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NVIDIA Decoder Status (NVDVD and FWMM)  

post #1 of 358
7/31/04 at 3:38pm
Thread Starter 
I would like update everyone with reguard to the status of NVDVD/FWMM 3.x and 4.x from NVIDIA.

1) We have decided to only ship 3.x with OEM, Retail and NVIDIA.COM hardware bundles. There are currently no plans to sell 3.x as a standalone application or decoder pack. The bundles typically include either the DVD/Music/Photos/Videos application or the full suite including TV, PVR, EPG, DVD Burning, etc. It is likely that the 4.x decoder will be available for purchase via NVIDIA.COM at some point in the future. The best way to get 3.x decoders today is via a board bundle. The best way to get 4.x decoders in the very near future is via TheaterTek 2.0 or MS MediaCenter 2004 systems from OEMs that have choosen to ship the NVIDIA solution.

2) There are many different types of decoder packages available out there today. Some are locked to NVIDIA hardware, some are locked to certain applications and some are fully unlocked and can be used on any manufactures hardware and any application. The choice of which style of locks are used is purely up to the OEM or retail partner. This should explain the situations in which same version decoders from different sources behave differently on different systems/environments.

4) 4.x is our newest version and includes support for hardware accelerated cadence based inv 3:2 pulldown as well as lots of other quality improvements. Cadence based inv 3:2 is the same feature that is in the VPP today but using hardware instead of software.

5) 4.x is the version that we have qualified for use with Microsoft MCE 2004 as well as TheaterTek 2.0. The team has worked very closely with TheaterTek and Microsoft MCE teams to ensure that the 4.x decoders are the absolute best that they can be.

Thank you for your continued support of NVIDIA Multimedia solutions.

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post #2 of 358
7/31/04 at 4:23pm
First of all thanks for the update.

Second, I guess you wouldn't slip me the decoders under the table since I recently bought a 5900 would you? ;)

I'll be with most people here in awaiting the ability to purchase the 4.x decoders separately.
post #3 of 358
7/31/04 at 5:47pm
Well... shoot. I admit to being disapointed, but it's good to have confirmed that TT will use more advanced versions of the decoders.
post #4 of 358
7/31/04 at 6:02pm
I've been considering upgrading my card just to get my hands on these. I was just wondering, do these prevent tearing with VMR9?

~Steve
post #5 of 358
7/31/04 at 10:46pm
Thanks for the update.

Will the 4.x decoder in the upcoming TT2.0 be used with other DirectShow player such as ZoomPlayer?

regards,

Li On
post #6 of 358
8/1/04 at 1:17am
You asked people to beta test the software and led eveybody to believe
it was going to be released soon.
Then you don't release it and state that Theatertek will include the decoders.

Nice!
post #7 of 358
8/1/04 at 6:51am
Will version 4 correctly detect PAL film-based material when the decoder is set to Auto, and do a 2:2 pulldown?

Tony
post #8 of 358
8/1/04 at 9:48am
I think you owe your beta testers more than just information. We helped NVidia to debug and improve the product.

Telling us we can now go out and buy TT or MCE is not my idea of compensation for those of us who may have spent a lot of time helping NVidia improve and enhance FWMM to its current level of performance and reliability.

Vern
post #9 of 358
8/1/04 at 9:49am
Were you guys true beta testers, or just a beta tester becuase you downloaded from some random website?
post #10 of 358
8/1/04 at 10:26am
Thread Starter 
For those of you which were official beta testers of 3.x (ie. You have a 3.x serial number from the NVIDIA beta program), we will be happy to provide the official 4.x decoders to you at no charge.

All you need to do is Private Message us and send us your full beta registration info that you used to activate 3.x. Please include all 4 fields.
post #11 of 358
8/1/04 at 1:12pm
It always makes me wonder why some companies prefer to not make any business by making it very hard or impossible for the consumer to buy from them ...

Seems like there are quite a few masochistic people at work @ NVIDIA :D

Or maybe NVIDIA has so much money already they don´t need more ?

Oh and maybe this policy forces people to try to get your software through dubious sources ? Ever thought about that ?

At least with a policy like that it feels better to copy from someone else !

