DirectShow error trying to play recorded file

[Wakalaka]

2009-10-25 22:59:42.840 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase:: playVideoFile(F:\Angels vs. Demons Fact or Fiction\Angels vs. Demons Fact or Fiction_20091025_19002000.mpg)
2009-10-25 22:59:42.842 VERBOSE Creating new graph
2009-10-25 22:59:42.844 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioRenderer)
2009-10-25 22:59:42.845 VERBOSE getSetting(TvShape)
2009-10-25 22:59:42.846 VERBOSE 16:9 television
2009-10-25 22:59:43.027 INFO SetVideoPosition: (0,0,1,1) (0,0,1920,1080)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE getSetting(DefaultFPS)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE detected FPS as 29.970000
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredAudioDecoder)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredDecoder)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE doing default rendering
2009-10-25 22:59:43.029 VERBOSE getSetting(PreferredMpegPlaybackDemux)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.068 INFO SetVideoPosition: (0,0,1,1) (0,0,1920,1080)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.069 VERBOSE getSetting(ListGraphFilters)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.069 VERBOSE Graph contains the following filters:
2009-10-25 22:59:43.069 VERBOSE - Video Renderer
2009-10-25 22:59:43.069 VERBOSE getSetting(SaveGraphFiles)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.189 VERBOSE setSourceAspectRatio() using autoAspectRatio
2009-10-25 22:59:43.189 VERBOSE video resolution is 0 x 0
2009-10-25 22:59:43.189 VERBOSE unknown source aspect ratio...showing full frame
2009-10-25 22:59:43.190 INFO SetStreamOutputRect: (0.000000,0.000000,1.000000,1.000000)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.191 INFO DirectShowPlayerBase:: playFile() done
2009-10-25 22:59:43.195 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:etPlaybackRate(1.000000)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.196 VERBOSE Restoring audio
2009-10-25 22:59:43.201 INFO SetVideoPosition: (0,0,1,1) (0,0,1920,1080)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.315 VERBOSE NativeUtilities::MediaHelper:top()
2009-10-25 22:59:43.318 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top
2009-10-25 22:59:43.318 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@2 (skipping window positioning)
2009-10-25 22:59:43.318 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@3
2009-10-25 22:59:43.322 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@4
2009-10-25 22:59:43.323 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@5
2009-10-25 22:59:43.323 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@6
2009-10-25 22:59:43.323 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@7
2009-10-25 22:59:43.323 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top@8
2009-10-25 22:59:43.329 VERBOSE DirectShowPlayerBase:top finished



Plays fine on PC with several media players. MediaInfo program says it's 720x480 resolution MPG2 file. GB-PVR immediately exits when I try to play this recording. All other recordings do the same thing since I changed codecs today to get Live TV and DVD playback working. Why is it that this process is endless and doesn't just work?

[sub]

GB-PVR immediately exits when I try to play this recording. All other recordings do the same thing since I changed codecs today to get Live TV and DVD playback working.

Sounds like a clear cut case of bad decoders then.

Why is it that this process is endless and doesn't just work?

What process? Finding a combination of decoders that work well? Most people find a combination that works well for them pretty quickly, and without too much effort. Combinations of OS, videocard, drivers, video renderers are all a factor in how easy it is to find a good combination. At the end of the day, I cant supply decoders with GB-PVR since I'm not in a position to pay the licensing costs $$$ that would be involved, so GB-PVR is at the mercy of whatever decoders you supply.

[Wakalaka]

I just want to understand why I always have decoding issues, and I don't know much about the technical aspect of them. In no way am I disparaging your work, but rather seeking your expert knowledge on how things work so maybe I can learn something and better help myself. I tried every choice of "MPEG-2 Playback" and none work. There must be other pieces to the puzzle -- I would be shocked if every codec was broken, including Cyberlink PowerDVD9. Someone is detecting the wrong video file resolution.

[dennit]

I just want to understand why I always have decoding issues, and I don't know much about the technical aspect of them. In no way am I disparaging your work

You have decoding issues because decoding requires codecs and Windows supplies a playback method (directshow) that often leads the user into a deep dungeon, fondly referred to as "codec hell."

, but rather seeking your expert knowledge on how things work so maybe I can learn something and better help myself. I tried every choice of "MPEG-2 Playback" and none work.

Usually this means that you tried every codec you have installed, not the many others that are available.

There must be other pieces to the puzzle -- I would be shocked if every codec was broken, including Cyberlink PowerDVD9. Someone is detecting the wrong video file resolution.

PowerDVD, and other software companies often make their codecs refuse to work with other third party software. They have no interest in getting the user out of codec hell - except when they are running PowerDVD. Often they seem to intentionally contribute to it. When their software is installed, it tells Windows/Directshow to give their filters the highest merit so it will use their codec. Then a previously working setup of Directshow starts to fail.

