Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[audunth]

Hi,

Is the option for ffdshow post-processing for DVD playback gone? MC now uses Microsoft DVD decoder no matter what I do. ffdshow isn't in the filter list for DVD anymore (it can be selected for all other file types, so there's nothing wrong with my ffdshow installation!), and if I select Dscaler, it has no effect (also works with other MPEG 2 file types). I assume this is a bug. Picture quality is awful compared to what I can accomplish with Dscaler and some nicely tweaked ffdshow post-processing.

Here's the graph with Red October with additional filters selected as playback method, File type DVD Video (ifo,vob), JRiver video engine, Dscaler MPEG2 Video Decoder selected as video decoder:

Code: [Select]

Filter Graph Info:

    Filter 'JRiver Audio Renderer'
        CLSID: {A4002F8E-510F-442C-8AD3-F9C7B23FB394}
        Host:
        Input Pin 'In'
            Connected to pin 'Output' of filter 'LAV Audio Decoder (auto-configured)'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Audio  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx

    Filter 'Enhanced Video Renderer'
        CLSID: {FA10746C-9B63-4B6C-BC49-FC300EA5F256}
        Host: c:\windows\system32\evr.dll
        Input Pin 'EVR Input0'
            Connected to pin 'Video Output 1' of filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_NV12, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo2
        Input Pin 'EVR Input1'
            Connected to pin 'XForm Out' of filter 'Line 21 Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_AYUV, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo
        Input Pin 'EVR Input2'
            Connected to pin '~Subpicture Output' of filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_AYUV, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo2

    Filter 'Line 21 Decoder'
        CLSID: {E4206432-01A1-4BEE-B3E1-3702C8EDC574}
        Host: c:\windows\system32\quartz.dll
        Input Pin 'XForm In'
            Connected to pin '~Line21 Output' of filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_AUXLine21Data  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_Line21_GOPPacket, Format type FORMAT_None
        Output Pin 'XForm Out'
            Connected to pin 'EVR Input1' of filter 'Enhanced Video Renderer'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_AYUV, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo

    Filter 'LAV Audio Decoder (auto-configured)'
        CLSID: {E8E73B6B-4CB3-44A4-BE99-4F7BCB96E491}
        Host: C:\Users\Audun\AppData\Roaming\J River\Media Center 17\Plugins\lav\LAVAudio.ax
        Input Pin 'Input'
            Connected to pin 'Output' of filter 'JRiver Audio Monitor'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DOLBY_AC3, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
        Output Pin 'Output'
            Connected to pin 'In' of filter 'JRiver Audio Renderer'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Audio  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_IEEE_FLOAT, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx

    Filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
        CLSID: {212690FB-83E5-4526-8FD7-74478B7939CD}
        Host: c:\windows\system32\msmpeg2vdec.dll
        Input Pin 'Video Input'
            Connected to pin 'Output' of filter 'JRiver Video Monitor'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_MPEG2_VIDEO, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO
        Input Pin 'Subpicture Input'
            Connected to pin 'SubPicture' of filter 'DVD Navigator'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DVD_SUBPICTURE, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO
        Output Pin 'Video Output 1'
            Connected to pin 'EVR Input0' of filter 'Enhanced Video Renderer'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_NV12, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo2
        Output Pin '~Line21 Output'
            Connected to pin 'XForm In' of filter 'Line 21 Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_AUXLine21Data  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_Line21_GOPPacket, Format type FORMAT_None
        Output Pin '~Subpicture Output'
            Connected to pin 'EVR Input2' of filter 'Enhanced Video Renderer'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_Video  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_AYUV, Format type FORMAT_VideoInfo2

    Filter 'JRiver Audio Monitor'
        CLSID: {A4207487-E7D8-406B-9882-B66370DE2492}
        Host:
        Input Pin 'Input'
            Connected to pin 'AC3' of filter 'DVD Navigator'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DOLBY_AC3, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
        Output Pin 'Output'
            Connected to pin 'Input' of filter 'LAV Audio Decoder (auto-configured)'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DOLBY_AC3, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx

    Filter 'JRiver Video Monitor'
        CLSID: {A4207487-E7D8-406B-9882-B66370DE2492}
        Host:
        Input Pin 'Input'
            Connected to pin 'Video' of filter 'DVD Navigator'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_MPEG2_VIDEO, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO
        Output Pin 'Output'
            Connected to pin 'Video Input' of filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_MPEG2_VIDEO, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO

