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[MrHaugen]

Yes, it's a long time when it comes to software, but XBMC have not evolved much in video playback options. It's actually worse than I thought I just tested XBMC again, and the only useful options I found was a check box for Post Processing, aspect ratio, output resolution, some kind of sound/video sync like reclock in MC and a very limited renderer option. This is NOT a good app for those that want the best out of either their video or audio. You have no control of what filters, renderers, splitters is uses, and you probably don't have a way to adjust the settings for any of those. Post processing "ON". Ok? What is used? Resize, noise reduction, blur etc etc, and what settings is used in each of them? I bet that the default options is ok for the average person, but not for many MC users. I like to have control.


It's possible that this options is well configured beneath the UI, but you seem to have zero ability to customize this as you want. The reason is simple. This app is made to be completely usable with only a TV and remote. And therefor you can not have hundreds of features under a single category. Customization in XBMC is almost non existent when it comes to settings. You can turn on or off simple items and functions, but that's it. This is an app I will have on my work machine to get ideas of how MC can evolve in presentation of TV Series and movies metadata. And that's all.

[preproman]

Yes, it's a long time when it comes to software, but XBMC have not evolved much in video playback options. It's actually worse than I thought I just tested XBMC again, and the only useful options I found was a check box for Post Processing, aspect ratio, output resolution, some kind of sound/video sync like reclock in MC and a very limited renderer option. This is NOT a good app for those that want the best out of either their video or audio. You have no control of what filters, renderers, splitters is uses, and you probably don't have a way to adjust the settings for any of those. Post processing "ON". Ok? What is used? Resize, noise reduction, blur etc etc, and what settings is used in each of them? I bet that the default options is ok for the average person, but not for many MC users. I like to have control.


It's possible that this options is well configured beneath the UI, but you seem to have zero ability to customize this as you want. The reason is simple. This app is made to be completely usable with only a TV and remote. And therefor you can not have hundreds of features under a single category. Customization in XBMC is almost non existent when it comes to settings. You can turn on or off simple items and functions, but that's it. This is an app I will have on my work machine to get ideas of how MC can evolve in presentation of TV Series and movies metadata. And that's all.

Yeah - I see what your saying now about customization.  Filters, renderers and splitters?  I don't even know what all this is or does.  I guess I'm just your average user.  I turn on the HTPC, XBMC launches on start up my favorate skin is loaded and I pick my movie and it plays with no stutter or dropouts.  Oh and my HD sound is there also.

I went into the MC video part - Man was I lost.  I have all my movies in .MKV containers.  It looks like I have to chose that somewhere, choose my renderer (what ever that is) and pick some filters (what ever that does).  Then I got some errors saying DirectShow was not working correctly.  Yes, It's a lot going on under that hood.  The problem is I have to get under there and make the parts work.  With XBMC I don't.  Your more of the developer type it seems like - I'm not of course.  I can see how you have more control over things in MC.  Are the renderers something like VLC and Media Player Classic Home Cinema (MPC-HC) and the filters like directShow and ffdshow?

[JimH]

On our wiki, read about DirectShow.  Consider installing CCCP (also on the wiki).  It usually works.

[MrHaugen]

This is a good way to start (try to at least read some of it and look at the illustrations):
http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/DirectShow_Playback_Guide
A little less technical (and possibly outdated):
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=39509.0

There is lots of stuff to tweak, and experiment with. What I can suggest as a starter though, is simply this:

- Install CCCP (decoder pack that supports most file formats)
- CoreAVC (for smooth 1080p playback). Costs a few bucks, but is well worth it imo. And there are bound to be "cheaper" versions out there too.
- Dscaler (5?) (for DVD playback)

Restart the HTPC

After you install this things, I think that most thing will set it self up just right. But to be sure you can:
1. Right click a playing video and choose DirectShow Filters (this wil give you an idea of what is used. Clue here is to check for CoreAVC for MKV's and Dscaler for DVD's)

2. Enter Options -> File Types.
- Select MKV under Video.
- Select "J River Engine (using DirectShow filters).

- The Source filter is not THAT important I think. Hali splitter is usually good. Setting it at automatic is ok in most cases I think.
- The important part is the "Other filters". Here you should select CoreAVC for MKV's and Dscaler for DVD's, in addition to the standard bitrate stuff natively added by MC.
- Video renderer is also working well on Automatic. Until you want to did deeper into this stuff that is. I've had an impression that VRM9 renderless gives the best quality, but it might give problems on some filetypes.

