VMC DVD Decoders

Hello,

I am having some issues getting the best decoder to work with Vista Media
Center. I am using an ATI video card with Component output to the TV. I
have used the VMCD utility to adjust which decoder I use:

With the Microsoft Mpeg decoder, HDTV works fine, but DVD playback in VMC is
jerky.

With the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder 7, the video is not as jerky but is
still a little bit. Also, I cannot use the Cyberlink Audio decoder. With
the audio decoder selected, on starting DVD playback VMC crashes and gives
an error report.

With the NVIDIA PureVideo decoder, the video playback is flawless. However,
the sound is out of sync and the audio settings will not keep the SPDIF
output I select. Everytime I open VMC it reverts back to 2-ch mode in the
decoder control panel.

All in all, if I could get the Microsoft decoder to playback DVDs without
being jerky, that would be ideal. But if I must, another decoder would be
fine.

Any suggestions?

THanks,

John CHapman

Nigel
Mon May 05 00:30:39 PDT 2008

On Sun, 4 May 2008 23:39:22 -0700, "John Chapman" <chapman85@gmail.com> wrote:

>Hello,
>
>I am having some issues getting the best decoder to work with Vista Media
>Center. I am using an ATI video card with Component output to the TV. I
>have used the VMCD utility to adjust which decoder I use:
>
>With the Microsoft Mpeg decoder, HDTV works fine, but DVD playback in VMC is
>jerky.
>
>With the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder 7, the video is not as jerky but is
>still a little bit. Also, I cannot use the Cyberlink Audio decoder. With
>the audio decoder selected, on starting DVD playback VMC crashes and gives
>an error report.
>
>With the NVIDIA PureVideo decoder, the video playback is flawless. However,
>the sound is out of sync and the audio settings will not keep the SPDIF
>output I select. Everytime I open VMC it reverts back to 2-ch mode in the
>decoder control panel.
>
>All in all, if I could get the Microsoft decoder to playback DVDs without
>being jerky, that would be ideal. But if I must, another decoder would be
>fine.
>
>Any suggestions?
>
>THanks,
>
>John CHapman

Another important variable to consider in all this is the graphics card & which version of the
driver you have.
--

Cheers

Nigel Barker
Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur
MCE MVP

John
Mon May 05 06:57:56 PDT 2008

Nigel,

I have tried two different video cards with the same result. The
motherboard has an ATI X1200 series built-in that I used the Catalyst 8.4
drivers for and I tried an nVidia 8500 with the latest nVidia drivers.

Thanks,

John

"Nigel Barker" <nigel@nigelbarker.com> wrote in message
news:rqdt14hlnb1tfodm4t8hms042iika1rt0p@4ax.com...
> On Sun, 4 May 2008 23:39:22 -0700, "John Chapman" <chapman85@gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>I am having some issues getting the best decoder to work with Vista Media
>>Center. I am using an ATI video card with Component output to the TV. I
>>have used the VMCD utility to adjust which decoder I use:
>>
>>With the Microsoft Mpeg decoder, HDTV works fine, but DVD playback in VMC
>>is
>>jerky.
>>
>>With the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder 7, the video is not as jerky but is
>>still a little bit. Also, I cannot use the Cyberlink Audio decoder. With
>>the audio decoder selected, on starting DVD playback VMC crashes and gives
>>an error report.
>>
>>With the NVIDIA PureVideo decoder, the video playback is flawless.
>>However,
>>the sound is out of sync and the audio settings will not keep the SPDIF
>>output I select. Everytime I open VMC it reverts back to 2-ch mode in the
>>decoder control panel.
>>
>>All in all, if I could get the Microsoft decoder to playback DVDs without
>>being jerky, that would be ideal. But if I must, another decoder would be
>>fine.
>>
>>Any suggestions?
>>
>>THanks,
>>
>>John CHapman
>
> Another important variable to consider in all this is the graphics card &
> which version of the
> driver you have.
> --
>
> Cheers
>
> Nigel Barker
> Live from the sunny Cote d'Azur
> MCE MVP

