Will I really be able to get HW acceleration to work?

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Will I really be able to get HW acceleration to work?

gpnz

80 posts

Master Geek

#37349 11-Jul-2009 15:49

I've struggled with this in the past, but I have an older PC that would be perfect as a HTPC (for freeview) if only I could get a Video card that I could successfully get HW acceleration working on with freeview. My other option is build a new machine - maybe $600, or I spied a couple of cards that *should* work for $100-150 - but if they dont, then doh thats money I've basically flushed.

So, these are the two cards I'm looking at :

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=377469
http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=371219

I'm interested to know if anyone here is using either, or even one based on the same chipset, and has it successfully working with freeview and HW acceleration.

If so, the things I'd be keen to know...

Catalyst Version in Use
Codec in Use
HTPC software being used
Windows Version

My PC (that I'd like to put this into) is a Gigabyte HA91 that has been a good friend to me with MCE 2005 - although I have since switched to Media Portal (for use with freeview) and so this is what I will be running on this box if I get a working HW accelerating video card.

Cheers,

mcraenz

1140 posts

Uber Geek

#234120 11-Jul-2009 16:21

If you mean dvt-t (FreeviewHD) then I think it's not possible with AGP. I've not a single case of sucss with AGP. :(

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kiwijunglist

2981 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#234373 12-Jul-2009 16:43

What about just changing out the MB and use IGP which would give you a better upgrade path

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=378832 (miniATX)

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=9373812 (fullsize)

EDIT: I looked up the Gigabyte HA91 and I see just replacing the motherboard is probably not gonna be possible/practical solution. Are you sure you could fit a video card into that computer case? (Does the inbuilt tuner do DVB-T or do you have to add a PCI tuner as well?)

In answer to the rest of your questions (If you go the 3650 route)

ATI 8.12
PDVD8 Build 2217aU (For TV), MPCVideoDec.ax (For Video), Haali media splitter, Nil other codecs on system
Mediaportal 1.0 Final (Don't use 1.0.2 or 1.1 as the rendering changes maybe too much for your older computer)
Win XP SP3
You'd probably want to do the remove packed textures hack for mediaportal since your computer is old

Theoretically the AGP 3650 should be fine for hardware acceleration

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

Disrespective

1926 posts

Uber Geek

#234381 12-Jul-2009 17:22

Remember that Radeon cards seem to have a few compatibility issues with a few things so decide which front end you want to use and then make sure that others have the same card working. Oh and confirm what drivers they are using. I think that some of the new catalyst drivers are the best yet for HTPC use but don't quote me on that.

kiwijunglist

2981 posts

Uber Geek

ID Verified

#234384 12-Jul-2009 17:32

Is there anywhere that will let you return the AGP HD3650 for a full/partial refund if it doesn't work?

HTPC / Home automation (home assistant) enthusiast.

gpnz

80 posts

Master Geek

#234878 13-Jul-2009 19:56

EDIT: I looked up the Gigabyte HA91 and I see just replacing the motherboard is probably not gonna be possible/practical solution. Are you sure you could fit a video card into that computer case? (Does the inbuilt tuner do DVB-T or do you have to add a PCI tuner as well?)

Indeed - the HA91 has a nice external form factor, but the mobo FF is custom. The machine comes with an AGP port that should take a full height card (cleverly positioned on a riser card at the bottom of the machine under the HD) and a PCI slot that takes a half height card - the PCI slot by default comes populated with a Tuner (analogue only), but I'm not going to use it - I'll probably leave that slot empty in fact. I already have a main HTPC thats in a full mini tower case and hidden in a conveniently located cupboard behind the main TV. The main HTPC has both DVB-T and Analogue tuners and my plan is to view recorded and live TV from the second (HA91) HTPC located in another room. I've already tested the live/recorded TV streaming across the home LAN and other than the video decoding issue on the HA91 (not enough grunt) it works really well (Media Portal 1.0 Final).

In answer to the rest of your questions (If you go the 3650 route)
<useful stuff deleted>

Cheers for that.

