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[rec head]

I have been ripping DVD's in MC and trying to play them back. Under RO Standard I can do this but the quality isn't great. If I switch to HQ the picture quality greatly improves but I start dropping frames but the audio is OK.

I am using an Intel 2105 HD3000 and the resource monitor shows my CPU usage <15% and frequency at about 55%. Accoding to this thread http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=65471.msg438863#msg438863 I should be OK using HQ.

I have recently re-installed W7 64 Pro on this machine and there is a bare minimum of programs installed and nothing else is running to interfere. When I re-installed MC I didn't get too far into the nitty-gritty settings. Just the basic stuff like bitstreaming.

Any advice or am I just too low powered?

[6233638]

I would try setting all the madVR scaling options to Bilinear to start with.
If playback still isn't smooth, and the problems are specifically with DVDs, try enabling the use half frame rate for DXVA deinterlacing option.

To find this option, right-click the video when it's playing, go to DirectShow Filters > madVR

[gtgray]

Not to thread jack, but I am kind of having a similar but different problem. With Live TV playback I dropped lots of HD frames with Jinc AR3 using ROHQ.. If I use Cybelinks PowerDVD 9 Decoder there are no dropped frames.

I am using an AMD HD7790, not Nvidia due an Nvidia bug with WMC and CableCard playback. The HD 7790 is a fair competent card and I have it modestly overclocked. Since MC 18 does not expose LAV decoder properties. I don't know if the configuration is not appropriate for an AMD card as JRiver pre-configures it, or if the LAV video decoder just is not really designed to work with anything but Intel (barely) and Nvidia (primarily).

Now the Cyberlink PowerDVD 9 video decoder does use DXVA and I don't know the consequences of that to madVR. The obvious downside to the Cyberlink decoder is that is makes an awful mess of SD content which suffers terrible combing and deinterlacing defects. I think in PowerDVD they use a different decoder for SD content. 

[rec head]

Back on topic.
Thanks 6233638 but those options didn't work. I did play with those and different settings and at best things got a little better but playback was still jerky.

Any other advice would be great. I'm also open to ripping in different formats but using the DVD structure is nice because I don't need to name the individual episodes.

[rec head]

I just went through many if not all of the madvr options trying to get things to work. Of course I didn't try every possible combination. Nothing got rid of the jerky playback.

I also checked to make sure all drivers are up to date.

[JimH]

What is the full version number of MC?  18.0.177 is available at the top of the MC17 board.

[rec head]

I'm up to date running .177

[JimH]

Does Red October Standard work?

Run the Benchmark under MC Help and post the result here.

[rec head]

RO standard plays smoothly but picture quality isn`t great.

=== Running Benchmarks (please do not interrupt) ===

Running 'Math' benchmark...
    Single-threaded integer math... 4.462 seconds
    Single-threaded floating point math... 2.938 seconds
    Multi-threaded integer math... 2.380 seconds
    Multi-threaded mixed math... 1.700 seconds
Score: 1655

Running 'Image' benchmark...
    Image creation / destruction... 0.234 seconds
    Flood filling... 0.618 seconds
    Direct copying... 0.836 seconds
    Small renders... 2.357 seconds
    Bilinear rendering... 1.712 seconds
    Bicubic rendering... 1.395 seconds
Score: 3075

Running 'Database' benchmark...
    Create database... 0.753 seconds
    Populate database... 2.006 seconds
    Save database... 0.200 seconds
    Reload database... 0.047 seconds
    Search database... 1.896 seconds
    Sort database... 1.817 seconds
    Group database... 1.040 seconds
Score: 2771

JRMark (version 18.0.177): 2501

[rec head]

I changed my power settings to performance and re-ran the benchmark. No change in playback.

