XP/VMR9 vs Windows7/EVR

[imilne]

I'm in the middle of replacing some of my HTPC's bits and bobs, and figured it was as good a time as any to move from XP to Windows 7 while I was at it. But - and it's a very subtle but - the video quality I'm seeing with 7/EVR is not as good as XP/VMR9.

With MPEG2 I'd say they're identical, and probably with 720p AVC too, but the 1080i HD broadcast material (mainly BBC stuff) isn't. Even the wife agrees, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not :eek:

DXVA should be happening in all cases yes (XP and 7)? The same decoder is in use (PDVD7), although I've tried the MS one too. I've even chucked the same video card in (an ATI HD4550) so it can't be that. I know 7/VMR9 won't give DXVA with AVC content, so I've tried that with software decoding, and to be honest, I'm not even convinced 7/EVR was better than that! Should I have aero on or off for the best EVR performance?

I think all I'm after is confirmation that 7/EVR should be as good as, if not better than, XP/VMR9. If so, I'll persevere and try to get to the bottom of it.

(This is all with GBPVR by the way; not NPVR, although I'd assume it shouldn't really matter).

[Northpole]

Interesting... I don't have any experience with 7/EVR yet and have been waiting to make the switch because of a number of other software issues.
I have always felt that the video quality of cyberlink decoders with VMR9 on XP was very good. I'm sure eventually I'll make the switch, but it's good to know that VMR9/XP is at least comparable to EVR/7.

[ga_mueller]

Yeah... XP-SP3/VMR9 FSE w/Cyberlink PDVD8+DXVA works great for me in the states with MPEG2 broadcast video... no incentive to go to Win7 here.

[systemshark]

Hi Imilne,

Very interesting post, I've just built a brand new Windows 7 HDPC /NPVR machine to replace my XP/GBPVR machine .... but I've not 'gone into service' with the NPVR machine as I'm also not sure that playback on EVR is better than XP. I'm not able to change hardware as the two machines are completely uncompatiable with each other so I've looking at the Windows 7 Config and trying different codecs.

Are you on Windows 7 64 Bit or 32 Bit... I'm moved from XP 32 to 7 64 Bit ..... and I'm wondering......

[imagn]

I have just recently made the switch from XP to win 7 (32bit) on my main gbpvr server. I did not change any of my hardware and i have seen an improvement in EVR vs. VRM9. i definitely think i am getting a better picture now using win7 rather than XP

[imilne]

32bit for now (still testing really). The 30 day (90 with tweaks) leeway before you have to activate is great!

If I had to describe the video problem, I'd say it looks a bit like the stuff you get from iPlayer, where they've taken 50hz interlaced content and made it 25fps progressive (flash video). It ends up looking "wrong", probably because they've thrown away half the motion. That maybe suggests it's a deinterlacing problem (and it's only with 1080i content I'm seeing the problem, although I've not tried any 1080p). We've had visitors all day today, so I've not had a chance to investigate any further.

[imilne]

I'm not necessarily looking for an improvement (although it would be nice if there was one). Right now I simply can't get 7/EVR to look as good as XP/VMR9. And that's not acceptable

I'd even say 7/VMR9 and 7/EVR looked the same, though the latter uses a tad less CPU because of the DXVA assistance.

[mvallevand]

Part of this might be subjective based on what you have grown used to. When I first got a PCH, I thought the colour was better on the MVP, now after two years of use, and watching other high quality media when I look at the MVP's colour I find it to be awful. I can't believe that with quality video cards producing video, equivalent to what 7MC would display it would be that much worse.

Martin

[imilne]

No, there was a difference for sure, and I think I've got to the bottom of it. It is DXVA related, or at least related to GPU-assisted deinterlacing.

My tests yesterday were done with new hardware (Windows 7 with a Core i3 tested with the onboard iGPU, and with the HD4550).

The following results were obtained with my existing dual-boot setup (XP & 7 on an Athlon X2 4000+ with the HD4550):

* XP/VMR9 + Cyberlink PDVD7 decoder = good video (full DXVA 1.0 I think)

* 7/VMR9 + Microsoft = good video (software decoding, but HD4550 deinterlacing)
* 7/EVR + Microsoft = good video (full DXVA 2.0)

* 7/VMR9 + Cyberlink PDVD7 = bad video (software decoding and deinterlacing)
* 7/EVR + Cyberlink PDVD7 = bad video (software decoding and deinterlacing)
Conclusion: PDVD7 decoder just doesn't work with Windows 7

* 7/VMR9 + Cyberlink PDVD10 (SAF) = bad video (software decoding and deinterlacing)
* 7/EVR + Cyberlink PDVD10 (SAF) = good video (full DXVA 2.0)

Now, I haven't put the i3 back together to retest it (they have to share the same case, drives, etc so it's a faff), but I'm hoping like hell that I somehow messed up the MS decoder tests yesterday and that it's actually ok, ie, it's only the PDVD7 decoder that's at fault with Windows 7.

Not also the interesting result of PDVD10 vs MS, the latter being able to produce good video with both VMR9 and EVR, whereas PDVD10 can only manage EVR.

Please also remember these tests were just for 1080i AVC. I think all of the above combinations are capable of MPEG2 DXVA (SD anyway; I have no HD MPEG2 files).

I'll report back on the i3 again after further testing.

[mvallevand]

I don't understand what were asking in the original post. In this last test you say "7/EVR + Microsoft = good video (full DXVA 2.0)" Isn't using the default Win7 decoders the best solution for NPVR users?

Martin