No EVR option on upgraded ATI 3650 - any thoughts?

[Savage1701]

I had a 2600XT card on my upstairs HTPC. I put a ATI Sapphire 3650 in it, which is the exact same card I have on my basement SageTV server, but on my HTPC client I can't get EVR. VMR9 is as advanced as I can go. My LCD TV takes a full 1920x1080 60p HDMI input and functions in native mode so it can double as a monitor, but as I understand it, EVR is a function of the card, not the viewing device. Anyway, the TV is newer than the beater 1280x1024 utility monitor I have hooked up to the server rack anyway....so I'm not thinking it's the monitor that matters, but maybe I'm wrong.

Any thoughts on why my client would not offer EVR when the server does, and they are the same video card? I'm using 32-bit XP Pro on both, SP2, with no problems.

I also reinstalled all the latest ATI drivers. Do I need to go into the client properties and change something to offer that option, or do I need to run setup again? I tried it once and it did not seem to help.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

[Clift]

Originally Posted by Savage1701

I had a 2600XT card on my upstairs HTPC. I put a ATI Sapphire 3650 in it, which is the exact same card I have on my basement SageTV server, but on my HTPC client I can't get EVR. VMR9 is as advanced as I can go. My LCD TV takes a full 1920x1080 60p HDMI input and functions in native mode so it can double as a monitor, but as I understand it, EVR is a function of the card, not the viewing device. Anyway, the TV is newer than the beater 1280x1024 utility monitor I have hooked up to the server rack anyway....so I'm not thinking it's the monitor that matters, but maybe I'm wrong.

Any thoughts on why my client would not offer EVR when the server does, and they are the same video card? I'm using 32-bit XP Pro on both, SP2, with no problems.

I also reinstalled all the latest ATI drivers. Do I need to go into the client properties and change something to offer that option, or do I need to run setup again? I tried it once and it did not seem to help.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

EVR is only available as part of >NET 3.5 upgrade, which you would get with SP3. However, on XP you will not get video hardware acceleration (DXVA2) for EVR. So, if VMR9 works, use that. To get EVR with DXVA, upgrade to Vista or wait for Win7. To get EVR with software rendering, upgrade to SP3 or download .NET Framework 3.5

[Savage1701]

I do have .Net 3.5 on my system. I thought I did not. But it is on there.

Any other thoughts?

[gplasky]

As Clift mentioned above. Getting EVR on XP is not going to be an advantage because it won't do hardware acceleration. (DXVA2) Upgrade to Vista or Win 7 for the real advantage of EVR.

Gerry

[Savage1701]

G - that's fine. I'd just like to know why it's going on. Identical SKU video cards, 32-bit XP Pro dual core machines, plenty of RAM, SP2.

Any thoughts? I'd still like to know what the fundamental difference is that is causing this. I even stripped the Sage client out by uninstalling and throwing away the program folder, but I suppose stuff could be stored on the Sage server as backup properties.

[gplasky]

So two machines with XP and identical cards and SP3. You get to choose EVR on one but not the other? Make sure you're using the same version video drivers. Other than that-couldn't tell you why.

Check this link out and see if it helps.

Gerry

[Savage1701]

Originally Posted by gplasky

So two machines with XP and identical cards and SP3. You get to choose EVR on one but not the other? Make sure you're using the same version video drivers. Other than that-couldn't tell you why.

Check this link out and see if it helps.

Gerry

I'll check that link out. Same Catalyst Control Panel, Drivers, AVIVO suite, you name it.

[HelenWeathers]

Here's a thread to read through:

http://forums.freytechnologies.com/f...ad.php?t=36912

I had EVR working on my XP Pro SP3 machine so I know it can be done, but CPU performance in most cases was just equal to or worse under EVR than Overlay w XP.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by Savage1701

I'll check that link out. Same Catalyst Control Panel, Drivers, AVIVO suite, you name it.

Make sure you have Media Player 11 installed.

Gerry

[Savage1701]

G and Helen - Thank you both. That could be it with WMP 11, and I appreciate the link. Honestly, my Sage client is an older Pentrium D 900 series so I don't know how well it would deal with Vista.

I think the best cost/least headache factor is just to get another HD200, especially since I have about zero troubles with mine and my networking.

It's like that old saying, "I just asked for the time and got told how the watch was made." I'm not sure I want to keep hacking and slogging around and trying to find decoders and cards and such. I've got 3 copies of 32-bit Vista Business and 3 copies of 64-bit Vista XP business and a 32-bit Vista Ultimate gathering dust. I've just had such lousy, pain in the butt luck with Vista on our laptops, one of which is a year old and one is 4 months old, that I don't even want to deal with it. I also had to convince my sister in law that their were very good reasons her $500 Best Buy Vista laptop was so slow she thought it was broken. She ended up spending $950 and got a fast CPU/64-bit OS with upgrade to Win7/discrete video/7200 RPM hard drive. Night and day for her, but I still think it's slow.

And that's not at all meant at anyone who has taken the time to help me with this question. Not one bit. I appreciate all the comments quite a bit.

I think my best bet is to stay with XP as long as I can, and then make the jump to Win7 64-bit for the next 10 years and learn its ins and outs and just go from there.

EVR seems to be an accidental install on my Sage server, and the results with it seem mixed at best according to those who have gotten it on XP. All in all, I think the HD200 is the way to go.

Thanks again to all.

[gplasky]

I would have to agree with you on the HD200 decision. More watching, less futzing.

Gerry

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by Savage1701

I think the HD200 is the way to go.

Thanks again to all.

I could not agree more! The $180-200 you'll spend on the HD200 will save you hours of grief. I spend my time now enjoying my SageTV instead of futzing around.