INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 17 => Topic started by: csy on June 21, 2012, 02:48:40 am

Title: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on June 21, 2012, 02:48:40 am
I'm using the Microsoft DTV-DVD video decoder (because the LAV decoder has issues with H.264 but that is another story), and finding the overall picture sharpness more fuzzy and deinterlacing quite poor compared to WMC.  I also notice the CPU utilisation significantly higher which leads me to suspect the Microsoft video decoder is not using DXVA hardware acceleration, and hence defaulting to software bob deinterlacing.  I have the MC config video acceleration tick-box ticked.  Any assistance would be appreciated.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: JohnT on June 21, 2012, 07:53:34 am
What are the issues you are seeing with LAV and H.264?
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: JohnT on June 21, 2012, 10:44:27 am
... which leads me to suspect the Microsoft video decoder is not using DXVA hardware acceleration, and hence defaulting to software bob deinterlacing ...
In my investigation, it looks like the Microsoft decoder does not do software deinterlacing unless programmatically instructed to, which we're not doing.  If you contact me at johnt at jriver.com, I can provide a test player dll which logs what settings the MS decoder is using.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on June 22, 2012, 03:43:21 am
Thanks John, e-mail sent.

Regarding LAV issue, when changing channels on LiveTV, if the previous channel was HD (1080i) and the next channel is SD (576i), then you end-up with black screen (with audio) if video hardware acceleration is unticked, or small picture in top-left corner if video hardware acceleration is ticked.

Other users have reported similiar problems here: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=71926.0 (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=71926.0)
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: JohnT on June 25, 2012, 08:05:22 am
Regarding LAV issue, when changing channels on LiveTV, if the previous channel was HD (1080i) and the next channel is SD (576i), then you end-up with black screen (with audio) if video hardware acceleration is unticked, or small picture in top-left corner if video hardware acceleration is ticked.

Other users have reported similiar problems here: http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=71926.0 (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=71926.0)
nevcairiel has made some changes recently in the LAV decoder that may or may not address this issue, but he hasn't received any feedback on whether it helped.  Have you tested it recently?
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on June 25, 2012, 06:57:06 pm
I just re-tried the LAV video decoder on build 173 and still the same issues with and without acceleration.

BTW, I have e-mailed you to obtain the test player dll.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on June 29, 2012, 02:13:37 am
Bump
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: JimH on June 29, 2012, 06:16:11 am
A newer build is at the top of this board.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: Hendrik on June 29, 2012, 08:18:24 am
I tried reproducing any playback issues with LAV (both hardware or not), but all tests i did with channel changing on my DVB worked just fine. No black screen, no other funny issues. I recently gave a hint to Yaobing for something he should look into in MCs TV code for channel changes, but since no-one of us suffers from such problems, we cannot reliably say what helps and what doesn't.

The first thing you need to fix such problems is a way to reproduce them, and if you don't have that, there is nothing you can do but stab in the dark (and i'm far too busy for that)
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on June 29, 2012, 05:27:15 pm
Thank you Jim and nevcairiel.

The LAV video decoder has no improvement with build 177, and I understand that if you can't reproduce the problem then there is little you can do.  All I can say is it is 100% reproducable from my end, but that is obviously no help to you.

So full circle to post 1 - could I please have some assistance to resolve the Microsoft Video decoder producing a 'soft' picture with poor deinterlacing, which appears to be due to lack of DXVA hardware acceleration.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on July 09, 2012, 02:54:05 am
I'm feeling quite disillusioned with JRiver.  The LAV video decoder doesn't work for me and and I'm getting no traction in this thread to resolve the Microsoft video decoder poor picture quality.

Build 180 is no better.  Can anyone assist with this Microsoft video decoder issue, or do I have to give up on JRiver and switch back to WMC which does produce good picture quality?
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: audioriver on July 09, 2012, 03:13:37 am
Maybe the channel-change problem is a media splitter issue? Can you check with Haali Media Splitter for example instead of the LAV Splitter? Or to find the root of the problem, try with an application that uses its own splitter, like DVBViewer. Also, make sure your video card's drivers and DirectX are updated.

Regarding deinterlacing, I've had problems when the decision to remove the deinterlacing feature from LAV was taken, but it seems you are not using ROHQ anyway.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on July 10, 2012, 12:30:58 am
Thanks audioriver.  I tried Haali splitter in JRiver with LAV video decoder, but same issues.  It was a good thought though.  Video drivers and DirectX are up to date.

WMC, NPVR, and Mediaportal all work flawlessly on my HTPC with excellent picture quality and no issues with channel changes.

I like JRiver for it's unmatched audio capabilities, but TV/video performance is paramount to me which it appears JRiver cannot deliver in my case.
Title: Re: Microsoft video decoder issues
Post by: csy on December 15, 2012, 08:01:58 pm
18.0.93 (12/11/2012)
15. Changed: When hardware acceleration option is on, television playback prefers DXVA over QuickSync.

Thank you