[MHoefler]

Hi!


I'm experiencing the following problem with PDVD9: when playing BluRays (ISOs from hard disk), the video sometimes gets "stuck": a couple of frames are repeated in an endless loop (they seem to play backwards and forwards). The audio continues normally. It only seems to occur near chapter marks (e.g. when the chapter number changes), but not when I skip to the chapter. E.g. when I play the disc normally, the freeze occurs when the timeline reaches chapter x. I then need to stop the playback and restart it. When I now skip to chapter x (where it occurred), it will play fine. However, if I rewind a bit (by moving the timeline marker just a bit before the chapter mark), it will again freeze at the same chapter position.


It didn't happen with previous versions of PDVD and it doesn't happen with all ISOs (but with many!). I use Vista SP1 32bit, ATI 4670, Catalyst 9.2. I've also tried Windows 7 x64, Catalyst 9.3 and the problem is the same. An ATI 3450 does not show the problem, but I need the 4670 for 7.1 HDMI sound.


What's going on here? Is the card defective? Does anybody else have this issue?


Regards!

 

[MHoefler]

Ok, I've now tried an ATI 4350 and it shows the exact same problem! Obviously, all 4xxx cards are affected! Nobody else experiences this problem? That's hard to believe, because it happens on 2 different computers here, with 2 different OSes, 2 different cards. Should not be a software incompatibility issue either, because I tried various driver versions on clean systems.


Regards!

 

[mlcarson]

I've got the exact same problem with a Sapphire HD4670 card with Cyberlink codecs. This was on a fresh Windows 7 install with PDVD8 codecs.


Video driver is Catalyst 9.3. Using HDMI port of the card to a Sony KDF50WE655 TV. I think the problem is occuring only with the H.264 codec.

 

[MHoefler]

The strange thing is that if I play the corresponding m2ts file in the stream folder of the BR directly with PowerDVD, it plays just fine, without hanging. So I guess it's not the video material, the codec, etc. but the way PowerDVD 9 handles the chapter changes! It does only occur at chapter marks, so there must be a connection.


Really strange and it makes PDVD9 completely useless for me...


Regards!

 

[sensui]

I'm having the same problem with a couple BD iso images as well playing under powerdvd 8 with sapphire 4670 under vista ultimate 32bit. I'm almost certain it has something to do with ATI's catalyst drivers. If anyone has a fix or idea, please post.

 

[MHoefler]

Catalyst 9.4 seems to fix the freezes! I get some corrupted frames at exactly the same positions as the freezes before, but the video continues to play. Not ideal, but at least watchable...


Regards!

 

[sensui]

Agreed, it seems to have fixed the looping freeze, but you still get a nice shot of pixel block heaven for 1-2 seconds before it plays normally again. ATI needs to fix this on their drivers.

 

[MHoefler]

I don't know if ATI is to blame here, because the problem only occurs with PDVD 9! Neither WinDVD nor TMT and not even PDVD 7 or 8 show any problems, so I'd say the problem is (once again) Cyberlink!


Regards!

 

[sensui]

It's mixture of the ati drivers and cyberlink's decoders/powerdvd implementation I'm pretty sure. It's exactly like you say, some isos of mine just tend to garble (but not freeze now) for a couple seconds around the chapter marks. This can't be just a powerdvd 9 issue since I'm still on the latest build of 8 and it is happening. I'm hoping ati catches this and fixes in 9.5 catalyst...like you said, at least it doesn't freeze now, just garbles.