HD movies are shown pixelated

[Usurario]

Hi, people.

I've recently noticed my videos play well, unless they are in HD format. See how the image is pixelated.



Playing the videos in WMP and MPC results the same bad image quality. Also, the problem happens to different file formats: MKV, WMV...

Here's a message I see when I open these videos with MPC:



Any idea how to solve that?

Thanks in advance for your help!

P.S.: The codec pack I have installed here is K-Lite Mega 9.9.5.

[_Al_]

MPC usually demanded to have DirectX 10 installed, or perhaps latest if I remember, try to type dxdiag in search dialog box what directX version you have

[Usurario]

I have version 11 installed. Is "DirectX End-User Runtimes" the same software? I saw somewhere on the web that installing it can solve the problem...

[BobP2013]

Search google for
dx9 allocator presenter failed
And you'll get some suggestions about reconfiguring direct draw / direct 3d. Perhaps that will help.
These top two links look good:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-pictures/error-code08876086...6-6dd6da1ae952
http://www.wintips.org/media-player-classic-error-code-0x8876086a/

[Usurario]

DirectDraw Acceleration and Direct3D Acceleration are disabled but I don't see any option to enable them. If I check the box to check if the drivers are digitally signed, then both options appear enbled. I followed the suggestion on WinTips page, but changing to system default will disable subtitles and other features, which suck... =/

[El Heggunte]

Try this:

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/MPC-BE#11013

(fyi, MPC-BE is just a different "flavor" of MPC-HC, therefore,
MPC-HC and MPC-BE do share the same basic "needs").

P.S.: The codec pack I have installed here is K-Lite Mega 9.9.5.

Good luck with that.

[Usurario]

Thanks, El Heggunte. I couldn't find any portable version of it. Did you mean the .zip with the installation archives? K-L Mega isn't a good codec pack? I haven't had problems with it, up to now... Would you suggest another codec pack?

[TreeTops]

You shouldn't have to use any codec pack with MPC, any version.

[Usurario]

I've followed El Heggunte's suggestion and replaced the files he mentions in the other thread (the files were already present in MPC's folder). I still see the same messages. =/ Any idea why the problem persists?

[Usurario]

I've also unistalled/reinstalled the codec pack (I've also tried Shark007's codec pack), but had no success. Any ideas? :/

[Usurario]

I tried running the videos with MPC, without using codec packs. All right, they play. But since I want to use WMP, I tried uninstalling codec packs, cleaning the registry, reinstalling K-Lite (both 32 and 64 bits). And now the video won't play at all!

Here's the error message I get:


I find it weird I keep getting errors after uninstalling and cleanign the registry...

The only video related program I installed lately was WinPcap, but I've already uninstalled... so I think it shouldn't be the cause... =/

[El Heggunte]

If you want to use WMP and/or WMC with non-Microsoft filters, make sure you have installed AND configured this:

https://www.videohelp.com/tools/Preferred-Filter-Tweaker

[Usurario]

Thanks, this will be useful, El Heggunte. What options should I pay more attention to?

Edit: I noticed this software is included in K-Lite Mega Codec Pack. But it doesn't show any filter for MKV... :S not that that matter much, because all HD movies are being displayed badly, not only MKV...

[Usurario]

I just noticed something I found super weird. When I play a MKV file, both LAV and Haali icons appear on task bar. Was that supposed to happen?

[El Heggunte]

I suppose it's LAV Video or LAV Audio that's been displayed on your machine's System Tray.
Nevertheless, I still believe Haali Media Splitter is good-enough for MKVs, but bad for everything-else (MP4s, AVIs, MPGs, Transport Streams, whatever).
You can select such options when you install Haali Media Splitter separately, but I don't know if the codec pack installers give you the same freedom of choice
( I haven't dealed with K-Lite since 2008, because in 2008 I was not a noob anymore ).

P.S.: latest (un)installers of Haali Media Splitter are borked, see

http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?p=1633917#post1633917

P.P.S.: there are various video and audio types which Haali's MKV splitter does not support, and you will have to switch to LAV Splitter in the end.

[smrpix]

I tried uninstalling codec packs, cleaning the registry, reinstalling K-Lite (both 32 and 64 bits). And now the video won't play at all!

Sadly, you've discovered the reason one of the frequently repeated pieces of advice around here is: Don't Install Codec Packs!

They can cause conflicts and really mess up your system. You may be approaching a point where a clean install of your OS is your best solution.

Getting back to your original question, were there ever any circumstances where your HD movies looked good?

[Usurario]

I suppose it's LAV Video or LAV Audio that's been displayed

Yeah, it's LAV video. Which is weird... Why two codecs would run at the same time (Haali and LAV)?

What if I install Haali Media Splitter separately? Do you think this could solve the problem?

If the uninstallation problems can be solved by registry cleaners, not a problem.

Getting back to your original question, were there ever any circumstances where your HD movies looked good?

Yeah, there was. Until a few days ago, they worked fine. MKVs, MP4s, WMVs... all of them played fine. =/

[jagabo]

I've recently noticed my videos play well, unless they are in HD format. See how the image is pixelated.

Turn on the decoder's deblocking filter. For example, with Xvid:

[Usurario]

Thanks, jagabo. As for ffdshow, I've done the following: opened ffdshow video decoder configuration > selected Postprocessing (on left menu) > marked accurate deblocking (on both 32 and 64 bits versiobs of the config software). No results. And as for MKV, I haven't found no option for deblocking...

