[mythtv-users] TV playback options on 0.21

[Scott Traurig]

>Date: Sun, 09 Mar 2008 11:26:06 +0000
>From: Nicolas Will <nico at youplala.net>
>
>But now I feel a bit lost with the TV playback settings. There are just
>too many for my limited brain to process. Between the libmpeg2, xvmc,
>opengl, the desinterlacers, etc....
>
>I have tried many options, and for the time being settled on the
>proposed "High Quality". Others tend to give me flickering OSD.

I've been using 0.21 build 15xxx (can't remember exactly which) for a while
on Gutsy/Nvidia 6xxx environment with DVI out to a Philips 1080p LCD and my
recommendation would be to blow off the canned settings and make a custom
one.

Here's what I've found so far...

1. IMHO XvMC provides a slightly better picture than the standard decoder
but the difference is very subtle.

2. After many trials and comparisons I have currently re-settled on Standard
decoder with opengl video renderer and opengl2 OSD renderer. This gave the
best picture with the Standard decoder and very close to XvMC. I stayed with
this because of a subtle issue with the program guide (see below).

3. Bob (2x) is by far the best deinterlacer with the sharpest playback and
the least amount of artifact. Unfortunately it does make the OSD "bob" a
little but it's more important to have a good picture. This "bob" is
minimized by going the opengl route.
 
4. Bob (2x) with XvMC gives the best picture but is so CPU intensive that
using the guide while watching TV is impossible as key clicks are processed
veeeerrrry slowly. Using Bob with Standard decoder overcomes this issue
which is why I'm staying with Standard for now and will stay with it unless
I start seeing other problems.

5. None of the "HW" deinterlace settings that become available with
Standard/opengl work. I wonder if this is expected?

6. The other good thing about Standard/opengl is now I have recording
picture controls which I did not have before. I still DO NOT have playback
picture controls which I would very much like (pressing F gets me volume
setting, not picture controls--any ideas here?)

st