:D

midiboy

[edit: sorry for the flaming, couldn´t help it, especially as a loyal ZoomPlayer user ... ]
post #12 of 358
8/1/04 at 1:38pm
Thread Starter 
Midiboy,

Like I said in the original post, you will be able to purchase the 4.x decoders via TheaterTek 2.0. NVIDIA is focusing on creating the worlds best decoders for OEMs, Microsoft MCE, retail partners and 3rd party HTPC solutions like TheaterTek instead of putting resourcs into custom e-commerce solutions for software only sales via the web. We currently prefer to partner with 3rd parties like TheaterTek in order to leverage their HTPC customer base and e-commerce solutions. Please let us know if TheaterTek 2.0 doesn't fullfill your needs in this reguard.
post #13 of 358
8/1/04 at 1:59pm
NvidiaMultimedia,

if (!) TT 2.0 will let me use your filters with ZoomPlayer I might be happy. If not, then I will NOT buy TT 2.0 and your software will clearly not fulfill my needs as you nicely put it ! ;)

By the way ... sorry for my harsh words before, I am just a little pissed for hearing for about 6 months now how great your filters are and to be reading now that it will be only for TT 2 or MCE users.

Also, I bought a new NVIDIA card a month ago. It would have been a nice touch to offer new NVIDIA card customers some sort of price special on your new filters but instead I read about all these restrictions.

And those are quite serious restrictions by the way ... I altready payed for my mediaplayer. I am not very pleased to pay again for a competing player just to get my hands on your filters. I am sure Theatertek will charge more for the player than the filters would cost if I bought from NVIDIA.

So this is NOT a very nice solution in my opinion ...

:(

midiboy
post #14 of 358
8/1/04 at 2:34pm
Quote:
Originally posted by NvidiaMultimedia

Like I said in the original post, you will be able to purchase the 4.x decoders via TheaterTek 2.0. NVIDIA is focusing on creating the worlds best decoders for OEMs, Microsoft MCE, retail partners and 3rd party HTPC solutions like TheaterTek instead of putting resourcs into custom e-commerce solutions for software only sales via the web. We currently prefer to partner with 3rd parties like TheaterTek in order to leverage their HTPC customer base and e-commerce solutions. Please let us know if TheaterTek 2.0 doesn't fullfill your needs in this reguard.
Can you say TheaterTek one more time ?
post #15 of 358
8/1/04 at 3:05pm
Theatertek
post #16 of 358
8/1/04 at 3:05pm
For the record, the nVidia decoders are NOT locked in TheaterTek 2.0 so you will be able to use them with other media players.

Regards,
post #17 of 358
8/1/04 at 3:05pm
What's your beef? They made a partnership deal with TT, good for both of them. As long as the codecs aren't locked to TT exclusively (i.e. you could use them in ZP) then great.
post #18 of 358
8/1/04 at 3:46pm
Hey guys, after a long term of silence Nvidia is finally back here in an official capacity to provide professional information regarding their decoders, and you guys are turning this into a bitch session for your personal complaints. If you keep up this kind of posting, I am sure that NVidia will be glad to go silent once again and then you can complain among yourselves. I think that this space would be put to far better use to ask questions and post comments regarding the features, quality, and technical merits of the new decoders, while your personal beefs are taken offline. It's your choice, so I hope you choose wisely.
post #19 of 358
8/1/04 at 4:13pm
Quote:
Originally posted by Chivs
For the record, the nVidia decoders are NOT locked in TheaterTek 2.0 so you will be able to use them with other media players.

Regards,
Yes, but NOW I have to buy TT, don't I?

Remember this:

http://www.angelfire.com/hero/sicter/AVS/invitation.JPG

Turns out it should say 'mutually beneficial to NVIDIA and TT owners'

This one is just for laughs:

http://www.angelfire.com/hero/sicter/AVS/Soon.JPG


Edit: if you cant see the images try here . damn angelfire
post #20 of 358
8/1/04 at 10:16pm
Yea no way I'm gonna buy TT when I already have ZP Pro, but I'm sure I'll be happy with my Sonic decoders until the nvdvd ones go on sale. Just hope the wait isn't long or there are no more hooks when the time comes.
post #21 of 358
8/1/04 at 11:07pm
NvidiaMultimedia-

OEM bundle-> no serial number-> no path to upgrade:

To get v4.x you need to have v3.x serial number...
To get serial number for v3.x you needed to buy the v2.x retail...
I got v2.x OEM via hardware bundle so I did not qualify for v3.x beta...
Since you don't make v3.x retail available I can't get v4.x retail...

