Cannot select Microsoft DTV-DVD as Video Decoder | Win 8 Pro + MC

[mikeh49]

So, Martin, does that mean that ffdshow-tryouts are "better" than what is in XBMC? I don't have a horse in the game, just wondering. My experience with the previous (not Frodo, I think) version of XBMC is that it was not up to NPVR standards as a ts player. I think you have espoused a similar view, as well.

[mvallevand]

I don't really consider NextPVR a "good" ts player, since the user is left to their own devices to get it working and it depends heavily on Timing.Info for seeking etc. The big advantage with NextPVR is that sub offers amazing personal service to his users and if a user has a problem ts to get it working it usually gets fixed quickly, while xbmc users have to wait until ffmpeg supports their file, which can take years. The next version of xbmc includes a much newer ffmpeg so they will be closer.

I actually find mpc-hd is the best ts player from the point of playing and seeking problem files, even though I rarely use it.

Martin

[Omenatalo]

What decoders have you selected in NextPVR?

I don't seem to have the option to select anything. My system is a clean Win 8 Pro install with Media Center add on. After that, I installed NextPVR and then XBMC. Without changing anything (other than the H.264 patch), my settings page looks the same as this one borrowed from the Wiki:



The MPEG2 video decoder drop down doesn't give me any option other than disabled and the file browse buttons on the right don't do anything. I haven't installed any extra codec packs.

My understanding for Win 8 is that the decoder(s) are there, but can only be used by Microsoft apps like WMC or Media Player, not by other apps like NPVR. No one on the forum has mentioned whether they can be used for DVD playback in NPVR. Have you tried that?

My system doesn't have an optical drive, but in DVD settings page the Microsoft decoder is available for MPEG2 video. I will try playing a ripped DVD file tonight and see if that works.

[jcjefferies]

There is no such thing as a universal "Best" decoder for NextPVR. It depends on your system including the version of Windows you are running and the signal you are playing. I am running Vista and have LAV, FFDSHOW & PDVD video decoders installed. For me playing MPEG2 video the LAV decoder is always the least reliable with little to chose between FFDSHOW & PDVD but in general FFDSHOW is the one I use because it has less problems. However you have to remember that MPEG2 is usually disabled by default in FFDSHOW so has to be enabled in setup!

[Zeb]

I thought that adding the Media Center pack to Windows 8 added the codecs needed for multimedia

Apparently not. There have been numerous threads about this over the past several months, including: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post446603

In earlier versions of NextPVR, the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder did appear in the MPEG2 Video dropdown under Windows 8. That was even more confusing to new users because it didn't work.

Are you getting audio with your H.264 channels? If not, all the more reason to install SAF6.

[Omenatalo]

Been busy in the garden so sorry for not coming back sooner. A couple of updates:

NextPVR will play a ripped DVD with video using the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder.

I think all the over-the-air channels in Finland are MPEG2. I don't know if there are any H.264 channels I can test.