video card problems

[dneprrider]

To start I have read and re-read and done everything in: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=16157. And still having problems with fuzzy picture. Its not bad, but I can definatly tell the difference compared to my regular TV. This might be my TV making up for the signal with comb filtering I'm not sure. I have a Sony 27" Trinitron.
.......... but there has to be some hard fact as to which works better for SDTV Svideo. Some recommendations would be great, even if they are just your opinion.

Just on the off chance have you looked at this thread and check that this is not a similar problem
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...ight=mx440

[wscrivens]

Here's an update. Now I am more confused than ever.
I downloaded InterVideo's Windvd 7 to see if that would give me the same version of the decoder as csy is using.

For reference here are the registry settings he published:

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\InterVideo\Common\VIDEODEC\GBPVR]
"BOBWEAVE"=dword:00000000
"DXVA"=dword:00000001
"HWMC"=dword:00000001
"NVMCP"=dword:00000001
"VMR"=dword:00000002
"HwColor"=dword:00000001

After installing WinDVD and running gbpvr once, I get the following values at the same key:
"BOBWEAVE"=dword:00000000
"SPICBG"=dword:00000000
"SPICFG"=dword:00000000
"VIDEOINFO"=dword:16777216

Leaving everything as it was, I watched a live tv show. Now, instead of "jitter" as I get with the Nvidia decoder, I get a "jerky" picture - it scrolls for an inch or two, stops, then starts up again, over and over. Blindly changing the spicbg and spicfg settings to 1 made no difference.

So, I am still mystified, still looking for help.

A new question - how can I tell if the deinterlacing is actually being done in hardware or software?

Walt

[csy]

Hi Walt

Hardware de-interlacing occurs when using the combination of DXVA+VMR9 and the video decoder de-interlacing set to ‘auto’, or in the case of the Purevideo decoder - set to ‘VMR Default’

After I ran gbpvr with a live broadcast and go back to the PureVideo settings page, there is nothing that says VMR Default

This generally means one of 3 things:
1) GBPVR did not actually use the Purevideo decoder (download Graphedit and use it to open lastgraph.grf in the GBPVR program directory to see what decoder was actually used)
1) the video card is not using DXVA (while graphedit has lastgraph.grf open, hit the run button and while it is running, right-click on the Purevideo decoder and select properties, and the Decoder Format should show DirectX VA)
2) VMR9 problem (try using standard VMR9)

Because you currently cannot using ‘VMR Default’, then you will by default be using software de-interlacing and experiencing poor picture quality. The Purevideo ‘Best Available uses ‘BOB’ de-interlacing, and ‘combine fields’ is the same as ‘weave’ de-interlacing meaning no de-interlacing at all.

Before installing PureVideo, I tried the registry changes you explained in the other thread for the Intervideo decoder. Like ubu, I found the settings in the Hauppague keys under HKLM. I did not find a corresponding entry under HKCU as you suggested, and changing the VideoDec value to 1 in HKLM mace no change in the picture.

Did you end-up applying the registry patch in the correct key?
If you did not apply the registry patch, or didn’t apply it to the correct key, then the Intervideo decoder will still be operating in its default mode of DXVA disabled and software ‘BOB’ de-interlacing, hence poor picture quality.

After installing WinDVD and running gbpvr once, I get the following values at the same key:
"BOBWEAVE"=dword:00000000
"SPICBG"=dword:00000000
"SPICFG"=dword:00000000
"VIDEOINFO"=dword:16777216

"BOBWEAVE"=dword:00000000 means ‘auto’ de-interlacing which is correct
The other dwords are irrelevant
You need to apply the registry patch in HKCU at the correct key.

Now, instead of "jitter" as I get with the Nvidia decoder, I get a "jerky" picture - it scrolls for an inch or two, stops, then starts up again, over and over.

What is your CPU load?
I have also experienced similar problems Nvida video card + VMR7

A new question - how can I tell if the deinterlacing is actually being done in hardware or software?

Unfortunately nothing directly tells you.

[wscrivens]

Thank you! As usual your explanations are clear and to the point.

I'm assuming you are saying for the Intervideo decoder to go ahead and ADD the registry keys into HKCU, by copying the keys and values from HKLM.

The CPU load was running at 35% - 55% while displaying a live TV show in a window. Incidentally I did not have the corruption on the rest of the screen as others have reported with the 6200 card.

I'll try Graphedit tonight. Thanks for the information.

Walt

[csy]

If you wish to use the Hauppauge Intervideo decoder and configure it to use hardware de-interlacing then you will need to add the Intervideo registry patch into HKCU under the right key, however I don't know the correct key location because I have no experience with that decoder, however UBU knows and you could try PM him.

On the other hand, if you intend on using the Purevideo decoder, then no registry patch is required.

