex B) posted two links for me. Go ahead and install the DC-Bass filters and then go to Tools=>Options=>Playback=>Video=>Directshow playback settings... On the right side in the "DirectShow Filters" section, highlight MP4 (it must also be checked). Another window will pop up and you need to select "DC-Bass Source" in the left hand pane under "Source Filters.  This worked for me and also in MC12. Even though it's under the video section, it is still appropriate for audio.

[Please note: This description is for MC v13.0.61. I am not running the most recent version of MC13 because I'm having a problem with M4A files being imported as data files instead of audio. The newer version of MC13 has a more precise set of options and since I don't have it loaded I can't post the exact steps right now.]

[kamiller42]

I have mp4 working in MC12 and MC13. I cannot explain how. The lack of native MP4 support in MC has been the biggest thorn in my side. The MP4 support is so bad that I am trying to convert everything to something MC supports natively, FLAC. Works in MC12, but not MC13 on the same PC. Reviewed playback options, and nothing seems to work. The Playback Options dialogs between the two versions are different.  ?

If someone asked me what I hate about MC, I would answer without hesitation "No native MP4 support."

[bunglemebaby]

Thanks dlmax, for pointing me (directly) to the DC-Bass Source. I'd read that before and didn't realize that it applied to me, due to my own lack of knowledge on this subject.
I tried the DC-Bass Source and it didn't work within 5 minutes of tinkering...
I'll have to come at this when I can dedicate enough time to actually learn a few things about how this all works. I'll post back once I've gained enough knowledge to ask an intelligent question.
Thanks again,
JB

[Yaobing]

Do you play mp4 in Quicktime engine or DirectShow (setting in Options -> File Type)?

If in DirectShow, right-click in Display Window while the file is playing, and find "DirectShow Filters" -> "Copy graph info to clipboard". Paste the info here.

[bunglemebaby]

No more knowledge on my part yet, but here is the output from MC13 "Copy graph info to clipboard".

Code: [Select]

Filter Graph Info:

    Filter 'Default DirectSound Device'
        CLSID: {79376820-07D0-11CF-A24D-0020AFD79767}
        Host: C:\WINDOWS\system32\quartz.dll
        Input Pin 'Audio Input pin (rendered)'
            Connected to pin 'Output' of filter 'DC-Bass Source'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Audio  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx

    Filter 'DC-Bass Source'
        CLSID: {ABE7B1D9-4B3E-4ACD-A0D1-92611D3A4492}
        Host: C:\Program Files\DSP-worx\DC-Bass Source\DCBassSource.ax
        Output Pin 'Output'
            Connected to pin 'Audio Input pin (rendered)' of filter 'Default DirectSound Device'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Audio  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_PCM, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
I suspect that before it was playing back through QuickTime as it was set to 'automatic' under Options -> File Type, and now that I've switched it to 'JR vid-eng w/DS' it just shows a blank screen and plays the audio from the file.

Glancing through the above MC output, is the DC-Bass filter just for MP4 audio? Just to make certain it's clear, I'm trying to playback MP4 video files.

Thanks,
JB

[park]

I also cant get MC to playback my mp4 video files. This is on a my bootcamp/vmware version of vista. I was able to get playback by selecting the haali renderer, but now not even that works. I am using the jriver playback engine in the filetypes section of options.

[RobOK]

I am having same problems with MP4.  Downloaded CCCP.  Music is playing but video is spotty and flashing.  I have several Haali icons and a couple FF icons in my task bar.  I am not able to right click on a playing video to get that to pop up.

I was previously getting a "Can't determine what version of Quicktime" error, but after installing CCCP that is gone and/or after setting  as the player under File Associations (instead of automatic.)

I am not going to have a lot of debugging time, but just wanted to post this in case it is a pattern.  Vista.  MC 13.

Rob.

