CODEC Advice Needed

Discussion about the MiniTiouner board and the MiniTiouner Digital ATV Receive Software. See also http://www.vivadatv.org/index.php
G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Wed Aug 14, 2019 8:22 pm

I have recently installed a new Windows 10 computer. MiniTioune was working fine on the old one.

I have both a Minitiuoner v2 and a DATV MiniTiouner Express. They are both exhibiting the same behaviour.

When I run the Check Minitioune Driver and Filters Application I get a full house of green lights BUT I never see the rotating test card in the black window. I have tried both the "Play Mpeg2+Mpa" and "Play H264+AAC" buttons and they both give me green lights but no picture. I have tried re-installing the LAV Drivers (v0.74.1) but I still see the same. All the green lights come on but the black window remains resolutely blank!

If I try to run the MiniTiouner software (v0.9) I can see green lights indicating that it is receiving signals from my Portsdown LimeSDR Mini in Ugly mode but I see the "Bad Codec/PID message in the grey window.

Can someone please recommend next steps for me to fix this Codec / driver issue?

Thanks and 73, David G4NRT

g0mjw
Posts: 2330
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by g0mjw » Wed Aug 14, 2019 9:51 pm

Did you do all these steps?

You have now 3 steps to do :
a) Download and installation of GraphStudioNext
go to : https://code.google.com/p/graph-studio-next/
Download the last version.
There is no installation.
This software will allow you to read the .grf files used by Minitioune. These are graphs that show us the
structure of decoding and rendering TS data.
This software will help you to install easily Directshow filters like usrc.ax
b) Download and installation of « LAVfilters » : if LAVfilters is not found in the software package,
you must download it:
Go to : https://github.com/Nevcairiel/LAVFilters/releases
Download last version : LAVFilters-0.71-Installer.exe
Run it and let the installation of video decoder , audio decoder and TS splitter.
c) Installation of usrc.ax Directshow filter
The file usrc.ax must be in the Minitioune directory.
You have also the software: « install_usrc_ax_WinXP.exe »
 If you are working under win XP , you have just to run this software
 If it doesn’t work or you are using an another version of Windows:
o Run GraphStudioNext in administrator mode ( right click …)
o Go to Graph  insert Filter
o You have opened a new window: Filters, you click at the top right on Register
And you link to usrc.ax which is in the Minitioune directory
o Reboot your PC

G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:48 am

Thanks!

I had followed the Read Me file to the letter so had performed all the steps. HOWEVER:

When I go to GraphStudioNext and select Graph > Insert Filter I see a very, very long list of filters. Which ones should I be looking for?

All of the DMO filters are in green (I do not know whether that is good or bad!)

If I select Video Compressors, I see some in green with a red (!) and some in black - what does that mean?

What should I do now? I didn't do any of this on my previous PC and yet Minitioune v0.9beta8.9 worked fine!

Thanks,

David G4NRT

G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:22 am

I should add that, in my Minitioune Folder on my desktop (where the application and supporting files live) there are two *.TS files. If I double click on either of these they open in Windows 10 "Films & TV" application and play (with suitable animation). One (F6DZP_TEST.TS) is the F6DZP test card and the other H264AAC.ts) is the BATC logo with rotating CQs. This indicates to me that some Codecs are indeed installed but these appear not be selected or used inside the Minitioune software.

Is this significant?

David

G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Thu Aug 15, 2019 7:29 am

I have uninstalled the Microsoft "Films and TV" application and the issue remains!

I have also tried plugging the Minitioune into my old Windows 10 PC and I am getting my Ugly Mode testcard without problems so it must be a Windows 10 issue on my new PC and not a hardware problem with the Minitouner!

g0mjw
Posts: 2330
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by g0mjw » Thu Aug 15, 2019 8:42 am

I think you need to use graphstudio next to install usrc.ax - did you do this? Insert filter from file.

See https://wiki.batc.org.uk/MiniTioune_software

G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Thu Aug 15, 2019 9:00 am

I am looking in GraphStudio and I cannot find how to insert filter from file. I have reviewed the BATC document (at least a hundred times) and I can't find it not there either. I have used the "install_user)ax)winXP)Win10.exe" utility to update the registry ....

Thanks for helping ...

g0mjw
Posts: 2330
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by g0mjw » Thu Aug 15, 2019 9:59 am

Graph->Insert Filter From File
Clipboard01.jpg
Clipboard01.jpg (37.09 KiB) Viewed 5162 times

G4NRT
Posts: 75
Joined: Thu May 09, 2019 2:59 pm

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by G4NRT » Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:04 am

I found that setting but the file requires a CLSID which I do not have.

What I did was to do the procedure in the Read Me which was to Graph > Insert Filter, click "Register" and then select user.ax. After which I rebooted my PC but the problem is the same.

Just in case it was a corruption of a file somewhere, I re-downloaded everything and re-ran the LAV driver installation as well as the Registry entry utility,

The problem remains. I think I am just going to have to give up and abandon my thoughts of building a DATV station ... this sort of problem is an hour eater and I now just about give up ...

g0mjw
Posts: 2330
Joined: Sat Sep 20, 2014 9:15 am

Re: CODEC Advice Needed

Post by g0mjw » Thu Aug 15, 2019 10:11 am

Very strange. I wonder - have you installed VMIX and VLC?

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