having trouble getting Sage to use FFDshow. help plz!

[mattress]

I'm starting my HTPC from scratch. I want it to function as an upscaling DVD player. I've followed all the guides, got all the software.

SageTV 5
Nvidia PureVideo DVD Decoders
FFDShow (latest, SSE)

I have all the options configured throughout the properties and settings dialogs etc.

The only thing I can't figure out is how to tell SageTV to use FFDshow. Right now, for DVD video I have it set to VMR9, and the Nvidia decoders.

I tried setting it to the ffdshow filter, but it said something about CSS copy protection when playing a DVD.

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for the help!

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by mattress

I tried setting it to the ffdshow filter, but it said something about CSS copy protection when playing a DVD.

What am I doing wrong?

Well.. You are not allowed to upconvert protected DVD's over analog connections (component video) Courtesy of our friends in the movie business who worry about piracy and such. There are programs out there that help you bypass the CSS protection which will allow for the upconversion, or you can get a digital connection to your TV.

HIH

B

P.S.

I don't think we're allowed to provide links to such programs etc. Google is your friend.

P.P.S

I make assumptions on connection type and to device.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by mattress

I'm starting my HTPC from scratch. I want it to function as an upscaling DVD player. I've followed all the guides, got all the software.

SageTV 5
Nvidia PureVideo DVD Decoders
FFDShow (latest, SSE)

I have all the options configured throughout the properties and settings dialogs etc.

The only thing I can't figure out is how to tell SageTV to use FFDshow. Right now, for DVD video I have it set to VMR9, and the Nvidia decoders.

I tried setting it to the ffdshow filter, but it said something about CSS copy protection when playing a DVD.

What am I doing wrong?
Thanks for the help!

If you're using the nVidia decoders configure nVidia decoder to use ffdshow as the post processor.

Gerry

[mattress]

at the present time i have it hooked up like a normal computer.. keyboard, mouse, monitor..

I will be using DVI from my radeon 9800 pro to HDMI on my TV (panasonic 34" widescreen tube)

How do I tell the nvidia decoders to use ffdshow? I don't see an option for a post proccessor/whatever in the control panel config (after double clicking the nvidia logo icon in the system tray)

[stanger89]

In the properties file:
videoframe/dvd_video_postprocessing_filter=
videoframe/video_postprocessing_filter=

[mattress]

what do i set those values to?
ffdshow?
ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder?

I don't have the dvd_video_postproccessing_filter line in my Sage.Properties file, do I just add them anywhere?

The video_postprocessing_filter is in there.

this is my dvd section:

videoframe/dvd_audio_decoder_filter=
videoframe/dvd_audio_render_filter=
videoframe/dvd_dxva_mpeg_mode=0
videoframe/dvd_force_deinterlace=0
videoframe/dvd_video_decoder_filter=
videoframe/dvd_video_render_filter=VMR9

and I also did a "find" in notepad, and didn't find a post processor line for dvd

[stanger89]

I usually use "ffdshow raw video filter" but "ffdshow MPEG4 video decoder" should work too.

Don't know why you don't have the DVD one, but it's fine to add it.

[mattress]

poking around a little more, i actually found it in SageClient.properties and "ffdshow raw video filter" worked. thankyou for your help.

[mattress]

following the ffdshow guide on htpcnews, doing a 2x upscale to 720, I get almost constant 100% CPU usage. Tweaking the settings a little bit I finally got it to play smoothly without skipping around.

amd athlonxp 3200+
512mb ram
radeon 9800 pro

is this amount of cpu usage normal? am i doing something wrong and not offloading enough work to the GPU?

[Polypro]

FFDSHOW does use a lot of the CPU.

If you have the OSD option checked (Like mentoned in that guide), try turning it off...I read somewhere that it *may* help.

P

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mattress

is this amount of cpu usage normal?

Yes

am i doing something wrong and not offloading enough work to the GPU?

ffdshow prevents offloading anything to the GPU.

[Todd33]

I added the above lines to the properties file and ffdshow is still not working on DVDs over a SVI cable using Cyberlink decoders. Do I have to do something additional for ffdshow to intercept the video for post processing? ffdshow is working great for all other video in Sage.

Thanks.

[stanger89]

You need to have Raw Video enabled in ffdshow.

[Todd33]

Originally Posted by stanger89

You need to have Raw Video enabled in ffdshow.

It is. Any other Sage settings? Do I need to restart the service, I restarted only the client API. Thanks.

[stanger89]

On a client, all you need to do is shutdown the client, edit the properties file, save and start the client.

Make sure you're using the full friendly filter name in the properties file.

[Todd33]

videoframe/dvd_video_postprocessing_filter=ffdshow raw video filter
videoframe/video_postprocessing_filter=ffdshow raw video filter

Correct? Nothing in the client setup in Sage?

[stanger89]

In the sageclient.properties file on your client, yes, that's it. Do you have the OSD enabled in ffdshow? How do you know it's not working?

[Todd33]

Originally Posted by stanger89

In the sageclient.properties file on your client, yes, that's it. Do you have the OSD enabled in ffdshow? How do you know it's not working?

Yes, the OSD is on. I can see the OSD in every file type except DVD in Sage. It's not a CSS thing?

[stanger89]

Shouldn't be. I don't know why it wouldn't show up, unless it's being pushed off the screen by some aspect ratio setting in Sage.

[Todd33]

It seems no matter how many times I change the property files, Sage re-writes it and deletes my changes. Any ideas? The file is ..Program Files\Frey Technologies\SageTV\Sage.properties correct?