help with 1080p mkv with ATI HD 2600XT please!!

[ctny]

I have a Celeron 3.5ghz with 1gb of memory. Just bought an ATI HD 2600XT card yesterday hoping I can watch 1080p mkv movies from newsgroups using the video card's HD hardware acceleration features.

After reading some posts here, I started with a fresh XP SP2 install, then .NET 2.0, latest ATI CCC 8.1 driver package, KMP 2.9.3.1428, PowerDVD Ultra 7.3.3516 and CoreAVC 1.6.

In KMP, I disabled the internal video decoder for H.264 and AVC1, then tried both COREAVC Video Decoder and CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder. I made sure "Use DxVA" or "Deinterlacing->Hardware" is checked. Under Video Processing, I set Condition to "Disable".

I think I have done all the steps people have recommended on the web, however, the cpu usage is still very high with either COREAVC or Cyberlink, and I see no CPU improvement over using the mobo video port. The video is still slow and out of sync.

Reading this post describing KMP/HD2600XT setup in Chinese, [Only registered and activated users can see links] I noticed the "<TAB>" output shows "OUTPUT: DXVA...", but my OUTPUT still says "YUY2"...

Can someone please provide some advice? If you have XP2 and ATI HD 2x00 card, can you tell me what you did to make it work?

[ctny]

Here is an example of COREAVC output

[Primary Filtergraph]
0) - hoodwinked.1080p.h264.dd51.ts
1) - CoreAVC Video Decoder
2) - AC3 Filter for AC3
3) - OverlayMixer
4) - KMP Audio Transform(Copy)
5) - Video Renderer
6) - Default DirectSound Device

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CoreAVC Video Decoder
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: YUY2
VideoInfo2: YUY2 1920X1080, 16 bits

[Audio Info]
Decoder - (0x2000) AC3 Filter for AC3
Format - Major Type: Audio - Sub Type: PCM
WaveFormatEx: ExtPCM(0xFFFE), 48000 Hz, 16 Bits, 6 Ch

[Basic Video DSP]
Internal brightness: 100%

[Advanced Video DSP]
+Video Plugin

[Audio DSP]
+Pre amplification: Main: (100%)
+Auto Volume Control
+Audio Plugin

[Subtitle Settings]
+Draw Mode(Selected): Image
+Draw Mode(In use): On Overlay
+Text Rendering Method: Rasterizer
+Support HTML Tags(SMI)

[KMPlayer]
+Version: 2.9.3.1428(5,463,552, 12/16/2007 6:44:52 AM)
+libcodec.dll: Exist(4,459,520, 12/15/2007 10:07:44 AM)
+libmplay.dll: Exist(438,784, 8/21/2007 8:11:30 AM)
+PProcDLL.dll: Exist(1,769,472, 11/30/2007 9:52:42 AM)
+LibDTS.dll: Exist(144,384, 5/23/2007 7:01:02 PM)
+liba52.dll: Exist(56,320, 5/23/2007 7:00:50 PM)
+libfaad2.dll: Exist(212,480, 5/23/2007 7:00:26 PM)
+libmad.dll: Exist(92,672, 5/23/2007 7:01:16 PM)
+libmpeg2.dll: Exist(126,464, 5/23/2007 7:01:44 PM)
+theora.dll: Exist(196,608, 4/12/2007 6:46:02 PM)
+OggVorbis.dll: Exist(1,165,312, 5/23/2007 7:08:24 PM)
+xviddll.dll: Exist(655,872, 7/28/2007 11:11:56 AM)
+Old_QUARTZ.DLL: Exist(770,048, 5/5/1999 8:22:00 AM)
+AboutDll.dll: Exist(105,472, 10/3/2005 12:12:18 AM)
+DTView.dll: Exist(104,448, 11/20/2006 7:33:18 AM)
+MPlayer.dll: Missed
+ImLoader.dll: Exist(856,064, 1/15/2006 12:21:26 AM)


--------------------
[File Info]
--------------------
\\INTEL-PC\Movies 2\Hoodwinked 1080p\hoodwinked.1080p.h264.dd51.ts
General #7D5
Complete name : \\INTEL-PC\Movies 2\Hoodwinked 1080p\hoodwinked.1080p.h264.dd51.ts
Format : MPEG-4 Transport
Format/Family : MPEG-4
File size : 10.7 GiB
PlayTime : 1h 17mn
Bit rate : 20 Mbps
Video #202
Codec : AVC
Codec/Info : MPEG-4 AVC
PlayTime : 1h 17mn
Bit rate : 19 Mbps
Audio #296
Codec : AC3
Bit rate : 384 Kbps
Bit rate mode : CBR
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : L R
Sampling rate : 48 KHz
Video0 delay : -399ms


