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[robbbby]

I have a core i3 540 chip.  I have had issues with video playback using the standard go to video players that most people use (windows media center, media player classic, vlc, etc.).  The only player I have had perfect success with is arcsoft total media theatre.  The only problem with it is that it doesn't have a nice simple remote control interface like windows media center and MC15.  While going through the options in MC 15, I noticed that under video playback it had the option to load an external program to play video.  I figured this would be perfect, I could set my htpc to boot right into MC, use MC15 for audio, and then browse my movie library through a nice clean interface and have them load up in the player of my choice.  Unfortunately when I select my external player, the video stutters VERY badly.  If i load it up in the player without using MC15 it plays back perfectly. 

So does MC15 do anything to the video while trying to playback through an external decoder?  I'd really love to set it up in this manner since it seems like the only option I have to keep a nice GUI to use with a remote, this i3 chip has been nothing but trouble with every other video player.

Thanks

[JimH]

The chip should be capable.  Maybe a virus checker is causing problems.

[fitbrit]

There must be something about your setup or drivers. I'm using an i3 530 in my HTPC and it's great. I use mpc decoders without a hitch. Which motherboard are you using?

[robbbby]

ya, i'm starting to think there is something wrong with my setup although I have gone over everything a few times.

only virus type checker is MS security essential, i'm going to try activating it.

fitbrit - i have a gigabyte h55m-usb3.  I have updated all drivers including video drivers for the i3.  Do you have any other codecs installed like coreavc or ffdshow?  Do you mind telling me what your settings are set to in MPC under options > playback > output?

I am streaming everything over the network, i'm starting to think the culprit may be my switch.

[fitbrit]

That's one of the perfect mobos to use with an i3.
Which OS are you using? 63 bit, or 32 bit?

I on Win7 64 bit. I have MPC-HC 64 bit installed, but I've also installed their 32-bit standalone video decoder and Matroska and MPEG splitters for MC15. These have to be done by registering the .ax files in your registry. Do a Google search on "registering codecs" and you should get how to do it.

Once you do this, the codecs will appear under video playback options in MC15. I use the following filters in MC15:

For h264 based files e.g. many mkv or mp4 or m4v etc. I use:

MPC-HC's Matroska splitter
MPC-HC's video decoder with DXVA acceleration, which your configuration absolutely supports.
FFDShow for audio bitstreaming to my receiver.
Enhanced Video Renderer.

[robbbby]

Good info i'll definately look into it.  So you do all video playback with jriver and a core i3, have you ever had any problems with higher bitrate video files?

My only concern doing both music and movies with jriver is using two different sound cards.  I haven't looked to deeply into it but I am sure I can output music to one audio device and the audio for video to another device.  If I could get that to work, especially with HD/loseless/dtsma in jriver to one audio device and music to another i'd be all set and not have to mess with all sortfs of other programs.

[fitbrit]

Good info i'll definately look into it.  So you do all video playback with jriver and a core i3, have you ever had any problems with higher bitrate video files?

My only concern doing both music and movies with jriver is using two different sound cards.  I haven't looked to deeply into it but I am sure I can output music to one audio device and the audio for video to another device.  If I could get that to work, especially with HD/loseless/dtsma in jriver to one audio device and music to another i'd be all set and not have to mess with all sortfs of other programs.

Yes you can do all that with MC; you can specify the audio devices for audio or video playback separately. I'll post later about high bit rate playback and lossless sound.

[robbbby]

Thanks, that info would be much appreciated.

Also happy I can delete all these other players and run 2 sound devices from within one program   

[fitbrit]

Thanks, that info would be much appreciated.

Also happy I can delete all these other players and run 2 sound devices from within one program  

I'd keep MPC-HC on ice if I were you. It's the go-to, never-failing video playback software. Since it has its own custom renderer and subtitles engine, it's the only way to get DXVA acceleration, subtitles and HD audio bitstreaming in one package. There are rumours that ffdshow dxva filter is also allowing this, as is Shark's codec pack, but I haven't seen this working yet.

I try to play everything in MC15, and recently I've been very successful. However, even tonight there was a movie that worked without a hitch yesterday that refused to play today and I had to resort to MPC-HC. In the end I figured out it was because I'd linked an audio only zone to my main HTPC, but it's always good to have a last resort video player as a backup.