I think ascent will accept a return within 10 days, which might be a good option if I cant get the HW decoding to work. I might give it a try, I really do want it to work, but like I say - havent had real good luck with it so far - in fact on my main HTPC I rely on the grunt of the CPU to do the work even tho I have an ATI card that supports HW encoding - I could just never get it to work right - still the last time I tried was way back when Freeview HD (DVB-T) launched so maybe driver/codec support is better now.

wally5

29 posts

Geek

#234954 13-Jul-2009 22:10

Hi, dont think you will have a problem if you decide too use a card like the ATI HD3650 AGP , it supports unified video decoding, so it sould work.

I have a HIS HD3850 which is the biggest HD graphic card you can get for a AGP system, rest of my hardware is Asus P5P800SE Intel 865PE chipset, Pentium D 945 3.4 GHz, 2GB Cosair RAM, Nova T500 tuner card. Silverstone 650w single 12v rail power supply.

OS, XP SP3 x86, Dvbviewer 4.0, PowerDVD8 with patch 2021u, latest patch 3017u doesnt work for me. Cant access Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder within DVBviewer too enable DxVA. You will find this under filters, also Direct X settings you must select VMR9 video render and under VMR options, select YUV mixing mode. For ATI Drivers using latest hotfix Catalyst 9.6 was using 8.12.

http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/CatalystAGPHotfix.aspx

Windows 7, having problems with ATI Drivers ,TV3 goes green after 30 seconds , all another channels ok.

gpnz: I've struggled with this in the past, but I have an older PC that would be perfect as a HTPC (for freeview) if only I could get a Video card that I could successfully get HW acceleration working on with freeview. My other option is build a new machine - maybe $600, or I spied a couple of cards that *should* work for $100-150 - but if they dont, then doh thats money I've basically flushed.

So, these are the two cards I'm looking at :

http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=377469
http://www.ascent.co.nz/productspecification.aspx?ItemID=371219

I'm interested to know if anyone here is using either, or even one based on the same chipset, and has it successfully working with freeview and HW acceleration.

If so, the things I'd be keen to know...

Catalyst Version in Use
Codec in Use
HTPC software being used
Windows Version

My PC (that I'd like to put this into) is a Gigabyte HA91 that has been a good friend to me with MCE 2005 - although I have since switched to Media Portal (for use with freeview) and so this is what I will be running on this box if I get a working HW accelerating video card.

Cheers,

gpnz

80 posts

Master Geek

#235330 14-Jul-2009 20:10

wally5:

Hi, dont think you will have a problem if you decide too use a card like the ATI HD3650 AGP , it supports unified video decoding, so it sould work.

<useful stuff deleted>

Cheers for the info.

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1gkar

722 posts

Ultimate Geek

#235345 14-Jul-2009 20:40

mcraenz: If you mean dvt-t (FreeviewHD) then I think it's not possible with AGP. I've not a single case of sucss with AGP. :(

I thought the same (PCI-E necessary), but there was someone around here (a regular contributor) who said they had DVB-T HD working with a Radeon (I think) AGP card but it required hacks. Can't remember who it was. Have tried checking my old threads but with no success.

Maybe they will see it. Could try a search -am pretty sure it was at Geekzone.

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

serafis

21 posts

Geek

#235771 15-Jul-2009 18:07

I couldn't get Freeview HW acceleration working on a pci-e Radeon HD (I think it was a 3450) - and believe me I tried and tried and tried until the family said "what the !!! are you still fiddling with that thing for". Best I managed to get (with DXVA turned off) was slightly worse than the onboard ATI X1250. Problems included stutter, freeze, green pixel artefacts, green frames etc.

Returned the ATI and bought a nvidia 9400GT silent instead - and it just worked straight out of the box with exactly the same codecs and settings. I'm not an nvidia bigot - I like both brands. But from the forums I've read, nvidia 8-series onwards behave better with DXVA than ATI.

BTW, I bought the ATI card from Ascent, a company with a good reputation. They will allow returns but they say they charge a restocking fee if the reason is "incompatibility". I told them that I'd specifically bought the card for hardware decoding H.264 Freeview streams, and for HDMI capability, neither of which the card was able to do and therefore was not fit for its advertised purpose, and if they could get it working and show me how then I would gladly keep it. They refunded in full without any question and no restocking fee.