Thumbs up for Nvidia's new DVD decoder

[Hurin]

Originally Posted by darren_e

I'm not getting the quality I want with my 9600XT- I mean I am getting good quality, but it gets jumpy if I pause or change channels. I have to FF a couple of times to get it back in sync.

I'm doing my research to find out if it's worth purchasing a new GeForce 6600 GT (AGP) card since reading about nVidias new drivers and this so called "pure video" feature which I think is appealing- if my research concludes that this works well with BTV...

So, I guess I'm saying I feel I have tweaked my card to it's fullest potential and it's still not satisfying my thirst for "Pseudo HDTV Bliss."

My card meaning the ATI 9600XT.

Have you seen this thread ?!?

Seems to address your problem. I'm betting you're running Windows SP2 and/or DirectX 9.0c.

H

[darren_e]

Yes, I have read the whole thread several times.

I tried the quartz.dll with no success and I really don't want to attempt to roll back to SP1.

From the results of nVidia users, it seems like these fixes work for them...Another reason why I'm planning on jumping over from ATI video cards.

[nanook105]

Ooops - posted to wrong thread

[onion]

The Nvidia decoder is definitly nice....to a point.... its not going to help much if your recording settings are set at a medium to low bitrate....

The difference between codecs at 12000 kilobits per second is stunning.
The difference between codecs at around 5500 kilobits per second is not......codecs cant make up for lack of bitrate...

Thats why you see people here posting

"Wow its a huge difference" <---person with bitrate set high to MAX (8000 - 12000)
"I didnt really see much of a difference" <--- person with bitrate set around medium (5000-6000)

[Hurin]

Originally Posted by darren_e

From the results of nVidia users, it seems like these fixes work for them...Another reason why I'm planning on jumping over from ATI video cards.

Fair 'Nuff. But it just so happens that I had to return my NV 6800 today (fan too loud) and went back to my Radeon 9200. After formatting drive and starting over from scratch again, I gotta say that the quartz file thingy fixed it with my Radeon too. So, well, just FYI, in case it helps anyone.

H

[mikem]

Originally Posted by Hurin

Fair 'Nuff. But it just so happens that I had to return my NV 6800 today (fan too loud) and went back to my Radeon 9200. After formatting drive and starting over from scratch again, I gotta say that the quartz file thingy fixed it with my Radeon too. So, well, just FYI, in case it helps anyone.

H

All 6800 fans are too loud for a HTPC system. The best one I have found is that Gigabyte do a passive cooled 6800 card. This is based on an NV41 core so has working MPEG2 and WMV9 acceleration working in the Video Processor section.

[darren_e]

Originally Posted by Hurin

Fair 'Nuff. But it just so happens that I had to return my NV 6800 today (fan too loud) and went back to my Radeon 9200. After formatting drive and starting over from scratch again, I gotta say that the quartz file thingy fixed it with my Radeon too. So, well, just FYI, in case it helps anyone.

H

That's odd. I tried the quartz.dll trick with no success. I did this in safe mode and I even backed up my old quartz.dll file.
The picture was all scrambled after doing this.

But, I've made several changes since then to my setup and I'm willing to try this again to see if I can get any success. If it does, I'll be one happy camper.

[Hurin]

Originally Posted by mikem

All 6800 fans are too loud for a HTPC system. The best one I have found is that Gigabyte do a passive cooled 6800 card. This is based on an NV41 core so has working MPEG2 and WMV9 acceleration working in the Video Processor section.

Yeppers, I have my eye on that one at Newegg in case my 9200 starts giving me any trouble. But so far, since the reinstall and the quartz trick, smooth sailing. I'm letting it run for 24 hours before I move all my junk back over and make it a "production" machine again.

[Hurin]

Originally Posted by darren_e

But, I've made several changes since then to my setup and I'm willing to try this again to see if I can get any success. If it does, I'll be one happy camper.

I hope it works! For the record, I've been using this version of the quartz file.

Have you reformatted and started over since your last attempt?

H

[Bilar Crais]

FYI:


The NVIDIA DVD decoder will stretch in Overlay mode if you open the decoder's systray applet and select "Anamorphic/RawAspect" while LiveTV is running.
I found this out by accident yesterday.

[DigitalMe]

I added the NVIDIA setting to the customsetting file and restarted webadmin. I still don't get the option for NVIDIA in the drop down box. Am I supposed to be doing anything else for this to work?

[mickwall]

You have to restart BTV, not just the webadmin.

Mick

[Rich A]

I installed this the end of last week. The over-quality seems a tad better. Note my original was pretty good to begin with. However I have found an issue.

Has anyone using this decoder in accel. mode (not overlay) WITH de-interlacing turned on seen this?

Horizontal short random lines in black areas. Especially seen when watching wide screen with black bars above and below the video content. I almost didn't notice this as when I view wide screen I set my theater screen mask to eliminate those black bars. But the "streaking" lines are bright white and even show up slightly on the masked area.

This is only with the Nvidia decoder, and only with de-interlacing turned on.

[optikhog]

Originally Posted by Bilar Crais

FYI:


The NVIDIA DVD decoder will stretch in Overlay mode if you open the decoder's systray applet and select "Anamorphic/RawAspect" while LiveTV is running.
I found this out by accident yesterday.

This is the best tip I've seen in a long time! Thanks for the heads-up. No more HDTV pillar-box for me!

[emg178]

Wow - just upgraded from all in wonder 8500dv to 9550 and turned on nvidia's decoder w/ hardware accel, and hardware deinterlace. What a juge difference. Haven't played around a lot, but on best quality recordings with a pvr150 card, it is realy hard to tell the difference b/t a recording or delayed tv and just using the televisions built in tuner (which has noise reduction). On good recordings, the picture is a bit blurry when viewed on 32 inch screen from 5 feet. From 12-15 feet on that tube, either record quality is fine. I've not noticed the deinterlacing problem, although I have directx9c. I'm running windows 2000.