Well. That was a few pointers form a novice MC video man. Take it or leave it If you run into problems, or want to know more, I suggest you start a new thread. You'll have lots of good answers there, from persons with far more knowledge than my self.

Good luck!

[Daydream]

but XBMC have not evolved much

Don't go there. If I'll show you that you can use DirectShow filters with XBMC - not ver. 10.x Dharma for which DS development is still undergoing - what would you say?

Where did this perfectionism of DirectShow filters got us? To drop hardware acceleration (and mini-devices that can't do without it) in favor of madvr? For what, for a fraction of quality improvement, that for users unable to grasp the complexity (and merits) of Madshi's development, and who don't have good enough, calibrated hardware, they'll just perceive it in the realms of placebo? Please.

[MrHaugen]

Perhaps. I have about zero knowledge about XBMC, and I don't really care. I'll never go down that road unless they make HUGE improvements to everything but Video, and MC stops development or makes some horrible decisions in the future. My point was only to illustrate that MC can do almost anything you like. Not only for Music and pictures, but also on the video side. You can make it complicated as hell. Work days and weeks to make that setup perfect. But you can also do simple things like I suggested, and get a great a good working setup in a few clicks.

There is definitely work to be done in MC16, to make setup of for instance video, a much easier task for new users. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of MC. There should be more default setups, more automatic addons to ease the setup of desired functions. But that is not really the discussion here. I also think that most persons on this forums have the interest to put down a few hours on their media collection and A/V setup. So, why should we not discuss it?

[Daydream]

Perhaps. I have about zero knowledge about XBMC, and I don't really care.

You just lost any grounds for any kind of (constructive) argument, if, with this background, you pass judgement on the other piece of software or try to make comparisons.

You can make it complicated as hell. Work days and weeks to make that setup perfect. But you can also do simple things like I suggested, and get a great a good working setup in a few clicks.

In all honesty there's a lot to discuss here, especially if you compare MC with what's out there. The principles these apps where put together with are completely different. One is a console port that eventually got re-written in C on top of ffmpeg to run on 4 different platforms (and considering this thread was split from a MAC question, I believe that bears a certain weight). The other is a Windows-only, DS-based with a special strength (of development) on the audio side (or at least that's my perception).

My paradigm is that I want to watch and listen (order is random) to my collection in the best way without skipping a birthday playing with the setup. The fact that I have the knowledge to play with the DirectShow filters for days on end should not change my purpose in life... That is what many MC lovers ended up doing. Not MC's fault. If presented with the options that's what skilled people chose to do. Let's create the ultimate DS filter chain that somehow would become the only thing perfect in an imperfect world. Maybe for some that's a life. Maybe that's what makes you happy. But you will realize at some point you cannot get back the time you spent squeezing that illusory 0.5 percent quality into your playback chain.

Your way of achieving good things the simple way in MC, requires installing some third party DS collections, and then tinkering with WASAPI event style that an audiophile will come over to explain it to you what buffer works best with it, and a couple of things like that.

There is definitely work to be done in MC16

You think??? Aren't you asking (with a persistence I applaud) for the last 2 years for a certain improvement for TV series? 2 years!!! I do not grant anybody that much power over where I spend my time! Is there any contest whatsoever about what's more appealing when you fire up one program or the other? "Oooh, but it doesn't let me tinker with the setup!" May I make a point that you are supposed to enjoy your collection, play the music, watch the movies, series, pictures. When did the means to reach this goal become more important than the goal itself???

And all this happens in a bubble where forceful arguments (that again may go back more than a year) are exchanged over "all artists", "all albums" and I don't know what other "all" show up in Theater View. You know how similar stuff is achieved in XBMC?

Code: [Select]

<advancedsettings>
  <videolibrary>
    <hideallitems>true</hideallitems>
  </videolibrary>
</advancedsettings>
Done. What is your ultimate best chance to have that settled over here? Wait two more years?

There is a whole world out there, you know. I'm gonna go out and breathe the spring air now. And with this cold I'll wonder for a second where is the global warming when you need it.

[MrHaugen]

All I'm saying is that people have different needs, and use their time on different things. I do not care what you want to use your time on, as long as it's not to deliberately trying to piss me off. I just try to point out what CAN be done with MC.

I do not care what XBMC can do with video, simply because there is SO much other things missing in this app. I want one app that can do it all, and I have found nothing that can compare to MC. That is my choice, and I do not need to dig deep into XBMC to find any ground of argument. Simply because this is a discussion that is not needed. I just said my opinion after a test run for 20 minutes. 20 minutes! I do not know all the tweaks that can be done with this app, and I never said otherwise.