    Filter 'DVD Navigator'
        CLSID: {9B8C4620-2C1A-11D0-8493-00A02438AD48}
        Host: c:\windows\system32\qdvd.dll
        Output Pin 'Video'
            Connected to pin 'Input' of filter 'JRiver Video Monitor'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_MPEG2_VIDEO, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO
        Output Pin 'AC3'
            Connected to pin 'Input' of filter 'JRiver Audio Monitor'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DOLBY_AC3, Format type FORMAT_WaveFormatEx
        Output Pin 'SubPicture'
            Connected to pin 'Subpicture Input' of filter 'Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder'
            Major type MEDIATYPE_DVD_ENCRYPTED_PACK  Sub type MEDIASUBTYPE_DVD_SUBPICTURE, Format type FORMAT_MPEG2_VIDEO
Trying with Merit based playback method I just get the error "Failed merit based rendering".

By the way, why is the filter selection for DVD playback still different from all other file types? And why is the filter selection available at two different locations (File Types and Video)? Seems the video options needs some cleaning up...

[JustinChase]

Picture quality is awful compared to what I can accomplish with Dscaler and some nicely tweaked ffdshow post-processing.

Assuming this gets ironed out, I'd be interested in what settings/tweaks you use in ffdshow to improve DVD quaility video.  I've seen some threads here and there with suggestions, but since I prefer this forum, and you are happy with your results, I wonder if you'd care to share?

Thanks. 

[audunth]

There's a pretty comprehensive guide over at AVSforum: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1172653

Of course you can always go even further, making different ffdshow profiles for different DVDs of varying quality etc.

[JustinChase]

There's a pretty comprehensive guide over at AVSforum: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1172653

Of course you can always go even further, making different ffdshow profiles for different DVDs of varying quality etc.

Thanks, that was one of the guides I alluded to but it's 2 years old, was last updated 7 months ago and not specific to MC.  Considering how fast things have changed in just the last 3 months with LAV and madVR, I assumed that was somewhat "out of date."

You said "Picture quality is awful compared to what I can accomplish with Dscaler and some nicely tweaked ffdshow post-processing."

I was hopeful you might summarize what currently works well for you.  I suppose it's not easy to "summarize" though.  Not a big deal, I don't have that much SD content anyway.

I'll spend some time with that thread one day when I have more time.

Thanks for the heads up.

[audunth]

Well, since MC currently uses Microsoft DVD decoder and EVR, it has plunged years backward when it comes to DVD playback functionality.

What gave good PQ 7 months ago still does today. I just set it up according to the AVS guide a couple of years ago and was pretty happy with that. I haven't watched a DVD in probably 6 months, as it's only old tv shows and movies that aren't available in HD (which means haven't even been broadcast on a HD tv station, so it's mostly Norwegian content) that already have pretty bad PQ and thus benefits even more from some ffdshow "touch up".

[JustinChase]

Thanks again.  I don't actually watch DVD's, or even files in the DVD structure, which I believe is what uses the MS filter.  I was mainly looking to use ffdshow/avisynth/DScaler to upscale SD/low resolution content.

As you say, the functionality hasn't changed that much in 7 months, so I'll just re-read that thread again when I'm willing to devote the time to this improvement for a small portion of my library.

I've got "other fish to fry" first

[glynor]

Well, since MC currently uses Microsoft DVD decoder and EVR, it has plunged years backward when it comes to DVD playback functionality.

I could be wrong, but I think they tried to switch away from the Microsoft DVD decoder + EVR combo and there were all sorts of edge cases where it didn't work at all.

Generally, I'm with Justin.  I haven't actually put a DVD in a drive on my HTPC in probably 2 years (and that was just to rip it to MKV).  I certainly don't have any DVD folder structures saved on disk.  So, I don't follow it very closely at all... 

[glynor]

By the way, to answer your original question, yes... The ffdshow post-processing option is gone, but that's not new at all.  It was changed in MC16 way back in June.

16.0.119 (6/24/2011)

4. Changed: Removed DVD option for ffdshow post processing (you can instead use FFDShow Raw as an additional filter if this is desired).

http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=65001.msg435625#msg435625

[CountryBumkin]

I started converting my ripped colection of DVDs (Video_TS) to MKV recently so they would play back using the MadVR renderer (in RO+HQ). I'm convinced  see a picture quality improvement when MadVR is used over EVR. It might just be the placebo effect, but I also like the fact that I have just one move file to maintain now rather than several VOBs.  

