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[benn600]

I have two identical computers (every component except PSU) and one plays television perfectly while the other won't play any HD channels.  I am using CCCP as the decoder on both.  This is the HDHomeRun (not physically installed) but I'm asking because one works perfectly and the other doesn't.  I have tried to mimic settings as perfectly as I can but still nothing on the first.

Any ideas what I should try configuring?  Very strange!

[Yaobing]

Do they have identical video cards?

[benn600]

It is motherboard video, yes.  I can guarantee that ever component in the systems is identical.  I use the motherboard video because it is HDMI and also sends the audio.

One is hooked up to a 1080p Mitsubishi projector and the other a 47" 1080p LG LCD.  As far as I know, the software should be nearly identical.  I know I installed CCCP and configured it the same on both boxes.  Out of every HTPC I have, this is the only one that will not play SD/HD video -- but it should because like I said, it's an identical box.

Is there a common problem with HD video not playing properly?  Perhaps there is a bios setting that is problematic--maybe less video memory allocated?  I doubt it but will check if you think something like that could be a problem.

Thanks!

[benn600]

I went through the BIOS settings and updated to the latest video card driver on the non-functioning box.  The likely solution is for me to just reformat the system.

Are there any tests I can run to see why some video won't play?  Recall that some channels play--SD channels.  Only HD channels do not seem to play.

Also recall that with the Cyberlink video decoder, they play, but they stutter.  With CCCP, the HD channels don't play...only on this one of two IDENTICAL computers.  The other one plays HD fine.

[benn600]

I'm not sure if this is the final solution but it may be.  Each combination of directshow filters and renderers I would try would yield different results.  Some would basically crash MC and tie up an available tuner.  I think I would always end up tying one up and then it wouldn't play properly.  If I go into the HDHomeRun setup, i can untie (release) the tied up tuner and this may have solved it.  For now, it appears that I am able to watch TV on the problematic box.

I hope it continues working!

[benn600]

It stopped working again.  Right now, I am using the CCCP video and audio decoder. Legacy video renderer gives the best playback results everywhere except on this duplicate HTPC, it doesn't work most of the time.  As I just posted, it worked once and I'm not sure why.

Now if I try Enhanced, it plays but stutters.

[benn600]

Video renderer is very strange to me.  Are there any posts which detail what the item does and the difference between the choices?  I have been choosing Legacy because it works the best on my systems.  On this second non-working system, Enhanced will play (with CCCP) but it stutters just like Cyberlink does + Enhanced.  So perhaps it is the renderer that is causing problems and not the codec.

But Legacy doesn't show any video on this second non-working system.  On the other one television plays great.

[Yaobing]

No, there has not been any detailed descriptions of different video renderers.  In general EVR should work best on Vista.  VMR9 and VMR7 have some configuration that can be tweaked.  If only Legacy works better, it may have to do with hardware acceleration settings on decoders.

[JimH]

Try support for the device you're using.  I don't think this is an MC problem.