[mythtv-users] MythTV on Kodi

Nick Rout nick.rout at gmail.com
Mon Jun 22 23:06:39 UTC 2015


On Tue, Jun 23, 2015 at 5:25 AM, Joseph Fry <joe at thefrys.com> wrote:

>
>
> On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 12:33 PM, Kirk Bocek <t004 at kbocek.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> On 6/22/2015 9:20 AM, Ozzy Lash wrote:
>>
>>
>>  On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 11:08 AM, Kirk Bocek <t004 at kbocek.com> wrote:
>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On 6/22/2015 7:57 AM, Mike Bibbings wrote:
>>>
>>>> Raspberry Pi (Model B and Pi 2 - the 4 core version with 1GB Ram), and
>>>> Android (arm) with mythtv backend 0.27/5 fixes and 0.28pre. All work well.
>>>>
>>>
>>>  I've been playing with Lakka (game emu focused) which I think is also
>>> based on Kodi. It looks like Kodi charges extra for MPEG decoding. Is this
>>> the case? Needed for Myth playback on Raspberry Pi 1/2?
>>>
>>>
>>  I don't think it is Kodi that is charging extra for mpeg2, but to get a
>> license on the Rpi for hardware acceleration of mpeg2 you have to pay a
>> license fee (I assume to Broadcom or to whoever does its graphics
>> coprocessor).
>>
>>
>> What I'd like to know is how is 1080p playback in the MythTV tool on Kodi
>> on the Raspberry Pi? Is the hardware acceleration add-on needed?
>>
>
> Playback is great and yes, you do need/want the hardware acceleration if
> you playback HD mpeg2 content.  If everything is mpeg 4, or only SD for
> mpeg2 (dvd's) than you shouldn't need it.  there is also a license for VC-1
> if you need that.
>
> Both together will cost you about $5 USD.  A small price for a huge
> performance jump.  I was able to play content un-accelerated, but it wasn't
> smooth.
>
> However if you transcode all your HD content to mpeg-4, or you use a
> device that records HD in mpeg-4 you can probably pass on them and save
> yourself $5.
>
> Note: I have no experience with the rPi... just the rPi2.  I suspect that
> the standard rPi may struggle to decode even SD mpeg 2... but the rPi2
> plays it just fine in software (no license).
>

The raspberry pi and the raspberry pi2 have the same GPU.

The GPU decodes h.264 in hardware out of the box. It will certainly do up
to bluray bitrates. With latest kodi test builds it will asl do MVC encoded
3D files in an mkv container and 3D MVC in an ISO is being worked on.

The GPU decodes mpeg2 and VC-1 in hardware IF activated by purchasing a
codec for a very small amount. It is purchased online and you get a key for
each codec, which is unique to your pi/pi2.

People have been using pi for SD xvid material for ages, whether this is
decoded in hardware, or is just so light it is decoded by the pi CPU I am
not sure.

The pi2 has more ram and a quad core CPU. Because of those improvements it
will do much more than a pi like:

1. Much faster through menus and rendering fanart, UI etc

2. Decode HD audio formats (DTS-HD/MA and Dolby TrueHD) and pass them as
PCM to your AVR/Receiver (up to a certain bitrate). Pi does not have enough
CPU for that.

I believe in recent test builds there is also support for HEVC decoding up
to a certain point (720p I think).

Overall you wouldn't buy a pi now when a pi2 is the same price. If you have
a pi and want to try it, then go for it, but know that a pi2 will be much
better.
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