Recent convert has problems...

[BigMoose]

I'm a recent GBPVR convert from years of using myth and am on the whole very impressed with the software, I just have a few kinks I'm hoping someone here can help me sort out. I've been reading this forum for the last month and this along with the AVS one has really been a lifeline in getting as far as I have, so thanks to all those who contribute!

I'm running a celeron D 2.5Ghz, 512M RAM, XP 32 SP2, Skystar2 DVB (I'm picking up UK FTA channels), HD2600XT DVI/HDMI to a 42inch 1080p TV. I have Cyberlink PDVD (latest version I could find) and Nero8 also installed.

I have a few different problems, depending on if I'm using GBPVR.eve and the Overlay Manager, or PVRX2.exe and VMR9 custom. After reading lots on the AVS HD2x00 owners forum I gave up with 1080p resolution (even though it wasn't at all bad) and moved to 720p which made a massive difference to the SD and BBD HD channel in GBPVR.exe with Overlay manager - the news tickers are as good as the Skybox and the BBD HD channel plays very smoothly. With PVRX2 and VMR9 custom the SD channels are great, but the BBC HD channel is very choppy. Oddly when the OSD is visible the BBCHD channel looks smoother under, but the moment it goes, the channel is unwatchably choppy. Using VMR9 FSE the BBCHD channel is awful - green blocks everywhere and very choppy. Any idea why it looks OK when the OSD is up and not when it goes using VMR9 custom?

Other annoying problem is that GBPVR takes 15sec - 1min to start live TV (by which time the wife has moaned "why cant we just use the skybox?") but PVRX2 starts live TV within a second or 2. I'd rather use PVRX2 if I can sort the BBC HD issues out.

The final very annoying problem is that DVD playback is poor. It plays in Cyberlink PDVD and Nero fine, but using the cyberlink codecs for video and audio I get a stutter (both video and audio) about once a second. I've set everthing that gbpvr config allows me to, to be the same as in powerdvd but it's made little difference. I've got it down to one stutter a second from more so by using just stereo and not dolby prologic downmix - but I cant get it as good as just using the native app for love nor money. It doesn't give me the option to use Nero in the config program. Any ideas??

Thanks in advance for any advice!

[BigMoose]

Just remembered a further problem I've not been able to solve. While I can watch BBCHD, I cant playback any recordings of it. I just get single frames, which I can skip through, but it wont play.

[sub]

What sort of file gets created when you record BBCHD? Is it a .ts file? If so, you'll probably need to install a transport stream source filter like the haali splitter or HDTV Pump.

[BigMoose]

It is a .ts file - I found something about HDTV Pump in one of these forums and downloaded the first thing google game up with, which certainly didn't seem to help. I'll have another go!

[BigMoose]

Thanks - installed the haali splitter and it plays back the BBCHD recordings perfectly.

Bizzarely they playback is perfect in both gbpvr.exe with overlay and pvrx2.exe with VMR9 - however I still cant watch the channel on live TV with VMR9 as it starts to jurk the moment the channel info dissapears.

[BigMoose]

I've made progress by playing with the ATI 8.1 driver releases. Using the AGP 8.1 hotfix I get a memory error with the HD channel and Overlay Manager and it stutters with VMR9. But the official 8.1 release the HD channel plays perfectly with pvrx2.exe and VMR9 (still gives a memory error with overlay manager).

So my only problems now are that the HD channel doesn't work in time shift mode (SD channels are fine) - I get sound, but a blank screen. I can playback recordings fine though (after Sub's help). And DVD playback is still poor. Any advice greatfully received! In the mean time I'll keep plugging away at the DVD playback settings in hope!

[sub]

So my only problems now are that the HD channel doesn't work in time shift mode

This is normal. Unfortunately it is not currently possible to timeshift one of these H.264 channels.

And DVD playback is still poor. Any advice greatfully received!

All I can suggest is trying other decoders. I'm using the Cyberlink decoders and it works really well for me.

[Deusxmachina]

The final very annoying problem is that DVD playback is poor. It plays in Cyberlink PDVD and Nero fine, but using the cyberlink codecs for video and audio I get a stutter (both video and audio) about once a second.

I had a stutter like that and unchecking the box for deinterlacing I think it was in PowerDVD helped fix it. I don't know if I was even using the Cyberlink decoder at the time, but it was like the settings in PowerDVD were affecting files even if I wasn't playing them in PowerDVD. I had the video card (2400pro) Catalyst settings for hardware deinterlacing and whatnot, and it was like the video was getting double-deinterlaced and would jump/stutter.

I think it was the deinterlacing setting anyway. Might have been double 2:3 pull-downing or something too. Whatever it was, I unchecked all the optional stuff in PowerDVD and on the video card and in GBPVR.

And, yeah, when in doubt, try other decoders, starting with Gabest MPV/MPA.

Kind of odd it only does it on DVDs. Maybe your TV is even messing with the signal.

[BigMoose]

Unfortunately it is not currently possible to timeshift one of these H.264 channels.

OK - thanks for that, saves me messing about trying to fix something that'll never work!

Regarding the DVD playback, what other players codecs work with gbpvr? Nero, while listed in the video playback isn't an option in the DVD section... I'll have another go tweaking the deinterlacing settings and will look for the Gabest decoder. Thanks for the responses!

[sub]

Regarding the DVD playback, what other players codecs work with gbpvr?

The current list it'll look for include:
Sonic Cinemaster® VideoDecoder 4.2,InterVideo Video Decoder,NVIDIA Video Decoder,CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7),CyberLink Video/SP Decode (PDVD7.x),CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7 UPnP),CyberLink DTV Video Decoder,CyberLink Video/SP Decoder,MainConcept MPEG Video Decoder,Sonic Cinemaster® DS Video Decoder,DScaler Mpeg2 Video Decoder

The Nero decoder is on this list because it causes problems for lots of people.