Cannot select Microsoft DTV-DVD as Video Decoder | Win 8 Pro + MC

[Omenatalo]

New user here finding my way with this great software.

So here's the problem. I don't seem to be able to select Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder as the MPEG2 video decoder for live TV. It was selected by default after installation for DVD MPEG2 video playback and is also selected for MPEG1 audio. Thanks to this patch I can now select Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder as the H.264 video decoder, but I can't seem to get NextPVR to use it for the MPEG2 video decoder. The drop down only gives the "disabled" option and the file browser button to the right doesn't seem to do anything at all. What am I doing wrong?

My system is close to a clean install Windows 8 Pro with Media Center pack. NextPVR, XBMC and Comskip are about the only things installed so far. NextPVR logs attached.

Any help would be most welcome!

[mikeh49]

In Win 8 (unlike Win 7), the MS DTV decoder cannot be used with 3rd party apps like NPVR for MPEG2. The patch enables it for h.264. as you noted. You could try the SAF codec system developed by hoborg for NPVR. A lot of people here use it.

[Zeb]

Hi Omenatalo, the problem is that Microsoft has hobbled their decoder so that it won't support third-party applications such as NextPVR. (That wasn't true with Windows 7.) Therefore you need another MPEG2 decoder. The usual advice is to install SAF6 decoder pack and send a private message to hoborg for the "unlocked" version (http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php?50227). If you're using a Hauppauge tuner, installing WinTV would be another option.

[Edit] I have a PDR MPEG1/2 Video Decoder that works with NPVR, at least for U.S. QAM channels. (However I'm not running Win 8.) I'm not certain how PDR decoders ended up on my system, but believe it might have been when I installed iTunes for Windows (which is free). [Edit] Cancel that: System search showed that PDR decoders came with Cyberlink PowerDirector video-editing software.

[mikeh49]

Good to see consistent advice on the forum.

[Omenatalo]

Good to see consistent advice on the forum.

I've been reading these forums for a few days now while setting stuff up. I have to say I am really impressed with the community here. It was one of my main reasons for choosing NextPVR over the alternatives.

Now back to business. I thought that adding the Media Center pack to Windows 8 added the codecs needed for multimedia, or is that only for DVD playback?

I am using NextPVR with XBMC, which is able to show video from Live TV without (too many) problems. I just get a black screen in NextPVR. If XBMC can show the video from NextPVR, what codec is it using and could I use the same codec in NextPVR?

[Reddwarf]

I've been reading these forums for a few days now while setting stuff up. I have to say I am really impressed with the community here. It was one of my main reasons for choosing NextPVR over the alternatives.

Now back to business. I thought that adding the Media Center pack to Windows 8 added the codecs needed for multimedia, or is that only for DVD playback?

I am using NextPVR with XBMC, which is able to show video from Live TV without (too many) problems. I just get a black screen in NextPVR. If XBMC can show the video from NextPVR, what codec is it using and could I use the same codec in NextPVR?

What decoders have you selected in NextPVR?

[mikeh49]

My understanding for Win 8 is that the decoder(s) are there, but can only be used by Microsoft apps like WMC or Media Player, not by other apps like NPVR. No one on the forum has mentioned whether they can be used for DVD playback in NPVR. Have you tried that?

I don't know for sure what XBMC used for decoders, I think it is ffdshow.

I have not used Win 8 or XBMC with NPVR. I'm just repeating what I have read on the forum.

[elifino]

I am using NextPVR with XBMC, which is able to show video from Live TV without (too many) problems. I just get a black screen in NextPVR. If XBMC can show the video from NextPVR, what codec is it using and could I use the same codec in NextPVR?

I have NPVR running in Windows 8 (Basic, not Pro). I don't have XBMC (and haven't yet determined what XBMC would give me that I don't already have with NPVR). My only TV source is OTA ATSC MPEG-2. My NPVR shows only two available MPEG-2 video decoders: "ffdshow Video Decoder" and "LAV Video Decoder". ffdshow works, LAV gives a black screen. I obtained ffdshow by running "windows.7.codec.pack.v4.0.6.setup.exe" which I downloaded from cnet.com. When I first installed and selected the ffdshow decoder, it, too, gave a black screen when I clicked Live TV. I then went to TV Guide, selected a show for the then current time period, clicked "Watch", and voila, I had video. Thereafter, I've had video when clicking Live TV.

[Graham]

I don't know for sure what XBMC used for decoders, I think it is ffdshow.

I think so too. ffdshow in NextPVR should play just about anything but you may need to configure it to play video in the format that you need and enable it to run with npvr.exe.

I use, and recommend, ... unlocked ... SAF. SAF includes LAV or you can get LAV decoders by Googling ... might be easier than ffdshow.

[mvallevand]

While they are both open source and share code ffdshow-tryouts and xbmc's ffmpeg are not the same. If anything ffdshow is closer to vlc and mplayer.

Martin