H.264 Codecs: What Options Are Out There?

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722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#124964 19-Apr-2008 18:40

1gkar:

PlatinuM195: I've been trying to test the Cyberlink H.264 AVC Decoder (Azurewave) in the TwinHan package, it seems as if you only need to register the file cl264dec.ax in the /h264 folder.

Dang! there goes my theory of the PC hanging after about 25 seconds of viewing TV3 on my new setup. Thought I might need to install the package.

I just registered the *.ax file as above & it goes fine: until it hangs/replays between video frames & am unable to escape out.

Haven't tried any other channels as I'm watching the V8s on MCE at present.

Just for those sho have seen my other threads; it appears all my issues & subsequent forced hardware upgrade were due to a faulty Asus 8500GT video card.

How do I check if the issue is codec related or something do with Mediaportal? Though I don't see how. Just how do you check if the videocard is actually hardware decoding? Cheers.

Okay, found the checkbox inside MP config & it is checked.

I am watching TV3 sport at present with no issues & I also watched Freeview HD for about 3 minutes with no issues. So don't know why it was an issue eatlier

Man, the digital TV looks great; even on my 480p X1 projector.

Silverstone LC14 HTPC Case/Intel E4600 CPU/GA-EP35-DS3 MOBO/Asus EN9500GT graphics/2GB RAM/total 2TB HDD space/HVR-2200 & 2X 150MCE tuner cards/LG GGC-H20L BD Drive/MCE2005/Mediaportal/TVServer 1.1.0Final/LG 55"3D LED-TV/Denon AVR-1803 receiver/X1 projector

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#125006 19-Apr-2008 22:30

My CPU useage is between 22-50% according to task manager, if that can be believed. What's the best programme (free) for checking CPU useage?

No1Daemon

172 posts

Master Geek

#125077 20-Apr-2008 14:14

1gkar: My CPU useage is between 22-50% according to task manager, if that can be believed. What's the best programme (free) for checking CPU useage?

Speedfan seems to be quite popular.

Bewildered

106 posts

Master Geek

#125748 23-Apr-2008 07:57

Best tool for looking at CPU usage etc is Process Explorer from the Sysinternals Suite of utilities. You can get it from

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896653.aspx.

Cheers,
Bewildered.

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#127157 29-Apr-2008 20:33

freitasm:
[cross-posting from the Cyberlink PowerDVD v8 thread]

freitasm: Seeing that H.264 is a requirement for our DVB-T HTPC projects I have been working with Cyberlink on something for sometime now - no updates yet, but I will let folks know when - and if - anything comes along.

I have managed to arrange a 10% discount for PowerDVD Ultra v7. I am waiting for the discount code and the link to their online store and will post this information later.

freitasm,

I have been looking at Cyberlink's site looking for the PowerDVD 7 Ultra's specs & I can't find it. It's not on their comparison page??

http://www.cyberlink.com/multi/products/compare_1_ENU.html

As you can see any of the other version 7 editions could have limitations for a dedicated HTPC. Any chance of getting Cyberlink to post the relevant specs on this thread for people to make an informed purchase. Thanks.

freitasm

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Geekzone

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#127159 29-Apr-2008 20:36

If all you wanted is the H.264 decoder, then Power DVD 7 Ultra would be enough - that's what I had in my system. The equivalent on their new product would be Power DVD 8 DeLuxe.

Unfortunatelly the discount I managed to get would make the Power DVD 7 Ultra the same price as the Power DVD 8 DeLuxe - which is not an advantage at all, since you could be much better off buying the new version with more features than the old version.

Cyberlink never came back to me when I pointed this out.

Nety

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#127253 30-Apr-2008 10:29

OK what have I missed...

I purchased a XFX 8500GT video card which arrived yesterday. Installed. I already had Cyberlink installed. Played a H.264 video and it did this really weird play for couple of second... rewind a second.. jump forward to sync with the audio rinse and repeat

This is in Vista media centre.

Checked FFShow and tried the only decoder it listed which is what i had been using up until then.. Cant recall what it is called but is the default one. Video played but with medium to high cpu usage as prior to card being installed.

So uninstalled the drivers for the video card and the codec pack. Got the latest codec pack and the new beta drivers from nvidia. Also installed the twinhan digitaltv software to get the codec installed from that. Now it seems to make no difference if I have the ffshow decoder enabled or set to disabled. Video plays nice and smooth but CPU utilisation is high. Should I be able to see and select the Cyberlink decoder in ffshow? What has gone wrong!?

Help!

Media centre PC - Case Silverstone LC16M with 2 X 80mm AcoustiFan DustPROOF, MOBO Gigabyte MA785GT-UD3H, CPU AMD X2 240 under volted, RAM 4 Gig DDR3 1033, HDD 120Gig System/512Gig data, Tuners 2 X Hauppauge HVR-3000, 1 X HVR-2200, Video Palit GT 220, Sound Realtek 886A HD (onboard), Optical LiteOn DH-401S Blue-ray using TotalMedia Theatre Power Corsair VX Series, 450W ATX PSU OS Windows 7 x64

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AceVPD

137 posts

Master Geek

#127713 1-May-2008 21:03

Nety: I have a 3G P4 with a borrowed 8500GT. At first I was getting ~90% CPU usage playing back (not smoothly) the 1080i samples. The use hardware acceleration kept coming unticked in PowerDVD everytime I played the file.