=== Running Benchmarks (please do not interrupt) ===

Running 'Math' benchmark...
    Single-threaded integer math... 4.355 seconds
    Single-threaded floating point math... 2.899 seconds
    Multi-threaded integer math... 2.357 seconds
    Multi-threaded mixed math... 1.641 seconds
Score: 1689

Running 'Image' benchmark...
    Image creation / destruction... 0.203 seconds
    Flood filling... 0.455 seconds
    Direct copying... 0.746 seconds
    Small renders... 1.506 seconds
    Bilinear rendering... 1.493 seconds
    Bicubic rendering... 1.111 seconds
Score: 3990

Running 'Database' benchmark...
    Create database... 0.468 seconds
    Populate database... 1.330 seconds
    Save database... 0.159 seconds
    Reload database... 0.038 seconds
    Search database... 1.270 seconds
    Sort database... 1.187 seconds
    Group database... 0.654 seconds
Score: 4211

JRMark (version 18.0.177): 3296

[JimH]

That's a pretty good machine.  It should be able to run ROHQ.

[jmone]

Bring up the madVR OSD (Ctrl+J) and post a screen shot of what it says.

[duskdrums]

Try forcing film mode. I was getting issues using the same processor (and GPU) with ripped DVDs that Madvr seemed to think were interlaced even though they were not. Forcing film mode (or disabling interlacing, or installing LAV splitter so you can access the settings and turning on YADIF deinterlacing) solved my problem.

As a side note, I then found I did not need to use any Trade Quality for Performance settings and could use Jinc 3 Chroma / Lanczos 3 Upscaling / DXVA2 Downscaling. A big part of that last part for me was overclocking my GPU in the BIOS. Mine runs fine at 1600mhz without any system problems.

[6233638]

Try forcing film mode. I was getting issues using the same processor (and GPU) with ripped DVDs that Madvr seemed to think were interlaced even though they were not. Forcing film mode (or disabling interlacing, or installing LAV splitter so you can access the settings and turning on YADIF deinterlacing) solved my problem.

This was a problem when using CUVID decoding in my experience, and should have been fixed in 18.0.177 with the switch to using DXVA2-CB for hardware acceleration.
Of course that only applies if you are using an Nvidia graphics card.

madVR also has an option for whether it should apply deinterlacing or not if it is unsure about a file - I think that is set to disable it by default though.

[duskdrums]

Yes, that madVR setting is on by default and does not help.

interesting, I changed the LAV decoder to be DXVA2-CB from Intel Quicksync and that also solved the problem. So did DXVA2 (native), or None.

So, it seems any of the following options, independently, will solve the problem (which is dropped frames, repeated frames, and what looks like the image jumping up and down, most visible at the edges of the screen in US film DVDs ripped to MKV which are detected 29.970fps):
(1) Use any decoder except Intel Quicksync (or CUVID according to 6233638). None, DXVA2 (copy-back), or DXVA2 (native) in the hardware decoding dropdown of Lav Decoder all work.
(2) uncheck the "automatically activate interlacing when needed" box in madvr's interlacing settings
(3) check the "disable automatic source type detection" and "force film mode" in madvr's interlacing settings
(4) check the "Enable YADIF Deinterlacing" box in Lav Decoder

The following options do not solve the problem:
(1) Reducing rendering options to their lowest settings
(2) unchecking the Hardware acceleration box in Media Center Tools >> Options >> Video
(3) Any of the trade quality for performance options alone or in combination
(4) Use "if in doubt, deactivate deinterlacing" in the deinterlacing options of madVR.

One question is, which of the above 4 options are the best way (from a video quality and performance standpoint) of solving the problem? If it is option (1) (as 6233 seems to think as he convinced Matt to change the default to DXVA-CB for NVIDIA cards), which decoder is the best alternative to Intel Quicksync? I have been using the LAV YADIF deinterlacing and keeping Quicksync which provides good DXVA2 Image Downscaling. But I'm not convinced that is actually the best.

The second question is, why is this going on? Maybe nev and/or madshi can weigh in on if this might be a lav issue or a madVR issue or a Media Center issue. I do not have other media players installed to test if it is repeatable outside of Media Center.

[rec head]

Thanks. I tried options 2 and 3 but they did not work. How do I get to lav settings? Do I need to install it first?

[rec head]

here`s the OSD

[jmone]

Now that is interesting - I've never seen an "unknown FPS" ...

