Video playback and decoder selection

[trummel]

I have 2 apparently identical Acer R3610's with Win 7 and NPVR clients. Both play full HD quite happily from a recorded .ts from the server. However, If I try to play back an HD quality .mov file from my video folder, one of them plays it flawlesly, but the other stutters. Here is the log section for the good one

Code:

2011-03-21 20:42:57.727    [DEBUG][1]    PlaybackPositionHelper.GetPlaybackPosition(\\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov)
2011-03-21 20:42:57.730    [DEBUG][1]    File not previously played (6)
2011-03-21 20:42:57.897    [DEBUG][1]    TV Listings: Got event BUILDING_GRAPH \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:42:57.917    [DEBUG][1]    Adding EVR renderer
2011-03-21 20:43:00.364    [DEBUG][1]    restoring last aspect ratio
2011-03-21 20:43:00.602    [DEBUG][1]    Graph filter list:
2011-03-21 20:43:00.604    [DEBUG][1]     - Default DirectSound Device
2011-03-21 20:43:00.604    [DEBUG][1]     - EVR Renderer
2011-03-21 20:43:00.604    [DEBUG][1]     - Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder
2011-03-21 20:43:00.604    [DEBUG][1]     - Haali Media Splitter (AR)
2011-03-21 20:43:00.604    [DEBUG][1]     - \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:43:01.651    [DEBUG][1]    TV Listings: Got event PLAYING_VIDEO \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:43:01.676    [DEBUG][1]    CoversView. Alpha:255
2011-03-21 20:43:01.992    [DEBUG][1]    GetEventCode() returned: 0x000d
2011-03-21 20:43:01.992    [DEBUG][1]    GetEventCode() returned: 0x000e
2011-03-21 20:43:02.026    [DEBUG][1]    CoversView. Alpha:255
2011-03-21 20:43:02.223    [DEBUG][1]    CoversView. Alpha:255
2011-03-21 20:43:02.248    [DEBUG][1]    CoversView. Alpha:255

On the stuttering one the log shows

Code:

2011-03-21 20:47:12.207    [DEBUG][1]    PlaybackPositionHelper.GetPlaybackPosition(\\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov)
2011-03-21 20:47:12.210    [DEBUG][1]    File not previously played (6)
2011-03-21 20:47:12.385    [DEBUG][1]    TV Listings: Got event BUILDING_GRAPH \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:47:12.404    [DEBUG][1]    Adding EVR renderer
2011-03-21 20:47:13.565    [DEBUG][1]    restoring last aspect ratio
2011-03-21 20:47:13.685    [DEBUG][1]    Graph filter list:
2011-03-21 20:47:13.686    [DEBUG][1]     - Default DirectSound Device
2011-03-21 20:47:13.686    [DEBUG][1]     - EVR Renderer
2011-03-21 20:47:13.686    [DEBUG][1]     - ffdshow Video Decoder
2011-03-21 20:47:13.686    [DEBUG][1]     - Haali Media Splitter (AR)
2011-03-21 20:47:13.686    [DEBUG][1]     - \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:47:13.921    [DEBUG][1]    TV Listings: Got event PLAYING_VIDEO \\MARVIN\Media\Video\Bev\Witham Villa.mov
2011-03-21 20:47:13.930    [DEBUG][1]    CoversView. Alpha:255
2011-03-21 20:47:14.530    [DEBUG][1]    GetEventCode() returned: 0x000d
2011-03-21 20:47:14.531    [DEBUG][1]    GetEventCode() returned: 0x000a
2011-03-21 20:47:14.531    [DEBUG][1]    GetEventCode() returned: 0x000e

The config.xml is identical on both PC's (I copied it over to make sure).

ffdshow is installed on both PC's, but is only supposed to be used for audio.

I've tried to use graphedit to alter the merit of the MS DTV-DVD decoder, but it says it cant. It does tell me that it is set to a merit of normal-1 on both PC's though.

How does NPVR decide what decoder to use, or more importantly, how do I force .mov files to play with the MS DTV-DVD decoder?

[sub]

NPVR only specifies the decoders for .ts and .mpg files. For all other file types, it leaves it up Windows and Directshow to choose what decoders to use, and in this case there is different software on the machine, which has lead to different decoders and merit values...leading to Directshow picking different decoders.

[trummel]

Thanks Sub, I can see that makes sense. Still leaves the question of how to force it to use the MS DTV-DVD filter though. There is assorted other software on the PC (PDVD, SAF, MPC etc), but I'm only interested in NPVR getting it right.

[sub]

You can probably go into the ffdshow settings and disable H.264 or something similar, and ffdshow wouldnt get used, and it'd probably fall back to use the Microsoft one.

[trummel]

I re-installed ffdshow and then went into the ffd video decoder configuration utility, disabled everything and anything that looked relevent, also for good measure, turned the merit down to 'do no use'. Rebooted, and played the video in NPVR again - but it still insists on using ffdshow :-(

[sub]

Sorry I dont - this more of a Directshow issue on your machine, than a problem with NPVR.

Uninstall ffdshow, then it'll definitely not be used.

[pBS]

i'd try the cyberlink codecs, you'll never go back...
pdvd9 and above work really well on everything.

[trummel]

I used to use the cyberlink codecs, I even bought a copy of PDVD10. Unfortunately they dont even come close to working as well as the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder when it comes to my Ion GPU.

I will uninstall ffdshow and see if it then uses the correct decoder. I need it for the audio though, so time to learn more about how Directshow works I guess.

[mikeh49]

Would AC3 Filter work for your audio? It works well for me, but I'm not doing anything fancy, like SPDIF passthrough or DTS decoding or whatever. Only AC3 downmix to stereo to analog out.

I've had problems similar to you with ffdshow, so I've given up on it.

[trummel]

I found a nice little utility called Win7DSfiltertweaker that lets me manage which decoders take preference for each video type.
http://www.codecguide.com/windows7_prefe...weaker.htm

I was able to keep ffdshow installed and still persuade directshow to use the MS DTV-DVD filter. Works perfectly now.

Thanks as always for everyones input, I wouldn't have got here on my own.