FFDshow & Windows 7 RC1 x64

[Balthazar2k4]

OK, I have posted my problem in MPEG-4 GUI section, but I am going to post in here as well in the hopes that someone can help; therefore, sorry for the cross posting.

How do you install FFDshow so that it will work in MPC Home Cinema under Win7 x64? I am using the x86 build of MPC Home Cinema and have the x86 rev 2913 build of FFDshow installed. When I play back a movie it will not use FFDshow. I have tried increasing the merit in the video decoder configuration, but nothing seems to work. It continues to use the new codecs included in Win7. I know others have gotten it to work, but I am stuck. I really want to use Win7 as my primary instead of Vista, but until I can get this sorted out Win7 will remain dormant.

Any help will be GREATLY appreciated.

[Hypernova]

I'm using Windows 7 x64 RC here and both MPC-HC & ffdshow works perfectly (both x86 and x64). I know there are news(rumors?) that Windows 7 lock down codec, but that simply not true. Maybe it's true for WMP and Media Center as I havn't find a way to get ffdshow works with those yet. But MPC-HC should be fine. I'm using it everyday.

If ffdshow is not used, then what is? Did you disable internal codec?

[clsid]

Set ffdshow as a preferred external filter in MPC. That usually works. The merit does not have an effect, it is already ultra high by default.

[Amour]

Originally Posted by Hypernova

I know there are news(rumors?) that Windows 7 lock down codec, but that simply not true.

It is true!
ffdshow is based on DirectShow. Microsoft built-in codecs are based on Windows Media Foundation. Windows 7 will ignore any filter based on DirectShow when there is already one based on Windows Media Foundation.

The work-around is to specifically call the external filter you want (like telling MPC to use ffdshow). So now ffdshow will only work for a single software (MPC) instead of working for all softwares (BS Player, Zoom Player, The KMPlayer, GOM player, Winamp, Alshow, WMP, ...).

Windows 7 means the death of anything based on DirectShow, and ffdshow will need to use Windows Media Foundation one day if it wants to keep popular.

There are already websites and newspapers telling you “ffdshow is now obsolete”:
http://www.pcinpact.com/actu/news/50...codec-pack.htm

[clsid]

Windows 7 means the death of anything based on DirectShow, and ffdshow will need to use Windows Media Foundation one day if it wants to keep popular.

Wrong. Even if ffdshow would use WMF, then it would still not get used instead of the decoders that Microsoft has configured as the preferred ones.

[Hypernova]

Originally Posted by Amour

It is true!
ffdshow is based on DirectShow. Microsoft built-in codecs are based on Windows Media Foundation. Windows 7 will ignore any filter based on DirectShow when there is already one based on Windows Media Foundation.

The work-around is to specifically call the external filter you want (like telling MPC to use ffdshow). So now ffdshow will only work for a single software (MPC) instead of working for all softwares (BS Player, Zoom Player, The KMPlayer, GOM player, Winamp, Alshow, WMP, ...).

Windows 7 means the death of anything based on DirectShow, and ffdshow will need to use Windows Media Foundation one day if it wants to keep popular.

There are already websites and newspapers telling you “ffdshow is now obsolete”:
http://www.pcinpact.com/actu/news/50...codec-pack.htm

I am no expert, but here I'm using Windows 7 RC and I'm not telling MPC-HC to use ffdshow. I just disable internal (ffmpeg) codec and ffdshow load up just fine. So unless there is a hard code in MPC-HC calling ffdshow, it is not true that codec is lock down for 3rd party app. I don't think I can give you any better argument than that, but if this means anything:

http://www.withinwindows.com/2009/04...dows-versions/

What is true, I think, is Microsoft now lock down codec for WMP and Media Center. It's still bad for me, but not by much. I mostly use MPC-HC anyway.

[clsid]

MPC has its own graph builder, making it behave a little different than 'dumb' DirectShow players.

[Hypernova]

Originally Posted by clsid

MPC has its own graph builder, making it behave a little different than 'dumb' DirectShow players.

