ffdshow settings / MPC's internal codecs [Archive]

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catcher

8th October 2009, 11:09

I would like some help regarding codecs I use with MPC.

Specs: Windows XP SP3, Q6600, 8800GTS, MPC v6.4.9.1 rev89

I use ffdshow revision 3078 0920090917 sep 17 clsid icl10 x86 SSE for XviD videos, and CoreAVC for HD, H.264 videos
I got ffdshow from here: http://www.free-codecs.com/FFDshow_download.htm
I just installed that latest version of ffdshow (info above), and before, I used an older version, several months old.
While installing ffdshow I chose for ffdshow to decode only DivX, Xvid and Generic MPEG-4.

Strange thing is after I installed the latest ffdshow version and set it to Block, now I cannot watch any XviD videos,
while with the older ffdshow version, I set it to block and then I could watch XviD videos with MPC's
internal incoders, how come now it does not? The only thing that has changed is the new ffdshow version.

Using the older (and also newer) version of ffdshow, using it to encode XviD, either if choosing libavcodec, or choosing XviD
(in ffdshow options), the image seems washed out, blacks are actually grays.

And (using the older version of ffdshow) when I set ffdshow to Block, MPC seemed used its own codecs and the image was not washed out, better colors and true blacks
I would have kept using MPC internal codecs but now after using the newer ffdshow version, hoping that would
solve the washed out colors, for some reason I can't. Only audio will play. The rest of MPC setting were kept the same.
So I want to know why it happened that now I cannot use MPC internal codecs, after I installed the newer ffdshow,
and also why did I see better image quality using MPC internal codecs than ffdshow, is there any option I miss?

Note: Again when I had the older version of ffdshow installed, and used MPC's internal codecs for XviD videos,
I could tick 'AVI' under Internal Filters and then 'AVI Splitter' will disappear from MPC - Play - Filters
(I don't know what it means to have or to not have this 'AVI Splitter' which seems to be related to MPCs internal codecs),
but it does not affect the image quality.
The only thing that does affect the image quality, and you can clrealry see it from the images,
is if I set ffdshow to Prefer (using ffdshow, image is washed out).
Or ffdshow to Block (using MPC's internal filters?, image not washed out, better colors

I attached a screenshot of how the image looked when I used the older ffdshow (choosing XviD to decode), and when setting it to Block, and let
MPC use its own internal codecs, which for some reason won't work now with the newer ffdshow.

So why Can't I use MPC's internal codecs now that all I did was install newer ffdshow?
Why did I get better colors using MPC internal filters than ffdshow libavcodec/XviD, are they better?

few other questions:
I noticed that when having ffdshow disabled, subtitles wont load.
In a case where I want to have ffdshow disabled, how can I enable subtitles?

Another option is to install XviD codec instead of ffdshow, but I understand I can choose to use XviD within ffdshow,
is it basically the same thing?

Another thing is when using CoreAVC for HD videos, when ticking Prefer CUDA Acceleration from CoreAVC, skipping forward in a
movie takes sometimes a second until it responds, and it forwards faster when unticking the option.

I don't understand much regarding codecs, only that ffdshow and XviD are the most common and they should give
better quality than when using VLC player for example.
While I do have better colors for HD videos using CoreAVC to encode them with its default settings, I get
the same washed out colors using ffdshow with MPC or while playing the same video on VLC.

Thanks

clsid

8th October 2009, 14:28

catcher

11th October 2009, 12:04

You do NOT need to block ffdshow. All you need to do is enable those internal filters in Media Player Classic that you would like to use. Internal filters take precedence over external ones.

Washed out picture means wrong "luminance levels". You can find solutions here

What happened is I set ffdshow to Block, and then MPC used its internal codecs, I could see it under Play - Filters. If that was not the case, then which codecs did MPC use when ffdshow was set to block? I know it was not CoreAVC as the video was not HD? I do not have any more codecs installed. I attacked a screenshot, on the left you can see which filters MPC used when ffdshow was set to block.
So when it used those filters (I assume its MPC's internal ones), the luminance levels were good.

I just wonder if using ffdshow, what settings do I need to set, aside from choosing which formats to decode using it?
I do not notice any difference between Decoder: XviD or libavcodec. Should there be? And I also did not change the many options ffdshow offers.

Playing HD videos, encoded using CoreAVC, the luminance levels are GOOD while in the nVIDIA CP, color adjustment is set to use the video player settings. If I set it to enable and Dynamic Range to Full, then there is just another layer added, and its TOO dark and saturated.

So I want to know if I have to enable Dynamic Range when watching videos using ffdshow, for the good luminance levels, and disable it when watching videos using CoreAVC, for normal and not over saturated colors.

