More HDTV Stuttering

[KarlD]

I've been pulling my hair out now for 6 weeks trying to get my AverMedia A180 to stop stuttering. I have red this forum for hours on end but I must have missed something. I've gone through the 8 recommended steps on the wiki for playback issues. It is a fresh build but I do have Nero Recode etc installed on it which might have a bad filter.

I've been wanting to use GBPVR for some time and finally upgraded my system to handle it and DTV; see specs below. I've been using a Hipix 200 ATSC card that renders the video out to my plasma great, and I get a good ATSC terrestrial signal; but you can't record properly. I used my WinTV PVR 150 for recording and I like the ability to modify the remote ini, I have had a lot of use out of it.

The new system is on XP Pro 32 with the latest patches.
During live TV it stutters a lot and is a little better on playback. On a bad signal it will just lock up. I have tried three different Mpeg Decoders with better but not good success; currently I'm using Nvidia. I can only seem to get it to work without locking up on VMR9.

It seems to me that if I can't get a non stuttering live or preview picture I have some basic BDA connection issue. Maybe I'm getting interference from having three tuners in the box.

Tonight Im going to try the Intervideo demuxer, but from what I understand that shouldn’t be an issue with SP2. I'm also borrowing another 512MB Ram to see if this helps.

I have spent way too much time and money on this, I'd apprecate some help.

Thanks

[daphatty]

Before we start making suggestions, it would probably help if you could detail the types of troubleshooting you've undertaken. I'd hate to make all sorts of suggestions that end up useless, you know? Replacing quartz.dll for example.

[KarlD]

Okay, thanks for the reply; I’ll try not to drone on too much.

First a little background:
I only loaded the base, Middleware and IR drivers for the PVR 150 thinking I didn’t need the rest. I loaded The Nero Suite, VLC and Hipix drivers next. I only mention this because of the Filters that might be loaded. I also loaded the GBPVR ATSC Scan and Config updates, which work well by the way. I also am using the Plain Jane skin. I’m hooked directly to my plasma with the DVI connection as my main display at 800x600, it is an 852x480 or thereabouts 42” display. The thing none of you guys want to hear is I work for a large Plasma Display wholesale Co and I got it for free; but I’ve worked here for 13 years, it was earned.

Diagnostics:
-• I have never had a completely smooth live picture unless it was a low resolution show on a HD channel. The single SD Channel I have seems to work better.
-• If I playback with Video Decoder set to “System Default” on VMR 9 Custom, playback is almost smooth but it is not deinterlaced.
-• I loaded FDDShow and AC3 filters but using FDD show doesn’t seem to change anything in the Live Preview settings or the Playback Post process settings.
-• Nero Shows up as a Mpeg2 option in Playback Video setting, it appears to be the same as the Default settings or at least it has the same results (no Deinterlace).
-• I loaded the Nvidia decoder trial package when I have a Nvidia card. It only seems to work correctly in VMR 7 or 9 but stutters badly.
-• I found out I didn’t have a Mpeg2 accelerator in my Nvidia card so I traded it in for a Radeon X1300 with 128MB which has one. Again I got a slight improvement with the new card.
-• I loaded the GPL 1-2 Decoder and it doesn’t work at all (No picture).
-• I loaded the Elcard Mpeg player but it does not show up as a decoder option in the Playback Video Decoder pull down.
-• I went into Safe Mode and replaced Quartz with the 187MB “B” version. I verified it stuck after it rebooted; no change.
-• I downloaded the BDA Mux checker and found out it didn’t have a Mux. I have read conflicting information if this is necessary anymore. I loaded Divco Fusion and now have the Intervideo filter loaded. I copied out the ivimux.ax filter and uninstalled Fusion. I re registered the filter and verified it still showed with the BDA Mux Checker. I used the Direct Show Filter manager to remove the excess Zulu and Divco filters, and verified with the BDA Mux checker again. This seemed to help quite a bit especially on live broadcast, but it is still stuttering.
-• I have looked for old decoders but I’m not confident about what I’m looking for. I have a bunch of ATI filters now.
-• I have tried various combinations of AC3 Filter and FDD Show.
-• I have updated the motherboard bios and driver as well as the ATI catalyst video drivers.
-• I have played with various setting in the ATI Catalyst configuration.
-• I have been unable to get the Following to show up on the Video Decoder Dropdown:
--> InterVideo NonCSS Video Decoder for Hauppauge
--> Elecard Mpeg2 Video Decoder
-• I haven’t downloaded or couldn’t find the following:
--> MainConcept MPEG Video Decoder
--> Sonic Cinemaster DS Video Decoder

CPU use is low during recording but it is slammed in live or playback modes. The 3200+ processor should be able to handle it. I haven't tried bumping to 1MB memory yet.

There is more that I’ve tried but it is not top of mind right now. The thing I’m ashamed to admit is that I’m an IT Manager and this has got me stumped. This was supposed to be a fun project but it has turned into a lot of frustration.

Thanks for your help.

[sub]

The first thing I would try is one of the big player video decoders, either nvidia or cyberlink.

Try to stay away from FDDShow and AC3Filter while you're trying to resolve this problem - these often cause stuttering, so worth avoiding for now.

[sub]

Also try to determine if it is a recording or playback problem, by recording a file, then playing it back in another player.

Do you get smooth playback in another player?

[KarlD]

I have been using Nvidia. I'll try Cyberlink.

Does it matter in live viewing?

Thanks

[sub]

I have been using Nvidia. I'll try Cyberlink.

Did you enable hardware accelleration?

Does it matter in live viewing?

I'd probably go with a recording and testing playback first, since this more clearly separates the capture and display aspects of this problem.

Do you get smooth playback in another player?

[KarlD]

Yes I tried it with and without hardware acceleration.

I haven’t been trying to use it in another player.

I downloaded the K-Lite Codec Pack it seems to have several codecs on the list and a player. I’ll do some testing tonight.

[daphatty]

I downloaded the K-Lite Codec Pack it seems to have several codecs on the list and a player. I’ll do some testing tonight.

Never, never, never use a K-lite Codec pack. It's going to cause you more problems then it will solve. At this point, it may be in your best interests to reinstall windows and replace your quartz.dll once more.

[KarlD]

Good to know I hadn’t tried it yet.

I have tried a lot of things though, maybe a fresh start would be a good idea if I don't get this resolved soon.