DVDs play in WMP, but crash Gameex 11.26

[deano7]

Is there a way to make gameex use WMP for DVD's? The DVD i put in my DVD drive plays without problem in windows media player 11, but playing the same video in gameex makes it crash and require me to manually turn off the system because not even ctrl alt delete will bring up task manager. I can play VOB files through gameex, but is there a way to make it so I don't have to play each VOB file independently? Thanks. It seems in this version, I get sometimes 3-10 seconds of black screen before certain things work too, like the jukebox had the 10second black screen before it appeared. Wierd, is there some settings I need to change?

[Tom Speirs]

I think the black screen is due to 3d transitions. Its not that there is an extra delay just that the screen has faded to black.

As for DVDs sounds to me like its just not configured properly. It may be you have an external player setup when its not using it or that the mpeg2 codec is not set correctly.

However gameex supports using an external player if you wanted to use WMP.

Im pretty sure neither of these issues are related specifically to the current version. Although please confirm that.

[Tom Speirs]

Ive fixed the black screen issue with 3D transitions in 11.27. Now available.

[deano7]

Thanks for the fix, Tom.

I still can't seem to get DVD's to play without crashing my system. I've tried it with no external player and even downloaded and installed FFDSHOW. I tried to go to the command and have it point to windows media player (wmplayer.exe) and that has the same result. Now what is wierd is that if I go to play video and then go to a .vob file, then gamex has no problem playing the video with the normal gameex video player. I am not sure why this could be, any ideas?

Thanks again, Tom!

Dean

[headkaze]

Uninstall ffdshow and install the Vista Codec Pack. It's the only codec pack you should need and has been proven to work with GameEx.

[Draco1962]

I am using the Shark Codec Pack and the required x64 Components add-on pack since I am running Win 7 64-bit and this resolved quite a few video issues. Below are the page links:

Windows 7 (32-bit and 64-bit

Windows 7 (required for 64-bit in addition to above)

Windows Vista and XP (Vista Codec Pack)

If you try it, let us know if this helped or if the issue continues.

[deano7]

Thanks guys! It was tough to find the actual link, but once I did and uninstalled my current codecs (k-lite and ffdshow) I installed it. I get the video previews, but when I click to play the video or DVD, I get errors in the log. Can anyone tell me what the errors in my log mean? Thanks!

log.txt

[headkaze]

What MPEG-2 codec are you using for DVD playback? Check in the Setup Wizard. Perhaps try the option "DVD Use FFDShow".

[deano7]

What MPEG-2 codec are you using for DVD playback? Check in the Setup Wizard. Perhaps try the option "DVD Use FFDShow".

That option was unchecked. The results are no different when I check this option. It is so odd that the previews work, but when I select the video to play, it is a no go. I've tried with both DVD's in the drive as well as ones on the HD. The VOB files will play fine when selected and all movies work in Window Media Player 11.

Thanks for trying to help me troubleshoot.

[Tom Speirs]

I think have you wrong the setting. Its not a check its a drop down. MPEG2 Codec.

[deano7]

Well, I have the drop down in Gameex set to FFDSHOW and then in shark vista codecs I hit the button to select FFDSHOW for MPEG2.

It still only works in the preview window, but when I click on the actual DVD or video, it crashes and returns to the gameex preview window and generates the error that is in the log I submitted last time. I really don't understand how codecs work, but if it works in the preview window, doesn't that mean that the crashing isn't a result of the codec?

When I use the cyberlink codec, it crashes and I need to shut gameex down in task manager.

Sorry to keep being a bother, I had it working before my computer died and now trying to reinstall I am not able to get past this for some reason. Everything else seems to be working better than fine now that I have a faster computer!

[Tom Speirs]

Try setting VMR9/EVR to on. I expect that is the issue.

[deano7]

I checked the shark codec pack, my arcadevga card settings, looked in gameex and did a google search on VMR9/EVR so that I wouldn't have to bug you again, but I didn't see where exactly I would find this setting. Can anyone tell me where this setting is so I can give it a shot? Thanks!