Now you go that route again by only releasing v4.x in an OEM via hardware bundle or TT? Does that mean there won't be a serial number? Once again I'd be stuck in the same loop as before.

Why purchase Nvidia hardware bundle to get v4.x OEM?
Why force us to purchase TT to get v4.x retail?
Who's to say if we purchase full retail nvdvd v4 stand alone (when available) that the rules won't change again?

Hammer
post #22 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:13am
There sure is a lot of whining in here... if it makes for good business for NVidia to partner with whomever they choose then sobeit. Almost all businesses make decisions on how to package, distribute and sell products and I don't see why NVidia should be any different.

I for one am buying Theatertek and I look forward to receiving these new decoders with TT 2.0. I'd like to hear more about what advantages the decoders will have to those with NVidia products and specifically to GeForce 6800GT owners.

Thanks for the update.
post #23 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:44am
Quote:
For the record, the nVidia decoders are NOT locked in TheaterTek 2.0 so you will be able to use them with other media players.
Thanks for clearing that up, Andrew !
post #24 of 358
8/2/04 at 4:30am
This thread is probably a perfect example of why nVidia is happy they have choosen not to sell direct to individuals.....
post #25 of 358
8/2/04 at 5:53am
It seems you guys are interested only in decoders.
But if you own by any chance a Personal Cinema card that included some old software like WinDVR 2.0 and NVDVD 2.27 I think you are not happy! Waiting more than a year for a decent PVR software and now this decision is going to dissapoint some users!

Why ATI is updating for free their Multimedia Center application?
post #26 of 358
8/2/04 at 11:39am
Quote:
Were you guys true beta testers, or just a beta tester becuase you downloaded from some random website?
Official

Quote:
For those of you which were official beta testers of 3.x (ie. You have a 3.x serial number from the NVIDIA beta program), we will be happy to provide the official 4.x decoders to you at no charge.
Fair enough. Thank you NVidia, for a fair and reasonable solution, assuming you will be sending the entire package, not just the decoders.

For those who are saying that the negativity of some posters may drive NVidia back into hiding, I really think that NVidia needs to hear this feedback.

While the beta tester issue has been taken care of, there seem to be a couple of other issues that, while they don't directly affect me, I believe should be addressed.

The inability to upgrade the OEM bundle, and the issue with buggy, barely functional, PVR code needs to be addressed by allowing a reasonable upgrade path at a reasonable price.

While OEM only distribution may make sense for NVidia, it does tend to limit the exposure and availability of the product.

Vern
post #27 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:12pm
Thread Starter 
Here is a list of items new to 4.x decoders...

Inverse 3:2 Telecine in DXVA for GeForce FX 5xxx and GeForce 6xxx series GPUs
Improved performance for VMR9 rendering. Smoother playback (micro time stamp adjustments)
Improved robustness and multi instance performance
Avia Pro Calibrated (scoped) color control settings with NVIDIA GeForce GPU’s on Overlay, VMR7 and VMR9
Improved MPEG2 video transcoding performance with Windows MCE and pending Windows Media Player 10.
Improved support for MPEG, AC3 and DTS audio transcoding with MCE and WMP 10.
Bug fixes and general improvements.
post #28 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:13pm
Thread Starter 
The beta testers will be receiving a decoder upgrade package that can be used on top of the 3.x application that was provided with the beta. The last 3.x application that was posted with the beta is the current 3.x application. Only the decoders have been updated.
post #29 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:17pm
Thread Starter 
For those of you that are only interested in decoders, which applications are the top 10 that would need to be supported?

I will kick off the list with these 3....

ZoomPlayer
Windows Media Player
Windows Media Center
post #30 of 358
8/2/04 at 12:18pm
SageTV and Zoomplayer are tops on my list.

[edit: BTW, thanks for asking the question... I understand you're not making a commitment at all at this stage, but it's nice to see you responding constructively to the varied criticisms that have been levelled.]
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