4:2:2 + DVBDream + Twinhan = which codec?

[mchomicz]

Hello,

I am having some trouble decoding 4:2:2 feeds with a Twinhan card and DVBDream. I am not having any trouble at all getting PBS HD (4:2:0 I think) from AMC3. But of all the test I have done thus far on NBC 4:2:2 channels available on AMC 1 (at 103.0°W http://www.lyngsat.com/amc1.html ) only Elecard 2.0 build 2525 actually succeeded in showing video. All other codecs failed miserably (i.e. I get audio but no video). So far I have tried the following codecs:

nvidia (works with PBS HD; does not work with NBC 4:2:2) http://69.134.23.108:8080/1_nvidia.xgr
nvidia (works with PBS HD; does not work with NBC 4:2:2) http://69.134.23.108:8080/2_nvidia_2.xgr (different audio setup)
nero http://69.134.23.108:8080/3_nero.xgr
intervideo http://69.134.23.108:8080/4_intervideo.xgr
cyberlink http://69.134.23.108:8080/5_cyberlink.xgr
elecard (only one that works with NBC 4:2:2 ; does not work with PBS HD) http://69.134.23.108:8080/6_elecard.xgr

BTW - above are Links to “external” graphs I'm using with DVBDream. You can right click and "save as" to save files and later view them in GraphEdit (I think assuming you have these codecs installed).

Any hints on what MPEG 2 codec to use would be highly appreciated. If you notice any problems with my graphs - please let me know! Specific codec versions that are confirmed to work would be even better. An email to mchomicz@gmail.com with a graph in XML format ( .xgr file generated with GraphEdit) along with .ax filter confirmed to work and which supports hardware acceleration would be a dream come true

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Cascade]

I know for a fact that one version of the Nvidia codec works for HD, I'm using it on my laptop, I'll fire her up and let you know.

 

[Cascade]

Doh, i forgot I installed PowerDVD on my laptop.
Whichever codec is installed with Cyberlink PowerDVD6 is working for HD on mine at full HD/WS res

 

[Wayn23]

Hello,

I am having some trouble decoding 4:2:2 feeds with a Twinhan card and DVBDream. I am not having any trouble at all getting PBS HD (4:2:0 I think) from AMC3. But of all the test I have done thus far on NBC 4:2:2 channels available on AMC 1 (at 103.0°W http://www.lyngsat.com/amc1.html ) only Elecard 2.0 build 2525 actually succeeded in showing video. All other codecs failed miserably (i.e. I get audio but no video). So far I have tried the following codecs:

nvidia (works with PBS HD; does not work with NBC 4:2:2) http://69.134.23.108:8080/1_nvidia.xgr
nvidia (works with PBS HD; does not work with NBC 4:2:2) http://69.134.23.108:8080/2_nvidia_2.xgr (different audio setup)
nero http://69.134.23.108:8080/3_nero.xgr
intervideo http://69.134.23.108:8080/4_intervideo.xgr
cyberlink http://69.134.23.108:8080/5_cyberlink.xgr
elecard (only one that works with NBC 4:2:2 ; does not work with PBS HD) http://69.134.23.108:8080/6_elecard.xgr

BTW - above are Links to “external” graphs I'm using with DVBDream. You can right click and "save as" to save files and later view them in GraphEdit (I think assuming you have these codecs installed).

Any hints on what MPEG 2 codec to use would be highly appreciated. If you notice any problems with my graphs - please let me know! Specific codec versions that are confirmed to work would be even better. An email to mchomicz@gmail.com with a graph in XML format ( .xgr file generated with GraphEdit) along with .ax filter confirmed to work and which supports hardware acceleration would be a dream come true

Thanks,
Michael

Very few decoders work with 4:2:2, Elecard is the most commonly used, I have also used the Main Concept decoder that comes with some Dazzle programs
for making DVDs. VLC can decode 4:2:2 also using a program like TSReader.
I have tried a few others that did not work well enough to convince me to pay for them.

 

[Wayn23]

I know for a fact that one version of the Nvidia codec works for HD, I'm using it on my laptop, I'll fire her up and let you know.

