High CPU after video playback stop, but

[teedublu]

I'm getting very high CPU % when playing video -- near 100%. Stop reduces the % to around 50%, where it may stay until exiting the menu -- either recordings menu or guide menu. Sometimes it will reduce gradually on its own, but not usually. This is on Win7-64 w/ Sage7b10.

When I use Arcsoft TME to view a HD stream, CPU % is very low (hardware acceleration checked in the GUI). But within Sage it's near 100%. Using the Arcsoft decoder (Overlay, other renderers aren't working or makes things worse). Trided DivX, which has config GUI, but no improvement, a bit worse CPU load than Arcsoft.

For standard HD MPEG-2 transport streams via HDHR tuner, the CPU% is a little lower, but still way too high. Tried Sage with DXVA with various Renderers, Arcsoft, Microsoft DTV/DVD codec. The best results for non h.264 so far is with the Microsfot DTV codec. Both codecs don't seem to be enabling hardware decode though (AMD Radeon HD3200 graphics). Is there a way to configure the Microsoft DTV decoder and the Arcsoft decoder outside of Sage?

My current (temporary) system needs hardware assist decode since it's only a 1.6GHZ AMD Neo X2. It's enough when hardware decode is working and Sage isn't wrapped around the playback system. I installed the Cyberlink trial, but Sage doesn't see it -- how to get Sage to see it? Frankly I'd prefer to get Arcsoft working. Maybe upgrade to Arcsoft TME-v3? But would it support HD-PVR capture? It would be nice to keep that.

In summary, there is a Sage hangover effect when CPU is near 100% that seems to get stuck until you move out of the recording or guide menu. And I can't get Hardware assist decode working.
edit: Apparently this isn't a 7beta issue. Maybe a Win7 issue. same problem with Arcsoft/HD-PVR on Win7-32: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=411084

TW

[UgaData]

If you're using the Arcsoft CODEC, have you checked the properties of the CODEC to verify that HA is enabled? (DXVA1.0 & DXVA2.0). I use GraphStudio to look at the properties of the Arcsoft Video Decoder. Just because HA is checked in TME or TMT doesn't mean it's enabled in the decoder.

[teedublu]

Thanks,

I'll install GraphStudio and give it a try.

I've seen a few posts regarding this exact problem, but no answers and I asked Sage Tech support about this as well (although the question was more general) regarding how to control video hardware acceleration since the DXVA option goes away when SageDecoder isn't selected, and it didn't seem to work with SageDecoder either -- and I got no answer to that question.

TW

[UgaData]

FWIW

I use the Arcsoft video decoder that came with the HD-PVR. On more than one occasion, I have found the HA (DXVA1.0 & DXVA2.0) disabled in the Arcsoft CODEC. I have no idea what I did to cause it to be disabled.

I have been making similar posts to this one, whenever I read that someone is experiencing video playback problems and they use the Arcsoft CODEC.

To some degree, I typically have had issues sometime after making changes (upgrades or patches) to TME and/or SageTV. It's difficult to pinpoint since the problem can be so subtle at times. Other times some shows are just flat unwatchable. Not to mention the toll it seems to take on recordings that are being made while I try to watch pre-recorded HD show without HA enabled.

[teedublu]

I need to find some user-guide info on GraphStudio.

I did get it to list filters -- via insert filter.
But I can't find Arcsoft's. I do see some HD-PVR items under other headings (not filters, captures etc..)

I found MS DTV decoder and a property line for DXVA, but don't know what to do with it or what to change it to.

In other words, I'm in too deep.... drowning.......

TW

[UgaData]

FWIW

Start/Open GraphStudio.
Choose Graph from the menu bar then Insert Filter from the drop down menu.

See the directshow filter list attachment for what I see when I follow the above steps. You may need to adjust the drop downs lists in the Insert Filters dialog box.

The second attachment shows the property dialog box for the Arcsoft Video Decoder.


I hope this helps. The attachments are screens prints pasted into Wordpad and then zipped. I am running Vista Ultimate 32.

[teedublu]

Interesting. Maybe the 64b ver of GraphStudio acts differently. I'll try running the 32bit version (I assumed I needed to run 64 to match OS). The property page you sent looks way different. I've only seen what amounts to a columnar text listing. I don't recall ever seeing any prop windows with check boxes.

I did manage to get standard MPEG-2 files to hard-decode in Sage, using Overlay. I played some files in WMP (which always works great, w/ low CPU) selected some options etc. Then at some point while changing overlay settings in Sage, Sage says player settings have changed, do you want to reload the media player? I say yes, then MPEG-2 plays with low CPU in Sage using Overlay... For some reason EVR has scaling/fit issues.

But HD-PVR / h.264 files are still grinding the CPU using Arcsoft Decoder and typically crashes Sage using Microsoft Decoder. So hopefully I can get this Arcsoft Property page to load etc in GraphStudio.

I think I'll also try reinstall of Arcsoft TME. It was installed before Sage with UAC on. Since then I turned off UAC and installed Sage. Can't hurt...

Thanks,
TW

[teedublu]

I ran the regular (32bit) version of GraphStudio and it found several more filters including Arcsoft. Oddly, it only listed one Arcsoft filter -- your screenshot shows several, but at least it was the decoder and the Properties Page looks like your screen shot. But, mine comes up with DXVA (both) turned off. I turn on (the option boxes turn blue), hit Apply or Ok to hopefully make the change stick, but it doesn't -- exit reload GraphStudio and DXVA are unchecked. And play from Sage still isn't using hardware accel.

From WMP all is shweet, but I believe WMP is using the MS DTV decoder. But selecting MS DTV decoder in Sage for h264 causes some freaky stuff depending on renderer -- from being wrong size, to blank, to unsynced scan lines and, oh yes, crash n burn.

So still no DXVA h264 in Sage.

TW

[dezekiel]

I am having the same problems with the Arcsoft filter. I cannot get the DXXA settings to stick. I also found version 2.27, I have 2.25, I can unregister 2.25 and register 2.27 but I cannot get a picture in Sage after the update which includes a filter and a few .dll files. Does anyone know how to update from 2.25 to 2.27??

Dana

[lparkin]

Originally Posted by teedublu

I ran the regular (32bit) version of GraphStudio and it found several more filters including Arcsoft. Oddly, it only listed one Arcsoft filter -- your screenshot shows several, but at least it was the decoder and the Properties Page looks like your screen shot. But, mine comes up with DXVA (both) turned off. I turn on (the option boxes turn blue), hit Apply or Ok to hopefully make the change stick, but it doesn't -- exit reload GraphStudio and DXVA are unchecked. And play from Sage still isn't using hardware accel.

From WMP all is shweet, but I believe WMP is using the MS DTV decoder. But selecting MS DTV decoder in Sage for h264 causes some freaky stuff depending on renderer -- from being wrong size, to blank, to unsynced scan lines and, oh yes, crash n burn.

So still no DXVA h264 in Sage.

TW

To get the change to stick, you have to run graphstudio as an administrator if you are on Vista or Windows 7. If you are running xp, the change should stick as long as your account is in the administrator group.