The fact remains that when using the old version of ffdshow, and setting it to block, MPC used different codecs (I think it was MPC's internal codecs, if not then I don't know which it used... see picture on left side for the names of those filters)
and the luminance levels were fine with no adjustment to the nVIDIA CP.
But when using the newer ffdshow, and no changes to MPC were mande, and setting it to block, MPC will now NOT play the video. So now I have to resort to using ffdshow, and applying Dynamic Range in the nVIDIA CP when watching normal videos, and disable it when watching HD videos, as CoreAVC has a similar option I guess (the luminance levels are fine with no CP adjustment).

So I just wonder what happened when upgrading to the newer ffdshow, which filters/codecs did MPC use when I used the old ffdshow when setting it to block (because it had proper luminance levels then, and I did not have to adjust the Dynamic Range on and off when needed).

Also, maybe I need to ask this after I get a reply to my questions, but assuming I will want to use ffdshow, which of MPC's (MPC v 6.4.9.1 rev89) internal filters/codecs (is there a difference?) do I need to DISABLE, in order for ffdshow and CoreAVC to work properly, and not be overrided by MPC's internal ones, which I assume are not as good?

BTW just to know, is the Dynamic Range option in nVIDIA CP, affects only videos luminance levels, or also other games or such things?

Thanks again.

clsid

11th October 2009, 14:36

AVI Decompressor (XVID) = Xvid VFW codec

The above is NOT the internal decoder of MPC (which is called "MPCVideoDec").

I suggest you read all of the luminance solutions. Shaders or RGB32 output is probably what you are looking for.

catcher

11th October 2009, 15:33

So regarding this XVID codec, I do not have it installed. But I do have 'XviD' selected as Decoder in ffdshow settings, and not 'libavcodec'.

While watching a video, under Play - Filters I always get 'ffdshow video decoder', whether choosing XviD or libavcodec as Decoder. Choosing XviD doesn't really work?

How can I set MPC to use AVI Decompressor (XVID) using ffdshow? It seems that using it, luminance levels are find and I do not need to change anything. But I don't understand how did I use it when ffdshow was set to Block with older ffdshow version. So how to make XviD codec work in ffdshow settings?

Failing to understand I think that uninstalling ffdshow and installing the actual XviD codec will solve the problem, as I doubt I need the extra features of ffdshow.

I have 'AVI' ticked in MPC internal filters, does it mean XviD encoded videos, or not?

clsid

11th October 2009, 16:42

So regarding this XVID codec, I do not have it installed.Yes, you DO have it installed.
But I do have 'XviD' selected as Decoder in ffdshow settings, and not 'libavcodec'.Selecting 'XVID' will make ffdshow use the Xvid codec as decoder, selecting 'libavcodec' will make it use its own decoder.
How can I set MPC to use AVI Decompressor (XVID) using ffdshow?AVI Decompressor is a wrapper filter from Microsoft. If you want to use that you need to set handling of Xvid video in ffdshow to disabled.
I have 'AVI' ticked in MPC internal filters, does it mean XviD encoded videos, or not? That is a source filter, not a decoder. It only handles the AVI container. It does not handle the audio and video formats that are inside the container.

catcher

13th October 2009, 08:18

I did not install the XviD codec, how can I have it installed? I did install CoreAVC Codec and ffdshow Codec.
I do not know how I set MPC to use AVI Decompressor which had good luminance levels. I can't seem to now, after setting handling of Xvid video in ffdshow to disabled. Video won't play.

But I am lost now in all those terms I do not know what each thing is responsible of, thanks anyway for trying.

I did follow method 3 to correct luminance levels within ffdshow and it seem to work. I am just not sure if to tick 'Modify only luminance', 'Full Range' or both.

EDIT: I found that I should have 'Full Range' option ticked for the levels adjustments to even take effect.
And 'Modify only luminance' option should be ticked as well, as if its not ticked, the image is slightly TOO saturated.

Also applying Dynamic Range 0-255 option in the nVIDIA CP, and watching the video on VLC is equal to watching the video on MPC with FFDShow and the Levels adjustments, with 'Modify only luminance' option Not ticked (meaning over saturated image and no option in the nVIDIA CP to fix that, where if using FFDShow options instead, you get more flexibility, and the best natural image, which is the option to tick 'Modify only luminance' option)

I do get good video quality and colors now also when watching xvid videos thanks to ffdshow levels filter adjustment, but I don't get what choosing xvid gives over libavcodec, what internal filters do I need or don't need to tick in MPC, what AVI Decompressor means etc