LAV Filters - DirectShow Media Splitter and Decoders

[LordMerlin]

For me, thats enogh to distrust them and never consider taking seriously.

With this understood, but what about functional?
With this splitter you can make a solid connection container-splitter, decoder, and for different types of content, you can choose a different decoder.
Put and take a look. Is it possible that something like this do you have?

[nevcairiel]

Thats something the player should do, not the splitter. The splitter should not be made responsible for graph building.

[BloodySword]

I just tried a VOB LPCM file, and it works just fine.
Blu-ray LPCM also work perfectly. Other formats do not have "LPCM", MKV for example just has PCM, which does not need a decoder.

Strange, do you have an idea what could be the cause, or what I'm doing wrong? I even tried to build the graph by myself. When I rightclick on the LAVSplitter Audio output pin an say "render" it won't do anything. There is no filter wich accepts this output in my whole 32 bit DirectShow! Strange is, that the format for this pin says WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE, which is PCM, and has nothing to do with LPCM, right? But if the wFormatTag is not PCM, then it would be another issue.

[nevcairiel]

Strange is, that the format for this pin says WAVEFORMATEXTENSIBLE, which is PCM, and has nothing to do with LPCM, right? But if the wFormatTag is not PCM, then it would be another issue.

Please post the full media type, and if you can a sample file.

[VipZ]

x86 and x64 binaries are now available on SourceForge (https://sourceforge.net/projects/babgvant/files/LAVFilterSettings/), source (http://babgvant.svn.sourceforge.net/viewvc/babgvant/LAVFilterSetttings/) is too (not that it's very interesting :)).

Awesome, thanks :)

[BloodySword]

Please post the full media type, and if you can a sample file.

http://img34.imageshack.us/img34/4190/20110525181102.png

Should I cut a small piece of a VOB? Because of file size and copyright?

[nevcairiel]

Should I cut a small piece of a VOB? Because of file size and copyright?

A small piece would be great.

LAV Splitter - bad open Blind_Fury.m2ts (http://www.multiupload.com/ZGDZFMT4Q0) - very slowly opens and then black screen, with Cyberlink Decoder - crash at open.

Fixed.
Didn't test cyberlink, but the file plays fine otherwise now.

[BloodySword]

A small piece would be great.

Here you are. I'm from Germany FYI, but I write in english for the others. :>

http://www23.zippyshare.com/v/28534864/file.html

I hope MPEG2CUT did not modify any headers.

[nevcairiel]

Thanks, should be fixed for the next version.

[BloodySword]

Thank you very much. Did you find a problem?

[Sven75]

The following is no longer playing correctly since 0.27. It's still playing fine with versions up to 0.26-31:

http://www.mediafire.com/?1nr37wujo5g8c65 (cvid in mov container)
http://www.mediafire.com/?veeby6o9u9fb82m (debug log)

Decoder is current ffdShow...

Thank you!

[nevcairiel]

The file does not play with ffdshow at all here, not with 0.26 or 0.27.
The MS AVI decoder works fine, however!

[Sven75]

Just tried it again in graphstudio to double check and it is working just fine with ffdShow (lav versions 0.25 - 0.26-31) on my setup. I am currently using ffdShow builds 3842 - 3857.

http://www.mediafire.com/?ba3zq9l6zxj8c1f (screenshot)

[Inspector.Gadget]

Hi nevcairiel,

Thanks for your great work on this project. I've used it in conjunction with your CUVID decoder, MPC-HC as a frontend, and ffdshow as an audio downmixer for my stereo speakers and have found it to be much less prone to pathological behavior across a range of content than other decoders and certainly splitters (Haali, for example).

In upgrading from .26 to .27, I noticed that text subtitles in MKV were no longer displayed. Subsequent investigation revealed that "Only with matching language" had been checked in the splitter's config page with no languages selected; however, the existence of the subtitles was still exposed to MPC-HC's "navigate" menu so I assumed I was having some sort of video renderer issue. Does it make sense to change the behavior so users are somehow made aware of the fact that valid subtitles exist but won't be passed through using the splitter's current settings? I can see that the present behavior might confuse some users in the future, but perhaps the alternatives are worse. Thank you for your consideration of this issue.

[nevcairiel]

There have been no changes in default values or subtitling behaviour between 0.26 and 0.27.
The default configuration, since no languages are specified, should always show full subtitles (having no languages configured renders the "only with matching language" checkbox rather moot). Once you configure a set of languages, the checkbox makes sense, and will only show subtitles you have in your language list, and no others.

