Codecs and filters

[chughes]

I'm going to be rebuilding my SageTV box soon and am in the process of downloading/buying the latest versions of various drivers, filters and codecs that I will need.
Currently I am using nVidia's decoders for DVD playback and a soundcard for most audio decoders (see sig). The new rig will forgoe the soundcard an use the onboard S/PDIF-out.
I would like to know if the nVidia decoder is really a good choice these days, or if something like PowerDVD would be a better choice? I have also seen discussions on using MediaPortal and the associated stand-alone filters. Any thoughts?

[babgvant]

If just watching MPEG2 content there's not much reason to pick up a 3rd party app.

The nvidia mpeg decoder is still an excellent choice ff you're going to be using XP. Nvidia didn't update the decoder to work properly on Vista, so I wouldn't use it there. Vista includes a MPEG decoder (if you get premium or ultimate) that works well with the EVR renderer but it doesn't like VMR9.

MPC HC includes some standalone filters that will handle other content types (like h.264), I haven't tried them with Sage, but it's probably worth a go before picking up a retail version of PDVD (I use the rev of PDVD that came with my BR drive).

[Fastrack]

I have an ATI AH3650 card, and the Total media Theater h24 codec used around 15% CPU or so to playback a file from my 5D. I just installed the MPC filter "mpchc_x86_v1.2.908.0_MPCVideoDec.zip" from here:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...roup_id=170561

It uses around 2-5%!! And the picture looks just as good. And to top it off, SageTV works perfectly with it and it's _free_. For h264 playback you'll also need Haali Media Splitter. It uses DXVA so it'll work with Nvidia as well.

To use it, copy the single file MPCVideoDec.ax to c:\windows\system32 and run "regsvr32 MPCVideoDec.ax" I updated my property file for SageTV, but GraphEdit picked it up as the default decoder.

MPC also released a MpEG2 playback decoder but I haven't tried that yet.

[dbone1026]

I just did a clean reinstall of Vista x32 on my PC. My GPU is Dual NVidia GeForce 8800GT. I installed the latest beta of SageTV (6.5.12) and I am getting a terrible stutter when playing back my 1080p mkvs. I installed the codecs on my system as follows:

ffdshow
Haali Splitter
MPC Video Decoder

When I installed ffdshow I unchecked the codecs that I wanted the MPC Video Decoder to decode with hardware acceleration (H.264/AVC and VC-1). I then ran Radlight Filter Manager to confirm that the MPC - Video Decoder was being used with H.264/AVC and VC-1.

My mkvs play flawlessly in Vista Media Center, MediaPortal, etc... only SageTV does not play them properly. Any thoughts (please note I did not adjust any of the default video settings in SageTV after I installed). Thanks

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by dbone1026

I just did a clean reinstall of Vista x32 on my PC. My GPU is Dual NVidia GeForce 8800GT. I installed the latest beta of SageTV (6.5.12) and I am getting a terrible stutter when playing back my 1080p mkvs. I installed the codecs on my system as follows:

ffdshow
Haali Splitter
MPC Video Decoder

When I installed ffdshow I unchecked the codecs that I wanted the MPC Video Decoder to decode with hardware acceleration (H.264/AVC and VC-1). I then ran Radlight Filter Manager to confirm that the MPC - Video Decoder was being used with H.264/AVC and VC-1.

My mkvs play flawlessly in Vista Media Center, MediaPortal, etc... only SageTV does not play them properly. Any thoughts (please note I did not adjust any of the default video settings in SageTV after I installed). Thanks

I don't use Vista for SageTV but the same should apply (If you use SageTV Service - edit SageClient.properties.. if you don't edit Sage.Properties):

1) Set the following to true:
- always_use_dshow_player=true
- This setting tells sagetv to use directshow for playback - and therefore will use the same filters as Redlight or Graphedit etc.. If this was not set SageTV would not use Haali Splitter for me anyway..

