Graphics Card for .mkv hardware acceleration in Windows Media Center

Nelbert

Hi,
Long time reader, first time poster.
Was hoping one of you could help me.
I currently have a 3ghz Pentium 4 (no laughing!) with 3Gbs of Ram and the Radeon X600 (yeah that old!) and am running Vista (I actually like it)

Problem is my Cpu and/or Graphics Card are struggling to play 720p .mkv files encoded with h264 and stutter a fair bit.

I am looking to upgrade my pc enough to play these files as cheaply as possible.

The solution I was thinking of was buying either a HD4850 or 4870 but Im struggling to find out if these support hardware acceleration with Media Center (I hate spelling it like a stupid American), so I was hoping one of you kind folks who are lucky enough to have one of these cards could tell me whether it would help me?

Cuddlesworth

Most cards including the x600 should play all high def movies fine.

Are you sure its not the encoding on the movies themselves stuttering. I have quite a few at home that do that on my system.

Sqaull20

Ati x600 should be able to play 720p .mkv videos fine.

What program are you using, vlc?

Try using Media Player Classic, and the K-Lite Codec Pack and use fraps to get the frame rate, most videos run at 24 fps.


As far as I know, the cpu does the video decoding, not the gpu(unless you're using hardware acceleration), so video cards won't affect video decoding.

Media Player Classic with everything here

http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=170561

Nelbert

Thanks for the replies

Squall20 - Problem is I would prefer to stick with using Windows Media Centre or some other program with a similar interface if you could recommend one as Im watching them on my Samsung 37 r82 series tv through my X600's dvi port. (Gonna put it on my bedroom wall over the weekend and just have the pc and computer moniter in the corner of my room, just thought I'd throw that in cause I've been looking forward to doing it for ages!) With Media Centre Im able to use my logitech harmony remote (Lazy man's dream) so with vlc or media player classic I'd have to use a mouse and keyboard so it's not really an option.

Cuddlesworth - I'm pretty sure its my cpu and graphics card not keeping up as my cpu is maxed out playing them, the lower bitrate ones are fine its just when the bitrate is high they become unwatchable.

Ideally I would like to buy a new graphics card which will take the load on my cpu and hardware decode it like the 4850 and 4870 are meant to. Problem is I haven't been able to find an answer as to whether they hardware accelerate .mkvs in Media Centre or any other application for that matter.
Does anyone know if this happens or whether there is a workaround to force the graphics card to hardware accelerate the video? (I'm kinda looking for an excuse to buy a new graphics card and the two new radeons seem like a great option!)

Overheal

Just about any GPU upgrade would be capable of Hardware Acceleration with the Media Center.

Cuddlesworth

Nelbert wrote: »

Cuddlesworth - I'm pretty sure its my cpu and graphics card not keeping up as my cpu is maxed out playing them, the lower bitrate ones are fine its just when the bitrate is high they become unwatchable.

Ideally I would like to buy a new graphics card which will take the load on my cpu and hardware decode it like the 4850 and 4870 are meant to. Problem is I haven't been able to find an answer as to whether they hardware accelerate .mkvs in Media Centre or any other application for that matter.
Does anyone know if this happens or whether there is a workaround to force the graphics card to hardware accelerate the video? (I'm kinda looking for an excuse to buy a new graphics card and the two new radeons seem like a great option!)

Not entirely sure about this but all cards I have seen that claim video encoding are really just post processing the already encoded video. I don't think either card would solve your current predicament. I would really look at the codecs you are using with Media centre(Windows Media Player tbh), depending on the decoding options and post processing options you choose you should be able to decrease load on your cpu.

Jonathan

Overheal wrote: »

Just about any GPU upgrade would be capable of Hardware Acceleration with the Media Center.

That post was changed very quick wasn't it overheal

Cuddlesworth

Overheal wrote: »

Blah

I'll leave it alone then.

Sqaull20

CCCP Codec is the only I have used that works well with media center.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/Combined_Community_Codec_Pack.htm

ffdshow and the haali codec, work ok.

Your cpu will have to be upgraded to get value out of the HD4850/4870, they are high end gaming cards, fairly loud and need a good power supply.

HD3450 is a brillant card for a media center, but its not needed.

http://www.dabs.ie/productview.aspx?Quicklinx=4YRH&SearchType=1&SearchTerms=HD3450&PageMode=3&SearchKey=All&SearchMode=All&NavigationKey=0

PogMoThoin

A HD4850 or 4870 is overkill, any €50 gpu would do what you need

papu

passive 3450 is the business about 35 euros on HW a little more on Komplett., anything from 2000+series has Built in HD acceleration.

id recomend the CCCP codecs for WMC

Overheal

jmccrohan wrote: »

That post was changed very quick wasn't it overheal

Im a fan of edits.

Whats your system like? I mean, AGP, PCI, or PCI-e?

Nelbert

I've one proper Pci-express slot and then one of the smaller ones for my soundcard.

I was thinking the 3450 or 3470 might be enough but when I saw the 4850 I just thought why not!?!

Just uninstalled all my codec packs and stuff, gonna reinstall them all with the latest versions but I think I will need to purchase a new cpu or graphics card eventually.

I just think the graphics card is the easier option to change (less chance of messing something cause I wouldn't be confident swapping a cpu!) I just want to figure out if it will get rid of my problem. Really appreciate all this input by the way!

