CoreCodec/H.264 Codec "CoreAVC"

[Chumbo]

@BetaBoy,
I found a playback corruption issue on a file I edited. Playing it using either ffdshow or MPC decoder has a fairly clean break at the edit point where CoreAVC 2.5 shows much corruption. Small sample here (http://www.mediafire.com/?jko7mjc53hcu4b3).

[oddball]

Anyone got a direct download link? Your crabby portal does not recognise my email. Why paid up members should have to go through your portal to download the codec (which requires a registration number regardless) baffles me.

[BetaBoy]

We are working on a quick followup release once we are confident the current reports are fixed.

We will send an update notice as soon as it's available. We already have an RC build compiled that we are testing.

[BetaBoy]

Oddball... Do not ask for a direct download link... And you will need a new corenumber as they have changed with 2.5.

PM me with your info and I'll take care of it.

[BetaBoy]

We are sending a test build (v2.5.1) to those who submitted support tickets on the seeking, graphstudio, and mediaportal bugs.

[ajp_anton]

What advantages does CoreAVC's DXVA have over for example MPC-HC's internal one?

[desta]

I've just upgraded to 2.5. Before doing so I quickly played some of my own 1080p encodes with 2.0 and all was fine. After upgrading to 2.5 I now get jerky, stuttered playback with 1080p mkv's. If I disable cuda then playback becomes smooth. 720p and below is fine with and without cuda.

I've opened a ticket through the portal.

[robpdotcom]

I updated to 2.5 yesterday, and when using DXVA I'm getting a corrupted image (not sure how to describe it, I can get some screen shots if necessary).

I haven't seen anyone else describe anything similar. Should I open a ticket, and, how do I open a ticket?

[BetaBoy]

I've just upgraded to 2.5. Before doing so I quickly played some of my own 1080p encodes with 2.0 and all was fine. After upgrading to 2.5 I now get jerky, stuttered playback with 1080p mkv's. If I disable cuda then playback becomes smooth. 720p and below is fine with and without cuda.

I've opened a ticket through the portal.

What NVIDIA drivers do you have installed? Have up upgraded to the newest ones?

[BetaBoy]

I updated to 2.5 yesterday, and when using DXVA I'm getting a corrupted image (not sure how to describe it, I can get some screen shots if necessary).

I haven't seen anyone else describe anything similar. Should I open a ticket, and, how do I open a ticket?

We have received other similar reports... if you have a sample that shows this it would help trying to see whats going on.

[desta]

what nvidia drivers do you have installed? Have up upgraded to the newest ones?
266.58

[BetaBoy]

We have released CoreAVC 2.5.1... current customers just need to log into the customer portal to download the update. http://customers.corecodec.com

This release fixes:
- WMP seeking with MKV
- Media Portal crashes
- Graphstudio crashes

[hajj_3]

any changes since 2.5.1 RC?

[pankov]

I've just installed v2.5.1 and I'm glad to report that the problem with GraphStudio is fixed.
Sadly the installer again changed the settings for using custom media format for .mkv.
Why is this happening despite the fact that I don't even select the Haali splitter to be installed !?!?

BetaBoy, did you manage to replicate the problem with the wrong field order with the sample that I posted?
Any chance for a fix?

[desta]

We have released CoreAVC 2.5.1... current customers just need to log into the customer portal to download the update. http://customers.corecodec.com

This release fixes:
- WMP seeking with MKV
- Media Portal crashes
- Graphstudio crashes
Still the same issue for me with 2.5.1.

[robpdotcom]

We have received other similar reports... if you have a sample that shows this it would help trying to see whats going on.

For me, it happens with all H.264 from Blurays, whether straight from the disc or in mkv. Here are 4 screen shots - 2 using CoreAVC, 2 using Microsoft's decoder:

CoreAVC 1 (http://img848.imageshack.us/img848/6579/coreavc.png)
Microsoft 1 (http://img819.imageshack.us/img819/4383/microsofts.png)
CoreAVC 2 (http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4695/coreavc2.png)
Microsoft 2 (http://img822.imageshack.us/img822/3780/microsoft2l.png)

[oddball]

Does CoreAVC 2.5 support DXVA on Intel (laptop) HD chipsets?

