Couple of tech questions about my two GBPVR machines

[Freakitchen]

Thanks in advance for reading this one!

My first PVR machine is a dedicated unit, connected to a CRT TV running the latest release. It's only a Celeron, with an ATI 9200SE video card, but it does have 1GB of RAM. Got two problems that I'd appreciate advice on:

1) This is quite strange. When I set up recordings on the system, *sometimes* they are given completely the wrong name! Fifth Gear recorded last night was called 'Micky Mouse Club', though the program recorded absolutely fine. On other occasions, the name is correct but the recordings are dumped in the 'manual recordings' folder. At other times, things record absolutely fine. Any advice on how to troubleshoot this?

2) This has to do with playback. I understand that PVRX2 always uses VRM9Custom, so the only two variables I have are 'Intervideo' and 'Cyberlink' for the decoder. Intervideo gives a decent picture for most TV, but is quite awful for sport - lots of ghosting as the picture pans from right to left in particular. Cyberlink gives less ghosting, but has light, but consistent stuttering of the picture.

The only media software I've installed on this system is the K-Lite Codec pack, which I believe has ffdshow. I know this is vague, but is there an option to have GBPVR 'use' ffdshow for playback as Media Player Classic does, as then I could play with its own settings and filters to try and improve playback. Or alternatively, any suggestions on getting more decoders to try?

Okay - now onto my second GBPVR system, which is a higher spec system with a better video card (6600GT) - as such it doesnt have the stuttering problems that my other system does. The only problem with this has to do with the aspect ratio that's shown on the 16:10 widescreen monitor it's connected to - the 'Auto' aspect ration seems to zoom (rather than stretch) 16:9 input to fill the 16:10. None of the aspect settings allows me to just show the video in native 16:9 - with narrow black bars at the top and bottom - as the old interface used to. Any way to get this option back?

Phew - thanks again for reading all that!

FK

[dark_half]

I know this is vague, but is there an option to have GBPVR 'use' ffdshow for playback as Media Player Classic does

If you have ffdshow installed you should be able to choice it as your decoder. Under the codec setup in ffdshow enable the codecs you need.

the only thing other problem I had was the version off ffdshow that I installed had a different name than the defined in the config.xml located in the gbpvr directory.

By default GBPVR has this

Code:

<SupportedDecoders>ffdshow MPEG-4 Video Decoder

and I had to change it to

Code:

ffdshow Video Decoder

[Freakitchen]

Thanks for the response. I stopped the GBPVR processes and headed over to edit Config.xml. Unfortunately, now I've changed that entry, neither PVRX2 or the Config app will start - both crash on startup. Have tried to re-edit config.xml back to its original state, but to no avail. Guess it's re-install time, any other suggestions?

[Freakitchen]

Bit of an update - using my personal machine (second system in first post) as a test, I uninstalled the K-Lite Codec pack AND GBPVR. Downloaded and installed latest version of JUST ffdshow, then did a clean install of GBPVR. Still no option to select ffDshow as the video decoder - I only get Intervideo which I believe is installed with the Hauppauge software.

Any info on how to get this option working before I go ahead and do the same on my PVR system?

[HtV]

Thanks for the response. I stopped the GBPVR processes and headed over to edit Config.xml. Unfortunately, now I've changed that entry, neither PVRX2 or the Config app will start - both crash on startup. Have tried to re-edit config.xml back to its original state, but to no avail. Guess it's re-install time, any other suggestions?

Sounds like you broke config.xml. What editor did you use? Use notepad or any other "simple" text-editor. Forgot to make a backup?:eek:

edit: wrt to ffdshow mpeg decoder: don't you have to enable it in ffdshow options?

[Freakitchen]

As far as I'm aware - MPEG decoding is enabled in ffdshow by default - although must admit I'm clueless as to a lot of the options in there. Anyone familiar with getting GBPVR to play nice with ffdshow?

[Sheik Yerbouti]

I believe your first problem is the same as described in this thread: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=21216

I'm still having the same problem, so you're not the only one!

[gEd]

WRT point 2)

As far as I know, ffdshow tends to cause more problems that it solves. also, I believe that you need a (more) powerful processor to make use of it. Perhaps others could confirm/refute this.

Try downloading the Dcsaler or MPV decoder and try that?

my second GBPVR system, which is a higher spec system with a better video card (6600GT) - as such it doesnt have the stuttering problems that my other system does.

It seems that you have already acknowledged that your system performance (rather than codecs) may be the cause of your stuttering

Is there anyone else here using the 9200SE successfully with PVRX2?
It's possible that this card is just not powerful enough for pvrx2. Have you tried running gbpvr.exe instead (using VMR) to see what that looks like.

[Freakitchen]

An update: Thanks for the suggestions on the extra decoders, gEd. I registered the MPV decoder and it looks to have improved the picture quality on horizontal pans - i'll test it out with some football when I can. I figured that an even better test would be to connect my more powerful system to the TV to confirm whether it's a video card problem.

Does anyone have any thoughts on the aspect ratio problem I mentioned in my first post? Cheers

FK