[wscrivens]

If you wish to use the Hauppauge Intervideo decoder and configure it to use hardware de-interlacing then you will need to add the Intervideo registry patch into HKCU under the right key, however I don't know the correct key location because I have no experience with that decoder, however UBU knows and you could try PM him.

On the other hand, if you intend on using the Purevideo decoder, then no registry patch is required.

OK, progress to report, and unfortunately more confusion.
First, we bought a decent TV, and now have it connected to the NVIDIA 6200 as a computer monitor. The GBPVR screens look fabulous, but not so for the video. Using the NVIDIA decoder, It still is set up as I said in my earlier post:

I set the PureVideo screen up as follows:
1) Hardware acceleration was already checked.
2) De-interlace control had 4 options: automatic, film, video, and smart. I picked automatic.
3) De-interlace mode had 3 options: Best Available, Display Fields Seperately, or Combine Fields. I picked Best Available.
4) Enhanced nView support had 3 settings: Prefer Overlay, Prefer VMR 7, and Prefer VMR 9. I picked VMR 9.
5) Display type had 4 options: Content default, Letterbox, Pan and scan, and Anomorphic/Raw aspect. I chose Anomorphic/Raw.
and then OK.

I also set the aspect ratio to 16:9
With those settings I get a picture that fills a part of the screen, with garbage filling the rest. I set it to VMR9 CustomRenderer and the garbage went away, but the picture is still very jittery - it looks like the screen is divided up into 1/4" horixontal bands, and every other band lags behind its neighbors during horizontal motion.

Next I tried using graphedit as you suggested. What a super program! With lastgraph.grf open, the Purevideo settinga are exactly as you described them. I chose VMR Default, and the picture was fabulous! I saved the settings, or so I thought, but when I get back to the config program, it still shows the 3 options shown above. Somehow, something is not getting saved as it should be. I can repeat running the last movie using graphedit to run it, and get a good picture, but gbpve by itself jsut won't work correctly. BTW I have given up entirely on the Intervideo software. I tried the latest from the Hauppague web site, but it still doesn't want to cooperate.

As usual, any insight is most welcome.

TIA

Walt

[csy]

The Purevideo video decoder settings are universal, so if you selected VMR Default and clicked OK, then that should be what it uses on all applications.

A small note - the Purevideo property page options show what options are available at that moment in time, but does not reflect what it is currently configured. When you clicked OK on the Purevideo property page in Graphedit then those settings should still be applied providing you don't touch them in GBPVR (don't click OK on the purevideo property page within GBPVR). As a double check, your registry settings should look like this:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\NVIDIA Corporation\Filters\Video]
"DisplayType"=dword:00000003
"DeinterlaceControl"=dword:00000000
"EnableVMR"=dword:00000002
"VMRDeinterlace"=dword:00000040
"EnableDXVA"=dword:00000001

Also in the Purevideo property page, in the "Decoder Format" section, you should see:
DirectX VA mode A (idct)
Video mixing (DirectX 9)

[csy]

I'm wondering if your jittery movement is caused by the DirectX9c "quartz.dll" bug. Try replacing your DX9C quartz.dll with the DX9b quartz.dll 6.5.1.902 version.

Wiki info:
http://gbpvr.com/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/FAQ/Codec#toc6

quartz.dll version 6.5.1.902 available from:
http://forums.snapstream.com/vb/showpost...stcount=26

[wscrivens]

Many thanks, csy. As usual your advice is spot on!

I have Purevideo 1.0.223, so my registry settings are not exactly the same as yours. I don't have an key called EnableDXVA, and I do have
Brightness DWORD 0xfffffff9
DeinterlaceMode DWORD 0
Nevertheless, leaving the registry as set by GraphEdit, and replacing Quartz.dll (6.5.2600.2749) with 6.5.1.902 seems to have cured the problem.

It's curious that the Config program doesn't have the same options as GraphEdit.

I also have to ask, how do you come by this information? I have searched the Nvidia site, and can't find anywhere that they document the registry values (Also true of most other software I use). Do you just experiment? How would I know, apart from trying it, if inserting the EnableDXVA key would have any effect? - or what values to try in DeinterlaceMode?

Thanks again for all your help. The picrure on this new TV is fabulous! Plus I can use it as a computer monitor!

Walt

[csy]

I'm pleased you got a good result in the end. It is strange that you don't see the VMR Default option in GBPVR config, but never mind.

With respect to me, I've had a lot of problems with my own HTPC which has forced me to do a lot of research and experimenting over the last 12 months. I have learned a lot and want to save others from having to "re-invent the wheel"

The Purevideo registry settings have undefined default dwords, which is why you and I have different dwords defined, depending on what parameters we have changed from default.

Another tip - if you are using an LCD display, you will probably notice all the dark greys merge into black, and whites are overly bright. This is because LCD displays have a different gamme curve compared to the reference CRT gamma curve, and requires "S" shaped gamma correction on your video card.