[BetaBoy]

I've just installed v2.5.1 and I'm glad to report that the problem with GraphStudio is fixed.
Sadly the installer again changed the settings for using custom media format for .mkv.
Why is this happening despite the fact that I don't even select the Haali splitter to be installed !?!?

BetaBoy, did you manage to replicate the problem with the wrong field order with the sample that I posted?
Any chance for a fix?
We are working with Haali on how to best handle the custom media format for a future release.

The teams are looking into the field order... but they already commented on how you get random field order changes when starting and seeking and how most renderers break.

[BetaBoy]

Still the same issue for me with 2.5.1.

You are the only report that it still has issue.s Please confirm your running 2.5.1 and have even tried a reboot.

[BetaBoy]

Does CoreAVC 2.5 support DXVA on Intel (laptop) HD chipsets?
If your referring to: http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/mp4avc-decode-using-the-intel-media-sdk/

DXVA sure... but not yet for the Intel Media extentions. Once we are happy with the DXVA feature set being complete in 2.5 and above, we will then extend it further.

[pankov]

We are working with Haali on how to best handle the custom media format for a future release.
10x
Please, do consider that not installing Haali's splitter through CoreAVC's setup should not change any setting of the splitter. I'm not sure (don't remember from the past) if your installer simply uses Haali's one and calls it during setup but nevertheless no settings should be changed if it's not started.

The teams are looking into the field order... but they already commented on how you get random field order changes when starting and seeking and how most renderers break.I'm not sure I understand your words exactly. Where did they comment? Who said that I get random filed order changes when starting/seeking? Btw isn't it decoder's responsibility to send the fields in the correct order? In PAL countries Top Field First is the most used configuration and I sense that CoreAVC is sending the opposite. Am I right?

[Twingo]

You are the only report that it still has issue.s Please confirm your running 2.5.1 and have even tried a reboot.

I have the same problem with a h264 mkv file, using DXVA on a hd5570 card. I just opened a ticket but don't have idea how to send sample to you, it's about 17MB.

[LoRd_MuldeR]

I just opened a ticket but don't have idea how to send sample to you, it's about 17MB.

Usually it's best to upload samples at http://www.mediafire.com/ or a similar service and provide a link...

[mkanet]

Should I even bother to try Haali with DTS-HD/True-HD in MKV, M2TS, and TS containers in version 2.5.1?

I ended up uninstalling Haali and using the latest LAV splitter for all the above to work Edit: In version 2.5.. I havent tried 2.5.1 yet.

[Twingo]

Usually it's best to upload samples at http://www.mediafire.com/ or a similar service and provide a link...

Thanks for the hint, I uploaded and the link is at

http://www.mediafire.com/?lmnu387cdk0572r

[Twingo]

Just a little more update. Tried the same sample on my del xps 1340 laptop with G210M video, it's using CUDA and the video looks normal.

[BetaBoy]

Thanks for the hint, I uploaded and the link is at

http://www.mediafire.com/?lmnu387cdk0572r
Thank you for the sample.... What are you using for a renderer? We are seeing mixed results here, it plays properly with most renderers but not all.

[mkanet]

I just tested on my PC.... I can now play 1080p/i H.264, TRUE-HD, DTS-HD, AC3, etc in ALL popular/standard containers (TS, M2TS, and even MKV!) with perfect quality, timing, synch, etc in ANY directshow player.. not confined to one software player (any player that lets your system build the filtergraphs).

This is a big deal to me since up until just recently, I could only play an audio format in one container, but not in others, or heavy audio and/or video stuttering, no audio, or video distortion, synch issues, etc (ie, like all the weird issues mentioned above).

Now everything works regardless of container, audio format, directshow software player.

And, best of all, I didn't have to install FFDshow or any other software suites/bloat. I try to keep things as minimal/lean as possible without any issues and full flexibility.

Filters used
Splitter: LAV (Splitting MKV, TS, M2TS, MPLS)
H.264 Video: CoreAVC 2.5.1 with Cuda fully supported
DTS-MA: Arcsoft-HD standalone with filter wrapper (to keep 24bit/5.1)
True-HD: LAV audio - Only TrueHD is enabled

In a perfect world, if CoreCodec included a splitter, video, audio filter pack that just worked without any of the on going issues, it's value would be increased exponentially; however, I wouldnt hold my breath to see a package like that.

