Seeking advice on video playback from a PC, software/hardware capabilities

[wbjeeper]

(Sorry if this is overly noob-ish)

Here is what I want t do:

1. I want to play a series of different video files in sequence from a computer (a playlist).

2. The files will be in different codecs and containers: Mpeg-2, DV, Quicktime, AVI, H264, Apple ProRes 422. Some will be data files on a hard drive, some will be on virtual discs in the form of mounted .ISO images. The virtual discs might be in DVD, HD-DVD or BluRay format, but none of the material would be copy-protected.

3. I want to have two displays running: a desktop where the controls appear, and a projector connected via HDMI/DVI on which the videos are displayed.

4. On the projector, I do not want to view the video in the form of images translated to computer desktop display (e.g. 60 Hz refresh) but in the actual framerate of the source files, potentially a mix of 23.98, 25 and 29.97.

5. I would like to have different resolution files automatically scale to use as much of the projector screen as possible, which preserving proper aspect ratio (letterboxing or pillarboxing as necessary).

6. There would be no need for extra features such as external subtitles, fast scanning, etc. But the system would need to be stable, reliable and not distort the images ( for example, I've heard some software players can mess us the gamma...)

So, my questions:

a. Is this possible? If not, how close can i get?

b. What sort of hardware setup (e.g. video card) would be required? (Any specific recommendations?)

c. What software players might accomodate this? (Any specific recommendations?)

If this can be done, I would be looking to build a PC specifically for this purpose. As I would be starting from scratch, I could build around any OS: Windows, Mac or Linux should one hold better potential than another.

In addition to any remarks you may have, please point me to any threads or pages here at VideoHelp or elsewhere that might help me learn more.

Much Thanks,
wbj

[edDV]

It would be possible to write such a program in Visual Basic but the programmer must be familiar with HD display card API calls also DirectShow codecs and players. There is a ProRes422 Quicktime decoder for Windows that would need to be integrated ( http://www.tvprogear.com/pages/ProRes422DecoderDownload.aspx?AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1 ).

It is unlikely any popular hardware video players will support DV or ProRes422.

[Bonie81]

i hv gone thru the link posted and features of ProRes422.

Stunning HD Quality

• Quality Indistinguishable from the Most Pristine Sources - Maintains superb quality
  even after multiple encoding/decoding generations.
• Full-Width 1920-by-1080 and 1280-by-720 Resolution - Offers the highest visual
  detail possible in any HD format.
• 4:2:2 Chroma Sampling - Provides precise compositing and blending at sharp
  saturated-color boundaries.
• 10-Bit Sample Depth - Preserves subtle gradients of 10-bit sources (sunsets, graphics,
  and the like) with no visible banding artifacts.
• I Frame–Only Encoding - Ensures consistent quality in every frame and no artifacts
  from complex motion.

i guess ur taking about Windows as Os as u mentioned Directshow codec.
yeah i may be possible to have DS filter bearing similar or better features than Prores422.

Secondly, you may try Cyberlink DVD Player latest versions for playing HD-DV files, i never bothered myself for PowerDVD. As DV format is just popular for editing purpose, I doubt any commercial hardware player manufacturer is really integrate DV codec in harware, while DiVX gone way far in terms of popularity.

[nic2k4]

Just the requirement in point 5 would be a major issue for a hardware only solution; same with "not distort the images" of point 6. You are bound to have to edit and re-encode some video at one point. In fact, what you want to do is what NLE's are for. Then you would simply output the completed video sequence to DVD or some HD video format of your choice. You just need to get a list of all the video formats you would use as input and find an NLE that supports them. And if you want to output to DVD or want some form of menu to access your "playlist", you'll need authoring software too.

[wbjeeper]

I didn't say 'hardware only.' My purpose is for putting on small-audience screenings -- in a low-budget non-profit setting -- of a series of pieces submitted by diferent video-makers. I know some people are doing something like this already just using iTunes. Dumping everything into an NLE and recoding things is too much work. One can certainly playback DV files on just about any computer as long as they're in a Quicktime container... The idea is just to screen different formats live, not to output to DVD or any other recorded form with a menu.

To rephrase: I asked the questions in my first post because I don't fully understand the capabiltiies and limits of computer graphics, I'm not familiar with the various software players, i don't know how the two things work together, and i haven't been able to find a good tutorial on the subject. So let me break it down to a series of questions:

1. starting with the graphics cards: I'm under the impression that some graphics cards can output the same sort of signals that would come out of the HDMI port on a disc player. That is, they can generate actual 720P, 1080i or 1080P video, rather just mapping that onto desktop video in a different resolution and refresh rate. Is that impression correct, or can computer graphics cards only simulate an HD output?

2. Assuming my impression is correct - and some computer graphics card can generate an HD signal that a HD video display can understand - what sort of software (from the OS, to the graphics drivers, to the player program) would support that (and which would not?)

3. Again, assuming we're OK on both 1 & 2, what software configurations, if any, would support switching between different formats supported by the graphics card on the fly: so if item one on the playlist is 1080i60, and item two is 720P25 we can move directly from one to the other without either stopping everything to switch settings manually, or having the playback get all mucked up.

