Niyawa

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Attention: This guide will likely be outdated by the time you read this. See this post for why and where you can go from now on. You can still check for the latest version I released through the spoiler below.



Keep in mind the alternatives I'm mentioning here are what I believe works best as of the time I edited this post. If you're from the future and believe I can make a meaningful edit to include another option (or remove it) then you can post in the thread or contact me in PM.

















I originally made this based on



I originally made this based on nand's guide , but after he stopped updating it I felt the necessity of a updated one. I've written most of this from scratch by getting important tips and information from other guides as well. I will usually update weekly as long there's a new component available. Changelog

Updated: LAV filters (0.58.2), madVR (0.86.10), MPC-BE (1.2.0.3) and XySubFilter (3.1.0.546).



Changed: Removed ffdshow Audio Processor and madFlac. At this point, they are useless for this guide objective.



Changed: LAV installation is now optional. They're internal filters in MPC-HC, so install them separately if you plan to use MPC-BE.



Changed: Removed JanWillem32 build. XySubFilter resolved basically every gap it needed to be fully functional.



Fixed: Few contradictions and MPC-HC lite link (apparently it doesn't exist anymore, they don't need it anyway).



The last update was on 07/29/2013.



Ctrl + F is your friend. You can also download the image file (will be available soon) for future reference.



Why should I use this guide?

Maximum quality.

This guide uses madVR with custom scaling algorithms to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible.



Maximum performance.

It will make sure you're using your hardware to your full potential as well.



Maximum compatibility.

Thanks to LAV filters wide support of containers, the guide will make sure you can play just about anything.



Step 0: Before we start...

Uninstall ALL instances of MPC-HC, CCCP, ffdshow, madVR, Haali, K-lite, CoreAVC etc. you might have on your system. This is a clean guide that requires no other prerequisites to function, and ideally should have none installed either. This will also help avoid any conflicts between previous installations.



The last update was onis your friend. You can also download the(will be available soon) for future reference.This guide uses madVR with custom scaling algorithms to make sure you're getting the best video quality possible.It will make sure you're using your hardware to your full potential as well.Thanks to LAV filters wide support of containers, the guide will make sure you can play just about anything.Uninstallinstances of MPC-HC, CCCP, ffdshow, madVR, Haali, K-lite, CoreAVC etc. you might have on your system. This is a clean guide that requires no other prerequisites to function, and ideally should have none installed either. This will also help avoid any conflicts between previous installations. Requirements







This is for reference of your hardware only. They're not absolute, so don't use it as your shopping guide.



I will give support for Windows 7 and 8 users only. Anything else like Vista or XP is not my problem.



The easy way - KCP

Not everyone like to deal with too many options. If you want something that works, but don't want to give in to codec packs such as CCCP, K-lite, etc. Then you should use



The standard of this guide . MPC-HC lite, LAV filters, madVR and xy-VSFilter.



. MPC-HC lite, LAV filters, madVR and xy-VSFilter. 5 Presets . Lowest to Highest to match madVR scaling algorithms for performance vs quality.



. Lowest to Highest to match madVR scaling algorithms for performance vs quality. Easy interface. KCP settings will give you quick access to filters configuration.



Remember you can help the development with feedback too! If you're too lazy to register and say something, just send it to me instead (PM pls) and I'll tell the devs in your stand.



Step 1: Downloading the Apps

Note: Make sure you download the 32-bit instances of all the apps below. madVR doesn't support 64-bit.



MPC-HC Nightly (installer, x86, updated every 4 days) New!



LAV filters (latest version: 0.58.2) New!



madVR (latest version: 0.86.10) New!



XySubFilter (installer, latest version: 3.1.0.546) New!



Optional.



ReClock (latest version: 1.8.8.0)



MPC-BE (x86, installer, latest version: 1.2.0.3) New!



MPC-BE has a more modern visual than MPC-HC, but functionality is relatively the same (some believe it's more stable, try it yourself). ReClock will give you a less jittery audio, adapting media for more smooth playback (e.g 23.976 > 24.000). ReClock, LAV Filters installation and MPC-BE are optional, so feel free to skip them if you want.



