Problem with 1080p Playback

[jonlai9]

Hi guys, I installed GB-PVR yesterday after finding MediaPortal extremely buggy.

I've liked everything so far except that GB-PVR seems to not be able to play the 1080p videos I have smoothly. It's not bad enough to be called jittering, but it would at random times the video would pause for a millionth of a second during playback. This problem has not occurred for the 720p and 480p video clips I have tried on GB-PVR.

All the files I tried works perfectly on Media Player Classic. I have downloaded Storm Codec and K-Lite Codec pack on my machine. I have tried switching the default video renderer to ffdshow but the problem is still there.

Please let me know of your past experiences in solving this problem! Thanks.

[Deusxmachina]

GBPVR just uses the same DirectShow codecs other Windows players use, so if it plays in Media Player Classic, it should (can) play the same in GBPVR. Where the specific little problem is though....hmmm....

I think CCCP is better than K-lite, but I doubt that's the problem.

I'm thinking I had a similar problem way back when. It might have been something with a deinterlacing setting. I know I mentioned it on here, but it was a long time ago. I guess I'd start by turning off all extra video settings on your video card, any extra settings in the codec options, and go from there.

You know it plays fine with MPC, so it pretty much has to be some little, rinky-dink, dumb setting somewhere.

If you mean 1080i (broadcast TV here, don't know about Canada), then I'd definitely think it was a deinterlacing setting like I think mine was. Hmmm, I think mine with a heavy deinterlacing was actually maxing out the core on my crappy 2400pro video card. I think that's what it was. To check that if you want, fire up Rivatuner and look at the logging charts. If you have a less than stellar video card, that could be it.

Just throwing some suggestions out there.

[jonlai9]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I should clarify some things. I am trying to play 1080p Blu Ray rips that are .mkv format. I don't have a HD tuner for TV. I am also using onboard graphics for my HTPC that has a GE8200 chipset, so there are not much settings I can play with in terms of my onboard graphics.

Here is a detailed breakdown of my setup:

AMD 5050E 2.6Ghz
Gigabyte GA-M78SM-S2H w/HDMI + S/PDIF coax out
2GB Crucial PC6400 RAM
LG Blu Ray/HD DVD reader

I haven't tried playing Bluray/HDDVDs with GB-PVR yet, but I suspect that the problem would be evident when playing them as well. If not, then at least I can pinpoint the problem. I will give that a try later today.

Is this a problem with GB-PVR settings or elsewhere? Do you think the solution to the problem is within GB-PVR config, and if so, what should I play with to try on for starters? I've tried almost all the video decoders available and none have fixed the problem.

On a side note, GB-PVR doesn't run on remote desktop session. The window loads up but the screen is blank. Is there a solution to this problem? It's much more convenient to try things out through Remote Desktop than having to do it in front of the TV.

[sub]

Is this a problem with GB-PVR settings or elsewhere? Do you think the solution to the problem is within GB-PVR config, and if so, what should I play with to try on for starters? I've tried almost all the video decoders available and none have fixed the problem.

I doubt it'll be a GB-PVR setting. When it comes to .mkv files GB-PVR just askes directshow to play the file, and it chooses all the decoders etc, and does the playback.

On a side note, GB-PVR doesn't run on remote desktop session. The window loads up but the screen is blank. Is there a solution to this problem? It's much more convenient to try things out through Remote Desktop than having to do it in front of the TV.

Remote Desktop on an XP server doesnt support the Direct3D UI, so you get an empty window. Remote Desktop on a Vista server does support it, and will show you the UI. The only other option is to use alternative remote software like VNC, which does show the UI.

[jonlai9]

I doubt it'll be a GB-PVR setting. When it comes to .mkv files GB-PVR just askes directshow to play the file, and it chooses all the decoders etc, and does the playback.

Thanks for the headsup sub. So do you have any clues as to why it works when MPC plays the files but not through GB-PVR, if both programs are played using Directshow filters?

[sub]

I dont know, but I dont know what exactly MPC does. It probably doesnt just ask directshow to choose the graph, so may be ending up using its own decoders etc instead of the system default ones.

You can emulate what GB-PVR does by downloading GraphEdit, and selecting the 'render media file' menu option, then choosing your .mkv file, then hitting the play button. This will show you what decoders the system is choosing etc.

[jonlai9]

I dont know, but I dont know what exactly MPC does. It probably doesnt just ask directshow to choose the graph, so may be ending up using its own decoders etc instead of the system default ones.

You can emulate what GB-PVR does by downloading GraphEdit, and selecting the 'render media file' menu option, then choosing your .mkv file, then hitting the play button. This will show you what decoders the system is choosing etc.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll get GraphEdit, but what exactly can I do with it? It'll let me find out what decoders GB-PVR will use, but how can I determine what is needed in additional for the movie to play without jittering, and how can I tell GB-PVR to use that instead?

Please if anyone know anything about this problem let me know

[sub]

but how can I determine what is needed in additional for the movie to play without jittering, and how can I tell GB-PVR to use that instead?

GB-PVR will always just used the machines system default decoders, so you'd have to fix the system defaults. It'd depend on the decoders on your machine, and their settings.

[jonlai9]

I just tried TightVNC and GB-PVR is extremely laggy in changing the menus, the videos can't even be played. Is this the only option I have for remote desktop? I just want to be able to set recording shows off site.

[sub]

Is this the only option I have for remote desktop?

That or install Vista on your machine. The older RDP used in XP has limitation with Direct3D that means GB-PVRs UI doesnt show up. Its not a GB-PVR, but limitation of the old RDP versions.

I'm not sure how well other remote control apps like LogMeIn perform, but they may also be an option.