The Solution: Use Vista MediaCenter Decoder Utility to change the video decoder (don't change audio) from Microsoft to PowerDVD.
http://www.whittakermoore.com/VMCD.exe

I'm now getting ~10-20% CPU usage with smooth 1080i playback

Maybe this will fix your problem.

Ace

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#133104 25-May-2008 12:32

I have been reinstalling {again} MCE2005 & thought I would play around with various versions of PowerDVD. There appears to be a vast discrepancy in the cl264dec.ax codecs' characteristics; & latest is NOT always best. Oh, a truism that continues to hold fast in the IT arena.

After the reinstall, I reinstalled the trial version of PowerDVD8 with a cl264dec.ax version of 2.1.0.1310 (I think: am reading off a Sony 29"CRT TV) & got the same results as before: block artifacting & signal hanging/looping & having to exit Mediaportal.

With PowerDVD 7 (Removed discussion, links related to piracy/pirated content) The original is fine. The H264 version is 1.6.0.1520.

When playing within Mediaportal it plays nearly perfectly: no hangs/loops & had it running unattended for over 30 minutes. However, the deinterlacing is crap (this function is disabled in the unactivated install) with trails on fast moving objects.

One other idiosynchrocy is when changing channels to TV3 it will hang on the existing one but I can change to an analogue channel, then to TV3. This is not evident when changing between the TVNZ ones.

I wonder if you can interchange the codecs? And what would happen? Will look into it sometime but for now it is acceptable for the interim.

PS. anyone know if the deinterlace characteristics can be altered other than from within the PowerDVD7 interface?

(Moderator edit (Brian): Removed content related to piracy (links, file names). )

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#133112 25-May-2008 13:32

1gkar:

...With PowerDVD 7 (Removed discussion, links related to piracy/pirated content) The original is fine. The H264 version is 1.6.0.1520. ...

(Moderator edit (Brian): Removed content related to piracy (links, file names). )

Sorry about that, Brian. Wasn't thinking, was I. Think I could find a non-hacked version of the app on torrents? The ones that are titled as non-illegal are either broken links or not supported. Used that as it is way quicker on dial-up. Just finished a while back downloading Windows SP3. Lucky I didn't hold my breath.

freitasm

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#133113 25-May-2008 13:39

1gkar: Sorry about that, Brian. Wasn't thinking, was I. Think I could find a non-hacked version of the app on torrents? The ones that are titled as non-illegal are either broken links or not supported. Used that as it is way quicker on dial-up. Just finished a while back downloading Windows SP3. Lucky I didn't hold my breath.

I don't think you will find any legal Cyberlink software on torrents. The only legal ones come with hardware or you can buy at www.cyberlink.com

AceVPD

137 posts

Master Geek

#133266 26-May-2008 11:02

what deinterlacing settings are people using in powerdvd?

Ace

1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#133286 26-May-2008 13:27

freitasm:
1gkar: Sorry about that, Brian. Wasn't thinking, was I. Think I could find a non-hacked version of the app on torrents? The ones that are titled as non-illegal are either broken links or not supported. Used that as it is way quicker on dial-up. Just finished a while back downloading Windows SP3. Lucky I didn't hold my breath.

I don't think you will find any legal Cyberlink software on torrents. The only legal ones come with hardware or you can buy at www.cyberlink.com

It seems a totally legal, trial version. After closing down it brings up the activation code screen. Guess I am a bit naive on Torrents: only started using it last week, to download Windows SP3. So I assumed it was a legit way to get authorised software.

aucklander

477 posts

Ultimate Geek

#137057 10-Jun-2008 16:24

geekiegeek:
Or it looks like there is a free version of the cyberlink codec in the twinhan digitaltv software - just ignore the "no supported hardware found" dialog.

http://www.twinhan.com/download_driver&software.asp

Not sure if it does hardware decode as I have this and the powerdvd version - but this one doesnt cobflict with other codecs set as mpeg2 decoder in MP - I had an issue with FFDSHOW

what model number do you have to use, as there are several models listed in the DVB-T section.
I want to use with Nova-T 500 HD.

Thank you in advance.

mobo Intel DH55PJ, RAM: 4GB RAM, Nova-T 500 HD + Avermedia Trinity tuner card, Geforce 520 video, 120GB SSD Sandisk + 640 WD + 1000SG, Win7 Home Prem 64-bit, Media Portal 1.15.0; BTC 9019URF Cordless Keyboard, Panasonic 55" (HDMI cable), HTPC Case Silverstone Grandia GD05B.

matthewmw64

25 posts

Geek

#138054 14-Jun-2008 21:36

Does the Powercinema 5.1 software that comes with the Hauppauge HVR2200 Card have the H.264 Codec on it?

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