DXVA, HD2400 Pro AGP, and h264 video?

[gclendon]

Hi!
I'm seeing something a little odd, and wouldn't mind a bit of help if anyone can give it.
Under a newly installed latest GB-PVR, with an HD2400 Pro AGP video card and running latest Cyberlink h264 decoder & DXVA ticked, it's quite clear that the on-board hardware acceleration isn't being used when watching h264 encoded video though PVRX2 (the CPU hits 100% when trying to view NZ TV1 or TV2).

However, it's quite clear that when viewing the digital channels on the gb-pvr config (when setting up the capture card), it *does* use the HW acceleration. The picture is clear, no stuttering, and the cpu remains low.
(I can also get HW acceleration to work under DVBViewer (for TV1 & TV2), and have configured gb-pvr as similar as possible.)

So it appears that GB-PVR should be able to use the video card's h.264 HW acceleration, because it does when configuring the HD capture card's channels. I assume this means that the config uses a default set of decoders & renderers that may be different from what the user has set up in the config. Is there any way to find out what the config uses?

Any tips/ideas/ways to track down what's stopping PVRX2 from using the video card's hw acceleration?
Thanks,
Gene

[sub]

GB-PVR doesnt really have much say in whether hardware acceleration is used or not. It pretty much comes down to the combination of video decoder and video renderer.

[gclendon]

Hi Sub!
Thanks for the quick reply - yeah, I gathered that from some of the other posts floating around.
However, I figured that since it appeared to be working under gb-pvr-config, and not working under PVRX2 that there might be some magical difference between the default renderer and decoder that the gb-pvr-config app uses.
Also, it works under DVBViewer with the same video decoder and renderer (Cyberlink + overlay). Obviously something is getting in the way for PVRX2 - is there any tool I can use to see what filters are being used?
Thanks,
Gene

[sub]

is there any tool I can use to see what filters are being used?

You can see the list of filters in pvrx2.exe-native.log.

[gclendon]

Hi Sub!
These are the logs from gbpvr-config and pvrx2 respectively, when trying to view TV1.

The gbpvr-config log when performing a preview during "channel mapping":
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE Creating Video pin...
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredH264VideoDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE Creating MPEG-4 (H.264) Video pin mapped to PID 270
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE Creating Audio pin...
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAACLATMAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAACLATMAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE Creating Audio pin mapped to PID 320 (AAC-LATM)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.546 VERBOSE getSetting(EnableTeleText)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE Demux filter has the following default output pins:
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE - 1: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E9DD31A3-221D-4ADB-8532-9AF309C1A408}
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE - 5: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {C892E55B-252D-42B5-A316-D997E7A5D995}
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE - Audio: has media type: {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {000001FF-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} (AUDIO)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE PID: 320 (140)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE - PSI: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE PID: 0 (0)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.562 VERBOSE PID: 1 (1)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE PID: 16 (10)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE PID: 17 (11)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE PID: 18 (12)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE PID: 292 (124)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - Video: has media type: {73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {31435641-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} (VIDEO)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE PID: 270 (10E)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - Default DirectSound Device
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Sections and Tables
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - VMR9
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - MainConcept AAC Decoder
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - GB-PVR TS Mon
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, Transport Stream Capture1
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, BDA Tuner1
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2008-09-18 20:20:30.578 VERBOSE locked=1 present=1 strength=-4380 quality=98
2008-09-18 20:20:31.171 VERBOSE After IMediaControl->Run()
2008-09-18 20:20:31.171 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAutoMapPids)
2008-09-18 20:20:31.171 VERBOSE Pin "5" mappings:
2008-09-18 20:20:31.171 INFO SetTuningRequest() finished

[gclendon]

