AviSynth + ffdshow = stuttering playback

[breez]

Using AviSynth 2.56a and ffdshow-20051013 I get a little stutter in playback (MPC / VMR9 renderless) if any processing is done with AviSynth.

Too high CPU usage shouldn't be the culprit as even simple and non-demanding operations result in exact same kind of stuttering (CPU usage stays well below 50%). I have tried a few other recent ffdshow builds, but it doesn't help. The stuttering isn't associated with any specific AviSynth plugin. It seems to be a general problem.

Anyone ever experienced similar problems? I'm dying to use LimitedSharpen :)

[AI]

CPU P4 with HT?

if true? then 50% total = 100% single virtual core

[breez]

Athlon XP

[Pookie]

Have you ever NOT gotten stutter when using that combination ? If it happens as a result of introducing AVISynth, then you need a faster CPU. Athlon XP is a great proc - I use several at work, but you need serious power to play video smoothly if it is running through 2 software based processing apps.

Go ahead, you deserve it. The holidays are coming up. You can probably use the same RAM in the new one :)

[foxyshadis]

More likely stuttering may be caused by too low a priority for the player (anything higher can preempt it momentarily), low monitor refresh rate, a very bad video card/directshow configuration, or other more basic issue that a processor upgrade wouldn't solve. Especially if you're absolutely certain that your processor never goes anywhere near 100% while you're playing.

I'm assuming your script is something like avisource("...") and not avisource().mvbob().fft3dfilter().deen().limitedsharpen(). Well, you know what I mean. ;)

[breez]

Have you ever NOT gotten stutter when using that combination ? If it happens as a result of introducing AVISynth, then you need a faster CPU. Athlon XP is a great proc - I use several at work, but you need serious power to play video smoothly if it is running through 2 software based processing apps.

Go ahead, you deserve it. The holidays are coming up. You can probably use the same RAM in the new one :)

Heh, sometime ago I actually thought of buying a new A64/Opteron + mobo just for playing with ffdshow, but decided to put some money towards a new TFT instead (as a student cannot afford two things at the same time) :)

I had never before tried AviSynth + ffdshow. It just seems that introducing AviSynth into the playback chain causes the problem.

More likely stuttering may be caused by too low a priority for the player (anything higher can preempt it momentarily), low monitor refresh rate, a very bad video card/directshow configuration, or other more basic issue that a processor upgrade wouldn't solve. Especially if you're absolutely certain that your processor never goes anywhere near 100% while you're playing.

I'm assuming your script is something like avisource("...") and not avisource().mvbob().fft3dfilter().deen().limitedsharpen(). Well, you know what I mean. ;)

The video card I'm using is AIW 9800Pro (Catalyst 5.11). I'll try some older Catalysts.

It really doesn't seem to be a CPU issue. I just put "Crop(2,2,-2,-2)" to test the behavior and it stutters. CPU usage 20-25% (HQ RGB32 conversion by ffdshow + VMR9 renderless, decoding a low bitrate divx).

Update: Using different Catalyst drivers or giving MPC a higher priority didn't help :|

[breez]

I decided to try another player, Zoomplayer, and there was no stuttering! Then I tried the latest MPC build from Nov 13 and the stable versions of 6.4.8.5 and 6.4.8.4 (had 6.4.8.6 originally). 6.4.8.4 = no problem!

EDIT:

This is killing me. MPC 6.4.8.4 doesn't have the internal MKV splitter so Haali splitter is used instead. Result = stuttering with AviSynth when MKV files are played! 6.4.8.4 is fine with AVI (newer ones stutter in AVI too).

EDIT2:

Oh, 6.4.8.4 sure does have the internal splitter. For some reason Matroska was unchecked when I installed 6.4.8.4 and thus Haali was loaded. However, the stuttering remains with the internal splitter.

EDIT3:

Ye olde MatroskaSplitter 1.0.2.1 from 2004 doesn't help either.

[breez]

AVI works fine in 6.4.8.6 IF Haali Splitter is used instead of MPC's internal AVI splitter. Only need to find a way to make the Matroska files play well too :p

[jon.schaffer]

For some reason Matroska was unchecked when I installed 6.4.8.4 and thus Haali was loaded.
When installing Haali Matroska Splitter or Matroska Pack, the MPC internal splitter is disabled (IIRC, you can specify it when installing).


Ye olde MatroskaSplitter 1.0.2.1 from 2004 doesn't help either.
Are you refering to Gabest's splitter? You could try the 1.0.2.6 version:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303

[breez]

Are you refering to Gabest's splitter? You could try the 1.0.2.6 version:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=82303

Yep, somehow I ended up at the SF download page for the old one...

1.0.2.6 doesn't help either :( I believe the same code is used in MPC (Matroska filter listed as 6.4.2.6 there).

[breez]

The new MPC 6.4.8.7 and its internal Avi filter works fine with AviSynth. Matroska filter, although updated (listed as 6.4.2.7) still doesn't work well with AviSynth.