That's why GBPVR lets you set the playback codec, so that it continues to work after you install something else, but for other formats, GBPVR is at the mercy of your Directshow filter merit settings.

[Wakalaka]

I had Vista Codec Package and had no problems when I had GB-PVR version 1.3.x. When I upgraded GB-PVR from 1.3.x to 1.4.7 my DVD playback was broken. I saw this Hobarg SAF codec package on here, read through the threads, and decided to try it. I had a lot of issues I never had before (scratchy audio, weird artifacts in Live TV, unable to get playback/Live TV/DVD all working). In the past I had used K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. I never have more than 1 installed; I always uninstall the existing package before installing a new one. Because SAF gave me so many problems, I uninstalled it and installed the latest Vista Codec Package.

GB-PVR playback of recordings, which are MPEG-2, now don't work no matter which "MPEG-2 Playback" codec I select. If GB-PVR uses that codec no matter what -- no SW can interfere with the selection -- then something with GB-PVR is now broken on my system. I'm just trying to understand what I can do to debug things, since installing/uninstalling codecs until something works doesn't help me understand what was broken and how it got fixed, so I can help myself faster in the future.

Should I uninstall Vista Codec Package and PowerDVD9? If so, what codec package should I use other than what I have tried?

[dennit]

Should I uninstall Vista Codec Package and PowerDVD9? If so, what codec package should I use other than what I have tried?

I hate codec packs - they always seem to break things, then never seem to uninstall correctly.

Here's how I do it:

First, find out what works and what doesn't. You say you record mpeg. I assume you mean .mpg extension (all 3 formats, including dvr-m and ts are forms of mpeg).

Second, figure out what codecs are used to play the things that don't work. (If you want to do this right, then figure out what's used to play what does work, too, then keep track, in case it breaks later.) To do this, you can a) check GBPVR logs, b) check lastgraph.grf, or 3) attach to the graph using graphedit or equivalent.

Third, use graphedit to find a playback set of filters that works.

Fourth, set filtermerits so that the working graph is used, or set the playback selection in config.

Fifth, don't install anything else that will screw up your settings without making a backup first and testing.

That's probably not how others do it, but it's how I do it, and it's how Windows is designed to work, even though the design sucks.

[Sykor]

I had Vista Codec Package and had no problems when I had GB-PVR version 1.3.x. When I upgraded GB-PVR from 1.3.x to 1.4.7 my DVD playback was broken. I saw this Hobarg SAF codec package on here, read through the threads, and decided to try it. I had a lot of issues I never had before (scratchy audio, weird artifacts in Live TV, unable to get playback/Live TV/DVD all working). In the past I had used K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. I never have more than 1 installed; I always uninstall the existing package before installing a new one. Because SAF gave me so many problems, I uninstalled it and installed the latest Vista Codec Package.

I had the same problems with Hoborg's SAF package. It's DVXA orientation (I believe) works on the assumption that certain hardware requirements are fulfilled. In my case they weren't (P4 2.4Ghz, 512DDR, Geforce MX440 ). My codec array simply went FUBAR.

Don't get me wrong, this time it made things worse, but SAF is (considering the positive experiences of others) a great codec package. It does follow my philosophy: "get it working with minimal codec installation", and Hoborg is always available to check whatever problfor aems arise, looking for solutions. Once I manage to get a cheap/bargain deal dual core cpu, to upgrade my mediacenter with hd capabilities, I'll try it again.

In the end it brought me good things. I discovered GraphStudio and how to use it to undo the mess I got myself into too.
So, as dennit sugested get GraphStudio, play with it a little, and start checking the video/audio formats you'll be using, one by one.

[whurlston]

Codec packs in general are bad news and I never usually recommend them. Hoborg's SAF is an exception though. He actually uses GBPVR and has designed a pack specifically for its use. While SAF may not work for everyone, it will suffice for most GBPVR users and Hoborg is quick to respond to issues. So I definitely wouldn't class SAF with something like K-Lite.

[Wakalaka]

Any advice on how to clean out all codec stuff from my PC, since uninstall processes are notorious for not cleaning up 100%? All I know is that I had the most trouble with SAF, and the least trouble with K-Lite and Vista Codec Package.

[stustunz]

just use graphstudio or gspot to de-register the codec's you dont want
but you are best to play the file in gbpvr pause it then select connect to remote graph in graph studio this will only work if you have added the registry key or have previously used SAF which adds the key (if you use the latest saf pack)
i still swear by power dvd8 for video

i tried SAF but removed it because it doesnt seem to like power dvd8