Mr
Mon May 05 16:02:42 PDT 2008



"John Chapman" <chapman85@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:96459515-BA58-448A-8420-79369F9352EB@microsoft.com...
> Hello,
>
> I am having some issues getting the best decoder to work with Vista Media
> Center. I am using an ATI video card with Component output to the TV. I
> have used the VMCD utility to adjust which decoder I use:
>
> With the Microsoft Mpeg decoder, HDTV works fine, but DVD playback in VMC
> is jerky.
>
> With the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder 7, the video is not as jerky but is
> still a little bit. Also, I cannot use the Cyberlink Audio decoder. With
> the audio decoder selected, on starting DVD playback VMC crashes and gives
> an error report.
>
> With the NVIDIA PureVideo decoder, the video playback is flawless.
> However, the sound is out of sync and the audio settings will not keep the
> SPDIF output I select. Everytime I open VMC it reverts back to 2-ch mode
> in the decoder control panel.
>
> All in all, if I could get the Microsoft decoder to playback DVDs without
> being jerky, that would be ideal. But if I must, another decoder would be
> fine.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> THanks,
>
> John CHapman
If I could tell you the issues I've had with that Catalyst software. I'm
currently running v7.7 and find this the most stable of the lot thus far. I
joined the party around the early 7's and had pretty poor picture quality
issues. DVB-T here in the UK was ghosting then things got better around the
mid 7's before getting worse 7.9 onwards. The two most recent 8.3 & 8.4 have
improved slightly but 7.7 is certainly stable for me. I'd definitely suggest
going back and trying 7.7. I've mailed ATI and they say they've had no other
complaints but I've seen a few posts now from others experiencing similar
issues. I'm using the Radeon 1600x low profile with VGA & HDMI. The VGA is
much better than the HDMI by the way. Let us know how you get on.

Curious
Mon May 05 16:50:36 PDT 2008

john c,
NVIDIA does not recommend that you use their XP Pure video Decoder with
Vista.
If you have one of the newer ATI cards that has their Avivo firmware did you
also download the Avivo package from the ATI website when you down loaded
their latest driver?


"Mr & Mrs L" <nospamrodlawrence@live.co.uk> wrote in message
news:uJiGiQwrIHA.2064@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>
>
> "John Chapman" <chapman85@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:96459515-BA58-448A-8420-79369F9352EB@microsoft.com...
>> Hello,
>>
>> I am having some issues getting the best decoder to work with Vista Media
>> Center. I am using an ATI video card with Component output to the TV. I
>> have used the VMCD utility to adjust which decoder I use:
>>
>> With the Microsoft Mpeg decoder, HDTV works fine, but DVD playback in VMC
>> is jerky.
>>
>> With the Cyberlink PowerDVD decoder 7, the video is not as jerky but is
>> still a little bit. Also, I cannot use the Cyberlink Audio decoder.
>> With the audio decoder selected, on starting DVD playback VMC crashes and
>> gives an error report.
>>
>> With the NVIDIA PureVideo decoder, the video playback is flawless.
>> However, the sound is out of sync and the audio settings will not keep
>> the SPDIF output I select. Everytime I open VMC it reverts back to 2-ch
>> mode in the decoder control panel.
>>
>> All in all, if I could get the Microsoft decoder to playback DVDs without
>> being jerky, that would be ideal. But if I must, another decoder would
>> be fine.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>>
>> THanks,
>>
>> John CHapman
> If I could tell you the issues I've had with that Catalyst software. I'm
> currently running v7.7 and find this the most stable of the lot thus far.
> I joined the party around the early 7's and had pretty poor picture
> quality issues. DVB-T here in the UK was ghosting then things got better
> around the mid 7's before getting worse 7.9 onwards. The two most recent
> 8.3 & 8.4 have improved slightly but 7.7 is certainly stable for me. I'd
> definitely suggest going back and trying 7.7. I've mailed ATI and they say
> they've had no other complaints but I've seen a few posts now from others
> experiencing similar issues. I'm using the Radeon 1600x low profile with
> VGA & HDMI. The VGA is much better than the HDMI by the way. Let us know
> how you get on.