Win 7 RC - playback of NZ Freeview's .ts files

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Win 7 RC - playback of NZ Freeview's .ts files

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#33698 10-May-2009 08:53

Have seen a few defunct threads touching on this (but not for RC), all without resolution.

I have a stock standard build with nothing installed apart from updated drivers for the tuner cards, and windows updates.

I have many .ts files recorded in either Mediaportal or GB-PVR. I am trying to play them from Media Center in Win 7 RC, but the video starts jittering on the first few frames, with patches of green.

I have followed a few suggestions to change the format from .ts to .mpg, and even .m2ts, but when i play these files, the video plays cleanly, but no sound.

I have used two files, one from TV2 and one from TV3, both with the same result.

About to install graphedit and check on the codecs, but even with the results, I will be really apprehensive about installing codecs that "might" fix it. Spose there's always system restore.

Has anyone got a recommended setup?

AliExpress

Affiliate link

Affiliate link: Buy anything now at AliExpress.

davidcole

5522 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#213840 10-May-2009 12:28

Sounds like you may not be using hardware acceleration? Have a look at the CPU usage while playng one of these files- if it's say greater than 10 - 30% wich with your specs is shouldn't be (although you don't mention the cpu size). Then you're using the CPU for decoding not your graphics card. Not sure how you turn it on for W7.

Previously known as psycik

OpenHAB: Gigabyte AMD A8 Brix, OpenHAB with Aeotech ZWave Controller, Raspberry PI, Wemos D1 Mini, Zwave, Xiaomi Humidity and Temperature sensors
Media:Chromecast v2, ATV4 4k, ATV4, HDHomeRun Dual
Windows 10 Host Plex Server 3x3TB, 4x4TB using DriveBender, Samsung 850 evo 512 GB SSD, Hyper-V Server with 1xW10, 2xUbuntu 20.04 LTS, Backblaze Backups,

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#213842 10-May-2009 12:51

Thanks davidcole

I have just been checking this. I have Vista dual-booted with Win 7. On Vista I'm running GB-PVR with HW acceleration. On Vista, it hovers nicely on about 15% on TV1/2, and 25% for TV3, That's pretty comparable with the Win 7 setup, although it's nowhere near as consistent with many more fluctuations. I think it's being scaled down anyway in Win 7 since I don't meet HD reqs with no hdmi cable and the monitor is not hdcp compliant, so it could just be using cpu to decode. Live TV is fine though, with no stuttering or sync issues.

I'm pretty useless at the codec thing, fumbling my way thru mediaportal and GB-PVR with the help of GZ forums. Just tried installing latest haali media splitter, with no luck. The installed latest ffdhsow restricting it to aac and ac3 audio only, but again no good. More experimentation needed I think. Has anyone got this working yet?

davidcole

5522 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#213851 10-May-2009 13:32

the codecs to use for GBPVR or media portal are the Total Media Arcsoft video decoder. Or the Cyberlink Power DVD 8. Both are pay software unfortunately.

Try the Power DVD 8 since I know it has a trial. This is what I use, so for a BluRay it sits on about 15% - 25%. TV2, TV3 etc are pretty similar.

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#213858 10-May-2009 14:01

Cool - I got MP and GB-PVR working fine, plays everything fine. Took me ages fiddling with pdvd and pcm codec. Not even sure how i did it in the end!

With built in support in Win 7, I wonder if that includes hw acceleration too, but regardless, I should be able to play these.

Now that i think of it, i had this issue with gb-pvr. Live tv would be fine, but recorded shows wouldn't have sound. This could have something to do with the different streams/muxes behind the recording. I'll keep experimenting with the decoding filters/codecs, and will post any updates.

Dingbatt

5757 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#214125 11-May-2009 15:35

To return to your original post. I am trying to play the .ts files on Win7MC without much luck. The video is fine but no audio. I have tried a variety of filters ffdshow, monogram, Orcan, etc but to no avail. The strange thing is I have a couple of old .ts files recorded off TV One (freeview terrestrial) from early may last year and they will play with audio and I'm pretty confident they are dvb-t. I have searched around in threads to do with Win7 but can't find a lead.

Is there a trick to getting WMP11 and Win7MC to use AAC and HE-AAC codecs when required? Or can you get around the problem by playing .ts files as virtual dvds?