--------------------
[System Info]
--------------------
CPU 0: 3467MHz, Intel(R) Celeron(R) D CPU 3.46GHz, x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 5
OS: Windows XP Professional(Version 5.1 Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Video: ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT

DirectX: 9.0c(4.09.00.0904)
Memory: All: 1,047,856 KB, Available: 553,280 KB, Used: 47%
CodePage: 1252, Charset:1
Instruction: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2 SSE3 64Bits

[System Process]
System
smss.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe
services.exe
lsass.exe
ati2evxx.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
ati2evxx.exe
explorer.exe
spoolsv.exe
RTHDCPL.exe
brs.exe
PDVDServ.exe
TrueImageMonitor.exe
TimounterMonitor.exe
MOM.exe
schedhlp.exe
iTunesHelper.exe
ctfmon.exe
CCC.exe
schedul2.exe
AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
mDNSResponder.exe
NBService.exe
RichVideo.exe
svchost.exe
TrueImageTryStartService.exe
CALMAIN.exe
iPodService.exe
alg.exe
firefox.exe
KMPlayer.exe
notepad.exe

[ctny]

Here is from CyberLink output on another movie.

[Primary Filtergraph]
0) - KMP Matroska Reader
1) - CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7.x)
2) - AC3 Filter for DTS
3) - OverlayMixer
4) - KMP Audio Transform(Copy)
5) - Video Renderer
6) - Default DirectSound Device

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7.x)
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: YUY2
VideoInfo2: YUY2 768X-480, 16 bits

[Audio Info]
Decoder - (0x8) AC3 Filter for DTS
Format - Major Type: Audio - Sub Type: PCM
WaveFormatEx: ExtPCM(0xFFFE), 48000 Hz, 16 Bits, 6 Ch

[Basic Video DSP]
Internal brightness: 100%

[Advanced Video DSP]
+Video Plugin

[Audio DSP]
+Pre amplification: Main: (100%)
+Auto Volume Control
+Audio Plugin

[Subtitle Settings]
+Draw Mode(Selected): Image
+Draw Mode(In use): On Overlay
+Text Rendering Method: Rasterizer
+Support HTML Tags(SMI)

[KMPlayer]
+Version: 2.9.3.1428(5,463,552, 12/16/2007 6:44:52 AM)
+libcodec.dll: Exist(4,459,520, 12/15/2007 10:07:44 AM)
+libmplay.dll: Exist(438,784, 8/21/2007 8:11:30 AM)
+PProcDLL.dll: Exist(1,769,472, 11/30/2007 9:52:42 AM)
+LibDTS.dll: Exist(144,384, 5/23/2007 7:01:02 PM)
+liba52.dll: Exist(56,320, 5/23/2007 7:00:50 PM)
+libfaad2.dll: Exist(212,480, 5/23/2007 7:00:26 PM)
+libmad.dll: Exist(92,672, 5/23/2007 7:01:16 PM)
+libmpeg2.dll: Exist(126,464, 5/23/2007 7:01:44 PM)
+theora.dll: Exist(196,608, 4/12/2007 6:46:02 PM)
+OggVorbis.dll: Exist(1,165,312, 5/23/2007 7:08:24 PM)
+xviddll.dll: Exist(655,872, 7/28/2007 11:11:56 AM)
+Old_QUARTZ.DLL: Exist(770,048, 5/5/1999 8:22:00 AM)
+AboutDll.dll: Exist(105,472, 10/3/2005 12:12:18 AM)
+DTView.dll: Exist(104,448, 11/20/2006 7:33:18 AM)
+MPlayer.dll: Missed
+ImLoader.dll: Exist(856,064, 1/15/2006 12:21:26 AM)


--------------------
[File Info]
--------------------
\\INTEL-PC\Movies 2\Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) 1080p\SAMPLE-Memoirs.of.a.Geisha.2005.1080p.BluRay.DTS.x264-CtrlHD.mkv
General
Complete name : \\INTEL-PC\Movies 2\Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) 1080p\SAMPLE-Memoirs.of.a.Geisha.2005.1080p.BluRay.DTS.x264-CtrlHD.mkv
Format : Mk
File size : 98.6 MiB
PlayTime : 1mn 2s
Bit rate : 13 Mbps
Encoded date : UTC 2008-01-06 17:33:23
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.1.0 ('Another Place To Fall') built on Aug 19 2007 13:40:07
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.1
Video #1
Codec : MPEG-4 AVC
Codec/Info : MPEG4 ISO advanced profile
PlayTime : 1mn 2s
Width : 1920 pixels
Height : 800 pixels
Display Aspect ratio : 2.400
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Language : English
Audio #2
Codec : DTS
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Sampling rate : 48 KHz
Language : English


