Assassin's Simple/Beginner HTPC Buying Guide - Page 505

It can be set up to do with a remote I believe but I have a mini RF keyboard. If you right-click it brings up MPC-HC's vast menu. from there you can navigate with a mouse.. I use the track pad on the keyboard.

For chapter skip, I have it mapped to my H-900 remote via the cutomizable settings in the MPC-HC menu.

You can also use Michael's Open With app to force WMC to use MPC-HC as an external player.

It's in the guides, I haven't looked at them in a while

Yes it's seamless, navigate MB library play will launch MPC-HC splashscreen (fullscreen) and stop will bring you right back to the MB library spot you were in.

Just open the MB config and look at the external players tab, that part is really simple.

The only "trick" in the setup is mapping the MPCHC controls to the appropriate MCE remote keys (easy to do, but you have to run MPCHC, open the settings, then map to the WMC keyboard shortcuts)

It's the Beta/Advanced tab, first guide

Although the screenshots are from an outdated version of MB. They've changed the setup a little so that you don't have to browse for your external players, just select the available ones from the pull down. Afterwards, still have to open MPC-HC for keymapping, that is in the guide. What Sammy mentioned is also worth learning for when you have a keyboard connected even if you usually always use an MCE remote

Very good information, thanks for sharing! I'll have to give that a try and see how it works.

I read on your server guide about PLEXas an option, maybe on WHS. Seems it will stream to Roku. I just got a Roku 2 xd and am amazed with its avilities. But now I seem to read t will work with PLEX?? Whats this all about and where can I read more?

Bob Howell

I'm wondering where within the setup/options for MPC-HC is the option to auto-stretch 4:3 content to widescreen? I've installed it and linked it via MB (to your point the new MB setup is much easier with latest version), so it opens seamlessly and returns seamlessly when over. And the chapter support works which is cool! Only thing now is figuring where to set it to auto stretch 4:3 content as I can't find that in the settings anywhere....

I never mess with the aspect ratio of the content being fed to my player as this is against my religion.

The settings should be in the under "Zoom" in the MPC-HC menu brought up by the right click.

Right, so it would be a manual setting you would need to change for each video? Most of my movies are widescreen so it isn't an issue, but a lot of TV series like Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld are in 4:3, so having a setting to automatically adjust aspect ratio only for 4:3 content is a nice setting that XMBC allows.

The other issue I was having with MPC-HC is that initially it wasn't using the audio filters I setup previously (LAV using the guide) so sound being fed to my receiver was 2 channel. I had to disable all internal filters and turn other filters to system default before this worked. (View->Options->Playback->Output, Set DirectShow Video, RealMedia Video, QT Video and Audio Renderer to "System Default"). Also (View->Options->Internal Filters, Disable all Transform Filters). Also (View->Options->Internal Filters->Audio Switcher, Disable the "Enable built in audio switcher" option). Lastly, (View->Options->External Filters, left this blank.)

Now the sound getting to my receiver is 5.1 (matching content so is being bitstreamed), only problem now is the video is really choppy on my TV.
Edited by bobby2478 - 1/23/13 at 5:02pm

I think it is on a case by case basis but stretching 4:3 to 16:9 makes everybody look like mister potato head. If it is 4:3 just leave it be.

There's a hole thread on using MPC-HC in the sticky threads. The answer to your audio problems might be in there or you could ask in there too. MINDBOMB is usually pretty good at getting back to people with questions.

In regards to stretched 4:3 looking weird you are right, some "stretch" algorithms make it look weird. However my stand alone Blu Ray player does this and it looks good, similarly the Zoom Option #4 in WMC dynamically stretches the content so it doesn't look funny. But depending on what you use, if it is using just a simple stretch to fill the widescreen display, then the video really can look bad.

In regards to the audio, I'll have to take a look at that. Initially I was hoping it would be a relatively painless setup (as opposed to installing and configuring XMBC) but that doesn't appear to be the case after installing MPC-HC and playing around with it. I'll have to do some more homework and see if I can figure out how it needs to be setup to make use of the LAV filters I've already configured using Assassin's guides. It would be a pain to manually have to configure every single scenario within this player rather than have it use what has already been setup.

I grew up with 4:3 and it doesn't bother me at all and I have no problem with pillar boxes or letter boxes as I want to see content in the original aspect ratio but that is just me.

Verify that the frame rate of the content matches that of the player. That can cause choppy video, especially if the player is set to 24 and the content is 60.

I would have done a 128GB myself.. .

But yeah.. the Vertex4 is a nice choice. Same controller as many others (marvel) but better firmware and more speed + 5 year warranty. No worries about the non existent sandforce issues... lol.

From his webpage and blog you can choose either the HTPC or the Server guides.... different webpages with different access.

Thank you! It was always infront of my eyes... my bad. I'll take a look at it.