So you mean other players won't be able to use ffdshow?

But at least for MPC-HC (to answer the original question), here's the picture.

[clsid]

Players that use the default DirectShow graph builder will use the default Microsoft decoders. MPC is not the only player with a custom graph builder.

[squid_80]

Originally Posted by clsid

Players that use the default DirectShow graph builder will use the default Microsoft decoders. MPC is not the only player with a custom graph builder.

No, they won't. They'll work exactly the same as they do on previous versions of windows - based on priority. WMP and WMC will always use Microsoft's decoders, just as previous versions of WMP always used Microsoft's MP3 decoder.

[clsid]

The registry contains a list of preferred DMO/WMF decoders as defined by MS. Those are used whenever possible, regardless of merits.

[Balthazar2k4]

So even if I can get ffdshow to cooperate with MPC, I am probably still screwed with encoding programs? I have tried RipBot, MeGUI, and HDConverToX, all of which fail to accept VC-1 material.

[Hypernova]

clsid is right. I can't find a way to make ffdshow load for staxplayer (the only other directshow player I have at the moment), so I'm sorry for my mistake. I'm sure someone will find a way to change this, but for now, it seem not possible outside MPC-HC (and other "dump" directshow player). Personally I'm ok with this, but I sure see a lof of people will complain.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

Originally Posted by Balthazar2k4

So even if I can get ffdshow to cooperate with MPC, I am probably still screwed with encoding programs? I have tried RipBot, MeGUI, and HDConverToX, all of which fail to accept VC-1 material.

There really only is a possible problem, if the encoding application uses the DirectShow framework to split/decode the source video.

In case your encoding application uses Avisynth input, you could simply use another source filter instead of DirectShowSource (e.g. FFMpegSource, AVCSource or MPEG2Source).

And even if you rely on DirectShow source, you can still run GraphEdit (GraphStudio) and setup your custom filter graph...

[Hypernova]

After searching around a bit I found this. I think it can solve your problem.

http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/04/media...windows-7.html

I won't try this myself for now though. I use MPC-HC first, mplayer second, and rarely others, so I don't need to try yet.

[Balthazar2k4]

Originally Posted by Hypernova

After searching around a bit I found this. I think it can solve your problem.

http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/04/media...windows-7.html

I won't try this myself for now though. I use MPC-HC first, mplayer second, and rarely others, so I don't need to try yet.

I have tried it and unfortunately it only works with the binary that matches your operating system (eg. FFDshow x64 on Win7 x64). Since all of my programs are 32-bit they cannot interface to FFDshow x64. I guess I will just have to stick with Vista for the time being....

[nuhi]

Balthazar2k4, of course that x86 programs can access only x86 codecs, it is like that in Vista as well.
Install both versions of ffdshow if you want 32 and 64bit support.
Also if nothing else works try to suppress Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder, that one is competing.

Btw for those still with mpc_does_not_use_ffdshow issue this is what helps me:
- put the ffdshow video decoder in MPC-External filters box and set it to Prefered.
- in ffdshow video decoder settings (start menu) select all codecs that you will use to some option other than None, usually libavcodec.

[Hypernova]

I follow the instruction on this page http://www.hack7mc.com/2009/04/repla...-playback.html and now ffdshow loads with StaxPlayer and the graph from graphstudio also have ffdshow by default as well (the video part). I hope this fix your problem. Just remember to read the comments, you need to change the registry at both places.

[Shakey_Jake33]

Originally Posted by Balthazar2k4

I have tried it and unfortunately it only works with the binary that matches your operating system (eg. FFDshow x64 on Win7 x64). Since all of my programs are 32-bit they cannot interface to FFDshow x64. I guess I will just have to stick with Vista for the time being....

It's because the program is designed to configure the codecs for Media Centre, and Media Centre on Win7 64-bit (and indeed Vista 64-bit) uses 64-bit codecs.

I really don't have any issues using ffdshow with MPC (aside from having the set the ffdshow raw video filter to 'prefer') so this is interesting (I'm using Windows 7 RC1 64-bit too).