[Draco1962]

I checked the shark codec pack, my arcadevga card settings, looked in gameex and did a google search on VMR9/EVR so that I wouldn't have to bug you again, but I didn't see where exactly I would find this setting. Can anyone tell me where this setting is so I can give it a shot? Thanks!

There is not a setting for VMR9/EVR in the Shark codec. EVR is default for Vista, but you are using XP. What I might recommend is go into the Shark Codec again and, instead of "Set MPEG2 to use FFDSHOW" try "Set MPEG2 (System Default)

[deano7]

Thanks Draco,

I did try that yesterday and had no success with it. Isn't the codec used for the preview and what could explain that the codec doesn't work in a full screen mode? I am baffled - I've installed Gameex twice and I've never had problems with the video portion before. Is there an earlier version of gameex that I can revert back to where it was handled differently or how would I just use wmplayer as an external player? Maybe that is the easiest solution given my problems?

Thanks again for all of the help, guys!

[Draco1962]

Thanks Draco,

I did try that yesterday and had no success with it. Isn't the codec used for the preview and what could explain that the codec doesn't work in a full screen mode? I am baffled - I've installed Gameex twice and I've never had problems with the video portion before. Is there an earlier version of gameex that I can revert back to where it was handled differently or how would I just use wmplayer as an external player? Maybe that is the easiest solution given my problems?

Thanks again for all of the help, guys!

I found the VMR9/EVR settings Tom was referring to. Open the Advanced Configuration and click on Mutlimedia/HTPC. About 2/3 down screen there is VMR9/EVR setting options. Confirm if set to yes. If not, change it and save.

Check under External Applications in the Advanced Configuration if you intend to try running WMP as an external app at fullscreen. There are general setup instructions when you click on the ?

[headkaze]

The easiest way to find settings is to use the Setup Wizard's search feature. Typing in 'vmr9' will get you there.

[deano7]

I looked in the multimedia/HTPC and it definitely was not in there. I ran the setup wizard search, found it and then changed to "yes" and now it is a setting in multimedia/htpc. Wierd, but I suspect that it was a recently added feature and since I brought over my old configuration settings, maybe it doesn't get pulled up if it isn't in the config file.

Anyways, thanks for helping me find it!

Now, the bummer is that it didn't fix the problem. Video previews are still working, but my log now has a different error than I believe it had the last time when I try and play a video.

10:10:55.9 10/7/2010: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.

10:10:56.0 10/7/2010: at DvdCore.DvdEngineClass.Init()

at af.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, String A_2, String A_3, Boolean A_4, Boolean A_5)

10:10:56.0 10/7/2010: Saving DVD Bookmark

10:10:56.0 10/7/2010: Error Saving DVD Bookmark

10:11:00.5 10/7/2010: Error HRESULT E_FAIL has been returned from a call to a COM component.

10:11:00.5 10/7/2010: at DvdCore.DvdEngineClass.Init()

at af.a(Boolean A_0, Boolean A_1, String A_2, String A_3, Boolean A_4, Boolean A_5)

10:11:00.5 10/7/2010: Saving DVD Bookmark

10:11:00.5 10/7/2010: Error Saving DVD Bookmark

Thanks for all of the help guys!

Dean

[Tom Speirs]

and since I brought over my old configuration settings..

Did you do a proper install of GameEx over the top when moving GameEx?

[deano7]

I installed version 11.26 on a new hard drive and then swapped out the gameex.ini file for the one on my old computer and then installed 11.27. Is that incorrect? Should I remove the whole directory, install 11.27 and then drop in the old gameex.ini file?

[Tom Speirs]

I installed version 11.26 on a new hard drive and then swapped out the gameex.ini file for the one on my old computer and then installed 11.27. Is that incorrect? Should I remove the whole directory, install 11.27 and then drop in the old gameex.ini file?

Yes, that sounds correct. Not sure what is up.

[deano7]

OK, well thanks for giving it a shot, Tom. I'll let you know if I can ever get it to work.