[Feature Request] .ts file is not HW-accelerated but repacked to MKV is

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KodloN

Member
May 16, 2014
6
0
Hello,
When I try to play .ts file (e.g. HBO HD movie) recorded using DVB-C set-top box, MXPlayer uses SW mode and playback looks like a slideshow.
So I have repacked the same movie to MKV container using mkvmerge and followed the advice from this forum to configure MXPlayer to use HW acceleration for video and SW mode using custom codec for audio (for AC3 decoding). Playback is perfectly smooth in this case, because MXPlayer uses HW acceleration.

The original TS file contains:
- H264 1080i PAL 50fps track
- 1st AC3 audio track
- 2nd AC3 audio track
- 1st DVB subtitle track
- 2nd DVB subtitle track

The repacked MKV file contains:
- the same H264 track (w/o recoding)
- the same 1st AC3 audio track (w/o recoding)
(mkvmerge cannot convert DVB subtitles, so in MKV file the subtitle track is missing)

I have the Acer Iconia A1 810 tablet.
Repacking to MKV is an option to play my recordings smoothly, but I'd like to play the original TS files from SMB share, because my archive is full of such TS files. Repacking is hard and slow and additionally it'd throwed the subtitles away.

Please, is it possible to modify MXPlayer so it can play also the TS files in HW accelerated mode?
Thank you in advance!
 

Logic_

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
271
67
Antwerp
I doubt it, because the ts container can contain so much more incompatible formats and as you probably know, AC3 for instance is not hardware supported on most devices. You cant go and force hardware decoding for something that might-half-work, but you always have the option to select your decoder and try. I'm afraid you'll just have to accept that there's some things your hardware can't decode.
 

KodloN

Member
May 16, 2014
6
0
Note that the smooth playback is not a problem in my case. Repacked in MKV container, my hardware plays both the mentioned tracks (H264+AC3) smoothly.
What I ask the MXPlayer team for, is to enable the same MXPlayer behavior for the original TS container file containing the same tracks (H264/AC3).
In my opinion, the MKV container is the same case as the TS container. MKV file can also contain almost anything.
I've thought that the decision to use (or not to use) HW acceleration for a video track should come after a splitter, on the basis of the video format and should not be derived from a container file format.
 

Logic_

Senior Member
Aug 8, 2010
271
67
Antwerp
Hmm, that is odd. Sorry I assumed the AC3 track would've been incompatible, as it is with many androids. I always thought MX Player did decide on HW acceleration independent of containers. I can only guess some track contained in the .ts is incompatible.
But have your tried forcing HW playback (or HW+) on the .ts file yet? You can select this in the top right while a video is playing.
 

CDB-Man

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
881
267
I thought that HW support of different containers depended on the device. Not sure.

I would think that when you select HW, it not only passes the decoding, but also the container splitting, to the hardware, which is my guess at why HW won't support different containers since the hardware doesn't know how to split the container.

@bleu8888 could you provide some insight into this?
 
Last edited:

KodloN

Member
May 16, 2014
6
0
I thought that HW support of different containers depended on the device. Not sure.

I would think that when you select HW, it not only passes the decoding, but also the container splitting, to the hardware, which is my guess at why HW won't support different containers since the hardware doesn't know how to split the container.

@bleu8888 could you provide some insight into this?

Thank you CDB-Man and Logic_ for your thoughts.

In MX Player, it is possible to use HW decoder for a video track in parallel (and in sync) with SW decoder for an audio track. That is why I hope, that a container-splitting can be done independently on choice which decoder will be used for the given track.
 

CDB-Man

Senior Member
May 29, 2013
881
267
My understnading is that splitting is done by whatever is set as the video decoder in MX. Audio decoder just receives the audio stream from whatever splitter is used. It's not that SW audio runs "in parallel" with HW video per se; SW or HW audio just receives an audio stream from whatever is used as the container splitter.
 

KodloN

Member
May 16, 2014
6
0
Sorry, my previous post was probably somewhat misleading.
It was reaction to your post:
I thought that HW support of different containers depended on the device. Not sure.

