Very poor video playback quality

[dshields]

Originally Posted by mike1961

dShields have you considered the NVidia DualTV tuner?

Mike

I am not really considering the NVidia DualTV tuner. It is a new product and my impression is that people are having to fiddle with it too much. The last thing I need is one more item giving me problems.

Plus, if I have one NVidia DualTV tuner and one or more PVR-150's in my computer, I don't know of a way to make SageTV give priority to the NVidia DualTV tuner. So my recordings would have just as much a chance of being recorded with my PVR-150's. (Of course I could remove them, but I can't install multiple NVidia DualTV tuners, so that just doesn't seem like a good options for me.)

[dshields]

Originally Posted by roxy99

dssheilds,

BTW, I am using cyberlink Mpeg2 decoders and find they work great. I'm upscaling to 720p by DVI connection to a 46" RPTV. Do not get yourself all hung up on needing the purevideo codec as I was a while ago. Purevide was stuttering for me and I could'nt get it to work. Finally uninstalled it and stuck with the Cyberlink that I had originally as default.

The best part of it is that if you installed powerDVD, as Gerry mentioned above, then you already have the cyberlink Mpeg decoders. So my advice is if Nvidia Purevideo is giving you grief, then screw it. Stick with Cyberlink's- there probably just as good. I have no regrets.

That sounds like a good suggestion. The NVidia decoders have been nothing but a pain. I installed MCE 2005 on a new computer for my Mom and the NVidia decoders gave error after error. Over at "The Green Button", the #1 problem on the forums seems to be NVidia decoders errors, and the #1 solution seems to be Cyberlink. Just like on my SageTV system, when I installed Cyberlink on my Mom's computer, it just worked.

One of the next things I need to understand is resolutions. I have the RCA 52" projection HD TV, and I have thought about hooking my SageTV client up to it instead of to my 23" LCD panel -- just as a test to see if I can begin to better understand where my quality problems originate from.

Any suggestions on what settings I should use? My TV has DVI input.

Thanks

[dshields]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

Can you expand on your config? I saw PVR-150 tuners, what drivers for everything? What version decoders? What OS?

Thanks,

B

The specs listed are for my client. It doesn't have any PVR cards. It has latest video card drivers. I had been trying the very latest OEM update of NVidia decoders, and now I'm running the trial of PowerDVD.

My server specs:
PVR-150 drivers = Hauppauge v2.0.35.23348 dated 12/14/2005
My 3 PVR-150's are OEM cards from pcalchemy.com
They are installed in a dedicated server which runs Win Server 2003 (with all latest updates, SP's, etc.). The server doesn't run any other software except comskip and DirMon2. Comskip is limited to 50% of CPU.
The machine has an Asus P4P800 mb, Pentium 4 at 2.x GHz, 2 GB RAM, and about 2 TB of RAID storage (Areca sata controller).

I'll be happy to list more detailed specs if required. Let me know. Thanks for the feedback.

[roxy99]

Originally Posted by dshields

That sounds like a good suggestion. The NVidia decoders have been nothing but a pain. I installed MCE 2005 on a new computer for my Mom and the NVidia decoders gave error after error. Over at "The Green Button", the #1 problem on the forums seems to be NVidia decoders errors, and the #1 solution seems to be Cyberlink. Just like on my SageTV system, when I installed Cyberlink on my Mom's computer, it just worked.

One of the next things I need to understand is resolutions. I have the RCA 52" projection HD TV, and I have thought about hooking my SageTV client up to it instead of to my 23" LCD panel -- just as a test to see if I can begin to better understand where my quality problems originate from.

Any suggestions on what settings I should use? My TV has DVI input.

Thanks

Do yourself a favor then and use whatever works. Purevideo seems popular in HTPC circles but does not mean it is better. Opinions vary and YMMV.

[mike1961]

dshields -the encoder merit property which I use gives priority to the nvidia tuner over the hauppauge.

Mike

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by dshields

The specs listed are for my client. It doesn't have any PVR cards. It has latest video card drivers. I had been trying the very latest OEM update of NVidia decoders, and now I'm running the trial of PowerDVD.

