H264 graph/filter problems

[BigMoose]

I've got something very weird going on with the graphs produced by GBPVR when watching H264 content, the lastgraph.grf files crash graphedit (although when watching SD mpeg2 channels they are fine) and in the logs the filters in use just look weird. Attached are some grf files and pvrx2 logs from when:
CoreAVC set in config as the H264 decoder - seem to get one video decoder, two audio decoders and lots of rubbish
MPC-video set in config as the H264 decoder - seem to get two video decoders and I'm convinced it's using CoreAVC regardless of what the logs say, and two audio decoders and a lot of other rubblish - I get the same when I use ffdshow for video too, it actually still seems to use CoreAVC (or if removed, PDVD8, or if also removed I get a blank screen).

When in use, I've used ffdshow (either audio or video) to look at the filters in use and it seems that it's always CoreAVC connected to EVR (despite what the gbpvr logs might imply) and not MPC Video or ffdshow video when I try to use them.

The final graph was produced by graphstudio for playing back the same .ts file (recorded by GBPVR), which is perfectly normal. One video decoder, one audio decoder and no messing about, so something in GBPVR or some other filter not used by graph studio is causing a right mess. I have no idea how to troubleshoot further as I cant load the graph files from gbpvr as both graphedit and graphstudio crash. I appreciate this is probably not a GBPVR issue, but since MPC plays the files flawlessly when using other filters as does graphstudio, something odd is going on. I dont get the same mess when playing bluray files back from the Movie Library plug in. It uses the MPC mux, MPC video and ffdshow audio and everything works perfectly. This all happened on 1.3.7 and after upgrading to 1.3.11

[pBS]

from Sub's comments elsewhere, i don't think the ffdshow or MPC decoders work with gbpvr-h264 just yet...not sure what the problem is but i thought issue was just on livetv or inprogress recordings, not stored files...
i'm still not getting good playback with .ts files as skipping/pausing still lags or doesn't work at all, tho m2ts works fine...

your best bet is stick with pdvd8 if you've got it as it provides best playback right now in gbpvr for h264 w/full hw accell usually...

the graphs do show that when either ffdshow or mpc are in graph, it just ignores them and plays with coreavc or pdvd8 decoders..

but finished files should play fine, it does for me on 1.2.13 but i know he's changed things in 1.3.11 as far as .ts files go..
may wanna try playing with usebuiltintsreader etc in config.xml to see if you get anything going..
i can't open the graphs myself, but it looks like it's interfering with the gbpvr flow status connection to the graph, so when mpc or ffdshow is in graph, flow status doesn't get connected..

[sub]

H.264 decoders are not interchangeable like MPEG2 decoders - every manufacture seems to use their own proprietary scheme, so I need to specifically build in support for each H.264 decoder I want to work in GB-PVR. So far the focus has been the Cyberlink and Arcsoft decoders, though the CoreAVC decoder also works fine for me. I have not added support for the MPC-HC or ffdshow H.264 decoders.

[BigMoose]

Thanks for your helpful replies. The problem with PDVD8 is I cant get the video and sound in sync (using spdif passthrough for AC3) and AC3Filter. I think it goes out of sync using ffdshow audio too. However CoreAVC and AC3Filter work fine. CoreAVC and ffdshow audio go out of sync too though, so something weird is going on. I guess for now I'll go back to CoreAVC and AC3Filter since it's the only combination I've found that works. Had to remove AC3Filter though as it stuffed up Bluray playback with the Movie Library plugin as it has some crazy high merit and tried to use the HD audio stream and failed miserably. Annoyingly for bluray/MovieLibrary I had to use MPC-HC for video and ffdshow for audio, or that went out of sync..! Hence why I've tried the combo for normal GBPVR.

I assume I can set the ffdshow audio decoder merit higher than AC3Filter for bluray playback but hope GBPVR still uses AC3Filter as the AC3 decoder for TV.... I'll give it a go later. The really annoying thing about CoreAVC is that ff/rw/pause dont work which upsets the wife!

Assume there's nothing to be gained by a fresh install of everything if those other H264 decoders aren't supported anyway?

[pBS]

it should work as long as you have ffdshow merit higher than ac3 filter, but select ac3 filter in config for tv...as i don't think he 'steers' the graph to certain filters in movie library plugin...so you'd get the merit order,[ffdshow] but for tv it tries the defined filter first[ac3] and if that doesn't work, another one..
but he may be using the same standard playback routine,so you'd get same results..

[BigMoose]

Thanks for the response, I'll give it a go this evening. One thing that worries me into thinking it's time for a fresh install is that you presumably wouldn't expect the graph produced by GBPVR to crash graphedit when using H264 decoders that Sub said work. I understand that using weird ones, weird things happen, but even using cyberlink and AC3Filter produce screwy graphs that cause graphedit to crash (I'll try again and confirm this evening). I'm sure previously I was able to view the graphs fine. I worry that with all my video/audtio sync and bluray messing about I've screwed it up and should just start again....:confused:

[pBS]

i wouldn't worry about it as it does same thing if you use overlay and try to view the graph...crashes for everybody...
mostly it's cuz opening the graph afterwards, there aren't always the same connection types used..[can't save *all* graph properties to .grf file]