I would think that when you select HW, it not only passes the decoding, but also the container splitting, to the hardware, which is my guess at why HW won't support different containers since the hardware doesn't know how to split the container.

I wanted to say, that from the fact, that video can be independently decoded by HW and audio by SW, I presume, that splitting can also be done independently - by SW - while maintaining the players ability to pass video track decoding to HW.
 

bleu8888

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2011
526
322
Hi KodloN,

Did you try hw+ decoder? hw decoder is just stock decoder which has no chance to be improved at all.
If you it still does not work with hw+ decoder, please send me (to bleu8888@gmail.com) a sample .ts file that cannot be played with hw+ decoder.

Thanks
 

KodloN

Member
May 16, 2014
6
0
Hi KodloN,

Did you try hw+ decoder? hw decoder is just stock decoder which has no chance to be improved at all.
If you it still does not work with hw+ decoder, please send me (to bleu8888@gmail.com) a sample .ts file that cannot be played with hw+ decoder.

Thanks

Hi bleu8888,

Yes, I've tried hw+ decoder, below are results:

1) The original TS file (HBO_HD recording)
SW decoder only. Trying to switch to HW or HW+ decoder falls back to SW with error message "Cannot play this video with H/W(+) decoder".

2) TS file in which the DVB subtitle track and the Czech audio track were removed (repacked by DVBViewer-TSPlayer)
HW+ decoder is functional, but playback is sluggish on my Acer Iconia Tab A1-810 (similar performance as SW decoder playback)
HW decoder cannot play this video.

3) MKV file created from the original TS file using mkvmerge
HW decoder is functional, perfect smooth playback
HW+ decoder cannot play this video

I will send you a link to all three files to the specified email.
Thank you in advance!
 

bleu8888

Senior Member
Mar 24, 2011
526
322
Hi,

Would you try latest test build from following link?
.ts hw+ playback is improved in this test build but I'm not sure your issue is fixed because this issue looks like happening only on MediaTek platforms and I do not have device having MediaTek playform.
(Please note that hw playback is not changed though)
https://sites.google.com/site/mxvpen/translation/test-build

BTW, DVB subtitle positioning issue is also fixed.

Feedback will be appreacited !
Thanks

Hi bleu8888,

Yes, I've tried hw+ decoder, below are results:

1) The original TS file (HBO_HD recording)
SW decoder only. Trying to switch to HW or HW+ decoder falls back to SW with error message "Cannot play this video with H/W(+) decoder".

2) TS file in which the DVB subtitle track and the Czech audio track were removed (repacked by DVBViewer-TSPlayer)
HW+ decoder is functional, but playback is sluggish on my Acer Iconia Tab A1-810 (similar performance as SW decoder playback)
HW decoder cannot play this video.

3) MKV file created from the original TS file using mkvmerge
HW decoder is functional, perfect smooth playback
HW+ decoder cannot play this video

I will send you a link to all three files to the specified email.
Thank you in advance!
 
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    Hi,

    Would you try latest test build from following link?
    .ts hw+ playback is improved in this test build but I'm not sure your issue is fixed because this issue looks like happening only on MediaTek platforms and I do not have device having MediaTek playform.
    (Please note that hw playback is not changed though)
    https://sites.google.com/site/mxvpen/translation/test-build

    BTW, DVB subtitle positioning issue is also fixed.

    Feedback will be appreacited !
    Thanks

    Hi bleu8888,

    Yes, I've tried hw+ decoder, below are results:

    1) The original TS file (HBO_HD recording)
    SW decoder only. Trying to switch to HW or HW+ decoder falls back to SW with error message "Cannot play this video with H/W(+) decoder".

    2) TS file in which the DVB subtitle track and the Czech audio track were removed (repacked by DVBViewer-TSPlayer)
    HW+ decoder is functional, but playback is sluggish on my Acer Iconia Tab A1-810 (similar performance as SW decoder playback)
    HW decoder cannot play this video.

    3) MKV file created from the original TS file using mkvmerge
    HW decoder is functional, perfect smooth playback
    HW+ decoder cannot play this video

    I will send you a link to all three files to the specified email.
    Thank you in advance!