Codec Questions

[Dean_H]

I'm struggling with problems recording HD streams off of cable TV using firewire. I've been debugging for a few weeks now and think I'm on to the problem at hand: codecs and hardware/software acceleration. I have a powerful graphics card in my HTPC, but I'm not sure if the codecs that I'm using are hardware or software acceleration versions. How can I tell? I have (obviously) the standard Sage video and audio codecs, PowerDVD 8 codecs and nvidia video and audio codecs installed. I'm currently using the nvidia ones.

Any help would be appreciated.

Also, on another point: I've noticed lately that the HD channel recorded shows, sometimes on a specific channel, can't be played back. Nor can comskip or showanalyzer extract the commercials (I get windows errors for both programs). Maybe related or not, when I change channels to some of the HD channels, I have to hit stop first, then play again before it tunes in.

Anyone have any ideas of things to try?

[gplasky]

All of those codecs have the option to use DXVA. Make sure you check that option in their own players option. (Sage can be enabled in the Detailed Setup of the program)

Gerry

[Dean_H]

Wow, thanks for the fast response.

So I want to use DXVA in both Sage and the codec players? If so, then I want to look in the setup/config for each and make sure DXVA is enabled? That will force/guarantee I'm using hardware acceleration?

[gplasky]

What I was saying is you can choose to use the Sage codec in SageTV. In the detailed setup for that you can choose to enable DXVA for the Sage codec. The other two decoders would need it enabled either thru their own player or other 3rd party players (Zoom Player for instance) that gives you access to those settings.

Gerry

[Dean_H]

OK, thanks. When the kids let me back into the HTPC I'll mess around with these settings.

Do you have any idea on why the HD shows are having problems recording all of a sudden? The show gets recorded but I can't play it back in Sage (or WMP). Could TW cable have all of a sudden encrypted those channels?

[gplasky]

What tuner are you recording HD with? HD-PVR only does h.264 format and would required using Cyberlink PowerDVD ot total Media Extreme from Arcsoft. nVidia isn't going to do it. If they encrypted them you would get nothing to record.

Gerry

[Dean_H]

I'm using firewire to go from the cable box to my HTPC. I have sage send the channel changes to the cable box using timmoore's scripts. The graphedit file is simply from the cable box to a .TS directshow filter.

UPDATE: Well, I've got PowerDVD working in Sage so I will see how things work out for a few days. Also, it looks like Time Warner has enabled 5C on a bunch of HD channels that were open before

Here's a stumper: I can watch a show in Sage that was HD recorded, however, WMP won't play it. I get video, just no sound. When I drag it over graphedit, I get only a video string and no audio (and it's using nvideo filters). Hmm.....anyone have ideas?

[Dean_H]

Anyone have any ideas?

[bastian74]

test some manual filters in graphedit. ac3filter? cyberlink audio hd? See if gspot identifies the codec.