6.2.5 and CoreAVC - anybody try?

[HawgGuy]

7. Added CoreAVC filter and the new Cyberlink filter to the default H.264 codec search list

Anybody try this yet? I'd like to hear some feedback before I buy CoreAVC.

[NEOSG]

Originally Posted by HawgGuy

7. Added CoreAVC filter and the new Cyberlink filter to the default H.264 codec search list

Anybody try this yet? I'd like to hear some feedback before I buy CoreAVC.

From my personal experience, I would stay away from CoreAVC. While cost and performance is good, upgrades and support suck the big one

[geogecko]

While I haven't had a chance to use CoreAVC yet, I can at least echo the upgrades and support comment that Neo made.

I've been trying to buy CoreAVC for 4-5 months now, and finally gave up. You can't give them your money.

They have issues, and it's really annoying...

[HawgGuy]

I bought the latest & greatest CoreAVC 1.5.
Deleted PowerDVD 7.3

Works well playing back h.264 in MPC.

No go in Sage - get Playback error - Cannot render etc.

Sage must see it, because deleting:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7.x)

in the properties file causes the line to be replaced with CoreAVC upon restarting SageTV.

[Rik]

I also have CoreAVC but i can't watch tv channels with h264. This is the error I get: There was a Playback Error in playback. Details: sage.PlaybackException: ERROR(-4,0x80040217): There was a problem rendering the video portion of the content for playback.

Very irritating... The properties file says:
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

So it should work. Or am I wrong?

Thanks.
Rik

[jaymann]

same exact problem for me - core avc 1.2 in this case,

sage can see it since videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

graphedit renders fine using coreavc, and i've set "always_use_dshow_filter=true", but clearly sage does not always use directshow since it generates the rendering error while the files in question (MPEG2 .ts in this case) play fine in Media Player Classic.

Have tried all manner of MPGE2 video renderer selections in sage, also tried overlay vs VMR9, etc, but no luck...

.ts h264 files seem to be the only ones that woun't play though, .mkv are fine, etc etc

[HawgGuy]

Turn debug logging on and look at the output when you try to play h.264 files with CoreAVC. You'll see the error then. A few months ago I submitted a bug report and some logs.

[jaminben]

Have you tried opening the file your trying to play with graphedit and seeing what codecs are being used. If you see some codecs which shouldnt be there then use DSFMgr to remove those codecs or increase the merit of the codecs you do want to use.

Mine only displays "CoreAVC > VMR" for video & "AC3 > Direct sound device" for sound.

The reason I say this is that I remember having a problem with Sage not playing h.264 and it was because too many codecs where in use at the same time. This was after I tried Media Portal and it was using their MPA and MPV codecs as well as CoreAVC and AC3.

[Ryokurin]

Originally Posted by jaymann

same exact problem for me - core avc 1.2 in this case,

sage can see it since videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

graphedit renders fine using coreavc, and i've set "always_use_dshow_filter=true", but clearly sage does not always use directshow since it generates the rendering error while the files in question (MPEG2 .ts in this case) play fine in Media Player Classic.

Have tried all manner of MPGE2 video renderer selections in sage, also tried overlay vs VMR9, etc, but no luck...

.ts h264 files seem to be the only ones that woun't play though, .mkv are fine, etc etc

Try it in windows media player. MPC supports mpeg2 via its own built in codec by default (among others) Unless you've gone in and specifically turned it off. It could very well be broken in directshow but MPC can do it on its own.

[reggie14]

Have any of you gotten CoreAVC working in Sage 6.3.10? I have it set as my preferred decoder, but I don't think Sage is using it. I haven't been able to find what I have to do. I tried adding

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

to my properties file. I also tried setting "always_use_dshow_filter=true".

But I don't really know what I have to do to check it. I thought the little ffdshow icon would show up in the system tray, and that would show me what decoder is being used, but the icon doesn't show up. It does show up when I play xvid/divx videos though.

[HawgGuy]

I haven't tried in a while. Last time I tried - SageTV could see CoreAVC, but couldn't use it. Too bad because PDVD & CoreAVC are the only decoders I know of that can playback HD from the r5000hd/dish h.264 (PAFF interlacing).

[sacrament055]

I believe my CoreAVC is working, but only when I use the "always_use_dshow_filter=true" (keep in mind that it needs to be in "sageclient.properties" if you're using service mode)

Also I modified my encoder merits and made sure CoreAVC is the highest.

[reggie14]

Out of curiosity, why do you think Sage is using CoreAVC? I tried adding that to my client's properties file, but I'm sure its not using CoreAVC, based on the quality of video playback.