Step 2: Installation

1. Install MPC-HC.



2. Install LAV filters (if you're going to use MPC-BE). Make sure to install only the x86 ones like shown below. (optional)







Note: Obviously, if you choose to follow this step, you'll need to go to "Internal Filters" and disable everything so external LAV can be used properly.



2. Skip this step if you don't match Minimum requirements.



Make sure you're logged in as Administrator or "Run as Admin" before installing. Extract madVR somewhere sensible before installing it. Like your programs folder. Run the "install.bat" inside the folder and do not delete the extracted folder afterwards, madVR depends on it to keep working.



Protip : If you want to update madVR, just extract the new folder and overwrite the files of the old one.



3. Install XySubFilter. "Next" like there's no tomorrow.



4. Install ReClock. Uncheck everything but "Program Files" and "Install DSound / Wave support". (optional)



Step 3: MPC-HC Configuration

1. Open MPC-HC's Options Menu and in "Playback" disable "Auto-load subtitles". Otherwise you won't be able to use XySubFilter.







2. Under "Output" in "DirectShow Video", select "madVR" and if you're going to use ReClock, set it here as default audio renderer.







Note: If you skipped madVR, or you're experiencing frame drops and poor performance in general, set this to "EVR Custom Pres."



Step 4: Filters Configuration

This is for. They're not absolute, so don't use it as your shopping guide.I will give support forandusers only. Anything else like Vista or XP is not my problem.Not everyone like to deal with too many options. If you want something that works, but don't want to give in to codec packs such as CCCP, K-lite, etc. Then you should use KCP instead. You can check out the official forum thread for more information regarding the topic and the download link. The pack comes with:Remember you can help the development with feedback too! If you're too lazy to register and say something, just send it to me instead (PM pls) and I'll tell the devs in your stand.: Make sure you download theinstances of all the apps below. madVR doesn't support 64-bit.MPC-BE has a more modern visual than MPC-HC, but functionality is relatively the same (some believe it's more stable, try it yourself). ReClock will give you a less jittery audio, adapting media for more smooth playback (e.g 23.976 > 24.000). ReClock, LAV Filters installation and MPC-BE are optional, so feel free to skip them if you want.1. Install MPC-HC.2. Install LAV filters (if you're going to use MPC-BE). Make sure to install only theones like shown below.Obviously, if you choose to follow this step, you'll need to go to "Internal Filters" and disable everything so external LAV can be used properly.2. Skip this step if you don't matchrequirements.Make sure you're logged in as Administrator or "Run as Admin" before installing. Extract madVR somewhere sensibleinstalling it. Like your programs folder. Run the "" inside the folder and, madVR depends on it to keep working.: If you want to update madVR, just extract the new folder and overwrite the files of the old one.3. Install XySubFilter. "Next" like there's no tomorrow.4. Install ReClock. Uncheck everything but "" and "".1. Open MPC-HC's Options Menu and in "Playback" disable "". Otherwise you won't be able to use XySubFilter.2. Under "Output" in "", select "madVR" and if you're going to use ReClock, set it here as default audio renderer.If you skipped madVR, or you're experiencing frame drops and poor performance in general, set this to "." madVR



1. Restart MPC-HC and play back any file. You should notice the madVR icon in the system tray, time to use it. Right click on it and click "Edit madVR Settings" to access the next window. Remember you can also turn off madVR icon in the system tray if you don't like it.







2. This is still in tests and it's not really safe to use in some hardware. Under "rendering" > "smooth notion" you can enable it for a much more smooth playback without judder. Especially noticeable with 24p in monitors with 60Hz. It has some downsides too, unfortunately.



There will be a slightly decrease in video sharpness (your eyes are your judge).



Increase in GPU usage. If you have dropped frames when using it, you should disable it or tune your madVR settings manually.







3. Under "scaling algorithms", select the one that fits you best. I made this graph based on a "performance x quality" range of your hardware. Use Lowest for Minimum , Low to Mid for Preferred and High to Highest for Recommended .







