Microsoft MPEG-2 decoder not available for Recordings but is for DVD?

[cncb]

I just did a fresh install on Windows 8.1 (with Media Center Pack) and for some reason the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder is not available in the drop-down list for MPEG-2 decoders in the TV section but is available for MPEG-2 in the DVD section. Any ideas why this is the case? For some reason the LAV Video decoder behaves badly with NPVR and MPEG-2 content (when skipping ahead I get a pixelated picture and it takes a while to start playing again and the video "fast forwards" to catch up with the audio). Thanks.

[Lao Pan]

Does it work for DVD's in NPVR? I know it only works in Media Center for MPEG2 - Microsoft have locked it down from Windows 8 onwards. It still works for H264 though.
LAV is no good in NPVR for live TV there is an incompatibility with the Microsoft demuxer that Sub uses.

By far the best option is the PDVD13 codec that you can get in SAF unlocked I think the picture quality is better than the Microsoft codec anyway.
The version in SAF appears to be the last one that works for MPEG2

[cncb]

Does it work for DVD's in NPVR?

I'm not sure about this but I can use it in other programs for MPEG-2.

[johnsonx42]

You're not supposed to be able to use the Microsoft DTV-DVD decoder with NextPVR in Windows 8; the decoder is known to be crippled in Windows 8 so that it won't work with 3rd party programs, so sub 'blacklisted' it within NPVR. I'm not sure whether it can work for regular DVD's, or if it's simply an oversight that he didn't blacklist it on that screen too. That you seem to be able to use it in other programs means either something has changed that we're not aware of, or you're mistaken and the other program is silently failing and using another decoder.

[cncb]

I am able to use it in J River Media Center and can verify this with their context menu that shows all filters in use. In any case, is there a way to change NPVR so that LAV would be able to work better with MPEG-2 Recordings?

[mvallevand]

The NextPVR mpeg-ts graphs don't use splitters like many other programs now do so the decoder you use must be able to connect to the MS MPEG-2 demux . LAV works best with the LAV Splitter IMO

Martin

[Lao Pan]

In any case, is there a way to change NPVR so that LAV would be able to work better with MPEG-2 Recordings?

According to the Author of LAV, Sub should write his own demux filter so that LAV can work correctly.
Whether he does, or continues to use the microsoft demuxer is entirely his prerogative. NPVR works very well with the PDVD13 codec.

[sub]

I have no plans to write my own demultiplexer. It'd be a big job, and the Microsoft one works fine with everyone else's decoders.

[johnsonx42]

if you want to try forcing NPVR to use the microsoft decoder for MPEG-2, I think you can still do it in config.xml. In the <Decoders> section just set:

Code:

<DecoderMPEG2>Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder</DecoderMPEG2>

afaik the blacklist preventing use of the decoder just stops it from appearing in the dropdown list in Settings, it has no effect on what decoder can actually be used if it's properly defined in config.xml. That all said, I suspect you'll find that it still doesn't work.

[cncb]

if you want to try forcing NPVR to use the microsoft decoder for MPEG-2, I think you can still do it in config.xml. In the <Decoders> section just set: afaik the blacklist preventing use of the decoder just stops it from appearing in the dropdown list in Settings, it has no effect on what decoder can actually be used if it's properly defined in config.xml. That all said, I suspect you'll find that it still doesn't work.

Thanks. I figured that out when I was poking around in config.xml and it does indeed work. However, I still get some occasional playback glitches such that I will probably keep using a different device for playback rather than my PC.