***********************************************
This is the log output from pvrx2:
2008-09-18 20:21:48.609 VERBOSE Getting current tuning request...
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE Current CarrierFrequency=690000
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE ServiceID: 1200, PMT PID: 288, VPID: 270, APID: 320
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE SubmitTuningRequest() complete
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE ServiceID: 1200, PMT PID: 288, VPID: 270, APID: 320
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAMultiplexer)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.109 VERBOSE Preferred BDA Multiplexer: Microsoft DVR-MS
2008-09-18 20:21:49.156 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAEnabledMDPlugins)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAutoDetectTuner)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE About to auto detect correct tuner filter
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE Looking for associated filter
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, Transport Stream Capture1
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE Successfully auto detected tuner filter: FusionHDTV, Transport Stream Capture1
2008-09-18 20:21:49.187 VERBOSE About to connect BDA Tuner and Capture filters
2008-09-18 20:21:49.203 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'MPEG2 Transport' to 'MPEG-2 Stream'
2008-09-18 20:21:49.234 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'MPEG2 Transport' to 'Input'
2008-09-18 20:21:49.234 VERBOSE ConnectPins: 'Output' to 'MPEG-2 Stream'
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE Demux filter has the following default output pins:
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE - 1: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E9DD31A3-221D-4ADB-8532-9AF309C1A408}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE - 2: has media type: {73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {E06D8026-DB46-11CF-B4D1-00805F6CBBEA} (VIDEO)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE - 3: has media type: {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {E06D802B-DB46-11CF-B4D1-00805F6CBBEA} (AUDIO)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE - 4: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E436EB8E-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE - 5: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {C892E55B-252D-42B5-A316-D997E7A5D995}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAUsePsiParser)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAEnableDvbSubtitles)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.250 VERBOSE getSetting(EPGProcessingMode)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAutoMapPids)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE PCR PID is set to VID PID
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAACLATMAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAACLATMAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.312 VERBOSE Creating Audio pin mapped to PID 320 (AAC-LATM)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredH264VideoDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE Creating MPEG-4 (H.264) Video pin mapped to PID 270
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE getSetting(EnableTeleText)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE hwnd = NULL
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE previewMode
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE getSetting(BDAAlwaysAddTIFAndSections)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.328 VERBOSE Adding BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter filter
2008-09-18 20:21:49.546 VERBOSE connecting TIF to demux
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE locked=0 present=0 strength=41000 quality=0
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - GB-PVR TS Mon
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, Transport Stream Capture1
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, BDA Tuner1
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE Demux filter has the following default output pins:
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - 1: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {E9DD31A3-221D-4ADB-8532-9AF309C1A408}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - 5: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {C892E55B-252D-42B5-A316-D997E7A5D995}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - Audio: has media type: {73647561-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {000001FF-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} (AUDIO)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 320 (140)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - PSI: has media type: {455F176C-4B06-47CE-9AEF-8CAEF73DF7B5} {00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000}
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 0 (0)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 1 (1)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 16 (10)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 17 (11)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 18 (12)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 288 (120)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE - Video: has media type: {73646976-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} {31435641-0000-0010-8000-00AA00389B71} (VIDEO)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE PID: 270 (10E)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.578 VERBOSE BDARecorder::StartRecording() finished
2008-09-18 20:21:49.609 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playLiveStream(pGB, 'MPEG-2 Demultiplexer', 'Video', 'MPEG-2 Demultiplexer', 'Audio', hwnd)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.609 VERBOSE getSetting(TvShape)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.609 VERBOSE 16:9 television
2008-09-18 20:21:49.625 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioRenderer)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.625 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredH264VideoDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.937 VERBOSE H.264 video decoder filter: CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.937 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAACLATMAudioDecoder)
2008-09-18 20:21:49.937 VERBOSE getSetting(DeinterlaceMethod)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.140 VERBOSE Allocator shutdown...
2008-09-18 20:21:50.140 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:50.296 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:50.312 VERBOSE Creating video texture: 1920x1088
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE setVideoWindowPos(0,0,1280,679)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE Checking if inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE not inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - Default DirectSound Device
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - BDA MPEG2 Transport Information Filter
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - GB-PVR PSI Parser
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - MainConcept AAC Decoder
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - MPEG-2 Demultiplexer
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - GB-PVR TS Mon
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, Transport Stream Capture1
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - FusionHDTV, BDA Tuner1
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE - Microsoft DVBT Network Provider
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:50.453 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase::playLiveStream() done
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 VERBOSE setVideoWindowPos(0,0,0,0)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 VERBOSE Checking if inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 VERBOSE not inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.046 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.140 VERBOSE setVideoWindowPos(0,0,0,0)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.140 VERBOSE Checking if inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:51.140 VERBOSE not inset mode
2008-09-18 20:21:51.140 VERBOSE getSetting(HorizontalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.140 VERBOSE getSetting(VerticalZoom)
2008-09-18 20:21:51.187 VERBOSE SetRenderList creating new texture
2008-09-18 20:21:51.984 VERBOSE Allocator shutdown...
2008-09-18 20:21:51.984 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:52.078 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:52.078 VERBOSE Creating video texture: 1280x725
2008-09-18 20:21:52.609 VERBOSE Allocator shutdown...
2008-09-18 20:21:52.609 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:52.625 VERBOSE DeleteSurfaces
2008-09-18 20:21:52.625 VERBOSE Creating video texture: 1280x720

As far as I can see, they're basically the same. However, the gbpvr-config does use the HW acceleration, but pvrx2 doesn't!
A couple of differences: the gbpvr-config log contains "MPEG-2 Sections and Tables" and specifically states VMR9, whereas the pvrx2 log only states "Video Renderer" (it has been configured as VMR9 custom). Also, what's with the pvrx2 log stating: Creating video texture: 1920x1088?
Is it possible that's getting in the way (my screen is 1280x720)? I know there are problems above a certain resolution...

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Gene

[sub]

Sorry, I'm not really sure. Its up to the video decoder and video renderer to decide if they're going to use DXVA behind the scenes. Try the other video renderers though to see if they help though.

[gclendon]

Yeah, I have. Unfortunately none of them made a difference
It's really bizzare that gbpvr-config works but pvrx2 doesn't! :confused:
Thanks for the help anyway.
Thanks,
Gene

[ilovejedd]

As far as I know, you need to be using Overlay or EVR as video renderer for DXVA to work. Have you tried changing PVRX2 video renderer from VMR9 Custom to Overlay?

[gclendon]

Yep, I've tried Overlay as well with no luck unfortunately (I have h264 HA working under DVBViewer with both Overlay and VMR9, although it does appear to be slightly better with Overlay).
I haven't tried EVR, because I'm only running XP (without the DirectX10 hack).
Thanks,
Gene