--------------------
[System Info]
--------------------
CPU 0: 3467MHz, Intel(R) Celeron(R) D CPU 3.46GHz, x86 Family 15 Model 6 Stepping 5
OS: Windows XP Professional(Version 5.1 Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Video: ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT

DirectX: 9.0c(4.09.00.0904)
Memory: All: 1,047,856 KB, Available: 396,584 KB, Used: 62%
CodePage: 1252, Charset:1
Instruction: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2 SSE3 64Bits

[System Process]
System
smss.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe
services.exe
lsass.exe
ati2evxx.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
ati2evxx.exe
explorer.exe
spoolsv.exe
RTHDCPL.exe
brs.exe
PDVDServ.exe
TrueImageMonitor.exe
TimounterMonitor.exe
MOM.exe
schedhlp.exe
iTunesHelper.exe
ctfmon.exe
CCC.exe
schedul2.exe
AppleMobileDeviceService.exe
mDNSResponder.exe
NBService.exe
RichVideo.exe
svchost.exe
TrueImageTryStartService.exe
CALMAIN.exe
iPodService.exe
alg.exe
firefox.exe
KMPlayer.exe
notepad.exe
taskmgr.exe
wuauclt.exe

[Waldemar Sikorski]

Reset the player, use CoreAVC in basic configuration and superspeed mode.
Might work. I have a better processor but an inferior card. Max cpu usage but no hickups.

[Trancer]

It was my understanding that only certain .mkv files could be improved by hardware decoding if they have been encoded in a certain way? or should you be able to use hardware acceleration on all .mkv files?

[mad]

or should you be able to use hardware acceleration on all .mkv files?
Nope, mkv is just a container file (matroska). It can contain an avi file (encoded with e.g. Xvid), a few audio streams and a few subtitles. But hardware decoding should work with MPEG-2 video (DVD), AVC-1 and H.264.

[Trancer]

So what are all the settings in KMPlayer to enable acceleration of H.264 .mkv files?

[mouse]

It's a simple condition to enable DxVA in KMP but it's not a specific condition limited to KMP.

What is DxVA?
[Only registered and activated users can see links]

WMV DxVA decoding
[Only registered and activated users can see links]

How to enable DxVA in KMP
[Only registered and activated users can see links]


DxVA is not working. Why?
1. Video card does not support it properly.
2. Video driver/directx does not support it properly.
3. Video decoder/renderer does not support it properly.
4. Video format (container) does not support it properly.

Cyberlink h264 decoder included in powerdvd is not specifically designed for h264 streams contained in transport stream of h264 or matroska. It can be the coverage problem of video card which does not properly support the variant h264 streams.

[Trancer]

So do you have to use Cyberlink as your decoder to get DxVA working then? I dont have PureVideo listed in any of my External decoder drop down lists?!

[mouse]

I don't use it too. If there is a working solution with any other players, let me know that. I'd like to try.

[ctny]

Mouse, and other guru,

I am willing to start fresh on my Celeron 3.5ghz to get kmv 1080p working on KMPlayer.

So, I own Vista and XP, which OS should I use?

Which video card should I get? I have ATI HD2600XT now, but can still return it.

I have CoreAVC and Cyberlink DVD player now. What else do I need?

[Waldemar Sikorski]

These could be considered old studies ([Only registered and activated users can see links])but still valid to some extent. Worth reading.

[ctny]

I have read many web posting, but still no solution. ATI 2600XT is suppose to have acceleration, but I can't get it working.

If you have an ATI 2x000 card and you are able to play mkv 1080p movies with hardware acceleration, would you share your secret? What are you kmplayer settings?

I have tried disabling the internal video decoder, adding either cyberlink or coreavc external decoder, then disabling video processing, but the movies are still slow.

