Post your WMV HD 1080p Trailer results.

[Fant]

Highest for single channel DVI is 1600x1200 so that should be able to play the 1440x1080 HD WMV videos fine. My system can finally play these files with WMP9:

Athlon64 3200+ (Newcastle 512K L2)
1GB PC3500 (running at DDR400)
PNY 6800GT (stock speeds)
WinXP SP2

I'll do the tests in this thread when I get home but I was able to play all the demo download clips without a problem. Ordered a couple of the movies from Amazon so will let you know how those play when those come in. I did have one problem. Whenever I go to a directory with a DRM WMD-HD video, explorer tries to make a thumbnail of it and causes explorer.exe to crash. Go figure.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Now that I finally have broadband, I downloaded all of those WMV HD samples off of MS's site, and I have to say, I am impressed! If "HDTV" finally arrives, with that level of detail and visual clarity, then I'm all for it. I didn't think that the quality of any downloaded, compressed video files could be quite that good.

I don't have WMP9 on my system (absolutely refuse to install anything newer than 6.4, which is the default player on W2K), but in MPC 6.x, most of those videos seem to play "fine" on my system. They skip anywhere from 7 to ~24 frames near the beginning, but after that they mostly play fine. When I say "mostly", there are some spots where it looks like frames lag, and then suddenly playback at a higher-than-normal speed, but yet, I don't see any additional frame-skips in the statistics. Maybe the frames aren't skipped at all, somehow they just get buffered up, and then played back really quickly? I don't know.

Something that also seemed rather strange - the 1080p "Step Into Liquid" video played back better/smoother, and looked better, than the 720p version, of which the latter looked rather "grainy" on playback. Yet, the 1080 had a lower average frame-rate, somewhere between 15-16 FPS, whilst the 720p had a frame rate of ~20 FPS.

Did anyone else notice that, or is MPC just really screwed up in terms of how it calculates frame-rates and skipped frames? Other than the initial lag and skipped frames at the beginning, and a couple of times when it would "lag", and then play back sped-up for a moment, it played pretty smooth overall.

I'm running a Tbred-B Athlon XP @ 166Mhz x 10.0, 768MB of PC2700 DDR, Radeon 9200 (128-bit) 64MB AGP 8x, with AGP and "Fast Writes" enabled, on an MSI KT4V-L (KT400/8235), desktop res is 1024x768 @ 75Hz, 32bpp.

 

[Fant]

VirtualLarry: wow I'm impressed your even able to play WMVHD on those specs. I tried to compare the 1080i and 720p videos on my 1280x1024 LCD and they both look very good. The 1280x720p would play without any scaling while the 1440x1080i would be scaled down to essentially the same resolution. There is very little difference between them that I can see. I think the 1080i looks a tad sharper in some spots but most people cant prob tell the difference. This is odd because I would think the 720p which doesnt need any downconversion would be better.

 

[CZroe]

Is there any place I can still download the DRM protected files to do a direct comparison to you guys? My system is very similar to DAPUNISHER's... SN45G + Mobile Barton 2400+ OC'ed to 3200+ speeds (Required the L12 mod for stable FSB settings). I plan on testing with both a GeForce4 Ti4200 (AGP8x, AKA Ti4800) & 6800GT. Even if the videos show up again for download they'll probably be reencoded or changed somehow for whatevever reason they took them down.

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I've heard it was flat in FL too. Sucks for us all. We've had a ton of Tstorms though, one going on right now. Maybe this is a sign that the summer/fall is going to rough tropically? 🙂

How... prophetic.

 

[rbV5]

I've got some WMV9 DVDs but someone told me that there is only one card capable of outputting the resolution required for true digital 1080p over DVI.

Not many displays support 1080p anyway. 1080p looks great on my widescreen display at 1080i.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: CZroe
Is there any place I can still download the DRM protected files to do a direct comparison to you guys? My system is very similar to DAPUNISHER's... SN45G + Mobile Barton 2400+ OC'ed to 3200+ speeds (Required the L12 mod for stable FSB settings). I plan on testing with both a GeForce4 Ti4200 (AGP8x, AKA Ti4800) & 6800GT. Even if the videos show up again for download they'll probably be reencoded or changed somehow for whatevever reason they took them down.

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I've heard it was flat in FL too. Sucks for us all. We've had a ton of Tstorms though, one going on right now. Maybe this is a sign that the summer/fall is going to rough tropically? 🙂

How... prophetic.