[jagabo]

I think MPCHC support everything on your list except ProRes 4:2:2. If you can get a Directshow decoder for that it will work with MPCHC.

Oh, it doesn't support Blu-Ray (and I think HD-DVD) menu structures.

[edDV]

I didn't say 'hardware only.' My purpose is for putting on small-audience screenings -- in a low-budget non-profit setting -- of a series of pieces submitted by diferent video-makers. I know some people are doing something like this already just using iTunes. Dumping everything into an NLE and recoding things is too much work. One can certainly playback DV files on just about any computer as long as they're in a Quicktime container... The idea is just to screen different formats live, not to output to DVD or any other recorded form with a menu.

To rephrase: I asked the questions in my first post because I don't fully understand the capabiltiies and limits of computer graphics, I'm not familiar with the various software players, i don't know how the two things work together, and i haven't been able to find a good tutorial on the subject. So let me break it down to a series of questions:

1. starting with the graphics cards: I'm under the impression that some graphics cards can output the same sort of signals that would come out of the HDMI port on a disc player. That is, they can generate actual 720P, 1080i or 1080P video, rather just mapping that onto desktop video in a different resolution and refresh rate. Is that impression correct, or can computer graphics cards only simulate an HD output?

2. Assuming my impression is correct - and some computer graphics card can generate an HD signal that a HD video display can understand - what sort of software (from the OS, to the graphics drivers, to the player program) would support that (and which would not?)

3. Again, assuming we're OK on both 1 & 2, what software configurations, if any, would support switching between different formats supported by the graphics card on the fly: so if item one on the playlist is 1080i60, and item two is 720P25 we can move directly from one to the other without either stopping everything to switch settings manually, or having the playback get all mucked up.

There are fundamental issues separating your request from the way a typical computer software player - display card works. First let's describe the typical case with would be equivalent to playing video on your monitor #1.

Think of a display card as a scaling scan converter. For dual output cards a fixed output format is selected in the display driver control panel for each output. The card is capable of outputting progressive VESA computer resolutions (e.g. 1600x1200 UXGA) at various refresh rates. CRT displays can be driven at various refresh rates but LCD computer monitors demand a fixed rate (usually 60Hz or 59.94 Hz).

Most CRT computer monitors have "multi-scan" features. That means the monitor self adjusts to various resolutions and refresh rates presented at the input. LCD monitors have coarse resolution scalers but optimize for clarity when fed at the panel's native resolution (e.g. 1920x1080p 59.94Hz).

So in the case of an LCD computer monitor, the output settings are fixed and it is the job of the display card or software player to convert all input standards to that fixed output. The monitor is just a "dumb" display. It should be noted that ~90% of HDTV sets are connected (HDMI/VGA) to a computer display card as a dumb progressive monitor thus bypassing the HDTV hardware deinterlacers or decoders.

Modern HD optimized display cards have hardware deinterlacers, inverse telecine, scalers, color correction and format decoders. NVidia "Pure Video HD" or ATI "AVIVO HD" cards have MPeg2, VC-1 and h.264 hardware decoders optimized to ATSC/DVB/DVD/Blu-Ray standard formats. These features are available to the software player as API calls (most standardized under DirectShow DXVA).

Software players either utilize the display card hardware features or implement the decoding/processing in software.

Note that all of the above is targeted at converting incoming video to the selected fixed output format not for native pass through to the display for processing.

One special case for standardized "pass through" is Blu-Ray. Blue Ray is handled on a computer as a fixed encrypted data stream protected by HDCP. The display monitor or TV must be HDCP compatible to receive a Blu-Ray playback. Limited output resolutions are supported but if the monitor can handle 1920x1080 at 24p or 23.976p, an unprocessed stream is passed to the monitor/TV. For computer monitor display, the frame rate is converted to 59.94/60 and the resolution is scaled in the dislay card for output.

wbjeeper wrote

4. On the projector, I do not want to view the video in the form of images translated to computer desktop display (e.g. 60 Hz refresh) but in the actual framerate of the source files, potentially a mix of 23.98, 25 and 29.97.

5. I would like to have different resolution files automatically scale to use as much of the projector screen as possible, which preserving proper aspect ratio (letterboxing or pillarboxing as necessary).

This will require custom programming. Some players like VLC or MPCHC may be able to match specific cases (like DV pass through playback) through custom preference settings, each format will require separate optimization. But few projectors will have a DV decoder so you are left with the task of decoding DV with DirectShow and then sending an uncompressed 720x480i/29.97 or 720x576/25 stream to the projector. Formats that aren't supported in the player's preference settings will require additional programming.

The projector needs further definition. What formats can it process? Is it remote controllable for scaling, X-Y positioning, etc. like a Digital Cinema projector?

Can it handle random resolutions, interlace, progressive, 59.94, 50, 29.97, 25, 24, 23.976 frame rates? Does it self scale?

[jagabo]

MPCHC has auto scan rate adjustment that changes based on the source material's frame rate:



I know of people who use this, for example, to eliminate 3:2 pulldown judder on HDTVs that support it.

On a multi display computer you can force it to use a particular display for the video output and keep the playlist on the other display.