ffdshow and ts files

[adspence]

After intermittent problems with various file types (many of which were solved by Sub), I eventually decided to construct a parallel "clean" build with as little as possible installed. I plumped for ffdshow as both the video and audio decoder - its Free, and don't have to pay Cyberlink or Core anything at all in the future (though I do own copies of both right now, they've given me endless pain). It also has HD audio options that the others don't.

But I've the following problems.

1. TS files - MPEG2
These playback audio but a blank screen video. The log implies everything is fine and ffdshow is being attached.


2. TS files - H264
These don't playback at all, and just switch back to the menu.

Using graphedt and good old Haali as the splitter both these files play back fine. It seems that ffdshow and TS reader can't be coming to an agreement on how to deal with the video in #1, and anything in #2.

Has anyone else got ffdshow to work with TS files in GBPVR.

ffdshow is fine for MKVs, DVD etc etc, its just TS files it has a problem with.

Its likely that I could get them working by installing Cyberlink. But given problems I've had with that in the past on other files (and its cost), I'd prefer to see if its possible to get ffdshow to work. outside of GBPVR ffdshow is happy to play anything I've thrown at it so far, so I'm hopeful its achievable.


Cheers,
Spence

[adspence]

Not sure where the attachments went the first time around. Trying again.

[sub]

It should work for MPEG2. Is PVRX2.exe added to the whitelist of apps in the ffdshow settings?

It doesnt work for H.264. Unfortunately H.264 decoders are not as interchangeable as MPEG2 decoders, so I pretty much have to build in specific support for each decoder I want to work. That hasnt been done for ffdshow.

[pBS]

in ffdshow, you need to set as mpeg2 codec, libmpeg2 and not libavcodec...
[cause of black screen only on livetv issue]
not sure why it does that but you won't miss libavcodec...

Sub, will you be looking into ffdshow as a free h264 alternative sometime in the future?
it sure seems to accelerate 264 even tho it's a software codec, as cards with 264 onboard do use less cpu and can do the decode, tho cards without hw decode are slow as mud...
so it would appear that it uses some of that hardware, even tho maybe not all of it..

just would be nice to have one free alternative, since there are so few choices as it is..

[sub]

Sub, will you be looking into ffdshow as a free h264 alternative sometime in the future?

I did look into doing to for 1.3.11, but ffdshow wasnt playing ball. It wasnt obvious to me why it wasnt working, so I abandoned the effort. I may revisit in future when I've got more time available though.

[BigMoose]

There's also the MPC one which works very well playing BluRays in Whurlston's plugin. I agree that a free H264 codec would be useful, probably top of my wishlist. Although I've paid for CoreAVC, a choice would be handy as it gives me massive ff/rw/pause grief.

[adspence]

ok, I'll try the mpeg2 codec option tonight, rather than libavcodec.

BTW, my ffdshow has the blacklist active, but not the "use only in" list, thats unchecked. Presumably thats the whitelist you are refering to.

re: H264 - ok, thanks for the info. I'll try CoreAVC again, though I know that there were problem files (as per our discussions recently) that didnt' work properly - sync, FF issues. But I've a clean install now, hopefully I can get to the bottom of that too.

[adspence]

okay. Thx. The libmpeg2 option works. Though its not very happy when doing FF and REW functions. Takes ages to get to where its going, but does eventually get there (and the audio seems to be in sync, which is something I've had a problem with in the past).

More testing needed, but a good start.

[adspence]

I should add that the h264 discussion is only about H264 in TS files. Anything in an MKV is fine with ffdshow...I presume its using whatever the default splitter is in that case...Haali for me.

I guess I could try to convert these into MKVs.

[adspence]

Unfortunately it doesn't work if I install CoreAVC. This is an H264, DD 5.1 in a TS file. Looking at the filter below, it doesn't get very far at all. I've selected CoreAVC in the H264 decoder section of the config utility.

2009-02-15 11:09:23.546 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playVideoFileTS(\\Cerbera\shares\Video\TV\Lost.501.502\Sky-HD.Lost.501.502.h264.1080i.dd5.1.part1.ts)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.546 VERBOSE Creating new graph
2009-02-15 11:09:23.562 VERBOSE Forced audio reference clock to TS reader filter
2009-02-15 11:09:23.828 VERBOSE getSetting(TvShape)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.828 VERBOSE 16:9 television
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE About to render demux pins
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE setVideoWindowPos(0,0,1216,692)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE Checking if inset mode
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE not inset mode
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE - SOURCE
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE setSourceAspectRatio() using autoAspectRatio
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE video resolution is 0 x 0
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE unknown source aspect ratio...showing full frame
2009-02-15 11:09:23.843 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE Demux has the following pin pids...
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playVideoFileTS() done
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:etPlaybackRate(1.000000)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE Restoring audio
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE setVideoWindowPos(0,0,0,0)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE Checking if inset mode
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE not inset mode
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.859 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2009-02-15 11:09:23.890 VERBOSE SetRenderList creating new texture
2009-02-15 11:09:23.906 VERBOSE NativeUtilities::MediaHelper:top()