[Usurario]

I've completely uninstalled all codec packs, and only installed Haali Media Splitter. Still the image is blocky... :S

[jagabo]

Thanks, jagabo. As for ffdshow, I've done the following: opened ffdshow video decoder configuration > selected Postprocessing (on left menu) > marked accurate deblocking (on both 32 and 64 bits versiobs of the config software). No results.

That will only work if ffdshow is doing the decoding. Enable ffdshow's Tray Icon feature so you know when it's being used.

And as for MKV, I haven't found no option for deblocking...

MKV is a container. It has nothing to do with the decoding of the video.

[Usurario]

That will only work if ffdshow is doing the decoding. Enable ffdshow's Tray Icon feature so you know when it's being used.

Ok. No, LAV is being used, instead.

MKV is a container. It has nothing to do with the decoding of the video.

I took a look at LAV's options and couldn't find anything about deblocking.

[El Heggunte]

I took a look at LAV's options and couldn't find anything about deblocking.

It's because the deblocking filter of LAV Video decoder is ALWAYS turned on, and cannot be turned off.
Therefore, if the videos are "pixelated" on your system, the cause of the problem must be elsewhere.

[hello_hello]

If memory serves me correctly K-Lite installes a stripped down version of MPC-HC. Some of it's internal splitters/decoders are removed. It may be why you're getting errors after uninstalling the codec pack.

The first thing I'd try is removing MPC-HC if you didn't uninstall it too, and downloading and installing the standard version. It's self contained and hopefully will play the videos fine. There's also a portable version if you don't want to actually install it.
Just in case.... when you first run it, go into Options and use the reset button (I think it's under Miscellaneous), restart it and try a video. If it plays fine then you could try switching to the EVR renderer and/or changing other settings etc.

I run XP so I'm not all that familiar with the Preferred Filter Tweaker, but as far as I know it's not used in relation to file types (ie MKV or MP4 etc) but in relation to the decoder used. Apparently the Tweaker is required to decode certain types of video with third party DirectShow decoders with Win7 as they can't be changed in the usual way. For example if you want to decode h264 video with a Directshow filter such as ffdshow rather than the built in Windows one, you'd need to use the Tweaker.
I assume that applies to DirectShow filters only, so while a player is using internal splitters/decoders it won't be effected.

I don't think ffdshow's postprocessing filter works with h264, only mpeg4 video such as Xvid, but someone else may know for sure.

[jagabo]

That will only work if ffdshow is doing the decoding. Enable ffdshow's Tray Icon feature so you know when it's being used.

Ok. No, LAV is being used, instead.

How do you know? The process of playing an A/V file involves a file reader, file splitter (sometimes the reader and splitter are the same filter), audio decoder, video decoder, some times a colorspace converter, sometimes and audio converter, an audio renderer, and a video renderer. LAV can be used simply as the reader/splitter while something else may be used to decode the video. In addition, a program can use its own internal filters for reading/splitting/decoding. So it's not always easy to determine what's in use when playing a video.

Here's an example of a DirectShow filter graph:



In this filter graph Haali is being used as the MKV reader/splitter, ffdshow, to decompress the audio and video, then the graphics and sound renderers to show/play the video and audio. A more complex filter graph:



This one uses a separate reader and splitter, and a colorspace converter.

Some players have a feature where they show you which filters are in use. With MPCHC, for example, you can right click on the window while a video is playing and hover over Filters in the context menu. You can select any of the filters to get more information and change parameters.

[Hoser Rob]

To the OP: according to your profile this is your hardware/OS:

Intel Pentium Dual E220, 2 GB RAM, Windows 7 64 bits

What I'm going to say here assumes this is up to date. Otherwise feel free to ignore it.

That isn't a very high performance cpu, and 2Gb is the minimum recommended by microsoft for 64 bit windows 7. And microsoft recommended minimum hardware spec for windows has never been what I'd call conservative.

Therefore, I don't really think this is a codec problem. You didn't say whether you're using the intel integrated gpu in the pentium or you have a separate video card but I think your hardware is having trouble coping.

I can play 1080p video well on my 4Gb i3 based laptop but I had to do some setup to make it play smoothly. And that's in ubuntu linux, which is pretty efficient if you use the right desktop. Using the unity desktop it could not play 1080p very well.

I don't think all is lost though. First, I'd do as suggested and yank all those codec packs. Then run codec tweak tool and point all the codecs back to directx/directshow (ie. microsoft). It specifically says on the microsoft tech support site not to use any 3rd party codec packs. Good programs shouldn't need them anyway.

Then I'd suggest trying a video player with decent buffering/cache. You'll need it on older slower hardware. The best one I know is smplayer, which has given me the best video performance in both win7 and linux. And it has good cache support.

In smplayer, go to preferences->performance->cache. Set local files to 8192Kb. I got this number from doom9's forum ... serious video geeks there. This makes a big difference.

Then go to preferences->advanced->mplayer options. In the window enter:

-cache-min 50

which will force the cache to always be at least half full. This will mean video files will load a bit more slowly but it makes a quite noticeable difference in quality with 1080p on an i3 based machine. It'd make more of a difference on slower hardware.

Also, allow frame drop and maybe hard frame drop.

[Usurario]

Hey, guys! Thanks for your help.
I just couldn't bear the situation anymore and formatted the system. Now the videos are playing nicely.

Thanks again!