Codec Guide

Hi,

I am the consummate beginner when it comes to CODECs.

I recently installed a new ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI card and along with WatchHDTV 1.96, I use it to record over-the-air ATSC broadcasts and then I use NERO to create DVDs of my favorite PBS programs like Soundstage and NOVA scienceNOW.

Initially struggling with Windows XP SP2 Services that may have been interfering with the ATI TV Wonder 650, I believe that I have resolved those problems.

After spending a few days reviewing the abundance of postings at this fine site, I believe that I am beginning to believe that CODECs are FAR MORE COMPLICATED than I imagined.

Recently, I discovered the following post... http://codecs.freeforums.org/problem-wi ... -t613.html

After reading the discussion between Bonobi and clsid, I found myself in a quandary. Using the same CODEC Tweak Tool, I discovered that the two (2) primary CODECs that I use with my ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI card had MERIT values of 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE.

These CODECs include:

Audio
- ATI Digital VCR version 9.15.0.20713
- CyberLink PowerDVD8 Dolby AC3 version 6.1.8.5323
Video
- CyberLink PowerDVD8 MPEG-2 version 8.2.0.5300
- ATI Digital VCR version 9.15.0.20713

Prior to reviewing the above post, according to CODEC Tweak Tool the above CODECs read:

Description: ATI MPEG Audio Decoder
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {077DF1C8-2CC1-45CA-B270-FF3252BA0876}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI EZShare Server
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {17F07430-9E98-4A90-8A99-2A98980FFCAD}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink TimeStretch Filter (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clauts.ax
CLSID: {3232D23B-9891-4E3F-965E-A9A80EF93F4F}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink Demux (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\cldemuxer.ax
CLSID: {33F6948B-CFBA-4020-99F5-7071E833FD87}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI EZShare Client
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {36832AE0-2663-418A-8CD4-8621ED32D723}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clvsd.ax
CLSID: {37991D68-42A3-40E3-8C05-037170E1A42A}
Merit: 00602000

Description: ATI Time Shift Splitter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {37A4D800-E76C-11D2-935C-00A024E52661}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: ATI Time Shift Reader
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {37A4D801-E76C-11D2-935C-00A024E52661}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: ATI MPEG File Writer
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {37A4D802-E76C-11D2-935C-00A024E52661}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI MPEG Video Decoder
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {37A4D808-E76C-11D2-935C-00A024E52661}
Merit: 005FFFFF = MERIT_NORMAL - 1

Description: ATI VCR Video Converter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {42E6B2A0-76AE-11D5-B33A-000103BEE160}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink DVD Navigator (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clnavx.ax
CLSID: {4952BAA4-3EC4-4A58-B7C7-4C812B172A30}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI Video Format Converter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {4C85F6E1-5E32-11D3-9B50-00A02456955E}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: Cyberlink SubTitle Importor (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clsubtitle.ax
CLSID: {4FBA51ED-8973-4456-8D98-89345DD4BCA8}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink BDROM Navigator
File name: c:\windows\system32\clbdromnav.ax
CLSID: {5DAE246E-5FD3-486C-AD1D-9C65F21C45CA}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: ATI CC Multiplexer
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {63635C7B-54FC-46D2-BF02-FE9AFA482EEB}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI MPEG Audio Encoder
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {6467DD70-FBD5-11D2-B5B6-444553540000}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI VCR Stream Sink
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {648BBA85-EE36-4580-AD90-107A0516A043}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink MPEG-4 Splitter (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clm4splt.ax
CLSID: {676A7058-2E4B-40C2-873B-086D9D4F3C11}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI MPEG Video Encoder
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {758C0F02-DF95-11D2-8E75-00104B93CF06}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI MPEG Multiplexer
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {7A10E1E1-F430-11D2-8E75-00104B93CF06}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI Audio Delay Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {7BC943E1-FB66-11D3-8E8B-00A02456955E}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI Video Scaler Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {8DA0A2A8-30CB-46F4-A28E-13B6B5AB926C}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink Audio Decoder (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\claud.ax
CLSID: {93509808-E912-46EF-BB97-0BFFE8655E60}
Merit: 00601000