For me, this setting made the most sense.
- By default (without *ANY* configuration), just show the first subtitle stream it can find.
- After configuration of languages (and no other settings changed), just show the sub streams the user wants to see (based on the language preference).

[tetsuo55]

Does simply running the unregister.bat also delete all the settings?

[Sebastiii]

Hi,

This is my test with cppcheck, i don't know if it help or it's totally wrong lol :)
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10536084/lav/cppcheck/Lavsplitter_cppcheck_Clean.txt
Thanks,
Sebastiii

[nevcairiel]

Does simply running the unregister.bat also delete all the settings?

No, only the (un)installer can remove settings.

[CruNcher]

Thats something the player should do, not the splitter. The splitter should not be made responsible for graph building.

I guess they override Vista/7 restrictions doing it this way without the need for manipulating the registry ?
Though it's strange no contact information no forum no nothing just a change log some bad translated help and that was it,that this comes as a executable most probably somewhere out of east europe (russia) also should make some nervous :D

[madshi]

No, only the (un)installer can remove settings.
FWIW, if you wanted, you could delete settings via batch file, too ("start /min reg delete HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\LAV Whatever /f").

[BelowSky]

When I seek in an Ogg audio the sound stops working (MPC + LAV filters).

http://samples.mplayerhq.hu/ogg/Vorbis/coyote.ogg

[BloodySword]

Vorbis in ogg is a weird format. It seems that it uses variable frame lengts and sometimes <1 ms... Seeking is a bit slow for me, it takes about 500ms till the playback begins on the position i clicked. But this was with EVERY splitter I EVER used. I have the problem since I have the laptop with crappy Realtek HD Audio Chipset! With other splitters such as Haalis etc. sometimes playback broke after seeking. The problem is the crappy drivers of crappy crap Realtek crap chip... ._.

[BelowSky]

I can play and seek in Ogg just fine with MPC and Haali, combined or individually.
I can play and seek them even with ffplay.
BTW I don't have a Realtek chipset.

[nevcairiel]

Seeking in ogg files should be improved for the next version.

[BloodySword]

I think the main problem with vorbis is, that the decoded frames are piped as is. So the buffer is the decoded frame. Since there are very small frames, some audio chipsets can get problems with this. So the main problem is on decoder side: The decoder has to group very small frames together in one buffer. Then the problem should be solved.

[nevcairiel]

LAV Audio already does this, TrueHD for example also has very small frames, 0.833ms to be exact. There was another problem with seeking in ogg.

[BloodySword]

Nice to know. Can it affect the behavior of ffdshow audio decoding when you fix this? So, that the framing is more solid?

[nevcairiel]

The problem i found was in my audio decoder, not in the splitter. with ffdshow audio decoding, i never got the silence.

[BloodySword]

Okay I think I will switch to your vorbis decoder and TrueHD decoder then. For effects, ffdshow connects to the decoded raw samples. Can't wait for new version! :)

[Sebastiii]

Hi,

Nevcairiel, i don't know if you have follow IRC yesterday :)

1)
I have (it seems) found what crash Mediaportal.
I have also add GC cleanup in "Cleanup" method of MP to free memory when using FFDSHOW Video Decoder.
I have tested on 30 sample play/start one by one but very quickly and no crash and with and without reclock :) (Tested on MKV and M2TS).
My building test was easy to make, i have create directory MKV and M2TS and put all my sample in each directory, in MP we can select the folder and select to play all file in it.
So start to play and i go on next file (like sample start to play a few second and goning to the next and so on).
All crash seems related to bitstream function (i don't know why and even more on TrueHD).
If i uncheck all bitstream decoder, all PCM goes nicely with and without reclock and no crash :)
I don't know how i can help you for helping us to catch error and solve it (maybe it was related to my AVR but with fddshow audio, it didn't crash).

2)
Now, i have also somes questions :) and i need your expert confirmation :)
Related to bitstream and PCM.
I have sample 7.1 DTS-HR (didn't work on bitstream with 7.1 channel, it's detected as 5.1(DTS-MA) but works perfectly on 7.1 with PCM and Reclock Wasapi or not Reclock.
I have E-AC3 sample (Working in BITSTREAM as 7.1 channel) but not in PCM (detected as 5.1 Channel).
On my mind, i was thinking that Bitstream is the best mode to get perfect audio (because no alteration) but i'm not sure lol, PCM with Wasapi is it really good ? (from my hear -> yes it seems).