As nobody awnsered my GPU doubt, I researched a bit and came up with a Gigabyte GT430 2GB DDR3. Is it recommended for a full madVR setting, for example?

I just worry if the PSU and the height (127mm) are enough. I rearrenged my cables so it's a lot cleaner. The lenght and width aren't a problem. I checked many pictures of the GPU and measured some distances, it seems that it'll fit.

What you guys think?

Best regards,
mrfury.

I've never used madVR as of yet, and I'm only using intel integrated

I can assure you of at least the one question: is the PSU enough? Yes

I've added a radeon 4350 to a dell P4 machine with a 340W PSU that ran fine

I've recently added a nvidia 8400gs to a core 2 duo running 2 HDDs on a built in 380W PSU (gave away at Christmas running OpenElec) with no power issues

The manufacturer requirement of 400W is ridiculous. That thing won't likely draw more than 60 W max. Your other stuff might make 100W peak based off your list. It's a pretty weak dgpu, mostly limited from 128 bit memory bus

Sammy would be able to answer this better, I'm pretty positive he uses madVR and the gt 430

Yeah, but Window boxing drives me crazy.

If it is both letter boxing and pillar boxing, which I think is what you are implying, then something else is wrong. Are you sure the scan settings are correct on your TV and video card setting?

You cannot use Jinc on MadVR with the GT430 but most other settings will/should work for you. According to renethx, the GTX 660 is what you want. Do a search on avsforum for that or the GTS 660 as I am not sure which one it was and I don't want to steer you wrong.

Use this to change your WMC and MB skip forward and skip back to whatever interval you would like.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/10762/increase-skip-and-replay-intervals-in-windows-7-media-center/

GTX 660? Isn't that overkill? I have a 670, but I use it for gaming. I have tested that GPU with madVR (all 3 algorithms as Jinc) and it's perfectly smooth, but I don't know if you have to go all that way to get that quality. BUT there is another side, I like to future proof my builds. If someone says that my configuration can stand for a long time, I rather invest now than keep on upgrading everytime.

That being said, let's assume that's the way I need to go: will my power supply be enough (Antec 400W)? What about the CPU (i3-3225)?


Best regards,
mrfury.

Too much is almost enough ...

I got the GT 430 and didn't future proof so now I cannot use jinc.. Mabye it was the 670 that renethx recommended. I don't remember now to tell you the truth. The GT 430 will work fine though; I am quite happy with the PQ using it.

That is the problem I'm talking about but I don't have the problem except sometimes during commercials so I don't care. It's just crazy that broadcasters don't have this figured out yet.

What's to figure out? You either watch stuff the way they make it or cut off some of the picture or watch everything tall and skinny or watch everything short and fat. Admittedly there is no way to automatically switch 'on the fly' so if you do choose to distort the picture for one aspect ratio you've distorted it for all...I really don't get why otherwise reasonable media consumers would expect the producers and distributors of said media to cater to their whims...It's like the Plasma-ites constantly whining about on screen graphics because of a shortcoming in their choice of technology.

I took my GTX 670 from the gaming rig and tested it on the HTPC. Played a "Saving Private Ryan" BD until the end of it. The amount of dropped/delayed frames was insanelly better (read: zero drops/delays, not considering the issues below) when using full setting on madVR, but there are a few problems:

- when I load a movie, it immediately drops 3-5 frames (it's not bad when watching a movie from the beginning, but when resuming a previous section, might be unconfortable);
- when pausing/unpausing, I might lose one or two frames;
- if I fast foward/skip to a chapter, the frames drop/delay (30-50) until it's normalized.

The first two aren't actually a "problem", but the last one compromises the playback. Considering the setup of both rigs is mostly the same (gaming one uses a i5-3450, instead of the i3-3225), the difference must be the CPUs.

Are my thoughts correct? I'll probably need a new CPU ( ), and a PSU, as my current just comes with one 6-pin plug (two are needed for both 660 Ti or 670).


Best regards,
mrfury.

I don't think you understand what I'm saying. Window Boxing is when you have Pillar Boxes and Letter Boxes at the same time. I don't have any stretch or "fit to screen" settings enabled. I don't mind Letter Boxes or Pillar boxes. Every now and then, usually on local channels during the day, I will get Window Boxed commercials. I have noticed this on other screens too. How else would I end up with Window Boxes unless the broadcaster is doing it? All normal programming and video from other sources looks fine.

Sorry for being so off topic. I really didn't mean for my original comment to go this far.

I don't notice when loading a movie, 3-5 frames is two-tenths of a second correct?

I only notice a delay when skipping ff/rw, but not when I skip chapters. I always suspected this was due to the way players implemented ff/rw. I mostly have mkv and wtv files. I don't notice ff/rw delay on wtv files, but I do with mkv. I also don't watch the diagnostics to understand dropped frames, but to each their own