[alturismo]

Hello,

tomorrow i will setup my new htpc and would like to try this dx version to get best picture quality results so i wanted
to ask if there is anything special in system settings to setup.

Hardware will be in short
MSI Z170 Mainbard, Skylake 6600, Nvidia GTX 960 MSI 2g, TV is a Sony 65s9006b 4k
OS will be a plain win10, i will install latest nvidia drivers etc ...

when i check 1st post theres nothing special todo, question inverse telecine option in nvidia, on or off ?
run kodi in fullscreen in 4k, i assume scaling hdtv content and normal content is better done with the nvidia instead
letting the tv do the job ? or still better run in 1080 mode ?

if scaling is better done from tv, is there a way to autoswitch resolution when 4k content is played ?
currently theres almost nothing available exept some youtube demos etc ...

audio i will use the intel hdmi port cause my av receiver only supports 4k 30p, so i cant passthrough from nvidia
to the avreceiver -> TV, shouldnt be a problem i think

thanks ahead for some tipps

[bluechris]

@Shine and @afedchin just wondering if there's any chance still for this one?

I just returned from vacation last night, so there's no further progress yet. You can use my 3 commits from here, they should still be mergeable with Isengard-DX11. The only issues left are handling of other always-on-top windows (like task manager).

Believe it or not m8 im still using the version you gave me months ago that is dx11 and has the full screen edit of yours. I wish you can PR your changes to latest so @afedchin will be able to build the latest.

[edrikk]

Yes please @Shine

[Shine]

Here's an always-on-top build based on Isengard-3d763c9 (20150831) and DX11-0a71ba7 (20150827). Untested because I'm at work right now...

Known issue: Kodi might freeze when a competing always-on-top window pops up behind Kodi. As promised, I will PR once I find the time to work around this issue.

Edit: For those who didn't find it, Always-on-top is an option under System -> Video output. Default is disabled, so you have to enable it manually.

[snakefoot]

Here's an always-on-top build based on Isengard-3d763c9 (20150831) and DX11-0a71ba7 (20150827). Untested because I'm at work right now...

Known issue: Kodi might freeze when a competing always-on-top window pops up behind Kodi. As promised, I will PR once I find the time to work around this issue.

Edit: For those who didn't find it, Always-on-top is an option under System -> Video output. Default is disabled, so you have to enable it manually.

I have used your build with fullscreen-enabled but without Always-on-top , and it works very nicely on my Windows 10 (Zotac ZBox BI320 - 2957U). Kodi still has the known bug of not being able to seek backwards when playing movies, and that subtitles are place inside the video-frame instead of below.

Btw. when I perform remote desktop and the main user running kodi becomes "disconnected", then Kodi takes 100% CPU of a single core (Confluence Theme, No RSS feed, optimized dirty-regions, with and without screensaver). Tried installing official 15.2 RC1, and no problems there.

[Uoppi]

@MadScientist,
Can you also try with DXVA2 disabled and Render method is Auto?

Tried it and disabling DXVA2 fixed the black levels.

I just discussed this same issue with MadScientist in another thread, where I came to the crazy-sounding conclusion that with DXVA2 enabled, Kodi's "Use limited range" setting seems like it's working in reverse on DX11?!

i.e. NOT choosing limited range in Kodi, I get limited black clipping at regular TV brightness whereas ENABLING limited range, I need to lower brightness substantially to achieve the same blacks. All the while the driver is set to full range and TV to limited, as they should.

Which leaves me with two questions:

1) Am I just imagining things regarding the limited range setting working in reverse in Kodi with DXVA2 + DX11? I'm pretty sure my logic must be flawed.

2) What exactly is the issue with DXVA2 + DX11 and can I ever expect it to be solved? Unfortunately I can't disable DXVA2 for some material (CPU hits 100%).

All I'm after is proper blacks and if it requires lowering TV brightness, so be it. I'm just worried it doesn't result in a correctly calibrated picture because it "feels wrong" to have to do it.

[Shine]

Btw. when I perform remote desktop and the main user running kodi becomes "disconnected", then Kodi takes 100% CPU of a single core (Confluence Theme, No RSS feed, optimized dirty-regions)

Please use only afedchin's build from the first post of this thread when reporting errors. My build is only (really!) for the people who can't wait for an official always-on-top option, not for general testing. After all, this is afedchin's testing thread, not mine. Thanks.

[jjd-uk]

For the info of everyone here, afedchin is on vacation at the moment so there will likely be no response from him on any issues for the next couple of weeks.

[dml3334]

@dml3334
Disable any enhancements in Video Playback section of AMD CCC. And decide what you want to using "Adjust Display Refresh Rate" or "Sync playback to display". Both this settings are mutually exclusive

@dml3334: i would turn off "Enforce Smooth Video Playback" in ati ccc.