Yes, it was, people died last night 🙁 BTW, all the clips are still showing up in the link in the first post for me.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER

Originally posted by: CZroe
Is there any place I can still download the DRM protected files to do a direct comparison to you guys? My system is very similar to DAPUNISHER's... SN45G + Mobile Barton 2400+ OC'ed to 3200+ speeds (Required the L12 mod for stable FSB settings). I plan on testing with both a GeForce4 Ti4200 (AGP8x, AKA Ti4800) & 6800GT. Even if the videos show up again for download they'll probably be reencoded or changed somehow for whatevever reason they took them down.

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I've heard it was flat in FL too. Sucks for us all. We've had a ton of Tstorms though, one going on right now. Maybe this is a sign that the summer/fall is going to rough tropically? 🙂

How... prophetic.

Yes, it was, people died last night 🙁 BTW, all the clips are still showing up in the link in the first post for me.

And there's more bad weather brewing in our oceans. 🙁

BTW, I hadn't actually clicked on the link at the time. I was sifting through the entire thread and writing up a list of questions as I went while eliminating them as I came across answers. Because your conversation never mentioned them going back up, I assumed they were still down 🙂 (Transcript below).

Anyway, are you using an unlocked CPU? What FSB are you using on your SN45G system? The motherboard on mine would not reach 200MHz/400FSB without the L12 trick or a genuine 400FSB locked CPU. All the L12 tick does is set the CPU's default speed to 400FSB so it shouldn't make a lick of difference but it does. In fact, with other locked CPUs on premium overclocker boards the L12 trick seems to help reach higher FSBs than normally attainable. Just throwing that out there in case it could help... Link Mine was a mobile so I only needed on wire. Also, are you using a Shuttle SN45G version 2 w/ 250w SilentX PSU or the normal w/ 200w standard PSU? I ask because I have the normal version and we all know about the 6800-series card's PSU "requirements" (>400w!?!?!). 😉

Originally posted by: rbV5

I doubt it, he has a 3ghz+ P4 HT setup and this looks to be another area it excels in.

Yea, I was wondering about the DRM on top of the demanding footage. I was reading a thread on AVSforum and the MS guy was claiming that DRM could use up to 25% of the CPU all by itself. It seems they were using the demo files to test the waters, and I also noticed that last time I checked none of the 1080p files w/DRM are up on the site anymore (the Scooby Doo 2 clip was more demanding than step into liquid IIRC)

My T-2 Extreme DVD has both 720p and 1080p files, as I'm guessing all of them do. apoppin, did you play the 1080p version? Did you have to have an internet connection to get the DRM licence?

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
Perhaps this is why they yanked the DRM content for now? There are links from there that get into it more too. Looks like the quality is poor though

It generally is lossy, because you are reencoding the decoded stream = generational loss.


But it's possible that the bits could be caught before decoding, and shunted into a custom-written filter that instead of decoding the bitstream, just writes it to a file after decryption.

Originally posted by: rbV5
There are still 720p demo files with DRM, so I doubt that "supposed" workaround is related. They are probably trying different forms of DRM, and noticed the 1080p files with DRM were performing very poorly and perhaps affect sales of the DVD's that are now coming out? I dunno?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

I was using an unlocked 2400+ t-bred B@2.2ghz 400DC-DDR synch ACHME 200w PSU. I bought mine shortly after they hit the market. @2.3ghz *done through multipler* it was almost flawless. That seems to be about the threshold for AMD based systems but for the rare exception.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
I was using an unlocked 2400+ t-bred B@2.2ghz 400DC-DDR synch ACHME 200w PSU. I bought mine shortly after they hit the market. @2.3ghz *done through multipler* it was almost flawless. That seems to be about the threshold for AMD based systems but for the rare exception.

Good news for me then 🙂 I guess 200w is enough for the 6800GT, but according to Newegg's reviews the v1 200w PSUs fry themselves a lot... and I mean a lot. I still feel that I should buy an aftermarket SilentX PSU and save the 200 watter as a spare. And boy do I ever have enough 1200JB drives around... ELEVEN total, six in a RAID5 array now one in the Shuttle so that's yet another similar spec we share 🙂 Mine was just purchased last month and is a v1 but the board is the infamous Rev2.0 FN45/FN41 board (They combined PCBs with the SN41G2v2 and had to remove the VDIMM adjustment from all SN45G systems after a bug started frying these motherboard revisions).

BTW, here's a better link to the L12 mod in reference to SN45G systems but if you're already at 200MHz/400FSB and using the multi to go higher (As I will be) it's not so relevant anymore.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

My old SN45G has been up and running for a long time now with zero problems. The Enhance PSU that shipped with many is likely the source of most the PSU problems, the ACHME in mine is a rock 24/7 f@h :beer: I love this lil' boxen.

