Video freezing, or not even appearing, after channel change - particularly HD chans

[griffy]

I've done some reading, and the arcsoft decoder file is named "ASVid.ax". So I'm assuming it's a matter of copying that to the windows\system32 folder and running "regsvr32 C:\WINDOWS\system32\ASVid.ax"? Or maybe it needs additional files? I dunno, but at least we have the name of one file to look for.

Hmmmm... Seems like I do need the original disc installation. I thought about downloading a trial from Arcsoft, to try it out, but looks like that's not going to work: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?p=333371

This evening, along the way, I've installed:
Latest HVR4000 drivers and WinTV7.
Latest GBPVR.
Haali Media Splitter & FFDShow (needed both so my vids would play in WMP)
Cyberlink PowerDVD 7
MPV Decoder
AC3Filter
Mpeg2DecFilter.ax
mmaacd.ax (Morgan AAC decoder)

If you have PowerDVD 7 install and only update to patch 4407 (last one that allows codecs to work with other programs)
Now copy the entire folder 'VideoFilter' from inside the PowerDVD program folder, place this somewhere like C:\
Now register the file CL264dec.ax (for h.264) and the file CLVSD.ax (for Mpeg1/2)

example:

regsvr32 c:\Videofilter\cl264dec.ax

if using vista use 'run as admin' with CMD

[peter_h]

Shame about the unreliability of coreAVC when changing channels. I've just ran a few tests for CPU use, on fullscreen playback of the same .TS h.264 HD file:

ArcSoft TotalMedia Theatre: 60%
VLC Player: 50% (though VLC is not an option for LiveTV)
WMP using coreAVC: 35%
WMP using coreAVC with CUDA acceleration on: 5%

5%!!!! Wow. Maybe we should all badger corecodec to fix the issue and promise to each spend US$10 for their codec - it would save us hundreds in hardware upgrades!

PS. I tried registering the asvid.ax file from ArcSoft TMT and it didn't work. Showed up in dropdown, but when selected, it showed a blank screen in LiveTV (because coreAVC was unregistered at the time. If it is registered, PVRx2 uses that instead).

[peter_h]

Griffy, I did as you suggested with my install of PowerDVD v7.0 (no patch). Chose it as my h.264 decoder, but only a few channels showed video (TV1 & TV2) - most other channels were black screen.

I've been experimenting with coreAVC, and it seems that channel changes are more reliable with CUDA acceleration off. With it on, I get frequent crash-outs on channel changes.

Seems like the "No signal popups" may only be appearing on certain stations - TV4 and Prime, so far.

I've got a table of channels/codecs, where I'm writing down whenever a problem occurs, to see if there's a pattern.

Am I correct in assuming that for Freeview NZ, DVB-T, that only the h.264 and HE-AAC decoders are applicable?

[peter_h]

I've just updated PowerDVD 7.0 to build 3613. Now I've got video in most channels, but they all seem like they are playing 12fps, not 25fps. They're in sync, but it's like the video drops every second frame. So still no go.

Seems like most of the battle to setting up GBPVR is in getting the right codecs!

[griffy]

I am on Vista using EVR/DXVA, gives about 3-5% CPU usage with PowerDVD.
You should be able to get Hardware Acceleration the same with your Video-card on XP.
Sorry, I should have said that some of the earlier updates of the Cyberlink H.264 codecs were not compatible with some later nVidia and ATI drivers (Green screen with ATI) but you have sorted that out anyway with the update. Just don't update past version 4407 - I'm not sure if my 'folder moving' idea allows you to update the program for Bluray playing and retain the use of the codecs for GBPVR as I uninstalled PowerDVD, I use PowerDVD 9.
If you double-click on the Cyberlink option in 'Config' of GBPVR it should bring up the H.264 options, make sure that DXVA is ticked.

This Codec is flawless with all H.264 streams, especially LIVE TV.

[sub]

Another factor to keep in mind is XP vs Vista/Windows7. These later OS were the first to introduce DXVA2.0, which is what is officially needed for H.264 hardware acceleration, and give much lower CPU usage than you'll get on XP.

[peter_h]

Sub: I contacted Corecodec about what you said about coreAVC, "it often has screen corruption and lock ups when changing channels. It appears to not like the video attributes changing mid use, like when you change from 720p to 567i or 1080p etc. ", and I had a reply back from the CEO, Dan Marlin. He said "What needs to occur is that the stream needs to be released and then reconnected upon the channel change."

Is there any possibility of doing this in your code? Maybe having it as an option - "[X] Release and reconnect stream on channel change"?

With 5% CPU usage under XP using coreAVC, I'd be REALLY keen to use it.

I've even tried the latest DivX7 codecs, and just like the PowerDVD 7.0.3616 codecs, I'm getting an "every-2nd-frame-dropped" effect (Channel 7's tickertape at the bottom jerks across the screen). I don't get this when using the coreAVC codec.

[sub]

Sub: I contacted Corecodec about what you said about coreAVC, "it often has screen corruption and lock ups when changing channels. It appears to not like the video attributes changing mid use, like when you change from 720p to 567i or 1080p etc. ", and I had a reply back from the CEO, Dan Marlin. He said "What needs to occur is that the stream needs to be released and then reconnected upon the channel change."

Is there any possibility of doing this in your code? Maybe having it as an option - "[X] Release and reconnect stream on channel change"?

Sorry, but its unlikely I'd make that change. It defeats the whole purpose of GB-PVR's Live Preview mode. I also dont have to do this for any other decoders. It'd mean stopping the graph, disconnecting and reconnecting that decoder, then restarting the graph (which is a slow activity for capture devices). This would mean your channel changes would take about 6 seconds (ouch!) instead of 1.5 seconds. I'm sure you wouldnt want that either.