Edit: Nah I just checked the bitrate on the old files and they are only about 2/3rds of the later ones which I assume means they are probably dvb-s and therefore MPEG-2 so no wonder they worked.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

sbiddle

30853 posts

Uber Geek

Retired Mod

Trusted

Biddle Corp

Lifetime subscriber

#214128 11-May-2009 15:48

I suspect the files you've found are probably when the broadcasts were using AC3 which would explain why they work but recent AAC ones don't.

Dingbatt

5757 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#214133 11-May-2009 16:01

sbiddle: I suspect the files you've found are probably when the broadcasts were using AC3 which would explain why they work but recent AAC ones don't.

Thanks Steve, I was editing my post when you replied. I didn't realise the broadcasts hadn't always been AAC. If AC3 works though, shouldn't TV3's AC3 stream work?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

kiwijunglist

2926 posts

Uber Geek

#214177 11-May-2009 18:42

The green blocky bits suggest codec problem rather than a lack of cpu grunt/hardware acceleration problem.

If Media center for Win 7 RC includes an option to turn DXVA on / off you could try turning it off and see if that changes anything. Also can you select what renderer is used in media center?

Why don't you try the .ts files within MPC-HC it is standalone and uses internal filters and is available in 32bit or 64bit versions. If the sound works within MPC-HC then you know the MPC-HC filters are working. The MPC-HC filters (codecs) are available as a seperate standalone files that you can register / unregister manually, therefore not interfering with your fresh installation.

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#214213 11-May-2009 20:39

I concur with the green blocky bits meaning codec, but assuming that the video codec would be fine, assume it is the filter that is the issue. Have installed latest Haali with defaults and no luck. Installed latest ffdshow, restricted to just audio decoding of ac3 and aac, and hey presto, tv3 ts files are working fine - again no sync issues.

The next stage of this for me is to follow some advice I got from here http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/03/controlling-codec-usage-with-radlight.html and to look at how the directshow filters are selected based on their merit values.

Dingbatt

5757 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#214235 11-May-2009 22:01

What version of ffdshow did you install?

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#214247 11-May-2009 22:48

file name i downloaded is ffdshow_beta6_rev2527_20081219, Sorry maybe not the latest, but it's what i used for gbpvr just over a month ago.

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#214944 15-May-2009 01:21

Making some progress on this. Didn't fully understand what was the issue before reading up.

Basically, and this has been discussed on GZ forums before (http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=83&topicid=25982); our ts files are raw and have no container, only a header. Because of this, most software just reads a video stream, or doesn't know what to decode it with.

You need a demuxer that is compatible with HE-AAC to split the video and audio first, and then it can be presented to the decoders and then renderers (sorry for those who know this already - I'm just playing catch up!). Some software that can do all this are apps like MediaPortal, GB-PVR, etc.

With Win7, we aren't so blessed, so, taking the lead from the aforementioned thread, I have installed PowerCinema 5.1 from the disc that came with my nova 500, and am able to play these aac (and ac3) files in PowerCinema in Win 7. Crappy workaround I know, but LiveTV in Media Center works ok still. I needed to uninstall haali media splitter to do it though so that the cyberlink demuxer could be fed the correctly format.

I'm not giving up though and will try to get our ts files working in Media Center too! Hope this helps!

walt12

324 posts

Ultimate Geek

#214962 15-May-2009 09:19

Please post your workarounds when you get this up and running ...

mthand

148 posts

Master Geek

#215183 16-May-2009 07:57

walt12: Please post your workarounds when you get this up and running ...

I wish Walt!

Basically I am at the stage where I have changed the file format to .mpg and am playing them in PCM. I can't work out how to get MediaCenter/MediaPlayer to use the Cyberlink demuxer and decoders for ts files. I've tried promoting the cyberlink codecs, also demoting the windows codecs, and it doesn't seem to work for me. Not saying that this isn't a valid step, just that I have no experience and don't know what I should expect.

In the thread I quoted previously, http://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?ForumId=83&TopicId=25982&page_no=3#171879, Charley says he can play them in Media Player. I have emailed him and asked for his assistance.

I'm keen if this can be done by filetype, and without breaking live tv and wtv playback. There are some blogs/articles at Hack7MC that talk about codecs, and one has a guide to telling Media Center to use certain video codecs when playing all other videos except wtv, but not audio, and I'm really over Registry Hacks for Media Center, so I'm currently happy with my "fully" functioning Windows Media Center, and am prepared to sit and wait until Windows 49 MCE when it might be fixed!!

Maybe Haali will come with a version soon that can demux the video and audio for our aac streams.