[Waldemar Sikorski]

As you should know by now CoreAVC does not provide hardware acceleration.
I assume that the PDVD7 I use (from K-Lite pack) is older than yours.
In my case acceleration does not work with Haali or EVR.
Here are samples that I've tested and all ran smoothly. I have no idea why your setup gives you problems. Consider overclocking your Celeron. I'll get back to you tomorrow.
[Primary Filtergraph]
0) - KMP Matroska Reader
1) - KMP Audio Codec
2) - CoreAVC Video Decoder
3) - KMP Audio Transform(Copy)
4) - Enhanced Video Renderer
5) - Default DirectSound Device

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CoreAVC Video Decoder
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: YUY2
VideoInfo2: YUY2 1280X-720, 16 bits

[Audio Info]
Decoder - (0x674F) KMP Audio Codec(Vorbis in VorbisFormat-OggVorbis.dll)
Format - Major Type: Audio - Sub Type: PCM
WaveFormatEx: PCM(0x1), 48000 Hz, 16 Bits, 2 Ch

[Basic Video DSP]
Internal brightness: 100%

[Advanced Video DSP]
+Video Plugin

[Audio DSP]
+Pre amplification: Main: (100%)
+Auto Volume Control
+Audio Plugin

[Subtitle Settings]
+Draw Mode(Selected): VMR
+Draw Mode(In use): On Overlay
+Text Rendering Method: Rasterizer
+Support HTML Tags(SMI)

[KMPlayer]
+Version: 2.9.3.1428(5,463,552, 12/16/2007 3:44:52 AM)
+libcodec.dll: Exist(4,459,520, 12/15/2007 7:07:44 AM)
+libmplay.dll: Exist(438,784, 8/21/2007 5:11:30 AM)
+PProcDLL.dll: Exist(1,769,472, 11/30/2007 6:52:42 AM)
+LibDTS.dll: Exist(144,384, 5/23/2007 4:01:02 PM)
+liba52.dll: Exist(56,320, 5/23/2007 4:00:50 PM)
+libfaad2.dll: Exist(212,480, 5/23/2007 4:00:26 PM)
+libmad.dll: Exist(92,672, 5/23/2007 4:01:16 PM)
+libmpeg2.dll: Exist(126,464, 5/23/2007 4:01:44 PM)
+theora.dll: Exist(196,608, 4/12/2007 3:46:02 PM)
+OggVorbis.dll: Exist(1,165,312, 5/23/2007 4:08:24 PM)
+xviddll.dll: Exist(655,872, 7/28/2007 8:11:56 AM)
+Old_QUARTZ.DLL: Exist(770,048, 5/5/1999 5:22:00 AM)
+AboutDll.dll: Exist(105,472, 10/2/2005 9:12:18 PM)
+DTView.dll: Exist(104,448, 11/20/2006 4:33:18 AM)
+MPlayer.dll: Missed
+ImLoader.dll: Exist(856,064, 1/14/2006 9:21:26 PM)


--------------------
[File Info]
--------------------
C:\Documents and Settings\Waldemar sikorski\Desktop\Animusic - Resonant Chamber.mkv
General
Complete name : C:\Documents and Settings\Waldemar sikorski\Desktop\Animusic - Resonant Chamber.mkv
Format : Mk
File size : 119 MiB
PlayTime : 4mn 27s
Bit rate : 3722 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2007-09-29 01:24:19
Writing application : mkvmerge v2.0.2 ('You're My Flame') built on Feb 22 2007 07:36:20
Writing library : libebml v0.7.7 + libmatroska v0.8.1
Video #1
Codec : MPEG-4 AVC
Codec/Info : MPEG4 ISO advanced profile
PlayTime : 4mn 27s
Width : 1280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display Aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Audio #2
Codec : Vorbis
Bit rate mode : VBR
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Sampling rate : 48 KHz


--------------------
[System Info]
--------------------
CPU 0: 1994MHz, AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3200+, x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2
OS: Windows XP Home Edition(Version 5.1 Build 2600) Service Pack 2
Video: ATI MOBILITY RADEON Xpress 200 Series

DirectX: 9.0c(4.09.00.0904)
Memory: All: 2,095,600 KB, Available: 1,415,700 KB, Used: 32%
CodePage: 1252, Charset:1
Instruction: MMX MMX2 SSE SSE2 SSE3 3DNOW 3DNOWEXT 64Bits

[System Process]
System
smss.exe
csrss.exe
winlogon.exe
services.exe
lsass.exe
ati2evxx.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
svchost.exe
ati2evxx.exe
explorer.exe
spoolsv.exe
aawservice.exe
avp.exe
cmdagent.exe
wdfmgr.exe
SynTPEnh.exe
eabservr.exe
avp.exe
DownloadStudioScheduleMonitor.exe
Rainlendar2.exe
iconoid.exe
WlanUtil.exe
YahooWidgetEngine.exe
YahooWidgetEngine.exe
alg.exe
svchost.exe
cpf.exe
KMPlayer.exe
Azureus.exe
firefox.exe


