CinePlayer DVD Decoder Pack

[phenixdragon]

Has anyone just run this CODEC on through SageTV? I know TheaterTek uses it and I am able pass-through the DVD sound to my receiver but I am unclear if just these CODEC alone will do it. They way I understand on their site is that it will convert all sound to stereo, where as their full blown DVD software (uses the same CODEC) has the option to pass through the DVD sounds.

I am guessing it will do the same with the CODEC alone.

Thanks!

[mlbdude]

On other forums I was assured it would pass through SPDIF sound but you are correct about the web site saying differently (why I asked the same question). They are defiantly different than the ones that come with TT or the Cineplayer though since they will only work on Windows XP.

[pawn]

I use the Sonic 1.5 filters exclusively in Zoomplayer and they passthrough DD and DTS just fine.

[phenixdragon]

Pawn, maybe you know then, is CinePlayer 1.5 running the DVD Decoder? As in CinePlayer 1.5 is the actually DVD player. When I read it on their website it just is confusing on what they say about each of them separately.

[pawn]

Nope, I only purchased the filter pack for something like $20. You can use them with anything. TheaterTek uses them as well.

[phenixdragon]

Sounds like you purchased the decoder and the software they also have to rip audio to MP3, which is $20. I guess I will give this a try later on and see what happens.

[pawn]

Nope.

I purchased the "Sonic CinePlayer DVD Decoder Pack" last February.

I saved the online confirmation web page and none of the links it refers to work anymore (I just checked). Looks to me like they don't offer just the decoder pack anymore.

If you buy the MP3 ripper, it may only have encoders, not decoders.

I better place to ask this question might be AVSForum.

[phenixdragon]

Right, that is what the "CinePlayer DVD Decoder Pack" is now for $15. Then is is $5 if you wanted to add the MP3 pack or it is $15 for it separately.

[theMixxMaster]

I've just recently started using this codec, as it's included with TheaterTek, as well as DVD Maestro.
The picture and sound are GREAT. Bright colors, and it doesn't seem to have that "washed out" look that I've seen with some others. The sound is also great, but I don't have it hooked up to a fancy receiver, just the speakers on the TV.
The only downsides, are:

On some quick panning screens, their is what I could describe as a faint line ging across the screen diagonally. The line isn't very noticeable, as it has no color, it just kind of seperates things. This is NOT visible in the recordings when playing back through another media player, ONLY in the Live TV, and playback through SageTV. It is also only really visible on my LCD Monitor, not the TV.

The picture tends to freeze quickly when changing channels. It seems to be only a frame or two, then back to normal. This is not seen when watching a replay, only LiveTV.

Both of these are very minor for my needs, as I want a great picture and sound, as I'm archiving/burning shows to DVD frequently.

[greggerm]

Newbie Question :

I've been reading a lot of threads regarding using SPDIF-passthrough to play DVD's from within Sage and get DD & DTS audio passed along to external home theater receivers. Currently I use Cyberlink's (PowerDVD) decoder package to play movies, and from within Sage I do NOT get a pure DD/DTS stream passed through. Played through Cyberlink's PowerDVD 5 program, I *DO* get it - indicating that Cyberlink somehow doesn't allow external programs to call it's DD/DTS passthrough option.

It has been mentioned that the CinePlayer decoder pack is a potential solution to my problem - does anyone have any positive experience with this issue? I'd MUCH rather spend the $15 on a new decoder package than drop wads of cash on a NForce-equipped motherboard (which is another option).

I'm using my motherboard's onboard SPDIF-out to pass the signal along. (AC97')

Can anyone pass along their experiences using SPDIF out and the CinePlayer decoders?

Thanks!

[stanger89]

Originally posted by phenixdragon
Pawn, maybe you know then, is CinePlayer 1.5 running the DVD Decoder? As in CinePlayer 1.5 is the actually DVD player. When I read it on their website it just is confusing on what they say about each of them separately.

I'd have to say the answer is yes and no. Yes in that I'm sure it's the same decoder, functionally. But no in that the user interface is different. With CP there's no control pannel app and when you bring up the filter properties (say in graphedit) you get no options. You have to change settings in either the app or directly in the registry. The decoder pack, OTOH, gives you a nice control panel app to adjust things like enabling DXVA.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by greggerm
Can anyone pass along their experiences using SPDIF out and the CinePlayer decoders?

Thanks!

I run the app, but I just set it to output S/PDIF on my M-Audio Revolution and all the audio in Sage, recordings, DVDs, and HDTV clips (the ones that work), all output just fine, and yes DVDs do output full DD/DTS.

[stanger89]

Originally posted by theMixxMaster
On some quick panning screens, their is what I could describe as a faint line ging across the screen diagonally. The line isn't very noticeable, as it has no color, it just kind of seperates things. This is NOT visible in the recordings when playing back through another media player, ONLY in the Live TV, and playback through SageTV. It is also only really visible on my LCD Monitor, not the TV.

Are you using VMR9? It sounds kind of like tearing (although thats horizontal anomily).

[theMixxMaster]

yes, it was tearing, it seems to have been pretty much resolved for my video card with the latest beta. The only problem now is it will freeze from time to time(luckily, not often), and sometimes will crash when doing lots of fast forwarding/rewinding.

[cassis6]

I had the same freeze/lock-up problem with the Sonic DVD pack when I had the default audio codec and default renderer selected.
I then selected the Sonic Audio Codec and the Direct Sound renderer and now no more lock-ups.
I am not sure which one, the audio codec or direct sound, made the difference though.