Most DVD decoders work for 4:2:0 HD, I have used Nvidia, Cyberlink, Intervideo and I tried a beta test of the Moonlight decoder that supports DXVA also and they all work well for 4:2:0 HD.

 

[mchomicz]

Most DVD decoders work for 4:2:0 HD

Unfortunately - my problem is 4:2:2 not 4:2:0... I'm decoding 4:2:0 without any issues with a number of codecs.

Have you used any decoders that can do 4:2:2? If so - could you please post the name AND the version that works? For example Elecard 2.0 build 2525 works OK. But not great.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Wayn23]

Unfortunately - my problem is 4:2:2 not 4:2:0... I'm decoding 4:2:0 without any issues with a number of codecs.

Have you used any decoders that can do 4:2:2? If so - could you please post the name AND the version that works? For example Elecard 2.0 build 2525 works OK. But not great.

Thanks,
Michael

I answered in post #4 about 4:2:2 decoders the HD stuff was in response to
Cascade. I will check later on the version# of Main Concept decoder I have that does 4:2:2, cpu usage was about the same as Elecard. I have noticed that the Elecard decoder does not handle errors well so if you don't have the stream locked without errors it screws up sometimes. Try TSReader for lots of info on the stream and a free version is available although it is limited.
Get it here http://www.coolstf.com/tsreader/

 

[mchomicz]

I will check later on the version# of Main Concept decoder I have that does 4:2:2

That would be great. Thank you. And also thanks for all the other info. I have tried Main Concept MPEG 2 decoder version 1.00.00.60 but that did not work. In fact - it crashed DVBDream :-( Perhaps another verison will work... I'm about to test a few other versions of Elecard decoder. The most recent "alpha" version with hardware acceleration does a decent job with 4:2:0 HD (though CPU usage is roughly twice that used by Nvidia decoder) .But so far no luck on 4:2:2

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Wayn23]

That would be great. Thank you. And also thanks for all the other info. I have tried Main Concept MPEG 2 decoder version 1.00.00.60 but that did not work. In fact - it crashed DVBDream :-( Perhaps another verison will work... I'm about to test a few other versions of Elecard decoder. The most recent "alpha" version with hardware acceleration does a decent job with 4:2:0 HD (though CPU usage is roughly twice that used by Nvidia decoder) .But so far no luck on 4:2:2

Thanks,
Michael

I checked and my Main Concept decoder is version 1.00.00.45, I tried building a graph for DVBdream and it worked but it was flaky and I had to reboot the computer before it would let me use the Elecard decoder again, I had to adjust the cropping in the video settings to fill the screen also. I tried it in MyTheater and it worked fine but I had to adjust the Video cropping also and
with the Elecard too. I like the Main Concept Encoder, it works great for converting 4:2:2 to 4:2:0 so I can play back recordings with my X-card hardware mpeg2/4 decoder card.

 

[mchomicz]

I checked and my Main Concept decoder is version 1.00.00.45

Thanks for the info. Wonder it's possible to still get that version some pace...

What MPEG2/4 are you using?

I have by now tried about 8 different codecs and I think Elecard does the best job on average. It does use a lot of CPU power to decode PBS HD (relative to nvidia, cyberlink and intervideo) - but it works fine and most importantly - it's capable of doing 4:2:2 (unlike those other codecs).

I am still working out kinks in my setup before I move the DVB card to my Media Center PC.

BTW - does NBC ever broadcast anteing in HD 16:9 format on AMC1? So far everything I've seen was in 4:3 standard definition (though 4:2:2 - better color than standard 4:2:0 I suppose; not that I can tell the difference on my setup...) I'm watching Arena Football in 752x512 as I write this.

Also - the NBC signal on AMC1 seems VERY bad. A lot of artifacts and hissing sound - as if a lot of video and some audio data was getting lost. It is somewhat strange because I get a good quality satellite signal and CPU usage does not go over 30 %. Is this what others are experiencing as well? Or is it a matter of how well / bad my decoders do with 4:2:2? I get the same results with both Elecard (multiple versions including 2.1.4921 ) and BitControl 1.3 MPEG 2 decoders.

Thanks for all the help! I got from noting to watching 4:2:2 in a matter 24 hours largely because of help I got here!

Thanks again,
Michael