Ffdshow FAQ

First what is it?


Ffdshow is a filter used with your DVD, Mpeg2, Mpeg1 and most Mpeg4 codec's. Ffdshow allows you to make changes to the video stream real-time digitally, like sharpening and denoising. It's sort of like digitally enhancing the video, to perfectly match your system, while playing it back, real time.


Is my system fast enough to use ffdshow???


That depends, how you use ffdshow, will determine whether you can use it, with your processor or not. If you have a system with a 1.2 GHz or above you can give it a try and see how it works out.


OK were do I get it and how do I install it???


Go here --- http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...group_id=53761


I recommend using the one dated 2002-12-11


Its easy to install just click and follow the onscreen instructions.


Now how do I get it to work with Zoomplayer???


You need to create a graph or find one on this sight using the search function.


------ If someone would donate the space online I could give them my graphs I have to host. I have one for nvdvd, windvd, and sonic. -----


For the Sonic filters you need to add a Dword registry entry ALLOWALLRENDERERS with a value of 1 to the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Sonic\\CineMaster DS DVD\\2.5\\VideoDecoder registry directory


Also befor it will work you need to go to your start menu->programs->ffdhow->configuration and choose Codecs under the Left hand tool bar. When you click on the Codecs option a screen wil populate on the left hand side with listing under ( Supported codecs) and ( Supported output colorspaces)


Supported Codecs -- Unselect everything except Raw video


Support output colorspaces --- select everthing


All those settings, what to do, what to do???


That will depend on how much CPU power you have


For systems with and AMD 1800/ Intel 1.8 GHz and above ---

Resize to sharpen ---

1. On the left hand panel unselect everything to start

2. Now go to the Resize & aspect setting ( hint - it does not have a check mark box beside it ) and highlight it. You should notice little up down arrows to the far left hand side, once highlighted. Click on the up arrow ( you should notice the Resize & aspect menu move up on the panel ) do this until it is above the Blur & NR option

3. Once again select the Resize & aspect option on the left panel. In the screen that is now populated to your right you should notice and option ( Resize ) with a check mark beside it. Check it. Under that option select the ( Specify size ) option and set your new size to 1440 x 960.

4. Select the Settings option on the left panel 9 hint - it is located directly below the Resize & aspect option ) in the right hand window select Bicubic under the Method option ( hint - if you have problem playing back smooth video playback try and change this option to experimental ). Under the Luma and Chroma sharpen option in the right hand menu select a setting from 1.0 to 2.0 ( you will need to adjust these setting to your personal taste, at a later date --- hint - I have both of mine set to 1.3).

5. Now go to the Blur & NR option on the left panel and check the check mark beside it. Also go the right hand screen and select gradual denoise and move the slider from 20 to 40 ( you will need to change this setting to your liking later - hint - I have mine set to 40 )

6. Select OK.

7. Now play a movie to see if you get smooth playback ( one thing I have noticed on my system is that my menus do not play back smoothly while the video does, so make sure to play the move to check not the menu)

8. if you do not get smooth playback first to experimental instead of bicubic and if that doesn't help try turning off the Blur & Nr option. And last if those doest works try the next set of instructions.


Plain old sharpen option

1. On the left hand panel unselect everything to start

2. First you will want to select the Blur & NR option on the left hand panel until you see the up and down arrows. Now click on the down arrow until the Blur & NR option is below the Sharpen option on the left hand panel

3. Select the Sharpen option. In the right hand screen you will see options to select different sharpening methods ( Xsharpen, Unsharp mask, Msharpen, and asharp to be exact) select the unsharp mask and set it from 10 to 40 for the strength ( I have also heard great things about asharp but have never tried it myself, so I don't know what those settings should be ) also make sure that the check mark beside sharpen is selected.

4. Select the Blur & NR option on the left hand panel and set the Gradual denoise from 10 to 40.

5. Give it a try and see how it looks but more importantly play around to tweak the setting for you set.


And that's all for now. Sorry if my grammar wasn't the best or if I made any mistakes.

And thanks to everyone on this forum who have helped to make this happen