[Primary Filtergraph]
0) - DVD Navigator
1) - AC3 Filter for AC3
2) - CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
3) - KMP Audio Transform(Copy)
4) - Video Mixing Renderer9(Renderless)
5) - Default DirectSound Device

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: DXVA_ModeMPEG2_D
VideoInfo2: DXVA 720X480, 12 bits

[Audio Info]
Decoder - (0x2000) AC3 Filter for AC3
Format - Major Type: Audio - Sub Type: PCM
WaveFormatEx: PCM(0x1), 48000 Hz, 16 Bits, 2 Ch

[Basic Video DSP]
Internal brightness: 100%

[Advanced Video DSP]
+PictureProperty(S/W Process)
-LumGain: 133
-LumOffset: 0
-Gamma: 100
-HUE: 0
-Saturation: 64
+Video Plugin

[Audio DSP]
+Pre amplification: Main: (100%)
+Equalizer, Mode: DirectX DMO
+Auto Volume Control
+Audio Plugin

[Primary Filtergraph]
0) - [Cached] KMP Async Reader(2008-01-24(Thu)PM075127-DTV9-1-Dr. Phil.tp)
1) - KMP MPEG2(TS) Splitter
2) - AC3 Filter for AC3
3) - CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
4) - KMP Audio Transform(Copy)
5) - Video Mixing Renderer9(Renderless)
6) - Default DirectSound Device

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: DXVA_ModeMPEG2_C
VideoInfo2: DXVA 1920X1088, 12 bits

[Audio Info]
Decoder - (0x2000) AC3 Filter for AC3
Format - Major Type: Audio - Sub Type: PCM
WaveFormatEx: PCM(0x1), 48000 Hz, 16 Bits, 2 Ch

[Basic Video DSP]
Internal brightness: 100%

[Advanced Video DSP]
+Video Plugin

[Audio DSP]
+Pre amplification: Main: (100%)
+Auto Volume Control
+Audio Plugin

[ctny]

I believe when I press <TAB> and the "OUTPUT:" field says "DxVA", then hardware accelaration is on....

Using Cyberlink PowerDVD player's decoder, I have been able to see "OUPUT: DxVA..." when playing DVD's by changing MPEG-2 external decoder. ATI's control panel v8.1 shows video card's CPU speed, so I can see the GPU engaging.

<ALT><TAB> output is similar to Waldemar's below:

[Video Info]
Decoder - (MPEG2) CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD7)
Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: DXVA_ModeMPEG2_D
VideoInfo2: DXVA 720X480, 12 bits


However, when playing mkv either 1080p or 720p, using Cyberlink decoder, I don't see any GPU movement. The <TAB> output does not say DxVA. The [Video Info] still says:

Format - Major Type: Video - Sub Type: YUY2
VideoInfo2: YUY2 1280X-720, 16 bits

Please help with any other idea.

[mouse]

This is a known problem of mkv container. Not related with KMP.

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[mad]

You solved another mystery Sherlock Mouse :p
Congrats :cool:

[Waldemar Sikorski]

I second that. Tried out the procedure and it works.

[Trancer]

So was i correct in saying the DXVA only works with some .mkv files? Only those that have been encoded via the guidelines in:

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[Adept]

I've bought HD3870 and have a stupid question: how to detect if kmp uses UVD or not while playing movie? Any simple method. Please, don't offer task manager :)

[Waldemar Sikorski]

Did you do the external decoder search? If so, did it show up?

[Adept]

Did you do the external decoder search? If so, did it show up?
No, i'm always use internal decoders. As i understand it not support UVD?

[Waldemar Sikorski]

If you have a choice of decoders than you have to "tell" KMP which one to use.
If you go to F2>external video decoder>external decoder search>add after scan
a list of decoders should appear. If you assign a different decoder than the internal one it will show up when you press ctrl+tab.
I don't know if 2600XT uses the UVD at all times or it has to be told to do so.

[Adept]

No, no. I understand about using external decoders. I'm only asking if internal KMP decoder supports UVD?

[Pantuflo]

You need an external decoder which supports hardware acceleration (e.g. Cyberlink's one) and to disable the KMP video transform filter (apart from a suitable graphics driver), otherwise it won't work.

[Adept]

Ok. That's i wanted to hear :)