What can I do for video tearing?

[Kirby]

I am getting video tearing on my HTPC setup (see specs in my sig). Not really sure where to even start looking to fix this one. I've changed my setup to match GollyJer's Stutter Free playback (http://www.gollyjer.com/2011/01/4-st...tter-free.html) but still seeing video tearing on horizontal panning.

I've installed the latest video drivers from Intel (8.15.10.2509) and that didnt really help.

Is there a setting someplace in the Intel graphics utility to make this go away? Is it a codec issue? Sage issue?

[Kirby]

Also of note, running the latest Shark007 codec pack with x64 add-on. And I dont see the tearing when I play back a bluray (either in sage, or TMT5).

[stanger89]

my recollection is you'd want to run VMR9 Fullscreen Exclusive Mode or EVR for your video renderer.

[Kirby]

I've got EVR selected.

I am pretty sure that FSE was turned off, and 3D acceleration turned on. I will try turning on FSE. Is there an issue with FSE and 3D both being on? I seem to recall a popup warning when both are set, but I am not in front of the HTPC right now to check.

I should probably also check a recording in WMP to see if it tears also, or if its only in SageTV?

[panteragstk]

Is it the mpeg 2 recordings or the h.264 recordings that have the problem? Are they 1080i or 720p?

[Kirby]

MPEG-2, and I believe its both 720p and 1080i. I will do some verifying tonight. I can also verify my HD-PVR recordings (720p, H264) as well. But its mainly MPEG-2 (tv recordings).

I know one of the shows affected is American Chopper, which is Discovery, 1080i, mpeg2.

[panteragstk]

What decoder are you using for mpeg 2?

EDIT: I just read through that guide and it seems that you are using the MS decoder?

[Kirby]

Actually I think its using ffdshow from what I recall. As soon as I start a playback, the ffdshow icon appears in the tray.

Also, if that guide I followed isnt the best way to get solid playback, let me know whats best. DVD's and BD's are going to be handled by TMT5 external playback. So its just recorded mpg2 720p/1080i and H264 720p recordings that I need to get perfect.

The instructions in the link I provided show the PDVD decoders being present but I do not have those. Also, for some reason, my Arcsoft decoders do not show up inside Sage as a select-able option. should they? I was planning on installing the demo of PDVD12 to get those codecs to try out as well.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Kirby

Actually I think its using ffdshow from what I recall. As soon as I start a playback, the ffdshow icon appears in the tray.

Also, if that guide I followed isnt the best way to get solid playback, let me know whats best. DVD's and BD's are going to be handled by TMT5 external playback. So its just recorded mpg2 720p/1080i and H264 720p recordings that I need to get perfect.

The instructions in the link I provided show the PDVD decoders being present but I do not have those. Also, for some reason, my Arcsoft decoders do not show up inside Sage as a select-able option. should they? I was planning on installing the demo of PDVD12 to get those codecs to try out as well.

You have to get the modified checkactivate.dll (I have it if you need it) and put it in the codec directory of tmt for them to show up. Don't bother with pdvd. I use the arcsoft decoders for everything and it works great. The MS decoders never really worked all that well for me. I don't use my intel gpu anymore, but IIRC the arcsoft decoders worked well for mpeg 2 decoding. They are supposed to work for h.264 decoding, but I'm using tmt3 not 5.

That guide states to set everything to default (he and I don't agree as far as the way sage should be setup BTW, we've discussed it extensively) If the decoders you want have the highest merit in dshow then his way is just fine, but dshow can be picky. I just tell sage what to use and have no issues at all. Did you ever try those decoders that the intel engineer created?

[Kirby]

I could definitely use that dll. Can you send it over? Thanks. I will try going all Arcsoft and see what happens. If I can play an offending show in TMT5 without tearing, then Arcsoft decoders in Sage should yield the same result, right?

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Kirby

I could definitely use that dll. Can you send it over? Thanks. I will try going all Arcsoft and see what happens. If I can play an offending show in TMT5 without tearing, then Arcsoft decoders in Sage should yield the same result, right?

Not necessarily. When you aren't playing a blu-ray or dvd tmt acts like any other dshow player. Use mpc-hc and disable the internal decoders to see which one has the best playback. You can also use graphstudio (if you know how) to find the best one.

I'll send you the .dll when I get home

[Fuzzy]

Might try ReClock. It is a replacement audio renderer, but one of it's features is to lock playback to the video refresh rate. (in directshow, playback rate is determined by the audio renderer.)

Also, as a general rule, Codec packs are bad.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Might try ReClock. It is a replacement audio renderer, but one of it's features is to lock playback to the video refresh rate. (in directshow, playback rate is determined by the audio renderer.)

Also, as a general rule, Codec packs are bad.

Do you use the intel gpu for your client? If so what decoder do you use?

[Fuzzy]

Yes, my main client is an i3-530, using Microsoft decoders. Never have any tearing issues.

[Kirby]

Do I need to register that DLL? When I attempt to, I get an error about the entry point DllRegisterServer was not found.

[Kirby]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Might try ReClock. It is a replacement audio renderer, but one of it's features is to lock playback to the video refresh rate. (in directshow, playback rate is determined by the audio renderer.)

Also, as a general rule, Codec packs are bad.

Anything special I need to set inside ReClock?

[Fuzzy]

By default, it should handle the tearing... there's lots of other options in there, but for the video sync, it does it by default.

[Kirby]

Ok, tearing seems to be gone, but so is digital audio, only getting stereo over hdmi now. Guess I need to dig into Reclock's settings. guess its also safe to remove shark's pack.

[Fuzzy]

The point of ReClock is to adjust the audio playback rate such that the playback lines up with the video refresh. It cannot effectively do this with bitstream formats. the options are to enable bitstreaming in reclock, which MIGHT result in an audio studder now and then, or, what i do, decode your audio to multichannel PCM, and output that to ReClock (which can then do the adjustment).

[Kirby]

Well I enabled the bitstream option, and so far, no real issues. Might have had 1 glitch, but it was much more bearable than the constant video tearing.

I may look at decoding to M-PCM and go that route, will have to look into how to do that.