My server specs:
PVR-150 drivers = Hauppauge v2.0.35.23348 dated 12/14/2005
My 3 PVR-150's are OEM cards from pcalchemy.com
They are installed in a dedicated server which runs Win Server 2003 (with all latest updates, SP's, etc.). The server doesn't run any other software except comskip and DirMon2. Comskip is limited to 50% of CPU.
The machine has an Asus P4P800 mb, Pentium 4 at 2.x GHz, 2 GB RAM, and about 2 TB of RAID storage (Areca sata controller).

I'll be happy to list more detailed specs if required. Let me know. Thanks for the feedback.

FWIW - I was getting a lot of noise in my video signal due to driver issues with the PVR cards. I at first was using ftp://ftp.shspvr.com/download/media_...23053_whql.zip and then switched to newer beta drivers due to channel sound issues. I haven't seen them on SHS's site, so I put them on my own. http://jenkins.homedns.org/060314_Am...PreRelease.zip

My upload is limited to 256kb, so it will take a few minutes.

HIH

B

[roxy99]

dsshields,

How are you making out so far?

[polen]

Originally Posted by dshields

Here is my config:
NVIDIA Quadro NVS 285 video card driving 2 HP L2335 23" monitors via DVI
1920 x 1200 resolution on each monitor
AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
CORSAIR XMS 2GB RAM
ASUS A8N5X motherboard

You need a better video card if you want to drive HD content on this machine, like a NVidia 6600GT or 7800.

-Polen

[roxy99]

Good point Polen.

OTOH, I am getting a nice smooth playback on a lowly GF 4 Ti4200 at 720p resolution on DVI. 1080p is jerky however for me but 720p gives a nicely scaled SDTV image.

I definately agree with Polen that 1920x 1200 is pushing it. However, Dsshield should try 720p.

I have not tried true HDTV though.

[polen]

I have this same card in my work computer. Here at work we all have Dell Optiplex GX620 with 3.4 GHz P4. I have dual monitors so I got the PNY Quadra NVS 280 like his and it's weaker than the Dell's Built-in video, which is an Intel 82945G Express.

Your Ti4200 is a better card and is supported by the NVidia PureVideo decoder. I had a Ti4200, it rocks.

Also the Quadra NVS 280 will only use DirectX8.1 and is not supported by the NVidia PureVideo decoder.

From NVidia Site

Graphics Chips Supported
All Microsoft DirectX® 8.x compatible chips, including:
NVIDIA GeForce 7 series
NVIDIA GeForce 6 series
NVIDIA GeForce FX series
NVIDIA GeForce4 series
NVIDIA GeForce 3 series
NVIDIA Quadro FX series
NVIDIA Quadro4 series
NVIDIA Quadro DCC series

Sorry guys, but the card was not meant for watching Video.

-Polen

[blade]

Originally Posted by polen

I have this same card in my work computer. Here at work we all have Dell Optiplex GX620 with 3.4 GHz P4. I have dual monitors so I got the PNY Quadra NVS 280 like his and it's weaker than the Dell's Built-in video, which is an Intel 82945G Express.

Your Ti4200 is a better card and is supported by the NVidia PureVideo decoder. I had a Ti4200, it rocks.

Also the Quadra NVS 280 will only use DirectX8.1 and is not supported by the NVidia PureVideo decoder.

From NVidia Site

Graphics Chips Supported
All Microsoft DirectX® 8.x compatible chips, including:
NVIDIA GeForce 7 series
NVIDIA GeForce 6 series
NVIDIA GeForce FX series
NVIDIA GeForce4 series
NVIDIA GeForce 3 series
NVIDIA Quadro FX series
NVIDIA Quadro4 series
NVIDIA Quadro DCC series

Sorry guys, but the card was not meant for watching Video.

-Polen

According to this the card does support the Pure Video features.

[polen]

That's good info.

I got my info from the System Requirements page, here. I'm not sure why they contradict each other.

-Polen