What's the latest Haali Media splitter for the .mkv's or is there another one that is better?

Cuddlesworth

The reason why everybody is pushing away from a new card is that new generation cards are designed to produce better 3d graphics. 2d images, like movies, really don't stress cards in any discernible way.

FFD show, AC3 splitter and Halli media splitter are what I use. Tbh I get stutter on 1080p movies, but I can't be bother looking into it at the moment. This is on a Core2duo system with a 3470. I'm pretty sure its a codec problem as the system was capable of decoding and streaming to the xbox360 via tversity with ease.

Nelbert

Okay guys following even more research I discovered that what I'm trying to achieve is actually possible if I have the cyberlink powerdvd codec installed and set to decode. Apparently only certain codecs support hardware acceleration and the cyberlink one is the most readily available. (This may solve your problem Cuddlesworth)

Also I unistalled and reinstalled (with no codec packs just what was strictly necessary) my stuff and the stutter is not as bad but still present in the higher bitrate stuff.

One weird thing happened in the last few days (I don't think it's related to the codecs, well it shouldn't be but ya never know.) Windows Media Center (only this, i.e Windows Media Player was fine!!!) stop playing its system sounds and stop playing audio on video files (songs were fine).
I eventually fixed it by swapping my soundcard to its digital out (even though it was still the analogue out hooked up and sound was coming in analogue!) It was just a really strange problem with a strange solution if anyone has any ideas I would love input on that as I would like to set my soundcard back to its analogue output so that I can use the digital out for a soon to be purchased amp!

Rsaeire

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

The reason why everybody is pushing away from a new card is that new generation cards are designed to produce better 3d graphics. 2d images, like movies, really don't stress cards in any discernible way.

FFD show, AC3 splitter and Halli media splitter are what I use. Tbh I get stutter on 1080p movies, but I can't be bother looking into it at the moment. This is on a Core2duo system with a 3470. I'm pretty sure its a codec problem as the system was capable of decoding and streaming to the xbox360 via tversity with ease.

You could try using Media Player Classic - Home Cinema as it supports hardware acceleration on the ATI 3/4xxx series to decode H.264, which mkv files most commonly use, and VC-1, which HD-DVD and Blu-ray use.

I currently use the 3650 and MPC - HC for most of my files including 720p & 1080p mkv files and a host of others with no problem and no stutter due to the hardware acceleration.

Nelbert

Just an update, I'm gonna buy the Radeon 3650 512Mb set a awesome €50 on komplett! Whats the url of that German Hardwarenshlafensuchensoffen shop?

PogMoThoin

http://www2.hardwareversand.de/home.jsp?lid=2

Nelbert

Cheers I can get that graphics card plus a 1Tb external hard drive for slightly less than my original budget of €200! Looks like my Media Center's capacity is set for another increase:D:D:D

Cuddlesworth

Rsaeire wrote: »

You could try using Media Player Classic - Home Cinema as it supports hardware acceleration on the ATI 3/4xxx series to decode H.264, which mkv files most commonly use, and VC-1, which HD-DVD and Blu-ray use.

I currently use the 3650 and MPC - HC for most of my files including 720p & 1080p mkv files and a host of others with no problem and no stutter due to the hardware acceleration.

Thanks, I'll look into that.

Overheal

regarding codecs and playback im a big fan of the VLC Player.

That, and the K-Lite codec pack. Google both of those. Its all a man will ever need.

Rsaeire

Overheal wrote: »

regarding codecs and playback im a big fan of the VLC Player.

That, and the K-Lite codec pack. Google both of those. Its all a man will ever need.

VLC is a great little program for SD and some HD content but MPC - HC is more proficient with HD content such as 720p, 1080p mkv files, using the H.264 codec, and also for HD-DVD and Blu-ray content, that is stored locally, as it offers hardware acceleration.

L31mr0d

OP, if you are using Vista with dreamscene wallpapers make sure you have them paused whilst watching a movie. I've noticed this causes stutter in 1080p mkv files on my HTPC.

PogMoThoin

L31mr0d wrote: »

OP, if you are using Vista with dreamscene wallpapers make sure you have them paused whilst watching a movie. I've noticed this causes stutter in 1080p mkv files on my HTPC.

OT, I've found Dreamscene a little buggy, it would randomly freeze or would not load at startup. I'm now back to a plain old wallpaper

Nelbert

I've been able to do exactly what I hoped with a Hd3650. I needed to do a clean install of windows so I reinstall Vista and downloaded haali media splitter, cyberlink powerdvd ultra (had to download the latest update for it to work properly in media centre. I downloaded a tool from the avsforums to change the h.264 profile level of an mkv file. I used it to change all the profile levels to 4.1 (same as blu-ray) so that full compatibility was possible with the powerdvd codec.

So to summarise the only things needed for me to play these files (and xvid and divx's) is:
sapphire hd3650
haali media splitter
cyberlink powerdvd ultra
ac3 filter
and as a precautionary measure the I downloaded that tool to change the profile levels.

I have no other codecs or codec packs installed and everything plays with very low cpu utilisation, mkv's use to cause near 100% load but now it is less than 20% (I assume the cpu is being used to feed the file to the graphics card with Haali media splitter)

So all in all I'm very happy and I hope my experience and the above list of the steps I've taken will help at least one of you guys in the future! High Definition is awesome!:D