WASAPI Support

[joenobody]

hi andy_o,

yes i do have anydvd hd and i was running pdvd 8 build 2217. unfortunately about 2 weeks back, i mysteriously developed a problem in that configuration. pdvd suddently stopped recognizing any bluray ISOs mounted via virtual clonedrive.

sorry for being slightly off topic, but i have no idea why pdvd would suddenly stop recognizing/using the bluray ISOs mounted via virtual clonedrive. there were no updates to either pdvd or vcd or reclock when this problem developed. the only thing that changed was a recent update to anydvd hd.

the only way I found to get around that particular problem was to install build 3017. at first i was happy but recently found the same WASAPI/Universal Studios bluray problem as GrandeBoma.

anyways enough griping but i too am waiting for slyplayer to eventually come out and get around all these crazy hoops that we htpc owners have to jump through just to get high quality audio and video.

 

[James]

I can just solve the problem by selecting direct3d as output... although I am not sure how that affects the audio quality

It doesn't, and ReClock should use this as the default anyway.

 

[GrandeBoma]

It doesn't, and ReClock should use this as the default anyway.

Thanks, although I am puzzled as I thought that wasapi excl. mode was the best mode available for bd audio playback on pc...

 

[James]

Thanks, although I am puzzled as I thought that wasapi excl. mode was the best mode available for bd audio playback on pc...

You're right, I was talking about the hardware access method (Direct3D vs DirectDraw), and I was wrong, DirectDraw is the default access method.

 

[GrandeBoma]

You're right, I was talking about the hardware access method (Direct3D vs DirectDraw), and I was wrong, DirectDraw is the default access method.

Sorry if I ask you this, is there a way to switch from directx renderer to wasapi excl. mode on the fly? I could first launch the movie from menu and then switch to wasapi mode

Other wise, I have to find a way to bypass film menus, which is not easy as powerdvd 9 seems to play the warning messages even under anydvd hd :bang:

 

[andy o]

You're right, I was talking about the hardware access method (Direct3D vs DirectDraw), and I was wrong, DirectDraw is the default access method.

I think he means DirectSound, not Direct3D.

 

[GrandeBoma]

Could it depend on not having sp1 installed? I see that also joenobody has same vista configuration and wasapi seems to be an sp1 feature... but I can still select it and use it. I am ever so puzzled

 

[joenobody]

Hi GrandeBoma,

Sorry but I made a mistake... I do have Vista Ultimate SP1 installed.

 

[GrandeBoma]

And to make things even more interesting, kernel streaming in xp doesn't affect the same powerdvd version... intriguing indeed

 

[joenobody]

quick update. looks like completely uninstalling pdvd and then reinstalling pdvd but only applying update 2217 update seems to have fixed everything on both of my htpcs (hdmi and spdif).

strange thing is that this pretty much takes it back to the original configuration that i had when the original problem of pdvd not recognizing blu-ray isos started.

so near as i can tell this is what happened:

1. everything works, pdvd 2217, reclock 1.8.4.2, vcd 5.4.3.5, anydvd hd 6.5.8.2
2. installed anydvd hd 6.5.8.7 - for some reason this install causes pdvd 2217 to stop recognizing bluray isos
3. updated to pdvd 3017 - JOY!! (misplaced). bluray isos work again.
4. after a few days notice that reclock is not loading anymore
5. update to reclock 1.8.4.8 which will load in the presence of pdvd 3017
6. after a few days notice that pdvd is freezing on universal blurays when in WASAPI mode
7. uninstall and reinstall pdvd 2217 - JOY!! (hopefully not misplaced). everything appears to be working as it should, wasapi, bluray isos, no freezes

crossing fingers hoping i didn't miss anything. lessons learned seems to be to not change too many pieces of software at once.

after my bluray isos problem occurred after step 2) i probably should have reinstalled pdvd 2217 instead of "upgrading" to 3017. that would have probably saved me going down a rathole.

not sure if my experience will be relevant to you GrandeBoma but i figured i'd share in case it does help

 

[andy o]

Also, don't let PowerDVD access the internet. Block it with a good firewall. I use Comodo and disable the Windows Firewall completely. Also disable PowerDVD's useless startup entries. It can install up to four, one of which is a service.

 

[GrandeBoma]

I have been able to play the gladiator disc with anydvd hd blocking the first universal pictures intro (the one with the planet and the music), that allows me to hear the button sounds at the first menu. going to the movie menu, I found out that only pressing the "play" button freezes the program, if I select "choose scene" and then I play the first one, the movie starts without any problem in wasapi mode. Without anydvd hd it will instead freeze at the first menu. Unfortunately, this workaround does not seem to play casino blu-ray

 

[jasonwc]

Via vt1828s

I have an Asus P755D-E Pro 1156 socket motherboard with a VIA VT 1828S integrated audio chipset. At first I could only get WASAPI exclusive mode to work with 16 bit output but I found a workaround. If you set the audio format to "24 bit int padded to 32" both 16 bit and 24 bit sources are decoded at their native bitrate using WASAPI exclusive mode.

One of the great benefits of WASAPI exclusive mode is that the windows mixer is disabled you don't hear any Windows or application sounds. This is really handy for media applications, since I have been disturbed in the past by Windows noises and Skype, in particular. That's no longer an issue.