[audunth]

Glynor, I don't have an issue with Red October using Microsoft/EVR, the problem is I'm not allowed to use any other filters when I select RO with additional filters. This works with every other file type! ffdshow isn't on the list of filters for DVD decoder anymore. The only options are Microsoft and Dscaler, but if I select Dscaler Microsoft is still used.

For DVD playback, you can't choose filters the way you can for other file types, which is adding several filters. You can only select one filter for video decoding, one for audio decoding and one for rendering, and it's been that way for as long as I can remember. That's exactly why an option to use ffdshow for DVD post-processing was there in the first place. So "you can instead use FFDShow Raw as an additional filter" is moot.

I don't watch DVDs very often either, but I do have quite a collection of (mostly Norwegian) movies and shows/series that simply aren't available in HD. I've ripped them all to my hard driver as DVD structures a long time ago, and I don't see any reason to spend days in front of my computer to convert them to MKVs or any other format. I'd rather JRiver fix this bug in their software, so I can choose my filters for DVD playback as I can for every other file type. That's what the option "Red October with additional filters" is for, isn't it?

[SamuelMaki]

I miss that ffdshow too I use mpc-hc+ffdshow+ReClock+madVR for DVDs nowadays, and I can see a real difference in picture quality... But as I have been ansvered, JRiver doesn´t want to change DVD-playback settings (probably waiting LAV/madVR to proceed and give us DVD-decoding?). So, my advice is that you use mpc-hc or potplayer for DVDs and MC for everything else... It may not be ideal solution, but at least good temporary way to get DVDs playing at good quality... BTW I have used these settings for ffdshow postprosessing for DVDs: http://www.homecinema-hd.com/ffdshow-video-introduction_en.html (the DVD-profile...) and I can get much better quality in both cartoons and movies...

[audunth]

Well, the fact that you actually have a setting in MC to change playback decoder, but it doesn't work, that means it's a fault/bug in the software, and it should be fixed. Why wouldn't JRiver WANT to fix a bug in their software??

EDIT: I see there's a new version available, and on the changelog for .51 there's a change that affects filter selection, so maybe this is fixed? I'm out travelling and won't be home until the beginning of January, so it'll be a while before I can test it.

[audunth]

I am now back from work and vacation, and have installed and tested MC 17.0.71 with the new filter selection. Still, it makes NO difference whatsoever what I select.

Selecting Custom and video decoder - ffdshow, a DVD still playes with Microsoft video decoder. Tried selecting Haali as renderer, makes no difference. Switched between RO and RO HQ as start with, makes no difference. Renderer - EVR, makes no difference. Moved the filter selections up and down, makes no difference. Post processor - ffdshow RAW, no difference. Trying to play MKV with ffdshow as post processor, and MC crashes!

My preferred decoder, DScaler MPEG decoder, isn't even on the list of decoders.

What's happening with this? Can anyone else please try and see if they experience the same??

EDIT: Playing an MKV file with ffdshow as decoder works. So at least the filter selection isn't totally broken...

[SamuelMaki]

I am now back from work and vacation, and have installed and tested MC 17.0.71 with the new filter selection. Still, it makes NO difference whatsoever what I select.

Selecting Custom and video decoder - ffdshow, a DVD still playes with Microsoft video decoder. Tried selecting Haali as renderer, makes no difference. Switched between RO and RO HQ as start with, makes no difference. Renderer - EVR, makes no difference. Moved the filter selections up and down, makes no difference. Post processor - ffdshow RAW, no difference. Trying to play MKV with ffdshow as post processor, and MC crashes!

My preferred decoder, DScaler MPEG decoder, isn't even on the list of decoders.

What's happening with this? Can anyone else please try and see if they experience the same??

EDIT: Playing an MKV file with ffdshow as decoder works. So at least the filter selection isn't totally broken...

Works fine here ? I am using custom video mode and added ffdshow as video prosessor and evr as renderer (madVR doesn´t work yet...). I am playing from disc...

[audunth]

Thanks for testing. Which version of ffdshow are you running? And do you get Haali splitter to load (if you have it installed)?