Which Decoder (Video & Audio) do you use with HD PVR?

[chasmetz]

I am having a few issues with the Arcsoft decoder and the HD PVR, and I was wanting to hear what decoder others are using.

With the sagetv decoder, all works fine on the server and the sage client. I can record & watch tv for hours with no issues. If I switch to the Arcsoft decoder, within an hour the server blue screens and reboots. My next step is to turn on the logging and see exactly what is going on...

Charles

[Taddeusz]

I'm personally using the Arcsoft decoder on my client. I'm getting fed up with it though. I don't believe it's the best H.264 decoder out there. It gives all kinds of artifacts in the video when VLC plays back the files just fine without them. I'm going to start playing around with my merits and see if I can somehow get the Cyberlink decoder working smoothly with HD-PVR recordings.

[Brent]

I use the ArcSoft Decoder also. No playback problems and I'm not seeing many artifacts on mine.

[chasmetz]

Im not sure why it blue screens using the Arcsoft decoder, will have to do more testing tonight.

I installed the NVidia 177 beta release on Tuesday, and after reboot told me my video card (8600 GT) was underpowered. So I plugged in the internal power cord and the error went away. I thought maybe that was attributing to the issue, but it blue screened this morning watching Sport Center

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by chasmetz

I installed the NVidia 177 beta release on Tuesday, and after reboot told me my video card (8600 GT) was underpowered.

Yea, any video card that has a power connector on it needs it plugged in. It's there because the slot doesn't provide as much power as the card requires. You can't leave that power disconnected.

I don't know what the deal is with mine. I'm running Vista x64. Even when there are no artifacts Arcsoft just looks terrible to me even compared to VLC. It's like they're running an edge detection routine on the video. It just looks bad.

My video card is a Radeon 3870 with the latest drivers. I just haven't had enough time lately to play around with the filter merits. Too much stuff going on. Maybe this weekend I can get to it.

[chasmetz]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Yea, any video card that has a power connector on it needs it plugged in. It's there because the slot doesn't provide as much power as the card requires. You can't leave that power disconnected.

I don't know what the deal is with mine. I'm running Vista x64. Even when there are no artifacts Arcsoft just looks terrible to me even compared to VLC. It's like they're running an edge detection routine on the video. It just looks bad.

Thanks for the information, I thought it was supposed to be plugged in, but somehow forgot it when I rebuilt the machine a few weeks ago.

Im not sure what it is about the Arcsoft decoder, but it does look sharper than the SageTv decoder for some reason. If the Sage decoder were as sharp I wouldnt hesitate just leaving it...

EDIT: Just a side note, I am running my DirecTV box in native mode 480i, 480p & 720p. I do not have 1080i enabled on the DTV box as it looks 'wavy' on 1080i broadcasts, even with the new Nvidia driver. Any thoughts on that?

[Taddeusz]

Well, I got a chance to mess around with merits last night. I think it's already been said but the Cyberlink H.264 decoder doesn't like 1080i HD-PVR recordings for some reason. 480i seem to play ok though. Don't know why the difference. I have a powerful enough computer. But what I get with the 1080i recordings are periods of slow motion video every few seconds. The video looks really nice in comparison to Arcsoft. Playback just isn't smooth.

I think I've read that there is some kind of timeline issue with the current HD-PVR drivers so maybe it's fouling up the Cyberlink decoder for some reason when coupled with the SageTV demuxer. Hopefully that beta driver will be coming along shortly that is supposed to give us AC3 pass-thru. Maybe it will also help correct issues with other decoders?