I'm a very happy camper now!
-MKANET

Should I even bother to try Haali with DTS-HD/True-HD in MKV, M2TS, and TS containers in version 2.5.1?

I ended up uninstalling Haali and using the latest LAV splitter for all the above to work Edit: In version 2.5.. I havent tried 2.5.1 yet.

[namaiki]

If your referring to: http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/mp4avc-decode-using-the-intel-media-sdk/

DXVA sure... but not yet for the Intel Media extentions. Once we are happy with the DXVA feature set being complete in 2.5 and above, we will then extend it further.

Are you going to try implement ModeH264_VLD_NoFGT_ClearVideo as some Intel GPUs do not support the standard DXVA thing?

[CruNcher]

http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1487694&postcount=52

CoreAVC also brakes in this very interesting scenario (it also drops frames but not after 12 seconds like nevs LA CUVID Decoder it drops them immediately after load) in both CUDA and DXVA mode (i yet cant explain why Cyberlink DXVA is the only Decoder that survive this MPC-HC configuration (Nvidia VP2 + XP + VMR9 Renderless (VMR9 Mixer mode,Alternate Sync,3D surrface,bicubic) + 1080p 60 FPS stream + ffdshow audio decoder + MPC-HC internal Mp4 splitter + Minimal Energy Profile) :(

Makes me crazy (not being able to find the cause of it) especially as no one could confirm this issue yet, but im surely not imagine this ;) :(

http://e.dl.playstation.net/e/wipeouthd/assets/WipEoutHD_EN_1080p.zip

So Cyberlinks DXVA Decoder is again the only one who doesn't drop frames in this configuration (using a Hardware decoding mode)

Arcsoft DXVA = drop (immediately)
CoreAVC 2.0 CUDA = drop (immediately)
CoreAVC 2.5 CUDA/DXVA = drop (immediately)
CoreAVC 2.5.5 CUDA = drop (immediately)
CoreAVC 2.5.5 DXVA = switches to CPU decoding (it's a workaround but its not really a fix or improvement of the main issue ;) )
CUDA Video Decoder DXVA = drop (immediately)
Cyberlink DXVA = OK fluid 0-1 jitter
Divx DXVA = drop (immediately)
ffdshow DXVA = drop (after 12 seconds)
LA CUVID CUDA = drop (after 12 seconds)
Mainconcept DXVA = drop (after 12 seconds)
MPC-HC DXVA = drop (after 12 seconds)

PS: I was wrong in the LA CUVID thread also CoreAVC 2.0 with CUDA suffers from the frame dropping, actually Cyberlinks DXVA Decoder is really the only one which doesn't (so practically the worlds only).

Especially the 12 second pattern difference for some Decoder is interesting (2 at least same codebase, could be a indication for a buffering difference) :)

[desta]

You are the only report that it still has issue.s Please confirm your running 2.5.1 and have even tried a reboot.
http://img715.imageshack.us/img715/7550/251q.png

Sample: http://www.mediafire.com/?n4rlu8qja6b7ldd

[Twingo]

Thank you for the sample.... What are you using for a renderer? We are seeing mixed results here, it plays properly with most renderers but not all.

I'm using vmr9-renderless for it's required by MPC-HC to load the subtitle itself, so I don't know exactly which renderer it is, though I see coreavc decoder showing up in the filters section togerther with vmr9 renderless.

[dead_screem]

betaboy, I can't login to the core account portal. I forgot my password and I can't receive the reset emails, aol seems to be blocking them (and comcast as well, as I tried changing to a comcast email last time I had account access and they were blocking your emails too.)
I already have a support ticket open at http://support.corecodec.com/ open since the 24th but so far nobodys responed. Please look into it. The ticket number is #WMO-768-18430. Thanks.

[Ice =A=]

Just tested 2.5.1 and it works well and seems to be a few percent faster (on a SandyBridge 2600) as well.
I'll test it on an Atom processor sometime where speed is more important than on a "real" cpu... :)

Also a bug in 2.0 which caused stuttering in some videos seems gone.

Good work as far as I can tell! :)

[BetaBoy]

Just tested 2.5.1 and it works well and seems to be a few percent faster (on a SandyBridge 2600) as well.
Reports so far point are close to a 4-5% increase in speed.

