AMD Video Decoder disappeared

[jcmaedl]

I've been using NextPVR for about 6 months and I love it, so thanks!

I am using Win 10 Pro 64 Bit on an older Dell. This machine has an AMD Radeon 5450 video card and I have the latest available drivers installed. While the machine doesn't seem like much, it is more than powerful enough for DVD and Blu-Ray playback which is all I need. After a few weeks of using NextPVR, I switched to Kodi as a frontend, but the skin I like has become a bit broken by the latest releases so wanted to go to NextPVR on its own.

From day 1 that I installed NextPVR I had an option in Video Decoder to select an AMD hardware option, so I never sought out any other decoders. Sadly, I can't tell you exactly what the option's "name" actually was, because I never thought to make a note of it. That option has now disappeared and of course I receive the decoder missing screen. Since Kodi uses its own stuff I have no problems there.

I uninstalled and re-installed NextPVR, most recently to update to 3.7.7, and also the AMD drivers, but the option refuses to come back.

The decoding was awesome with this option, and I'd love to have it come back instead of installing some other codecs (which of course I will do if necessary).

I've attached logs; I don't know if they are preserved after a reinstall, but here they are,

Thanks for any help!

[Graham]

From day 1 that I installed NextPVR I had an option in Video Decoder to select an AMD hardware option

NextPVR does not include any decoders. The Settings --> Decoders screen lists decoders that Windows is reporting as installed on the machine.

It may be that you have had a DVD player software or somesuch installed in the past that you have siince uninstalled. It may be that the decoder you seek was a part of the software.

It may be that you have upgraded some software and the upgrade installed an updated decoder that is now locked and cannot be used with an application except the software that it came with. Cyberlink did this with their decoder one or two releases ago.

Probably, it doesn't matter. AMD make the hardware decoding magic available to pretty much anyone who wants to write a decoder to use it ... so most decoders should give you good hardware decoding.

My stock advice is to send a forum private message to Hoborg and ask for the "unlocked" version of the SAF installer and that will install the "best" decoders ... http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...post414049

[jcmaedl]

Thank you for responding so quickly. I know there are solutions for decoders already so I appreciate the time.

NextPVR does not include any decoders. The Settings --> Decoders screen lists decoders that Windows is reporting as installed on the machine.

I was aware that NextPVR doesn't include decoders, but having seen this one in there from day 1, I never sought out others. I guess I could extend my question to include how to check what might be registered with Windows.

It may be that you have had a DVD player software or somesuch installed in the past that you have siince uninstalled. It may be that the decoder you seek was a part of the software.

I considered this but this machine has never had anything to play back media except Kodi, VLC, and Microsoft DVD player, although it was upgraded to Windows 10 rom Windows 7 Pro 64 bit, which left behind only the MS DTV-DVD Audio Decoder and removed the Video version, as expected. As I understand it MS DVD player's decoder is locked and would never have been available. Also, this thing was specifically named "AMD."

It may be that you have upgraded some software and the upgrade installed an updated decoder that is now locked and cannot be used with an application except the software that it came with. Cyberlink did this with their decoder one or two releases ago.

I saw that this could be the case in other posts; however I still have the same version of the Catalyst driver on this machine as I did before. It is possible an incremental update to the driver changed something.

Probably, it doesn't matter.

Probably not given your suggestion for the SAF decoder; many thanks for that. I just thought the whole thing was strange and wanted to see if anyone could shed some light. I have another machine that has this exact configuration, but I am waiting for a replacement video card via RMA (exact same model). Once I receive that I will install it and check to see if that machine has the AMD thing available. Not sure if anyone cares but I will post an update. I just thought it would be cool if people with AMD cards could somehow activate this and not have to worry about decoder packs.

Anyway thanks again!

[mikeh49]

You could use a tool like DirectShow Filter Manager (if it works on Win10) to see all the directshow components on each machine. Could tell you if an AMD decoder is on either. My test box on NPVR 3.6.6 sees an ATI decoder (ATI MPEG Video Decoder) that comes with the driver for my old ATI 650 Theater Pro tuner card. You might be able to get the decoder from AMD if there are some other utility type stuff (separate from Catalyst) or something like that for the HD5450.

[jcmaedl]

I downloaded DirectShow Filter Manager and it does run, but I have no idea what the heck I am looking at. I'm not even sure what the color coding scheme is... Red, Pink, Yellow, Green, Grey. Even if I knew what they were, "setting" the priority doesn't seem to do anything.

Interestingly, the MSFT decoders are still listed there, including DTV-DVD Video, and I don't see an ATI video decoder, but I do see ATI Ticker, whatever that might be.

I did download SAF6, locked version for now, and installed it. I got video back, but sound stopped working. Also, it removed the ability to select the Microsoft DTV-DVD Audio codec anywhere. What is the benefit of the unlocked version? I didn't see anything obvious in reading the forums - I'm sure I'm not looking in the right place.

I'm going to poke around and see what else I can manage.

[pBS]

make sure you install the 'amd video converter' when you install the ati drivers or you won't get the decoders..

oh and the unlocked version of hoborgs just adds cyberlink hw accelerated decoders...

[jcmaedl]

Thanks for the info- I am almost certain I installed that option but I will try to re-install AMD drivers; that makes sense.

Since installing SAF6 I have had nothing but trouble... I can get no audio from any codec/setting now... After installing LAV I no longer have the option to use Microsoft DTV-DVD, and LAV failed to produce any audio at all. From what I read elsewhere in the forums LAV video does not "play nice" with NPVR, so maybe I shouldn't have even tried to use it to begin with?

So now, after uninstalling SAF6, I have no video and no audio. I installed ffdshow-tryouts, and I can get video, audio is nothing at first, but after changing channels is just stuttering static. Next step is to install SAF6 at the same time and try to get some kind of mixed bag here.

Overall this is uncool!

[jcmaedl]

OK - I have things working.

Installing SAF6 over the top of ffdshow-tryouts alone seems to have worked. I ignored SAF warning to uninstall ffdshow first.

I now have both ffdshow and LAV codecs listed in my settings page and selecting LAV for audio stuff and ffdshow for video works quite well.

None of this solved the mystery of the disappearing AMD codec. I did try reinstalling AMD drivers and even a manual forced install of the "Drag N Drop" .msi, but it hasn't come back.

Thanks everyone for the help.

[Lao Pan]

None of this solved the mystery of the disappearing AMD codec. I did try reinstalling AMD drivers and even a manual forced install of the "Drag N Drop" .msi, but it hasn't come back.

I believe the AMD Avivo package is no longer supplied with the later Catalyst or Crimson drivers and you may find that Windows 10 has updated the drivers for you and removed the AMD codec as a favor to you :eek: