Best picture with a FX5200

[mila06]

I have a 5200fx. I've gotten the best result with the following

Forceware 71.89 Download

The GPL Mpeg 1/2 -decoder Download

The AC3Filter for audio decoding Download

Yes it may seem like some of these files are older but they work fantastic. On my p4 1.6 it takes about 40%-60% CPU to play video but it's flawless and never skips or gets blocky.

I've tried about 20 different driver/Codec configs and I found this one works the best.

Stephen

This i great info. Thank you Stephen. I wil try your setup tonight, and i will let you know !

EDIT: Could not wait :-)
My setup is now:

- Forceware 71.89
- The GPL Mpeg 1/2 -decoder
- Intervideo's audio decoder
- Tries VMR9 and not Overlay manager

It's running very good!!!. The test period has started :-)

[btothec]

I have a 5200fx. I've gotten the best result with the following

Forceware 71.89 Download

The GPL Mpeg 1/2 -decoder Download

The AC3Filter for audio decoding Download

Yes it may seem like some of these files are older but they work fantastic. On my p4 1.6 it takes about 40%-60% CPU to play video but it's flawless and never skips or gets blocky.

I've tried about 20 different driver/Codec configs and I found this one works the best.

Stephen

You do realize that the purevideo codecs enable the hardware mpeg2 decoder that is built into that card right? No other codec can or will enable the hardware mpeg decoder on that card. I think that you should give them a try if you havent so far, especially if you are using an underpowered pc.

B

[SuicideDog]

I tried the purevideo codecs and found they weren't that great for my rig. As far as I can tell the 5200fx doesn't have the hardware. If you look here ( http://www.nvidia.com/page/purevideo_support.html) I don't see it on the supported hardware list. If I'm wrong please correct me. It also looks like your have to be running the forceware 91.21 drivers were won't work properlly with the 5200fx (at least I couldn't get them to work with either of my 5200fx cards).

If you have it working let me know cuz it would be worth pay for the codec if it really works.

Stephen

[csy]

No other codec can or will enable the hardware mpeg decoder on that card.

Actually that is incorrect.

Nvidia DirectX9 compliant cards are DXVA compliant (Microsoft interface standard), meaning you can use any DXVA compliant video decoder to obtain MPEG2 video acceleration (assistance, not full decoder). I know for a fact that Cyberlink, Intervideo, DScaler5, and Purevideo-decoder all enable Nivida video card MPEG2 acceleration providing 'hardware acceleration' is enabled on the decoder. Intervideo and Cyberlink decoders have 'hardware acceleration' disabled by default on GBPVR, and you require registry tweaks to enable this feature (as per my 'how to' threads in this forum).

Now to clarify what is PUREVIDEO:

Purevideo is a Nvidia 'umbrella' term for their video products, to which there are 2 independant products:
1) Purevideo feature set functionality on Nvidia 6xxx and 7xxx video cards.
http://www.nvidia.com/page/purevideo_support.html
This is the video features of your video card.
2) The Purevideo Decoder
http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder.html
This is a standards compliant MPEG2 video and audio software (DirectX) decoder.

Nvidia video cards also incorporate a Video Post Processor (VPP) which performs noise reduction and edge sharpening. On the 80 series Forceware drivers, you required the Purevideo decoder to enable the VPP functionality. In fact it is still disabled by default with the Purevideo decoder unless you enable the hidden 'prop pages' and manually enable noise and edge sharpening in the additional property tabs within the Purevideo configuration. (so you are kidding yourself if you simply install the Purevideo decoder and expect that to magically unlock the additional video card features). This is only available on 1.02-185 and ealrier Purevideo decoders. On 90 series drivers, the VPP controls are transferred to the Forceware driver under the advanced TV and video settings, so the purevideo decoder is not required to enable the VPP features, but once again the VPP funstionality is disabled by default and requiers configuration with the driver configuration.

By comparasion, ATI video cards have the equivalent of VPP and it is automatically enabled and controlled by itself (much simplier if you ask me).