[BetaBoy]

betaboy, I can't login to the core account portal. I forgot my password and I can't receive the reset emails, aol seems to be blocking them (and comcast as well, as I tried changing to a comcast email last time I had account access and they were blocking your emails too.)
I already have a support ticket open at http://support.corecodec.com/ open since the 24th but so far nobodys responed. Please look into it. The ticket number is #WMO-768-18430. Thanks.

PM me your info.... i'll look into it.

[dead_screem]

PM me your info.... i'll look into it.

pm sent. thanks.

[BetaBoy]

Sample: http://www.mediafire.com/?n4rlu8qja6b7ldd
Im not seeing anything wrong with that clip here on my 3 systems.

Are you using Haali's splitter? or any custom renderer?

[Chumbo]

@BetaBoy,
I just installed 2.5.1 and wanted to follow up on the two issues I reported earlier.

Regarding the smooth playback issue (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1487664#post1487664), still broken in software decoding and worse in DXVA as no video is rendered at all (MPC-HC using EVR Custom Pres). When it worked earlier via software and was smooth, it was because I forgot I had used the Haali Renderer temporarily.

Regarding the corruption issue (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1487886#post1487886), no video is rendered using MPC-HC EVR Custom Pres. With Haali Renderer, corruption still there and no DXVA which is expected.

[BetaBoy]

CoreAVC pretty much relies on the source filter's information. Thought this was once fixed already. Most other decoders detect the format on their own without relying on the source filter's information.

They are doing it wrong. CoreAVC 'has to' propose an output format before it even sees any of the stream info, so it has no choice but to rely on the info from the source filter.

[madshi]

They are doing it wrong. CoreAVC 'has to' propose an output format before it even sees any of the stream info, so it has no choice but to rely on the info from the source filter.
True, but once you start to receive bitstream and detect that the bitstream contradicts the source filter's information, it might make sense to do a dynamic format change (http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd388731%28v=vs.85%29.aspx). At least if there'd be corruption or crashes otherwise.

[CiNcH]

They are doing it wrong. CoreAVC 'has to' propose an output format before it even sees any of the stream info, so it has no choice but to rely on the info from the source filter.
Well it works correctly with the SW path of your decoder. Which means that even if the source filter propagates the wrong parameters the output is correct. Different story with the DXVA path as mentioned.

Other decoders work properly with wrong information too, even with DXVA.

[desta]

Im not seeing anything wrong with that clip here on my 3 systems.

Are you using Haali's splitter? or any custom renderer?
I used Haali's splitter along with every renderer available in MPC-HC (x86 and x64).


update: Just downgraded my nvidia drivers from 266.58 to 258.96 and CoreAVC 2.5.1 now works with cuda enabled. Nvidia broke something?

[dead_screem]

betaboy, any news on getting my password changed?

[BetaBoy]

True, but once you start to receive bitstream and detect that the bitstream contradicts the source filter's information, it might make sense to do a....
Thanks madshi.... we are taking a look.

[BetaBoy]

betaboy, any news on getting my password changed?

PM sent with a new one.

[BetaBoy]

Well it works correctly with the SW path of your decoder. Which means that even if the source filter propagates the wrong parameters the output is correct. Different story with the DXVA path as mentioned.

Other decoders work properly with wrong information too, even with DXVA.
ok for the info... we are gonna look into it more.

[dead_screem]

PM sent with a new one.

Thanks much! I also sent a new PM with additional info, be sure to read it.

[desta]

update: Just downgraded my nvidia drivers from 266.58 to 258.96 and CoreAVC 2.5.1 now works with cuda enabled. Nvidia broke something?
Any news on this or do I need to keep my nvidia drivers out of date to use CoreAVC now?

[thewebchat]

Just tested Core 2.5.

About performance: exactly the same as 2.0 (lol @ "faster overall" --> 139.5 fps vs 139.2 fps)
About 64-bit support: still slower than 32-bit version (133 fps vs 139 fps)

I think this release is pretty much the definition of underwhelming. Unless there's something magical about Core DXVA that's not already in 9001 other decoders (frame read-back to system memory?), I'm struggling to find a reason for anyone to get this.

Pretty much every niche that Core tries to cover is already occupied by free software:

Software decoding: DivX H264, ffmpeg-mt
DXVA: Windows 7, MPC-HC
CUDA: nevcairel's CUVID decoder

Too bad, too sad. It's too late for CoreCodec to try to remain relevant with their sub-standard products.