My client is running Vista 32-bit and Sage Client v6.3.10. I don't think I've restarting my computer since installing CoreAVC, so I'll have to do that when I get home. But I know WMP is already using that decoder.

[HawgGuy]

Originally Posted by sacrament055

I believe my CoreAVC is working, but only when I use the "always_use_dshow_filter=true" (keep in mind that it needs to be in "sageclient.properties" if you're using service mode)

Also I modified my encoder merits and made sure CoreAVC is the highest.

Enable debug logging and double check. I've previously done just as you describe with Sage properties and decoder merit only to see in the log that sage tried and failed to play with CoreAVC and fell back to Cyberlink (this is for r5000-hd streams).

[sacrament055]

Prior to installing CoreAVC my system would stutter when attempting to playback 1080p MKV x264 files. Once I installed CoreAVC and changed decoder merit etc. I can now play back 1080p files flawlessly.

I haven't tried checking logs but based on the fact that it now works and that's the only thing I changed I have to assume that's my solution.

[reggie14]

Actually, I just enabled logging and tried playing back one of my H.264 files. This line appears in my log:

DShowGraphFilters=Default DirectSound Device,VidRend,CyberLink Audio Decoder,CoreAVC Video Decoder,Nero MP4 Splitter, \\andyserver\ImportedVideos\Deep Space 9\DS9 S1\s1-01-02- Emissary.m4v

I think that means I'm using the CoreAVC decoder. That's actually really, really disappointing, because the video quality is horrible. The video is really dark and it skips. The file plays back perfectly in WMP, and I know its using CoreAVC there.

It also indicates I'm using the Nero MP4 splitter. WMP uses Haali. For the life of me, I can't get Sage to use Haali. I know Sage see's it, because it appears in the list of DirectShow filters in the log. I've messed around with the merits, but so far that hasn't helped. Besides, since WMP uses Haali for the same files I don't see how the merits could be wrong.

What's weird is that I have a couple H.264 videos in mkv containers on my server, and Sage will use Haali to play those back. Video playback is still really dark compared to WMP.

Any ideas?

[redondo_se]

As tittle states, it works! With CoreAVC deinterlacing set to blend, and Sage Demux buffers set to 120 hex in registry, it gives me a better picture than Cyberlink.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DSFilters\MpegDeMux\NumBuffers

Less motion artifacts in pans, and the news ticker on CNN-HD is smoother. The CNN ticker still jumps every 1.5 - 2 seconds, but Cyberlink made the ticker jump constantly. Note that setting the CoreAVC deinterlacing to hardware caused lots of bad motion artifacts on my machine (8600GT video card).

CoreAVC H.264 Video Codec - Version 1.7.0.0 (20080415)
- Add: Support for Mainconcept and ArcSoft demuxers.
- Add: Workaround for broken DirectShowSource in AviSynth
- Add: Installer improved
- Add: Better multiple CPUs/Cores balance
- Fix: Others internal fixes

Edit: Should point out that the SageTV demux is Mainconcept

[HawgGuy]

Originally Posted by redondo_se

As tittle states, it works! With CoreAVC deinterlacing set to blend, and Sage Demux buffers set to 120 hex in registry, it gives me a better picture than Cyberlink.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DSFilters\MpegDeMux\NumBuffers

Less motion artifacts in pans, and the news ticker on CNN-HD is smoother. The CNN ticker still jumps every 1.5 - 2 seconds, but Cyberlink made the ticker jump constantly. Note that setting the CoreAVC deinterlacing to hardware caused lots of bad motion artifacts on my machine (8600GT video card).

CoreAVC H.264 Video Codec - Version 1.7.0.0 (20080415)
- Add: Support for Mainconcept and ArcSoft demuxers.
- Add: Workaround for broken DirectShowSource in AviSynth
- Add: Installer improved
- Add: Better multiple CPUs/Cores balance
- Fix: Others internal fixes

Edit: Should point out that the SageTV demux is Mainconcept

Thanks for the tip. You're right - CoreAVC works like a champ now. I didn't have much time to test as the other family units are monopolizing the TV now. I seemed to be getting good playback with my default buffers set to 70 - did not have time to check other settings. Have you tried settings lower than 120?

[redondo_se]

Originally Posted by HawgGuy

Thanks for the tip. You're right - CoreAVC works like a champ now. I didn't have much time to test as the other family units are monopolizing the TV now. I seemed to be getting good playback with my default buffers set to 70 - did not have time to check other settings. Have you tried settings lower than 120?

No, haven't tried lower setting. Worked fine in family room at 120. Stuttered in bed room at 40, so I changed bed room to 120 and all is well. Performance seems good to me at 120, so not sure I want to mess with it.