Sorry, I was on holidays.

I have just tried what you said.

In AMD CCC, I disabled Edge-enhancemet, De-noise, Mosquito Noise Reduction, De-blocking and Enable dynamic contrast in Video Quality section. Also, I disabled Enforce Smooth Video Playback in Video Playback section.

In Kodi, I tried with Adjust Refreshrate to match video: off and Start/Stop.

In all cases, there is still tearing when camera moves at around the middle of the screen. In Kodi DX9 version, this effect does not happen.

Any more ideas? Thanks!

[patseguin]

Well, my trial of the nVidia 3D driver ran out and they have no way to purchase a license. Are users of the most popular video cards on the planet out if luck playing 3D with Kodi now? Or will it somehow still work? I was thinking about using a Jarvis alpha.

[MadScientist]

@MadScientist,
Can you also try with DXVA2 disabled and Render method is Auto?

Tried it and disabling DXVA2 fixed the black levels.

I just discussed this same issue with MadScientist in another thread, where I came to the crazy-sounding conclusion that with DXVA2 enabled, Kodi's "Use limited range" setting seems like it's working in reverse on DX11?!

i.e. NOT choosing limited range in Kodi, I get limited black clipping at regular TV brightness whereas ENABLING limited range, I need to lower brightness substantially to achieve the same blacks. All the while the driver is set to full range and TV to limited, as they should.

Which leaves me with two questions:

1) Am I just imagining things regarding the limited range setting working in reverse in Kodi with DXVA2 + DX11? I'm pretty sure my logic must be flawed.

2) What exactly is the issue with DXVA2 + DX11 and can I ever expect it to be solved? Unfortunately I can't disable DXVA2 for some material (CPU hits 100%).

All I'm after is proper blacks and if it requires lowering TV brightness, so be it. I'm just worried it doesn't result in a correctly calibrated picture because it "feels wrong" to have to do it.

I tried turning off limited range in Kodi and I concur black levels are restored. It appears that in the DX11 builds, DXVA2 duplicates the limited range setting of Kodi such that the Kodi setting is no longer needed. Looking at calibration patterns, the black levels are spot on - that can't be a cooincidence surely.

[bossanova808]

Just some extra data for the mix...

AMD HD6530 (A6 APU), 14.12 drivers at the moment, but going to try the new 15.8 as apparently they've fixed the issues with 15.7 that cause major issues and zero playback success.

Normal Kodi 15.1 -
Limited Range Off - can see white circles but not black circles in the test pattern. Video looks right though possibly there's a bit of black crushing? Playback is excellent generally.
Limited Range On - UI goes brighter and quite milky, no blacks only grey. Video looks milky.
Tearing - never
Green artefacts - never

DX11 -
Limited Range Off - can see white circles but not black circles in the test pattern.
Limited Range On - Can now see black circles in test pattern, UI goes a little darker.
Tearing - quite frequently visible on panning scenes as mentioned by others above
Green macroblock corruption - sometimes seen coming off skip/pause

[MadScientist]

Just to summarise the black level situation with Windows Intel builds (HD4600 graphics in my case).

In all cases below:
- Intel driver settings are set to full range
- display setting to limited range.

Black levels are compared (using a calibration disk) to the output of an Oppo93 BR player which has been professionally calibrated.


DX9 Builds

Kodi set to limited range, DXVA2 enabled – video black\white levels correct


DX11 builds

Kodi set to limited range, DXVA2 enabled – video black\white levels too bright, menu darker

Kodi set to limited range, DXVA2 disabled – video black\white levels correct, menus OK

Kodi set to full range, DXVA2 enabled – video black\white levels correct, menus OK (slightly darker)


The above is also the same of Kodi16 alpha2

[gbdrbob]

Just want to say thank you for your work on dx11. I'm testing KodiSetup-20150816-493e000-dx11_Isengard and have not run in to any issues so far. This update seems to have fixed a long running issue of poor UI performance in kodi (since xbmc 12!) with recent AMD drivers on my Arctic MC001 HTPC (latest 15.7.1 catalyst drivers, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 5430)

In DX9 kodi the interface is slow with noticeable pauses browsing movies/switching between options and mouse pointer movements in particular lagging.

I'd given up on kodi because of this issue. I'm really happy it's now finally being fixed. Thanks again.

[dml3334]

Hi.

I have just tried with Jarvis Alpha 2, with exactly the same configuration as stated in my previous post, with Adjust Refreshrate to match video: off.

Tearing has just disappeared.

@bossanova808
Could you try Jarvis, as well? I'm using Catalyst Drivers 14.12.