Description: ATI CC Splitter Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {A9C242CD-8AA5-48CB-97E4-3FB804E7F0CA}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink HDDVD Navigator
File name: c:\windows\system32\hddvdnav.ax
CLSID: {AC5CFDA8-F3B3-4E8F-A31C-E8120193EF8E}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: CyberLink AudioCD Filter (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\claudiocd.ax
CLSID: {AD243728-5916-4332-98E9-06C0182F3784}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: ATI Noise Reduction Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {BC705741-5090-11D6-B315-000347A3A8B6}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI Audio Pitch Correction Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {CADBF609-8D91-4563-AE10-E0F9673CFB89}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink Line21 Decoder (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\clline21.ax
CLSID: {D8F1A349-80EF-4C46-B14F-78303FCD9670}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink Audio Effect (PDVD8)
File name: c:\windows\system32\claudfx.ax
CLSID: {DDCA2596-0640-4C38-895D-2A810A9B8EC1}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: ATI Video Rotation Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {DF90FA9A-83F4-477D-861A-B7A1285ACEEE}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

Description: CyberLink QuickTime Source Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\clqtsrc.ax
CLSID: {E41C6AFE-738D-4A56-957C-C352F41B3275}
Merit: 00700000

Description: CyberLink BDRE Navigator
File name: c:\windows\system32\clbdrenav.ax
CLSID: {EE212223-480C-47AD-AC0F-80922801FE0A}
Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL

Description: ATI VCR Stream Source
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {F21D8CB5-F0DF-423B-AF67-03BED37FE7F4}
Merit:

Description: ATI FM-On-Demand Filter
File name: c:\windows\system32\atidvcr.dll
CLSID: {FEB178D2-6035-4D3B-A3D7-2CB403448149}
Merit: 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE

After reviewing the above post, using GSpot, I elected to change all of the above to:

Merit: 00600000 = MERIT_NORMAL
Audio - ATI Digital VCR version 9.15.0.20713
Video - ATI Digital VCR version 9.15.0.20713

Merit: 00800000 = PREFERRED
Audio - CyberLink PowerDVD8 Dolby AC3 version 6.1.8.5323
Video - CyberLink PowerDVD8 MPEG-2 version 8.2.0.5300

Admittedly ignorant of what I have done, it seemed reasonable to conclude that the primary CODECs used should have MERIT values that correspond to NORMAL or PREFERRED. In contrast, it did not seem correct when their MERIT values were mostly set to 00200000 = MERIT_DO_NOT_USE.

Thus far, though less than 30 minutes of use, I have not found any negative effects using WatchHDTV associated with changing the MERIT values (as noted above). However, as I have discovered with every PC, I am certain that something is going to suffer.

I would sincerely appreciate any thoughts, suggestions or direction regarding the issue of changing MERIT values when using a TV tuner and or PVR software like or similar to WatchHDTV.

Many thanks!

Regards,

Paul Luck

The merit value MERIT_DO_NOT_USE has a special purpose. It essentially prevents applications from using such a filter in an automatic way. Constructing a graph of filters for playback is typically done automatically. An application can however manually select specific filters that it wants to use. My applications use this 'trick' to install filters for semi-private purposes.

So your ATi applications will use those filters, but other applications won't.

Thank you for your reply, clsid.

That's very interesting. I suppose that I should return many of the settings back to their original MERIT values.

In a related issue...

After completing my intital post, using Windows XP's 'Add or Remove Programs' utility, I took another look at the CyberLink PowerDVD8 Audio and Video Decoders installed on my PC. Specifically, the lastest versions:

- CyberLink PowerDVD8 AC3 version 6.1.8.5329
- CyberLink PowerDVD8 MPEG-2 version 8.2.630

Under the 'Comments' section I notice that these CODECs may not be "TRUE" CyberLink codecs, because it states: Team V.R Private Build. I found these CODECs via a link found in this forum, specifically, http://codec.kiev.ua/, under the heading MPEG-2 & AC3.

Given your expertise and general awareness of CODEC availability across the Internet, would you be concerned with 'Team V.R Private Build' CyberLink codecs?

Many thanks in advance for your wisdom and guidance.

Paul

Those should be ok.

Thanks again, clsid!