'inverse telecine' (3:2 pull-down) was another function that the 80 series forceware driver was missing and required the Purevideo decoder to do in software (need to configure Purevideo decoder for 'smart' deinterlacing control, on version 1.02-196 or earlier). But 'smart' control is well known to cause screen flickering, so it is very buggy. Again, this was transferred to hardware in the 90 series Forceware driver, and prompted the 1.02-223 Purevideo decoder release which officially dropped 'inverse telecine' functionality (according to the release notes).

Note ATI have always supported 'inverse telecine' in hardware.

The Purevideo Decoder is a standard MPEG2 decoder that works equally well on non-Nvidia video cards. It has the advantage of very accurate MPEG2timing, and is well known to provide very smooth video.

[csy]

Nvidia FX series (eg 5200) support DXVA on AGP cards, but not on PCI cards, so you can have MPEG2 hardware acceleration on AGP cards.

The FX series does not have the Purevideo feature set, meaning it has only basic video features, eg no temporal/spatial deinterlacing but instead has basic deinterlacing like 'BOB' deinterlacing.

[btothec]

Nvidia FX series (eg 5200) support DXVA on AGP cards, but not on PCI cards, so you can have MPEG2 hardware acceleration on AGP cards.

The FX series does not have the Purevideo feature set, meaning it has only basic video features, eg no temporal/spatial deinterlacing but instead has basic deinterlacing like 'BOB' deinterlacing.

On my setup with the DirectX VA mode enabled (DXVA or hardware acceleration enabled) I save at least 20% of my processor. Short and simple. I have tried many different decoders, in both GBPVR MediaPortal, and in MythTV. In windows I get best results with purevideo codecs. With linux I get best results with nvidie drivers, and xvmc. I think I know a little more about purevideo after reading your article however. But to break it down for most people if your card supports DirectX VA mode then you should use a codec that will take advantage of it. GBPVR config > Playback > Video Decoder setup while Nvidia is selected > Click enable hardware acceleration. Doesnt get any easier than that.

B

[SuicideDog]

This is really great stuff. I had no idea. I'm having problems getting anything above the 71.89 drivers working on my 5200fx though. I can install the drivers and is doesn't error out saying it can't find hardware but upon reboot I'm limited to 4bit 640x480 or 4bit 800x600. I'm stumped. I look at supported cards and it lists the 5200fx for the newer drivers. and both my 5200fx cards are apg. I'm just stumped as to why I can't get the newer drivers working. When I said I tried the purevideo decoder with with my rig it was with the 71.89 drivers and I'm sure thats why I didn't get all the goodies. Any help or suggestions would be welcome.

Stephen

P.S. I'm going to try and frid a driver remover/cleaner and try again. I'll let you know my results.

[btothec]

This is really great stuff. I had no idea. I'm having problems getting anything above the 71.89 drivers working on my 5200fx though. I can install the drivers and is doesn't error out saying it can't find hardware but upon reboot I'm limited to 4bit 640x480 or 4bit 800x600. I'm stumped. I look at supported cards and it lists the 5200fx for the newer drivers. and both my 5200fx cards are apg. I'm just stumped as to why I can't get the newer drivers working. When I said I tried the purevideo decoder with with my rig it was with the 71.89 drivers and I'm sure thats why I didn't get all the goodies. Any help or suggestions would be welcome.

Stephen

P.S. I'm going to try and frid a driver remover/cleaner and try again. I'll let you know my results.

I am using the 72.14 drivers and they work fine.

B

[SuicideDog]

Whoo hoo!!! I wasn't able to get anything to install higher than the 71.89 drivers. I download driver cleaner pro from guru3d.com and removed the drivers. I was then able to install the latest version of the nvidia driver (It did take two installs before it installed all the components). I then tried the purevideo again with the latest drivers and went from 60-70% cpu when playing a recording at medium quality to 25-33% when playing the same recording!

It was worth the $20 for the new decoder. I seems like it has slightly better quality also.. but I do mean slightly. Thanks for all the info guys. Still if you can afford the cpu more than the money I'd run my old config. But who can't afford $20. Once again thanks guys.

Stephen

P.S. I just figured out that using the purevideo codecs I now can get liveTV working on my avermedia m150's using the encoder pass-through. Before I was only able to get video with no audio. THIS FRIGGEN ROCKS. Thanks guys for all the good info!