Yes with all my test, i have detect this 7.1 bitstream or not detection.
I'm using Licenced Arcsoft TMT so i use the right DLL (1.1.08).

3)
And the last :)
I have this sample (surely broken, i can't seek, playback stop) but working in seek with other splitter, i was thinking that is work with older LAVF version but not sure lol : http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10536084/lav/Sample/Therapy_SwitchAudio.m2ts

A big Thanks :)
Sebastiii.

PS : sorry for the long post and hope that my explanation was enough clear :)

[LordMerlin]

I guess they override Vista/7 restrictions doing it this way without the need for manipulating the registry ?
Though it's strange no contact information no forum no nothing just a change log some bad translated help and that was it,that this comes as a executable most probably somewhere out of east europe (russia) also should make some nervous :D

As far as I myself understand there are 3 ways to override the connection:
1. Media type in the tab Output. (Audio not working)
2. Download the selected filter tab Graph Builder.
3. Compulsory connection to the filter tab Connections.

And yes, a developer from Russia. Therefore, the discussion forums is available only in Rousseau, unfortunately.
We will be glad to see here http://www.forum.team-mediaportal.ru/index.php/topic,1939.0.html and here http://forum.ixbt.com/topic.cgi?id=10:58214-111#3692

About the use of someone else's code the developer wrote the following:
Partly pieces of code from ffmpeg, other libraries, music players, splitters, codecs, razumetso present, but naturally in a highly processed form.
It is normal practice, and everybody does it. From scratch software was written years since 20 years.

[nevcairiel]

It is normal practice, and everybody does it. From scratch software was written years since 20 years.

Sure, but you have to give credit to the people you use code from, and if you use GPL code, you have to be GPL compatible yourself. Otherwise, its license violations, and plainly illegal.
You can't just go around and "use" all the code you find. You have to obey to the licenses that code was released under, and if you don't, its stealing of intellectual property.

Even if the code is completely free (public domain, etc), its just common courtesy to give credit to the people that did all the work for you. Just using their work and claiming it your own without comment is disrespectful and just arrogant.

[Sven75]

Did some further testing regarding the CVID file from #3461 not playing with ffdShow anymore on my setup. And the breaking change is probably the minor ffmpeg update right before the release of 0.27.

As I suspected ffmpeg to be the cause, I replaced the according dlls from 0.27 one by one with those from 0.26-31 (I know it's brute force) and found out that avformat-53.dll is responsible.

Now, I know that it may very well be ffdShow's fault and - of course - I will bring it up there it, if this is the case, but maybe you find the time to have another look - just in case that it is ffmpeg in LAV that is broken with this specific format...

[nevcairiel]

LAV Filters 0.28

LAV Splitter
- Improved PGS filtering, forced subtitles should be cleared off the screen properly more often.
- Improved playback of H264 in MPEG-TS with certain files (mostly from camcorders, but some Blu-rays as well)
- Fixed 16-bit LPCM on DVDs
- Fixed the Media Types for uncompressed video

LAV Audio
- Added the ability to decode DTS Express when using the ArcSoft DTS Decoder
- Fixed missing audio after seeks with Ogg Vorbis


Download: Installer (both x86/x64) (http://files.1f0.de/lavf/LAVFilters-0.28.exe) -- Zips: 32-bit (http://files.1f0.de/lavf/LAVFilters-0.28.zip) & 64-bit (http://files.1f0.de/lavf/LAVFilters-0.28-x64.zip)

DTS Express
DTS Express is a special low-bandwidth format used on Blu-rays for PiP commentary tracks. It consists of only HD frames, and therefor cannot be decoded by ffmpeg. You can only decode it with the ArcSoft DTS Decoder right now. Bitstreaming it is also not supported at this time.
Still, this is the first time i see it actually decoded outside of TMT itself, the standalone ArcSoft decoder crashed when i fed it to it. :(

All other changes are more or less bugfixes. The PGS filtering should hopefully no longer keep some forced subs on the screen for way too long, but i didn't watch a full movie to confirm, just did some quick tests on known problem spots.

Have fun!

[BloodySword]

Alright, LPCM works now with ffDShow, so I save one filter in graph. Thank you!

But what about stream switching? How can I get this functionality on players wich don't support it? ffDShow does not show anything. :o(

[Gleb Egorych]

nevcairiel, thanks for the new version!

1) 0.28 plays fine my Panasonic AVCHD files while 0.27 doesn't.

2) Re-sync issue on AVI files (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1501306#post1501306) is fixed with (I guess) that ogg patch.

