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Why is VMC and DVD/Bluray Playback seemingly impossible?

909 Views 6 Replies 4 Participants Last post by JP, Jul 24, 2009

JP

Discussion Starter · Jul 24, 2009

I have only a few requirements for my new HTPC build. I thought this would be the most basic part of an HTPC but I continue to be challenged.

1. ripped Bluray playback via Vista Media Center

2. rippled SD DVD playback via Vista Media Center using the players "upscaling" feature such as Arcsoft's TMT SIMHD or PowerDVD's TruTheater.

As I understand it having both 1 and 2 are impossible if you attempt to use one specific software player...correct?

For example, if I play a SD DVD via Vista Media Center with Arcsoft's TMT, SIMHD will be enabled. However, if I then close it and play a ripped Bluray the SIMHD will be disabled so that HW Acceleration can be enabled. THEN when you go back to play a SD DVD SIMHD continues to be disabled and HW Acceleration is enabled and the picture is degraded.

As I understand it this is true for WinDVD and PowerDVD as well. You simply can't use a single software player to play both SD DVDs and Blurays AND have it enable its "upscaling" feature for only the SD DVDs and not the Blurays.

The only solution I can think of that might work although I hate to do it is buy two software dvd players. This way the settings would stick since each software DVD player would either see exclusively Bluray or exclusively SD DVDs.

Am I crazy? Has anyone else found a better solution. This is driving me nuts.

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DJWikiera

· #2 · Jul 24, 2009

I use TheaterTek for SD DVD playback and TMT3 for HD playback. This combo works well for me in VMC with MyMovies. I don't install extra codecs that could cause problems and just save to folder. TT looks fine for me and is written to take advantage of Nvidia graphics cards.

With MyMovies, click DVD cover and TT starts, click Blu-ray or HD DVD cover and TMT3 starts. Couldn't be easier.

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Zagor

· #3 · Jul 24, 2009

There is a lot of confusion out there and somehow people get too caught up with a software package needing to upscale. The simple fact is your video card will scale all video being played to what ever resolution you initailly set. That is all you need. If you have your video card resolution set to 1920x1080 on your 1080p tv set guess what? All video played by any software player will be upscaled by the video card so it can fill the screen.

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JP

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jul 24, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by DJWikiera /forum/post/16881040

I use TheaterTek for SD DVD playback and TMT3 for HD playback. This combo works well for me in VMC with MyMovies. I don't install extra codecs that could cause problems and just save to folder. TT looks fine for me and is written to take advantage of Nvidia graphics cards.

With MyMovies, click DVD cover and TT starts, click Blu-ray or HD DVD cover and TMT3 starts. Couldn't be easier.

Thanks. I have TT, an Nvidia graphics card, and I'm aware of how it will work with VMC. It works fine but for SD DVD the image is fair but very soft. If you are happy with the image I suspect your display device isn't any bigger than 55". For those of us using projectors with images greater than 100" every little bit of image quality matters using a sharpening/"upscaling" tool can help a great deal.

I have tried FFDSHOW with TT as well and have used it for years but to get it completely configured properly can be a nightmare. I would much rather use one of the "plug and play" options featured in today's most recent software dvd players.

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JP

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 24, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zagor /forum/post/16881052

There is a lot of confusion out there and somehow people get too caught up with a software package needing to upscale. The simple fact is your video card will scale all video being played to what ever resolution you initailly set. That is all you need. If you have your video card resolution set to 1920x1080 on your 1080p tv set guess what? All video played by any software player will be upscaled by the video card so it can fill the screen.

Don't get caught up in the semantics. I'm aware of how the technology works. However, if I don't use the same verbiage that the software player manufacturers use some people might be confused. You are correct, TruTheater and SIMHD are not technically upscaling anything eventhough they market them that way. They are simply sharpening tools but I find the result to be outstanding if configured properly.

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jimwhite

· #6 · Jul 24, 2009

no need to change away from TT.... just disable ffdshow... simple and plug-and-play

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JP

Discussion Starter · #7 · Jul 24, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by jimwhite /forum/post/16881201

no need to change away from TT.... just disable ffdshow... simple and plug-and-play

True, "simple and plug-and-play" with the added feature of an extremely soft image.

FFDSHOW has always been such a hit with HTPC enthusiasts and the software manufactures listened. They added an easy way to gain similar results in their own software but just didn't give us way to use them via VMC and differentiate between Bluray and SDDVD. Sigh.

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