AR = Anti-ringing, LL = Linear Light.



4. Under "rendering" > "general settings" disable the "fullscreen exclusive mode". I recommend leaving this off unless you are having playback problems, it also messes up MPC-HC's interface.







Protip : If you have issues with smooth motion, disable "use a separate device for presentation" and restart playback. It's likely to fix it (I'd recommend leave it on though, it halves my rendering time, meaning more speed).



1. Restart MPC-HC and play back any file. You should notice the madVR icon in the system tray, time to use it. Right click on it and click "Edit madVR Settings" to access the next window. Remember you can also turn off madVR icon in the system tray if you don't like it.2. This is still in tests and it's not really safe to use in some hardware. Under "rendering" > "smooth notion" you can enable it for a much more smooth playback without judder. Especially noticeable with 24p in monitors with 60Hz. It has some downsides too, unfortunately.3. Under "scaling algorithms", select the one that fits you best. I made this graph based on a "performance x quality" range of your hardware. Usefortoforandtofor= Anti-ringing,= Linear Light.4. Under "rendering" > "general settings" disable the "fullscreen exclusive mode". I recommend leaving this off unless you are having playback problems, it also messes up MPC-HC's interface.: If you have issues with smooth motion, disable "use a separate device for presentation" and restart playback. It's likely to fix it (I'd recommend leave it on though, it halves my rendering time, meaning more speed). ReClock



1. Make sure all boxes in "Audio Settings" are unchecked since we don't need them. In "Sound pre-buffer", choose anything from 100ms ahead. This will cause a "cut" effect in audio at price of more stability. Usually 100ms will do, but if you get hiccups, keep adding more 25ms until you get to a sweet spot. It's possible to use lower values such as 50 ms, but I can't guarantee the stability with them. For reference, DirectSound uses about 26ms. In "Format" > "24 bit int padded to 32" and "Quality" > "Best Sync Interpolation".



Note: You can use WASAPI Exclusive if you want audio with relatively more quality, however, it uses a lot more of the CPU and it mutes everything elsewhere so you might want to consider testing it yourself if it's worth or not.







2. This time, all the boxes in "Video Settings" should be checked, we need them. Adjust "Assumed frame rate when not found" to your liking. I usually watch 24p content over anything else so that one is my preference.







3. In "Advanced Settings" tab, make sure everything under "VSYNC Correction" is unchecked. Hit the "OK" and play any video on MPC-HC. You might also customize the other options to your will, but I advise not to unless you know what you're doing.



Protip : Enabling the option "Give high priority to CPU player" will increase performance to make sure ReClock won't hiccup with low ms (do not take this as certain). You can also do this by going in MPC-HC's "Player" Menu and checking "Process priority above normal".



4. Go to the filters list through right-click and click on "ReClock Audio Renderer". In the following window make sure all the boxes are unchecked. You can lock the logic if you want but it doesn't really seem to make any difference as far as I know.







1. Make sure all boxes in "Audio Settings" are unchecked since we don't need them. In "Sound pre-buffer", choose anything fromahead. This will cause a "cut" effect in audio at price of more stability. Usually 100ms will do, but if you get hiccups, keep adding more 25ms until you get to a sweet spot. It's possible to use lower values such as 50 ms, but I can't guarantee the stability with them. For reference, DirectSound uses about 26ms. In "Format" > "" and "Quality" > "".You can use WASAPI Exclusive if you want audio with relatively more quality, however, it uses a lot more of the CPU and it mutes everything elsewhere so you might want to consider testing it yourself if it's worth or not.2. This time, all the boxes in "Video Settings" should be checked, we need them. Adjust "Assumed frame rate when not found" to your liking. I usually watch 24p content over anything else so that one is my preference.3. In "Advanced Settings" tab, make sure everything under "" is unchecked. Hit the "OK" and play any video on MPC-HC. You might also customize the other options to your will, but I advise not to unless you know what you're doing.: Enabling the option "Give high priority to CPU player" will increase performance to make sure ReClock won't hiccup with low ms (do not take this as certain). You can also do this by going in MPC-HC's "Player" Menu and checking "Process priority above normal".4. Go to the filters list through right-click and click on "ReClock Audio Renderer". In the following window make sure all the boxes are unchecked. You can lock the logic if you want but it doesn't really seem to make any difference as far as I know. DXVA



