Enabling DXVA in Windows 7 "N" (without EVR)

[Musafir_86]

Hi all,

-Currently I'm servicing a friend's laptop (Compaq CQ40-125AX) which has Windows 7 "N" installed. Win7 N doesn't have WMP, MFT, and other media-related functions. I also found that EVR isn't available too (MPC-HC greyed out the options).

-Below are what I have tried:

1. Use PotPlayer (v1.5.29795) in normal DXVA mode - FAIL.

2. Use PotPlayer (v1.5.29795) in DXVA renderless mode (using VMR7/9/D3D9/madVR) - FAIL (too slow & choppy).

3. Use PotPlayer with ffdshow DXVA (rev3984_20110922_clsid) and disable all PotPlayer's internal filters - FAIL. I thought ffdshow use DXVA1 API which maybe could connect to VMR/other renderers beside EVR, but apparently if the display driver supports WDDM (using Catalyst 11.9) the DXVA1 calls will be converted to DXVA2 calls (which requires EVR).

4. Use MPC-HC (v1.5.2.3456) with ffdshow DXVA, disable all internal filters with VMR7/9 renderers - FAIL (couldn't connect the pin; proof that it wants EVR).

5. Use VLC (v1.1.11) - FAIL because VLC's DXVA only supports Radeon HD 4xxx and newer, while this laptop only has HD 3400 (this is AMD decision by determining the support in driver). Why AMD do this?

-So, any solution? I don't want to download and install "Media Feature Pack" from Microsoft as it's quite big and I'm currently on wireless broadband with bandwidth quota. Also, if I do like that, better I reinstall normal Windows 7, isn't (the Product Key interchangeable or not)?

-Another question: in PotPlayer, what's the best renderer (& its setting) in terms of scaling quality for this graphics adapter (Mobility Radeon HD 3400)? madVR is too slow, and I don't have much time to manually evaluate every renderer available.

-Every help is really appreciated, thank you.


Regards.

[nevcairiel]

On a low-powered system like that, EVR is your only chance for viable DXVA on ATI.

[Musafir_86]

Originally Posted by nevcairiel

On a low-powered system like that, EVR is your only chance for viable DXVA on ATI.

-Oh, thanks. Is there anyone else with other viable solution?

-BTW, supposed I'm going into the software decoding route, which AVC/VC-1 decoder is the most efficient? MPC-HC/PotPlayer internal's? LAV? CoreAVC isn't free. Or better going with SMPlayer+mplayer2? I don't need any post-processing filters (except subtitle support).

-About which renderer with good scaling quality (beside madVR), what's your opinion?


Thanks.

[nand chan]

CoreAVC is the most efficient software decoder for 8-bit H.264 material. LAV Video is the most efficient software decoder for 10-bit, but I don't think that would be relevant for you.

LAV Video is the fastest free software H.264 decoder.

[G_M_C]

Is there no possibility to install 'Media Feature Pack for Windows 7 N with Service Pack 1 and Windows 7 KN with Service Pack 1 (KB968211)' to add the functionality ?

But on the other hand: Your friend didn't install Win N for nothing. So i can imagine installing the MFP would not be a real option, even though it would probably solve the problem.

[Musafir_86]

-Well, I managed to solve this without installing that huge Media Feature Pack (KB968211). Here's how I did it:

1. First, I tried to install Windows Media Format (WMF) Feature Pack (KB968212) which just 10MB only compared to KB968211 (278MB), thinking maybe EVR would be included together. FAIL.

2. Then, I tried to install .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 as EVR started to be bundled with .NET FX 3.0. FAIL - cannot install (maybe because Win7 already has it).

3. After that, I tried installing .NET FX 4.0 (Client Profile), and I confirmed that EVR DLLs exist in the unpacked installer. FAIL - (no EVR.dll exists in system32; maybe because these DLLs have version 6.0.6002.18084 which I think for Vista and older OS - hence the installer skip it).

4. Fair enough, I manually copy Evr_x86.dll to system32 and rename it to Evr.dll. Still FAIL.

5. Oh, forgot to register it. After registering (with regsvr32.exe), finally SUCCESS. Now using DXVA in MPC-HC.

-Benefit from using Win7 N + manual EVR.dll*: save disk space, reduce files count in system32 AND (more importantly) winsxs. (Imagine how much that huge (compressed) MFP installer would do to the Windows installation.)
*I think .NET FX 4.0 should be installed as maybe that EVR DLL have some dependencies upon it.

-Thanks to everyone who replied.


Regards.

P/S: "Bulldozer" will be launched (NDA-lifted) in just a few hours more. Should we prepare to be disappointed or surprised?

[G_M_C]

Originally Posted by Musafir_86

-Well, I managed to solve this without installing that huge Media Feature Pack (KB968211). Here's how I did it:

1. First, I tried to install Windows Media Format (WMF) Feature Pack (KB968212) which just 10MB only compared to KB968211 (278MB), thinking maybe EVR would be included together. FAIL.

2. Then, I tried to install .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 as EVR started to be bundled with .NET FX 3.0. FAIL - cannot install (maybe because Win7 already has it).

3. After that, I tried installing .NET FX 4.0 (Client Profile), and I confirmed that EVR DLLs exist in the unpacked installer. FAIL - (no EVR.dll exists in system32; maybe because these DLLs have version 6.0.6002.18084 which I think for Vista and older OS - hence the installer skip it).

4. Fair enough, I manually copy Evr_x86.dll to system32 and rename it to Evr.dll. Still FAIL.

5. Oh, forgot to register it. After registering (with regsvr32.exe), finally SUCCESS. Now using DXVA in MPC-HC.

-Benefit from using Win7 N + manual EVR.dll*: save disk space, reduce files count in system32 AND (more importantly) winsxs. (Imagine how much that huge (compressed) MFP installer would do to the Windows installation.)
*I think .NET FX 4.0 should be installed as maybe that EVR DLL have some dependencies upon it.

-Thanks to everyone who replied.


Regards.

P/S: "Bulldozer" will be launched (NDA-lifted) in just a few hours more. Should we prepare to be disappointed or surprised?

'Everything went better than expected' :-)
If disk space is that valuable, than its a good solution.

[Musafir_86]

Originally Posted by G_M_C

'Everything went better than expected' :-)
If disk space is that valuable, than its a good solution.

-Yes, it was.

-BTW, another quick update: it seems that no need to install .NET Framework 4.0 to use its EVR DLLs (it's working even without .NET FX 4 installed).

Regards.

[CruNcher]

though your evr.dll seems old current Win7 one i guess (GDM or SP1) not sure is 6.1.7601.17514 477 KB

[Musafir_86]

Originally Posted by CruNcher

though your evr.dll seems old current Win7 one i guess (GDM or SP1) not sure is 6.1.7601.17514 477 KB

-I think that EVR DLLs are meant for XP and Vista, but it's still useable on Win7.

Regards.

[phneutral]

Hi there,

I have "Media Features" enabled in Windows Features. Still receive the EVR.dll error. I'm out of idea's.... Anyone any idea?

Kind regards,
Dennis

[Mangix]

if madvr + lav filters' native dxva doesn't work, your choices are QuickSync(Intel) or CUDA(nvidia).