Any way to improve WMC video output?

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Paul Anderegg

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Any way to improve WMC video output?

#1

Post by Paul Anderegg » Mon Nov 30, 2020 12:46 am

Cox Cable in my region just switched from mpeg2 to h264, and in doing so, down-converted all channels to 720p60...barf. I can set my HDMI to 720p60 output, but everything else I use the PC for becomes small and scrunched and blurry. I tried 4k 60hz, but the up-scaling on the Nvidia is non existent, so its basically just making the pixels bigger with no smoothing or resizing filtering. I remember there might be a way to run WMC's displayport through MadVR or something? Is that still a thing, or is it as technically difficult as trying to install a Hackintosh operating system.

With Cox downgrading to 720p only, I may just finally ditch my WMC and just watch TV shows on their own apps free in 1080p24.

Paul

jachin99

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#2

Post by jachin99 » Mon Nov 30, 2020 4:57 pm

I think with AMD cards there is a way to adjust the settings per game or application. I'm not sure if nvidea has something similar but it might be worth a try. If you want to pipe WMC through madvr then the only way I can think of is to use a video capture card. I haven't heard anything about using displayport but I think if you try to pipe WMC through any video capture system, then you will have to strip out HDCP first. I believe most HDCP strippers only output stereo, and not surround sound. The one potential exception could be HD Fury. I think some of their 1080 video converters might output surround sound. Even then you will be basically watching WMC through another program though. Your best be if you want to keep WMC is to see if you set your video card settings per application.

jachin99

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#3

Post by jachin99 » Mon Nov 30, 2020 5:01 pm

This might be something to look at also. It looks like he is using displayport https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-QG_jdQzD-k

Paul Anderegg

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#4

Post by Paul Anderegg » Tue Dec 01, 2020 2:35 am

Well, may be a mute point. Upon further examination of the new 720p60 downconverted channels, looks like Cox is implimenting pretty harsh and agressive detail edge enhancement as well as inverse telecine. The edging is really bad, very harsh, looks like if you crank up sharpness too high using Nvidia control panel, you can litterally see the black lines on the edge of all detail. I am assuming they are doing this so that people don't notice the 720p looking soft and blurry, but this is just as bad. Add to that they cut the bitrate in half, but visually expanded all the macroblocking, with detail being applied to the real bad macroblocking, and the image has become unrecoverable. Taking the time to install all the network Android TV apps and will use MCE just to keep track of what to watch for now. :(

Paul

jachin99

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#5

Post by jachin99 » Wed Dec 02, 2020 3:03 pm

Have you tried viewing the same channels in SD? I know my cox lineup includes the SD channels with lower numbers, and HD channels up in the 1000s. I dont think they have switched in my area yet but I'm thinking they plan to. They setup a test channel just for cablecard users but it doesn't look as bad as you describe at the moment.

Paul Anderegg

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#6

Post by Paul Anderegg » Sat Dec 12, 2020 4:13 pm

It's all a hot mes of highly compressed converted 720p...also, CableCards were just put on the FCC kill list...

Paul

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