a little lost on video playback

[wolverines]

I'm testing out Sage and I've run into a small roadblock. I've searched but just can't seem to find the answer. I'm running the latest beta version and my PC is hooked up to my stereo via HDMI (stereo acts as an HDMI switch) which outputs via HDMI to my projector. My tuner is a Hauppauge HVR 2250. When I watch live TV, play a show or a movie it will play on the computer but the screen is blank on the projector. When Sage is closed I can see the PC via the projector just fine. I can even see Sage fine when I first launch it and can see the weather. But as soon as a video plays the projector screen goes blank.

Any suggestions that could help point me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[gplasky]

Make the projector your primary display or make sure you're using VMR9 for your second display.

Gerry

[wolverines]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Make the projector your primary display or make sure you're using VMR9 for your second display.

Gerry

Gerry, thanks for the suggestions. I tried swapping displays and got some strange results. On Sage recordings it doesn't work - still plays on the PC monitor only. For a backed up DVD it played on the projector, but with no sound. Now I know I have the sound set up to use the spdif out and into my a/v receiver because when I watch live TV I can hear it (but no video on the projector).

I'm off to do some investigating on vmr9, unless anyone else has something I should try.

[wolverines]

Ok, after searching through a dozen posts I found how to choose VMR9 and did. I can now watch tv and view sage recordings. But of course things are never that simple. When I go to play a backed up DVD now that won't play. And when I watch live TV there is a clear stutter when watching HD.

[cychou]

Originally Posted by wolverines

Ok, after searching through a dozen posts I found how to choose VMR9 and did. I can now watch tv and view sage recordings. But of course things are never that simple. When I go to play a backed up DVD now that won't play. And when I watch live TV there is a clear stutter when watching HD.

There is separate render option for DVD (other than mpeg2), make sure that is changed to VMR9 too.

Generally speaking VMR9 only works together with FSE and 3D Acceleration (in Advance Option).

Is your finished recording play back stutter-free? Try to use AC3Filter as your audio decoder and let it handle mpeg audio as well.

[wolverines]

Originally Posted by cychou

There is separate render option for DVD (other than mpeg2), make sure that is changed to VMR9 too.

Generally speaking VMR9 only works together with FSE and 3D Acceleration (in Advance Option).

Is your finished recording play back stutter-free? Try to use AC3Filter as your audio decoder and let it handle mpeg audio as well.

Thanks. I'm now understanding why so many people stick with Tivo or the cable DVR. I know, based on all your experiences, that Sage is very good once properly set up. But man, getting there is one PITA.

I included my system specs in my signature, so hopefully that can help others help me. I'm getting closer and closer to making this work, but it's still not all there yet. I'm using VMR9 now as the video renderer and can see things on the projector. But when playing a backed up DVD I get a red band across the top. And now the voices are very low on all recordings. I'm using the Intervideo video decoder filter, AC3 as the audio decoder filter.

I'm guessing that the setup simply needs the right combo of video and audio renderers and filters. Any more suggestions?

[cychou]

Originally Posted by wolverines

I'm guessing that the setup simply needs the right combo of video and audio renderers and filters. Any more suggestions?

The following components also impact your video playback:
1. DirectX Run-time.
2. Window Media Player.
3. Video card driver - latest is not always the best for HTPC purpose.

Can I suggest you to work on only one display first? I seem to remember VMR9 and FSE only works on primary display (I could be wrong though).

As for decoder, I primarily use Cyberlink video decoder as it give me least amount of trouble in Sage. Cyberlink for video and AC3Filter for audio is the combination for me. You can try the Sage Mpeg decoder too!


P.S. Where is your signature?

[wolverines]

thanks for the follow up. I'll give that a try and report back. Not sure why my signature doesn't show up. EDIT: looks like it only gets added to all future posts.

[wolverines]

Windows media player generally works fine with videos on the projector so I checked to see the defaults used. It uses intervideo for the video decoder and AC3 filter for audio. I switched to those to see how things played. For DVDs the playback seemed fine but there are now green bars at the top and bottom. I need to figure out how to get rid of those. I'm also getting very low audio on HD recordings and DVDs. Off to more digging to see what I can do to fix things.

[cychou]

Originally Posted by wolverines

Windows media player generally works fine with videos on the projector so I checked to see the defaults used. It uses intervideo for the video decoder and AC3 filter for audio. I switched to those to see how things played. For DVDs the playback seemed fine but there are now green bars at the top and bottom. I need to figure out how to get rid of those. I'm also getting very low audio on HD recordings and DVDs. Off to more digging to see what I can do to fix things.

Your problems sound a lot like this discussion here.

From my own experience (Nvidia owner), most driver versions have some kind of bugs for HTPCs. Try to find one version that is suitable for your setup as the first step.
See this for tweaks on ATI driver.

[wolverines]

Originally Posted by cychou

Your problems sound a lot like this discussion here.

From my own experience (Nvidia owner), most driver versions have some kind of bugs for HTPCs. Try to find one version that is suitable for your setup as the first step.
See this for tweaks on ATI driver.

Thanks for trying to help. I sort of have things partially working now. Have some more testing to be sure. I had to stay away from VMR9 and stick with overlay. Maybe I'll eventually figure that one out but I think it has to do with the ATI drivers. I made the projector the primary display and after getting the cybershow filter to work for audio I was able to get the AC3 filter updated and working properly. Now I've got to figure out the minor issues with the tuner card but first I'm going to test setting up some recordings. I've already got some guide issues but I'll post that in the other forum.

Thanks again.