3) Zoom Player (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1501013#post1501013) hang problem was fixed along with AVI crash issue after pre-0.26 patch.

4) LAV Splitter +ArcSoft Audio Decoder (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1502459#post1502459) problem on M2TS with E-AC3 still persists. It appears after seek, and if you seek to a middle position in a M2TS file. Although this combination of container, audio format and decoder is not usual I think it is good to fix it because the bug may exibit is some other place (like fixed bugs 2) and 3)). Sample file M2TS + E-AC3 can be found here (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1343585&postcount=5103).

Thanks again, your work is greatly appreciated!

[Thunderbolt8]

dts express support is nice, never could get it to play before (in remuxes)

[nevcairiel]

4) LAV Splitter +ArcSoft Audio Decoder (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1502459#post1502459) problem on M2TS with E-AC3 still persists. It appears after seek, and if you seek to a middle position in a M2TS file. Although this combination of container, audio format and decoder is not usual I think it is good to fix it because the bug may exibit is some other place (like fixed bugs 2) and 3)). Sample file M2TS + E-AC3 can be found here (http://forum.doom9.org/showpost.php?p=1343585&postcount=5103).

I tested with the only E-AC3 in m2ts i have, and it decodes just fine with the ArcSoft Audio Decoder HD.
The sample links you posted are dead.

[Gleb Egorych]

Sent a new link.

[nevcairiel]

Thats the same file i already had, and it decodes just fine with the ArcSoft DD+ decoder. I get audio out of all channels, with or without seeking.

[Snowknight26]

Another sample with E-AC3: http://stfcc.org/misc/transformers.sample.m2ts

[Andy o]

Is that a 7.1 sample? For the record, I've always had this problem after seeking with MPC-HC too. jmone also confirmed it. I haven't been at home this whole week so I can't test right now.

[Gleb Egorych]

Thats the same file i already had, and it decodes just fine with the ArcSoft DD+ decoder. I get audio out of all channels, with or without seeking.
I use the following ArcSoft files:
ASAudioHD.ax v1.3.3.219 26.07.2010
DdpDec71.dll v1.0.1.12 16.04.2010
Tested in Zoom Player. After seeking left channel is mapped to left, center to right, right to center, the rest is muted.

[nevcairiel]

I'm using 1.3.3.273 (from TMT3.190) and 1.0.1.12, and i experience no such issues.

[Andy o]

btw, the transformers sample above appears to be TrueHD 5.1

[nevcairiel]

I did some more testing with this, and it looks like the older versions of the TMT decoder are indeed having this problem. But i don't think there is anything i can fix.
It works with the MPC-HC splitter, because its stupid and tells the decoder that its AC3 instead of EAC3, so my guess is that its actually only decoding the normal AC3 part of the stream when using the MPC-HC splitter, but not the E-AC3 part that adds the 2 extra channels.

Anyway, its fixed in the decoder from TMT3.190 - use that.

[ney2x]

0.28 fixed "thousand glitches" problem with madvr 0.61 :) i don't know how but I'm happy...

[Gleb Egorych]

It works with the MPC-HC splitter, because its stupid and tells the decoder that its AC3 instead of EAC3, so my guess is that its actually only decoding the normal AC3 part of the stream when using the MPC-HC splitter, but not the E-AC3 part that adds the 2 extra channels.

Anyway, its fixed in the decoder from TMT3.190 - use that.
You're right. With MPC-HC splitter ArcSoft outputs 6 channels while with LAV Splitter it outputs 8 channels.

The problem with ASAudioHD.ax v1.3.3.273 is that it's limited to 16/48 output.

Anyway it looks like bug in ArcSoft decoder and not in LAV Splitter. Thanks for the tests and the explanation.

BTW am I right that LAV Audio does not decode E-AC-3 extension to an AC-3 core in M2TS files? I read somewhere ffmpeg does not support E-AC-3 over 5.1 config.

[nevcairiel]

BTW am I right that LAV Audio does not decode E-AC-3 extension to an AC-3 core in M2TS files? I read somewhere ffmpeg does not support E-AC-3 over 5.1 config.

Thats right. The format is very rare, AFAIK it only exists on the Dolby Demo Blu-ray, so there is no need to invest much more time in it.

[Andy o]

Not that this is your problem, but just wanted to say that with the asaudiohd.ax from .190 it's even worse for me. I get the channel wrong/silent issue even when not skipping. With .185 at least I got it correct when playing from the beginning.