Need Help With MPEG2 Codec

[bobsmith]

Live TV and recordings looked fine on my PC monitor. Today I disconnected the monitor and connected my TV. The video was jerky/stuttering on both live TV and recordings. So I ran GSpot and sure enough, it said I don't have the necessary mpeg2 codec. So... I read some more here and sub pointed someone to DScaler and MPV Decoder.

So I installed Dscaler and both the picture and the audio went to hell - very loud static blasted out of the speakers and the picture was a blur. So I uninstalled that and went back to the default. I messed around some more with the video card and noticed that the resolution was set at 1024x768. So I changed that to the lowest available. Now the video is fine. No more stuttering.

So all of this leads to a few questions and I'm hoping someone can clear it up for me.

1) Why would I be able to play mpeg2 files if I don't have the codec installed? If the video plays OK, is there really any reason to install a codec? Or will the lack of the necessary codec eventually create problems with some videos?

2) What should the resolution be for a regular low-res CRT TV? How about refresh rate (I'm at 60)? I have color set at 32 bit - is that too high?

3) Why would Dscaler create havoc for my system when so many use it successfully? Do I lack the horsepower to use DScaler? If that's true, can someone point me to an mpeg2 codec more likely to work on lower end systems? I have seen some mention of Nvidia Pure Video decoder. Can I use that with an ATI card?

Sorry for the long post. Any help would be appreciated.

[pastro]

Reference this thread for your questions on resolution and depth:
http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?t=24383
You must have some sort of Mpeg2 decoder otherwise you wouldn't see anything. What shows up in config >playback> video decoder? I would think something would be listed.
Dscaler has caused trouble for some people, but I don't know if it matches what you saw. I don't think you mention what type of system you have, so it's hard to say whether you have the horsepower or not.

EDIT: I went back and looked and in your sig you did list your system. It should be fine for dscaler especially on VMR7.

Are your video card drivers at the latest revision?

I use the Nvidea pure video with an ATI 9550. It works ok although I have to use VMR7 to get a stutter free picture.

[mikeh49]

In addition to what Pastro said, I'd recommend searching the Support forum for posts by users csy and/or braklet. These threads, and there are many, should give you the complete "state of the art" on configuring your decoder and video card for optimum display. They certainly helped me, albeit with an Nvidia card and using the Purevideo decoder. However, there is a fair amount of ATI information and other decoders.

[Ted the Penguin]

1) Why would I be able to play mpeg2 files if I don't have the codec installed? If the video plays OK, is there really any reason to install a codec? Or will the lack of the necessary codec eventually create problems with some videos?

you have a codec installed, there is no other way that the video would play, try playing them in graphedit, or look at lastgraph.grf (I think??, its similar to that). that will tell you what is actually being used to decode the file.

EDIT:: ok I looked at your sig, and found your decoder "Cyberlink Video SP Decoder"

2) What should the resolution be for a regular low-res CRT TV? How about refresh rate (I'm at 60)? I have color set at 32 bit - is that too high?

this depends largely on your video card, but some have specific settings for TVs. if you have an ATI card, you are in luck, just select video mode in the TV config, if you have NVIDIA, well its more difficult, but generally NTSC 480i (which is what your TV understands) is 720x480 at 60Hz interlaced, which means half the frame on each refresh, so a actual refresh rate of 30Hz.

oh by inference you have an ATI card, so lucky you, no monkeying around with settings for the TV, but if you need more help configuring, I can definitely help.

3) Why would Dscaler create havoc for my system when so many use it successfully? Do I lack the horsepower to use DScaler? If that's true, can someone point me to an mpeg2 codec more likely to work on lower end systems? I have seen some mention of Nvidia Pure Video decoder. Can I use that with an ATI card?

I have no idea, I have never used dscaler, but my guess is it wasnt configured correctly... or it hates you

yes you can use purevideo with an ATI card, you can even get hardware acceleration (through DXVA), I know this for a fact... I use it.

some more specs about your system would be useful.
EDIT:: nevermind, I looked at your sig, and what other people said is good, you have enough power... but you cant get the latest drivers.. ATI hates you:p

[pastro]

I checked and the omega drivers don't support the 9200 past Catalyst 6.6 either.

[bobsmith]

I changed to vmr7 per pastro's suggestion and that seemed to help immediately. I also installed MPV Decoder and I'm trying that - so far so good.

mikeh49, I dug into some of those threads and learned some more. Thanks.

Ted, I went in and tinkered with the ATI settings per your suggestion. I had a hell of a time using ATI's software due to the low resolution on my TV screen. I'd set it to a higher resolution so I could "see" the entire window (so I could access the "Apply" button, for example). I'd get everything looking good, and then I'd change the resolution back to a lower one, and the the screen position would be off again. Catch 22. I finally got the TV screen pretty close to centered. I also tried the max expansion setting which eliminates any border, but it cut off the gbpvr menu. Is there any way to make the ATI interface (or any interface) "fit" onto a low res screen? There are no slider bars on their software.

One thing I have learned... this is not a game for sissies! This is an incredible piece of software, however, and I can't fathom the brain-power it took to create this.

[dark_half]

I dont know but about the ATI software but I know you can make adjustments in the config.xml file to compensate for the overscan.

Code:

<!-- overscan control (border size in pixels) -->
  <OverScanBorderX1>0</OverScanBorderX1>
  <OverScanBorderY1>0</OverScanBorderY1>
  <OverScanBorderX2>0</OverScanBorderX2>
  <OverScanBorderY2>0</OverScanBorderY2>
  <OverScanVideoAlso>true</OverScanVideoAlso>

[Ted the Penguin]

Ted, I went in and tinkered with the ATI settings per your suggestion. I had a hell of a time using ATI's software due to the low resolution on my TV screen. I'd set it to a higher resolution so I could "see" the entire window (so I could access the "Apply" button, for example). I'd get everything looking good, and then I'd change the resolution back to a lower one, and the the screen position would be off again. Catch 22. I finally got the TV screen pretty close to centered. I also tried the max expansion setting which eliminates any border, but it cut off the gbpvr menu. Is there any way to make the ATI interface (or any interface) "fit" onto a low res screen? There are no slider bars on their software.

its been a while since I have tried to play this game on a "TV" I have an HDTV now, so it makes settings a million times easier (VGA input!!!)

there is not any really good way to make ATI's software fit onto a small screen, and you cant really get a newer version. so yelling at them will do no good either.

about the centering thing. when you enable video mode there should be NO option to move the screen around. it should automatically output a full res 480i image. so any overscan on your TV will affect the displayed area. a good way to see how it does this is use a TV with no overscan. but then as mentioned above, you can adjust for overscan with GB-PVR... I will try to find you an image of the old screen that you need to select the video mode setting on...

[bobsmith]

I dont know but about the ATI software but I know you can make adjustments in the config.xml file to compensate for the overscan.

Dark_half, this is exactly what I need. Can I just paste the code at the end of the config.xml file, and then replace the existing file with the new one? In other words, are there any special procedures, or is it exactly like editing an ini file? Also... am I replacing something that is currently in the file, or just adding this code to it? Thanks.

[jim08127]

If you are going to do xml editing, get a tool for it like this free one from microsoft.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/detai...laylang=en

you can't just add a setting at the end. Its like a database. Find where the setting currently is and then edit it as required.