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: DAPUNISHER
My old SN45G has been up and running for a long time now with zero problems. The Enhance PSU that shipped with many is likely the source of most the PSU problems, the ACHME in mine is a rock 24/7 f@h :beer: I love this lil' boxen.

Well, I definately got the Enhance so I'll either be upgrading or trying to find another SN45G + 6800GT owner with this PSU to confirm success 🙂

 

[Fant]

FYI my Antec 300Watt was enough for my p4 1.8a and 6800GT but when I upgraded to A64 3200+, the system wouldnt boot until I upgraded to a thermaltake 480watt.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I guess that I should mention - I used MPC to play back the .WMV files, not WMP, and I have both WMP and MPC blocked from accessing the internet in my firewall, so I'm guessing, I must have downloaded the non-DRM'ed versions of these files, which would explain why I was able to achieve playback at almost-decent speeds. (I was never prompted for any sort of DRM-download or anything.)

I'm still curious though, what is the "proper" frame-rate for both of the 'Step Into Liquid' videos? Is it supposed to be 30fps? Or 15 and 20, for the 1080p and 720p files, respectively? Because if it is 30fps, then I must be dropping frames like crazy, but it still appears mostly smooth on playback.

Btw, that T2:Ultimate Edition WMV-HD clip was absolutely outstanding! I'll have to pick that up some day. Is it already released? (T2 is definately one of my favorite action movies.)

 

[Megatomic]

Originally posted by: CZroe
Is there any place I can still download the DRM protected files to do a direct comparison to you guys? My system is very similar to DAPUNISHER's... SN45G + Mobile Barton 2400+ OC'ed to 3200+ speeds (Required the L12 mod for stable FSB settings). I plan on testing with both a GeForce4 Ti4200 (AGP8x, AKA Ti4800) & 6800GT. Even if the videos show up again for download they'll probably be reencoded or changed somehow for whatevever reason they took them down.

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I've heard it was flat in FL too. Sucks for us all. We've had a ton of Tstorms though, one going on right now. Maybe this is a sign that the summer/fall is going to rough tropically? 🙂

How... prophetic.

I wish not. My wife and I have both been beachbums most of our lives. We just had a feeling that it was gonna be rough this year. 🙁

 

[CZroe]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I guess that I should mention - I used MPC to play back the .WMV files, not WMP, and I have both WMP and MPC blocked from accessing the internet in my firewall, so I'm guessing, I must have downloaded the non-DRM'ed versions of these files, which would explain why I was able to achieve playback at almost-decent speeds. (I was never prompted for any sort of DRM-download or anything.)

I'm still curious though, what is the "proper" frame-rate for both of the 'Step Into Liquid' videos? Is it supposed to be 30fps? Or 15 and 20, for the 1080p and 720p files, respectively? Because if it is 30fps, then I must be dropping frames like crazy, but it still appears mostly smooth on playback.

Btw, that T2:Ultimate Edition WMV-HD clip was absolutely outstanding! I'll have to pick that up some day. Is it already released? (T2 is definately one of my favorite action movies.)

I paid $9.99 for it at Target. Found it with the cheap DVDs by the check-out. What disturbs me is that both versions are crammed on a second single-layer DVD5 disc along with the bulk of the non-WMV MPEG2 bonuses. That's some hell of a compression job!

Originally posted by: Megatomic

Originally posted by: CZroe
Is there any place I can still download the DRM protected files to do a direct comparison to you guys? My system is very similar to DAPUNISHER's... SN45G + Mobile Barton 2400+ OC'ed to 3200+ speeds (Required the L12 mod for stable FSB settings). I plan on testing with both a GeForce4 Ti4200 (AGP8x, AKA Ti4800) & 6800GT. Even if the videos show up again for download they'll probably be reencoded or changed somehow for whatevever reason they took them down.

Originally posted by: Megatomic
I've heard it was flat in FL too. Sucks for us all. We've had a ton of Tstorms though, one going on right now. Maybe this is a sign that the summer/fall is going to rough tropically? 🙂

How... prophetic.

I wish not. My wife and I have both been beachbums most of our lives. We just had a feeling that it was gonna be rough this year. 🙁

The loss of life is saddening but I'm sure there will still be something to return to for FL beachgoers and I personally look forward to it. Last time a hurricane hit near Panama City Beach it washed out and flooded so much that I got to spend a week down there repairing some of it. Luckily, hurricane George was not particularly deadly, so I didn't feel guilty enjoying it while I was there (For once all the trash on the beach was gone. TOTALLY GONE.). There really is a bright side to everything and "big waves" can be another good one!

