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I'm using an old computer - Sempron 2600+ (1600 MHz) and 1250 MB of RAM to play a 1080p avi video. Is there a way to play it smoothly? What player should I use? How about Mplayer and playing the file in a console version of Mplayer with some specific settings?

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Windows Media Player (if that’s what you’re talking about) does not have a „console version”. – kinokijuf Jan 19 '12 at 15:37
What graphics card do you have- This can also factor in the rendering speed, unless you are using some sort of software HD rendering.. blehh? It should play it fairly well on the sempron.. but 1080p I pushing your luck on that half ass chip. 1080p only becomes noticeably on 32" screens, below, 720p is fine. – ppumkin Jan 19 '12 at 15:38

3 Answers

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Depends on the movie. 1080p means only that the video is a HD one. It doesn't specify the codec, the bitrate, so on, so on.

One way to go is using your GPU to decode.
Getting CCCP Pack or the very latest version of MPC-HC will give you the capability of decoding with DXVA.

Of course this means you have to have a GPU which is capable of decoding using DXVA. You can check your DXVA compatibility with this: http://bluesky23.yu-nagi.com/en/ (DXVA Checker)

Possible GPU options:
- NVidia's CUDA (or DXVA)
- ATI/Intel DXVA

To use CUDA, you will need to buy a license of CoreAVC.

Please note: If the video is not properly encoded, you won't be able to decode it with DXVA/CUDA.

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I tried to use the DXVA Checker but the ReadMe file for that software is in Japanese, which I don't speak. Let's say I have a GPU capable of decoding using DXVA. How do I decode with MPC ? I downloaded the newest version of it, tried to play it but it still doesn't play smoothly. The MPC's properties for MPC Video Decoder are: "DXVA Mode : Not using DXVA". – Einsteins Grandson Jan 19 '12 at 16:40
In the settings, look for the internal filters. (View -> Options). Internal filters. You can enable DXVA there IIRC. | I'll write a more detailed howto once I get home.) – Shiki Jan 19 '12 at 16:45
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If you must resort to software decoding, CoreAVC is probably the fastest decoder around. Works well with MPC-HC with these settings: overlay mixer video output, internal AC3/DTS audio codecs enabled, on windows XP. Avoid ffdshow for both video and audio (ffdshow is fantastic but it is slower.)

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On this website they say how to decode with DXVA or CoreAVC (homecinema-hd.com/mpc-hc-external-filters_en.html). So for CoreAVC I should add these filters: "LAV Splitter", "ffdshow Video Decoder", "Lav Audio Decoder" and "ffdshow Audio Decoder". However, I don't see "LAV Splitter" in there. – Einsteins Grandson Jan 19 '12 at 17:03
@user1111261 I've never used LAV. MPC-HC should provide enough internal splitters as it is to play your AVI (if your video can play, it means it has been "splitted" correctly). In external, you just need to add CoreAVC and set it to "preferred". For the rest, MPC-HC will use it's internal splitters (left) and decoders (right). Make sure to select Overlay Mixer in Output. It's a bit lower quality, but it's faster than EVR, MadVR and probably VMR. – mtone Jan 19 '12 at 18:22
@user1111261 The reason they're adding several external filters is to be able to set them as "prefered/disabled/set merit" to control their priority. If you add ffdshow, and set it to disabled, you enforce that it will not be used. – mtone Jan 19 '12 at 18:25
I can't see any CoreAVC in there... – Einsteins Grandson Jan 19 '12 at 19:39
@user1111261 CoreAVC needs to be installed. However, it is not free. Did you try with only the internal filters? Is it still slow? – mtone Jan 19 '12 at 21:03
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You can try (if you have/will have modern graphics card) VLC with "Accelerated video output (overlay)" settings

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