MPEG2 codec with closed captions?

[betsyb]

Anyone know of a free MPEG2 codec with cc-out I can get anywhere? The default Windows MPEG2 codec is the only one I can get to show video on my system but it has no closed captioning. I installed ffdshow and dragged some dlls over from vlc which gave me a very few new decoders to choose from but none of them work at all, at least for Live TV picture.

I did search around and found that MainConcept (HCW) MPEG-2 Video Decoder seems to work for people but can't find a good source without having to pony up $50 for a whole bundle of stuff I don't want. I can't find a free alternative.

How/when does NPVR use H.264 instead of MPEG2? If I can't get an MPEG2 codec that meets my needs, how do I use H.264 instead? I seem to have the MainConcept H.264 Video Decoder from somewhere (not sure where) but NPVR refuses to use anything other than MPEG2 on my system.

I have Win 7 Home Premium with an ATI TV Wonder HD-600 USB tuner.

[whurlston]

You need a decoder that outputs line 21 data as byte pairs. Some decoders output it as GOP packets (intended for DVD captions) which is not compatible with NextPVR for TV/recordings.

I know the following filters will work (I'm not sure about others):

MainConcept (HCW) MPEG-2 Video Decoder
ATI MPEG Video Decoder
SageTV MPEG-2 Video Decoder

[johnsonx42]

I get closed captions with the ATI MPEG Video Decoder, but it performs poorly on channel changes (works ok though if you exit live tv and start again on the new channel). LAV has no closed captions, and performs poorly on channel changes. The Microsoft DTV-DVD Decoder works great on channel changes (it's the one I use all the time), but unfortunately has no closed captions.

I'd suggest trying SAF6 Unlocked (see thread in community announcements forum).

[johnsonx42]

oh, and to answer your question about using h.264, you can't. the US uses only MPEG-2, and NPVR just records what you get from your antenna or cable.

[mvallevand]

In the US there is definitely h264 on FIOS, Comcast and also DirectTV. It is usually called MPEG4 though.

Martin

[johnsonx42]

I know DirecTV uses h264, but that's really not relevant since we can't access those streams directly. I didn't know FIOS and Comcast used it though... is that on channels we could actually access with a ClearQAM or CableCard tuner?

Either way, my primary point stands in that the OP is stuck with whatever format he's getting from his provider, which is clearly MPEG-2 in this case.

[mvallevand]

I know DirecTV uses h264, but that's really not relevant since we can't access those streams directly.

Some can http://www.nextcomwireless.com/R5000/home.htm

Martin