[duskdrums]

How do I get to lav settings? Do I need to install it first?

Yeah, if you install the latest version, you would then set the video mode to Advanced >> Custom, start with Red October HQ and add a video decoder, and  select LAV. This will then allow you to access the settings in the same way you access madVR settings.

BUT, Jim and Matt have repeatedly said this shouldn't be necessary and since my (2) and (3) solutions didn't work and you're having an issue with unknown fps, I'd say you're probably experiencing a different problem.

Jim, I've seen others discuss the same problem I did (related to a known framerate DVD rips). I wonder if it makes sense to split that part of the thread to something new rather than clutter up responses to rec head's problem?

[JimH]

We recommend using either Red October Standard or HQ.  With anything else, you're on your own.

If anyone feels that the default settings should be different, we're open to suggestions.

[rec head]

Yeah, if you install the latest version, you would then set the video mode to Advanced >> Custom, start with Red October HQ and add a video decoder, and  select LAV. This will then allow you to access the settings in the same way you access madVR settings.

This is strange. If I follow these instructions on my HTPC I don't get the LAV option. I get Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder and WMVideo Decoder DMO. On this pc I get all the options. On the HTPC if I use the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder the stuttering goes away.

I just tried uninstalling MC on the HTPC and reinstalling it but that did not change anything. It is obvious that something is screwy with my setup but I don't know what.

I have been to Intel's site and all drivers are up to date. I think my bios are up to date but I'll have to check on that.

Any ideas why the other decoders aren't showing up?

[gtgray]

Yes, that madVR setting is on by default and does not help.

interesting, I changed the LAV decoder to be DXVA2-CB from Intel Quicksync and that also solved the problem. So did DXVA2 (native), or None.

So, it seems any of the following options, independently, will solve the problem (which is dropped frames, repeated frames, and what looks like the image jumping up and down, most visible at the edges of the screen in US film DVDs ripped to MKV which are detected 29.970fps):
(1) Use any decoder except Intel Quicksync (or CUVID according to 6233638). None, DXVA2 (copy-back), or DXVA2 (native) in the hardware decoding dropdown of Lav Decoder all work.
(2) uncheck the "automatically activate interlacing when needed" box in madvr's interlacing settings
(3) check the "disable automatic source type detection" and "force film mode" in madvr's interlacing settings
(4) check the "Enable YADIF Deinterlacing" box in Lav Decoder

The following options do not solve the problem:
(1) Reducing rendering options to their lowest settings
(2) unchecking the Hardware acceleration box in Media Center Tools >> Options >> Video
(3) Any of the trade quality for performance options alone or in combination
(4) Use "if in doubt, deactivate deinterlacing" in the deinterlacing options of madVR.

One question is, which of the above 4 options are the best way (from a video quality and performance standpoint) of solving the problem? If it is option (1) (as 6233 seems to think as he convinced Matt to change the default to DXVA-CB for NVIDIA cards), which decoder is the best alternative to Intel Quicksync? I have been using the LAV YADIF deinterlacing and keeping Quicksync which provides good DXVA2 Image Downscaling. But I'm not convinced that is actually the best.

The second question is, why is this going on? Maybe nev and/or madshi can weigh in on if this might be a lav issue or a madVR issue or a Media Center issue. I do not have other media players installed to test if it is repeatable outside of Media Center.

I have gone through all the same scenarios and nothing really resolves the repeated and dropped frames consistently regardles of scaling options, regardless of acceleration or whatever setting I use in LAV or madVR. As I have mentioned I have an AMD HD7790. What is weird is that if I turn of deinterlacing in madVR HD stuff will stop dropping frames until I tune an SD channel and tune back to an HD Channel. I have literally spent hours trying every single combination imaginable. Quciksync is not available to enable in my BIOS, so I can't try that.

[rec head]

Just an update: Maybe this is something I missed and should have checked initially but I have found that I can if I uncheck "hardware accelerate video decoding when possible" I can play the files with ROHQ checked without a problem. I can't use some of the more processor intense filters but that is fine. Thanks to all that helped. I think this one can be locked down.