======================================

Media Center 13.0.89 Registered -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 13\

Microsoft Windows Vista 6.0 Service Pack 1 (Build 6001)
Intel Core 2 2398 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 2094 MB, Free - 817 MB

Internet Explorer: 7.0.6001.18000 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82.6001 / Shlwapi.dll: 6.0.6001 / Shell32.dll: 6.0.6001 / wnaspi32.dll: N/A
Ripping /   Drive D: TSSTcorpCD/DVDW SH-S182D  Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Digital playback: Yes /  Get cover art: Yes /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767
  Eject after ripping: Yes /  Play sound after ripping: No 

Burning /  Drive D: TSSTcorp CD/DVDW SH-S182D   Addr: 0:0:0  Speed:48  MaxSpeed:48  BurnProof:Yes
  Test mode: No /  Eject after writing: Yes /  Direct decoding: Yes /  Write CD-Text: Yes
  Use playback settings: No /

Portable Device Info
  Removed devices:


Interface Plugins:
  last.fm (Active)
  Library Server (Active)
  TiVo Server (Active/Enabled)
  UPnP Server (Active/Enabled)

[JimH]

Haali has a setting to turn off the tray icons.

[RobOK]

Update on my situation... I am working but not how i would like.  I ended up installing QuickTime b/c I needed it for another program (Tivo Desktop).  So my MP4s play now, via QT not CCCP.


OT:
======
One Apple annoyance.  When you d/l quicktime you get iTunes installer.  Silly me thought I would actually get to PICK what I wanted on my machine.  So it gives no option and starts installing.  I immediately cancel.  It takes the cancel but keeps going and installs QuickTime.  Through nothing but dumb luck i ended up with Quicktime withOUT iTunes which is exactly what I wanted (i mean, sort of).  Thanks Apple.

They are my least favorite technology company at the time.  Even though I like my iPhone.

Rob.

[Yaobing]

I believe DC-Base filter is only for audio. It is useful if the audio is encoded with Apple Lossless format. For video, you should use Haali Media Splitter.

[JONCAT]

I have used DC-Source in MC12 to play m4a files but it seems broken in MC13.....with the same settings trying various output devices. The filter doesn't seem to load at all.

DC

[fitbrit]

Add me to the list of people not able to play mp4 video files using directshow filters. I have files with h264 encoding for video and aac for audio in an mp4 container. I always use Haali renderer, Haali splitter, CoreAVC, CoreAAC and AC3Filter (in case the files have AC3/DTS) for my h264 mkvs and mp4s. This works fine in MC12, but gives an error in MC13. One of the last things stopping me from moving completely to MC13 on my HTPC.

[park]

I'm having problems playing DVDs in MC too. Using the intervideo filters for audio and video playback, and having tried all the different renderers, MC throws up an error every time. However, intervideo WinDVD plays the DVDs back ok.

[Alex B]

This thread is a mess. The "audio-only MP4", the "video MP4" and "DVD" playback issues should be discussed in separate threads.

As already suggested, the DC-Bass Source filter works only with audio files. I'd suggest to use only the m4a filename extension with audio-only MP4 files. Otherwise it is not be possible to differentiate the audio-only MP4 filter selections from the video MP4 filter selections in MC13.

I'll try to reply only the OP's question.

Am currently running newest versions of both Media Center 13 and the CCCP and my playback of .MP4 video files is very awful.  When I play, Media Center lags up a bit like I am running a slow computer and it can't keep up with the video so the play back is very laggy (low/jerky framerate). Also when switching to fullscreen mode to watch video, it lags and the picture often just locks on one frame and doesn't continue while the audio keeps going. I can play .MP4 files just fine in WMP11 without any problems at all. I am lost on what I can do to remedy this problem. All other video files run great.

If it works fine with WMP11 then MC is not automatically using the same filter combination. Possibly MC is using QuickTime decoding instead of DirectShow and CCCP. Can you access the graph info during MP4 playback? If you can't then MC uses QT. If you can, could you post your graph info?

[JimH]

I'll close this.  Please copy and paste to new threads, as Alex suggests.