If you want to use DXVA2 for decoding, just go to LAV Video Decoder Options through the Start Menu icon or "Filters" list. Also, hardware acceleration is not compatible with 10-bit videos, you probably already know that. Also, I'm not sure if this is available with internal filters, you might need to install the external version of LAV for that.







Select the best fit for you based on the following criteria.



CUVID for NVidia GPUs.



for NVidia GPUs. DXVA2 (copy-back) for AMD or older/others GPU brands.



(copy-back) for AMD or older/others GPU brands. QuickSync for Sandy Bridge architecture or newer.



Note: CPU SSE 4.1 capable and Windows 7 SP1 or ahead are recommended for (copy-back).



Protip : Smooth motion usually has issues with DXVA, so use it with caution.



Step 5: Confirmation

1. Play any 10/8-bit .mkv file and use Ctrl+J to enter the OSD. If it doesn't show up or looks different, double check output configuration.







Note: It's okay to drop a few frames at the start of the video, seeking and switching between fullscreen and windowed mode. Just make sure it doesn't drop or delay anything in constant playback.



2. Finally, check the "Filters" list (in the right click menu of MPC-HC during playback). It doesn't need to look exactly like the image below, just make sure the filters you installed are being used in their respective situations.







Feedback

Say thanks if it worked so this guide can gain credibility. Any positive/negative comments or suggestions are welcome as long they're polite. Guide originally inspired by Ryuumaru. Mostly based on Google, and updated by Niyawa.

If you want to use DXVA2 for decoding, just go to LAV Video Decoder Options through the Start Menu icon or "Filters" list. Also, hardware acceleration is not compatible with 10-bit videos, you probably already know that. Also, I'm not sure if this is available with internal filters, you might need to install the external version of LAV for that.Select the best fit for you based on the following criteria.: CPU SSE 4.1 capable and Windows 7 SP1 or ahead are recommended for (copy-back).: Smooth motion usually has issues with DXVA, so use it with caution.1. Play any 10/8-bit .mkv file and useto enter the OSD. If it doesn't show up or looks different, double check output configuration.: It's okay to drop a few frames at the start of the video, seeking and switching between fullscreen and windowed mode. Just make sure it doesn't drop or delay anything in constant playback.2. Finally, check the "" list (in the right click menu of MPC-HC during playback). It doesn't need to look exactly like the image below, just make sure the filters you installed are being used in their respective situations.Say thanks if it worked so this guide can gain credibility. Any positive/negative comments or suggestions are welcome as long they're polite. Guide originally inspired by. Mostly based on nand’s original research and, and updated by Keep in mind the alternatives I'm mentioning here are what I believe works best as of the time I edited this post. If you're from the future and believe I can make a meaningful edit to include another option (or remove it) then you can post in the thread or contact me in PM. KCP still is my top recommendation when quality playback and easy configuration is concerned. You'll get most of the options you would've gotten with this guide done automatically for you so most if any configuration will be done in madVR in majority of the cases. Check the link in the "Attention" part up there for some other guide recommendations. mpv is another good alternative you have an old laptop or a low-end hardware that might not fit your needs in regards to madVR playback as it has easy set-up and very good quality output from the get go. It can play pretty much anything I've thrown at it (Core 2 Duo T6600 for reference) so as long as you don't go for 60fps or 4K playback on an old toaster, it should be the fine. CCCP is not a bad alternative but updates itself relatively less frequently than KCP, and doesn't include madVR. However, trusty /a/nons believe this is a pro as the pack only includes more stable versions of its components. It's up to you, really. BBCode Modified by Niyawa, Jan 9, 2015 10:49 AM