2) Set the following to use the MPC - Video Decoder:
- videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=MPC - Video Decoder
- With the dshow set to true, you shouldn't need this, but I always like to add it for a piece of mind.

[dbone1026]

Originally Posted by Fastrack

I don't use Vista for SageTV but the same should apply (If you use SageTV Service - edit SageClient.properties.. if you don't edit Sage.Properties):

1) Set the following to true:
- always_use_dshow_player=true
- This setting tells sagetv to use directshow for playback - and therefore will use the same filters as Redlight or Graphedit etc.. If this was not set SageTV would not use Haali Splitter for me anyway..

2) Set the following to use the MPC - Video Decoder:
- videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=MPC - Video Decoder
- With the dshow set to true, you shouldn't need this, but I always like to add it for a piece of mind.

I will try that when I get home and hopefully it will do the trick. I had used SageTV a while ago but got swayed towards XBMC/VMC as of late. Hoping to give it another shot so getting my movies to play back properly is task one. Thanks for the quick response.

[dbone1026]

Ben - thanks, my 1080p mkvs are playing smooth now by changing the properties to true.

FYI - I saw nowhere in the properties file the h.264 setting you mentioned.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by dbone1026

FYI - I saw nowhere in the properties file the h.264 setting you mentioned.

it should get added once you tell sage to use directshow and play a file with h.264.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by Fastrack

1) Set the following to true:
- always_use_dshow_player=true
- This setting tells sagetv to use directshow for playback - and therefore will use the same filters as Redlight or Graphedit etc.. If this was not set SageTV would not use Haali Splitter for me anyway..

When I do this, all my FLAC music stops working. What do I need to do to fix that?

[Fastrack]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

When I do this, all my FLAC music stops working. What do I need to do to fix that?

I'm not sure about FLAC, but if something like Windows Media Player can play the file it should work in SageTV with the above setting set to TRUE.

[phelme]

So are any of you who are using the MPC Video Decoder also HD-PVR owners? if so, I'd be curious what your audio decoding chain looks like.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

When I do this, all my FLAC music stops working. What do I need to do to fix that?

You need to install a directshow FLAC decoder

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by phelme

So are any of you who are using the MPC Video Decoder also HD-PVR owners? if so, I'd be curious what your audio decoding chain looks like.

Are you having trouble with AC3Filter?

[phelme]

Originally Posted by babgvant

Are you having trouble with AC3Filter?

no, not for SPDIF out recordings. but I still have some recordings with AAC audio back before the SPDIF firmware came out. I also encode a fair number of MP4's with AAC.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by phelme

no, not for SPDIF out recordings. but I still have some recordings with AAC audio back before the SPDIF firmware came out. I also encode a fair number of MP4's with AAC.

Have you tried the MONOGRAM AAC decoder?

[Rico66]

Not sure, you're still looking for some input, but I'm using the MPC Decoder (though it's not explicitly specified in Sage). It's set as default dshow decoder. On the audio side, I'm recording AC3, which is routed through spdif.

If I open a .ts file in graphedit it only shows the MPC video decoder and the MS audio decoder (I'm pretty sure that this is the same filter chain that Sage uses, but is there a way to double check this, since ctrl+g doesn't work?). So far this works great.

And, I've unregistered ac3filter (ffdshow is installed, but not really used)

[phelme]

Originally Posted by babgvant

Have you tried the MONOGRAM AAC decoder?

No, I haven't but I'll check into it. thanks.

Looks like my ATI card (X1650) might be one generation too old for the MPC - Video Decoder according to their notes. It uses the "bitstream mode" which I'm not sure mine has. Guess I'll just have to try it and see.

It's amazing how much interaction there is between all the decoders, muxers and splitters. I find if one combination works for MP4, it won't work for MKV or will work great for every container, but then not for a LIVE recording (especially true for demuxers). I'd go back to using SageTVPlayer for MP4's and MKV's, but it stutters on some MP4's conversions I have. Frustrating.