 

[UserNotFound]

has oneone been able to run this on a crap video card(gefroce2 64 meg?)? i thought this was all CPU intensive, and i've overclocked up to 265x10 on my AMD 64 (that's....well beyond the specs of the 3700+, sandra rates it at 3.950ghz) and still, 500 dropped frames in the T2 trailer. i have the actual T2 dvd, even, no difference there. i can try a geforce3 here in about an hour, and a 9700pro in about 2 days, otherwise i suppose i'll have to wait till end of october when i get my 6800gt.

 

[Auric]

Welp, I'm trying out XP now and the HT is making a significant difference with my "P2.9". Instead of 70-90% usage with the fastest Overlay Mixer it is down to 40-60% (averaging 50%) with any output mode including the slowest VMR9. Just wait until Radeon WMV HWA is enabled! It has been in the registry for awhile but is reportedly waiting on MS.

VMR9 still has the disadvantage of never using the Overlay so Theater Mode is a no go. But with XP, VMR7 is available ('twasn't with 2000) so it is the new best choice -as it does allow Theater Mode and will also display such WMV content with the correct aspect ratio sans adjustments (assuming current ASF filter from KB823738 or SP2), although oddly it kinda has to be given a kick by playing full-screen for a moment at least.

 

[gsellis]

The 3.0e testbed with the X800 Pro hits 40-50% cpu running SiL 1080p. Only at 25% for the 720p version. Vid res was 1280x768. On a 46" LCD, it is stud video central. BTW, beware the Amazon video demo at work as it has a National Geographic moment near the beginning.

VirtualLarry - They all appear to be 24fps. It is that "film" thing. I wish Hollywood would get over it and go to 30fps. On a 46", we can see some 24fps framing (in combination with 50-60ms refresh at 60Hz) on fast pans.

 

[DAPUNISHER]

UserNotFound, nake certain that fastwrites is enabled in the bios.

Looks like Intel is definitely excelling for this particular test. Both ATi and nV have yet to enable support. Hopefully we will see radically different results once they do.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: gsellis
VirtualLarry - They all appear to be 24fps. It is that "film" thing. I wish Hollywood would get over it and go to 30fps. On a 46", we can see some 24fps framing (in combination with 50-60ms refresh at 60Hz) on fast pans.

Ugh, that would indicate that I *am* dropping frames, just that MPC isn't reporting them. 🙁

Back to the drawing board, maybe it's time for an upgrade of something on this rig. Been crashing in strange ways about every two days too. 🙁

 

[gsellis]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
Ugh, that would indicate that I *am* dropping frames, just that MPC isn't reporting them. 🙁

Back to the drawing board, maybe it's time for an upgrade of something on this rig. Been crashing in strange ways about every two days too. 🙁

If it says 15 or 20, yes. 24 is really 23.976 frames per second. Just like 30 is 29.97.

 

[kermitdefrogherer]

I'm not sure if anyone's reading this thread, but I thought I'd share some of my experiences with my 1.8ghz P4 (Dell Dimension 8100) w/ 9800pro AIW.

All 720 res HD video played smooth as silk.
The 1080 video seems to hiccup occasionally, but I'm going to do some more tests with out any unessential processes running (antivirus, messenger, etc)

I'll let you know what I find.

Needless to say I was very pleased with my results. I didn't think there was a hope in heck that my machine would be able to handle HD video.

Kermit

 

[quakefiend420]

my system is running the 1080 smooth as can be...no dropped frames as far as i can tell...barton mobile@2.2 fx5900@ stock 2d settings...i dont see why everyone else is having such difficulty with these...seems odd

 

[bobsmith1492]

2500 mobile @200x11.5=2300
512 DDR400
FX5900xt

Runs fine.... how do you find how many frames are dropped?
CPU according to task manager goes from 70% to 90%.

On the other hand:
P-M 1.7
9700 mobility 128meg
1024 DDR333

This doesn't display the video correctly. It shows only yellow, red, and blue blocks in the rough shape of what the picture should be. I'm using Omega drivers; I dunno what that would affect. There is an option for WMV acceleration, but it doesn't change anything. Any ideas? Bad drivers?

 

[DAPUNISHER]

Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
2500 mobile @200x11.5=2300
512 DDR400
FX5900xt

Runs fine.... how do you find how many frames are dropped?
CPU according to task manager goes from 70% to 90%.

On the other hand:
P-M 1.7
9700 mobility 128meg
1024 DDR333

This doesn't display the video correctly. It shows only yellow, red, and blue blocks in the rough shape of what the picture should be. I'm using Omega drivers; I dunno what that would affect. There is an option for WMV acceleration, but it doesn't change anything. Any ideas? Bad drivers?

To see if frames are dropped view>statistics>advanced. The 2.3ghz should be handling it but the 1.7ghz in all likelyhood doesn't have the horsepower.