[galmok]

When watching H.264 content, I get severe stuttering. I am using Vista64 and have installed ffdshow and have configured DVBViewer to use it. I am also using EVR renderer, but changing it doesn't really change anything. I also have the option to use ATI MPEG Video Decoder (assume HW decoder in ATI 4870) and if I use that, the stuttering disappears but then the aspect ratio is wrong.

Having looked closer at what is causing the stuttering, I see (using visualization enabled in ffdshow) that the I-frames cause the problem. Guess they can't be decoded fast enough (Core i7 920, 2.7GHz). Cpu usage is only 4-5%, though.

Is it possible to have DVBViewer/ffdshow to work ahead, i.e. decode several frames in advance to even out the cpu usage?

Or is it possible to have DVBViewer work better with the ATI MPEG Video decoder?

Or is there a third option?

I could use some assistance here.

[majstang]

galmok, on Nov 1 2009, 16:20, said:

Or is there a third option?

Yes, CoreAVC and Haali Media Splitter.
I had problems with ffdshow too. Best thing is to remove it completly...

[galmok]

majstang, on Nov 1 2009, 17:09, said:

Yes, CoreAVC and Haali Media Splitter.
I had problems with ffdshow too. Best thing is to remove it completly...

Hmm well, CoreAVC isn't free and is a software decoder. :-/

It seems ATI MPEG Video decoder is able to decode mpeg2/h264 without any stuttering but DVBViewer gets the aspect ratio wrong for some channels so I have to manually stretch them horisontally. I can't find any per-channel stretch settings (seems to be set per content type, i.e. mpeg2 or h264).

Not sure what I can/will do from here...

[galmok]

I found that DivX has a free H264 decoder that works just (well, much better than ffdshow) fine with DVBViewer and it keeps correct aspect ratio (unlike ATI MPEG Video decoder).

Problem solved (although I hope AMD fixes the ATI MPEG Video decoder to obey the source aspect ratio).

[galmok]

Hmm it seems the HD channel I show sends in 1280x720 in 50 fps. ffdshow could only manage 37 fps on my core i7 920 without frame drops. Divx HD decoder manages 50 fps without drops. :-)

Not even ATI MPEG Video decoder can achieve 50 fps (manages approx 43)...

Go Divx H.264 decoder codec. :-)

[ter9999]

Software decoders are not good for H.264 HD channels. The best way is to upgrade to 64-bit Windows 7 and use its native H.264 decoder (called Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder) in DVBViewer. It works perfect here to allow my ATI 4850 card to do hardware decoding and all post-processing which means all AVIVO options are effective and the CPU usage won't exceed 8% for full HD H.264 channels. You can just have a try. This will also get full 50Hz/59Hz fps when using EVR.



p.s. CyberLink PDVD9 H.264 video decoder is also perfect, but latest updates just disabled the H.264 decoder that can't be evoked by 3rd party applications. You may find and try early versions of PowerDVD 9, but PDVD 9 is not cheap.

This post has been edited by ter9999: 07 November 2009 - 17:14

[galmok]

ter9999, on Nov 7 2009, 17:10, said:

Software decoders are not good for H.264 HD channels. The best way is to upgrade to 64-bit Windows 7 and use its native H.264 decoder (called Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder) in DVBViewer. It works perfect here to allow my ATI 4850 card to do hardware decoding and all post-processing which means all AVIVO options are effective and the CPU usage won't exceed 8% for full HD H.264 channels. You can just have a try. This will also get full 50Hz/59Hz fps when using EVR.

I didn't know Windows 7 had a native DXVA capable H.264 decoder, but even though, this requires me to buy and use Windows 7, something I am not prepared to do (don't like the start menu and well, Vista 64 works ok).

Not sure what you mean by "Software decoders are not good for H.264 HD channels" as the _only_ thing I could get to work perfectly on my system was the software-only Divx H264 decoder. _everything_ else failed. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to be able to offload the work to the gpu, but currently this doesn't seem to be an option. Also, cpu usage on DVBViewer doesn't exceed 8% (Core i7 920) with Divx H264 decoder at 1280x720@50Hz. I find that quite impressive.

Quote

p.s. CyberLink PDVD9 H.264 video decoder is also perfect, but latest updates just disabled the H.264 decoder that can't be evoked by 3rd party applications. You may find and try early versions of PowerDVD 9, but PDVD 9 is not cheap.

I tried PDVD8/9 codecs but now I can't make DVBViewer accept the codecs. They are in the H.264 list, but they cannot be used. I don't know why. :-/

Also, now I am able to get ATI MPEG Video decoder play back with the full 50Hz. But as the cpu usage with that codec is approx the same as with the divx codec, I'll continue to use divx codec because it works every time (which ATI's apparently doesn't).

[byngo]

Certainly P/DVD 9 does not let third party software use its codecs for this problem and I'm pretty sure that an update to Powere DVD 8 introduces the same limitations.
I use Power DVD 8 with DVB Viewer but I do not let it update. Sorry but I cannot remember which version level I have.
There are a whole host of topics on this and other power dvd version/ updates etc if you google it.
I quickly learnt that with Power DVD, it's very good, but once you have it working how you want, do not apply any updates.

[uglyned]

The Windows 7 h264 decoder struggles with BBC HD, producing a virtually unwatchable display.

[galmok]

What resolution is that? 1280x720@50Hz?

[uglyned]

Any resolution. Nasty blocks, like you would see with signal problems.

[ter9999]

In 1501a version of PDVD9, the H.264/VC1 decoder can be evoked externally by 3rd-party applications including DVBViewer. This is the most recent version I can find.

[johnoo]

uglyned, on Nov 10 2009, 15:08, said:

The Windows 7 h264 decoder struggles with BBC HD, producing a virtually unwatchable display.

thats not true,the windows 7 H264 decorder works fine with a nvidia card its a ATI problem as reported here
http://forums.amd.com/game/messageview.cfm...MVIEWTMP=Linear
http://thegreenbutto...spx?PageIndex=1
and also in the press here
http://www.pcpro.co.uk/news/352954/ati-car...ls-in-windows-7
Problems have also been reported in new zealand and germany and it seems as though ATI are unable to give a fix.

[HebbeT]

I am using Windows 7 and have a motherboard with a built in ATI HD4200. The latest driver for the card is installed.
I am using Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder for both H264 and MPEG 2. And EVR of course, EVR Vista Enhanced Video Renderer.

The picture is perfect in both HD and SD.

I have fiddle around with different codecs and landed with the current setup as to be the best.
It even got better when I installed the latest DVBViewer beta.

What I found crucial was the deinterlacing settings. In CCC I have set deinterlacing to BOB.


/HebbeT

[Ballz]

Answered my question before i posted it, thanks for the info guys, trying different combinations for smooth HD playback was getting on my nerves. Now with Microsoft DTV-DVD set for both SD and HD and EVR on to its smooth as silk.