Pixelation in DMMultiView under Windows 7

[wavefunction 0]

Hello,

 

I'm using DMMultiView (v8.3.1.0) on my laptop to connect to my work's cameras. Unfortunately, the video appears pixelated even though I have all three options under Enable DirectDraw checked.

 

I have Windows 7 x64 running on my laptop. Could that be the problem by any chance? Anyone else have similar issues?

 

Thank you,

Paul

[wavefunction 0]

So no one has tried DMMultiView under Windows 7 x64?

[rory 0]

x64 shouldnt matter with software only but since you are trying to use direct draw etc the 64 bit might be an issue .. maybe try install XP in Virtual Box and run it inside that?

[Soundy 1]

How do you define "pixelated"?

 

Keep in mind that a lot of remote/web viewer setups will recompress the video to take less bandwidth, and that typically means more compression artifacting than viewing directly on the DVR.

[rory 0]

I think he means without Direct Draw Overlay ... it is blocked. In other words looks okay in a small screen but when in larger or full screen it is bad. Thats a problem with the 8.3 ActiveX anyway.

 

Basically it has EnableDirectDraw method, as with older versions of the LiveX ActiveX Control. HOWEVER, in this version it is disabled; says "Reserved for future use". The only way I can find to get Direct Draw overlay to be enabled is to set the Geo GUI mode .. basically that is new in the 8.3 activeX. What the SetGUIMode method does is give you 3 setting options: Control Panel, IP Camera Specific Control Panel, and traditional GUI. Multiview uses the traditional (though not default), which just shows the video while the other 2 options show text and buttons at the top of the video. The traditional allows right click for options (this messes up right click in custom apps though if GUI mode is set). The default is 0 though, and if not set then it will be 0, and without the GUI mode set, direct draw overlay is disabled.

 

Another thing that might explain some pixelising, the decoding is done on the users PC now in 8.3, hence in the GeoVision 8.3 Server, the selection for a Codec in Webcam is missing. Now it is done in the LiveX ActiveX Control. So depending on the OS, the other dlls etc might not be loading properly. Though without the codec all together it normally just wont show any video, which is why I mentioned certain accompanying files might just not be loading.

 

Hope that doesnt confuse you as much as it did me LOL.

Another problem with 8.3 ActiveX is it crashes - ALOT.

 

Ofcourse it could also just be a limit of his video card drivers or they arent installed correctly.

[wavefunction 0]

I think he means without Direct Draw Overlay ... it is blocked. In other words looks okay in a small screen but when in larger or full screen it is bad. Thats a problem with the 8.3 ActiveX anyway.

 

Basically it has EnableDirectDraw method, as with older versions of the LiveX ActiveX Control. HOWEVER, in this version it is disabled; says "Reserved for future use". The only way I can find to get Direct Draw overlay to be enabled is to set the Geo GUI mode .. basically that is new in the 8.3 activeX. What the SetGUIMode method does is give you 3 setting options: Control Panel, IP Camera Specific Control Panel, and traditional GUI. Multiview uses the traditional (though not default), which just shows the video while the other 2 options show text and buttons at the top of the video. The traditional allows right click for options (this messes up right click in custom apps though if GUI mode is set). The default is 0 though, and if not set then it will be 0, and without the GUI mode set, direct draw overlay is disabled.

 

Another thing that might explain some pixelising, the decoding is done on the users PC now in 8.3, hence in the GeoVision 8.3 Server, the selection for a Codec in Webcam is missing. Now it is done in the LiveX ActiveX Control. So depending on the OS, the other dlls etc might not be loading properly. Though without the codec all together it normally just wont show any video, which is why I mentioned certain accompanying files might just not be loading.

 

Hope that doesnt confuse you as much as it did me LOL.

Another problem with 8.3 ActiveX is it crashes - ALOT.

 

Ofcourse it could also just be a limit of his video card drivers or they arent installed correctly.

 

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for the info. So how do I go about enabling this SetGUIMode option?

 

By the way, DMMultiView works fine under Windows XP.

 

Regards,

Paul

[rory 0]

Hi rory,

 

Thanks for the info. So how do I go about enabling this SetGUIMode option?

 

By the way, DMMultiView works fine under Windows XP.

 

Regards,

Paul

 

You wont be able to, its part of the functions in the DMMultiView software. If you were using just the browser app you could make the change on the Server side in the webcam folder and force it in the javascript, but more then likely it is a limitation of the OS or the Video Card or some driver related to direct draw overlay on that PC. If you can, check for a direct draw test program and see what it comes back with.

[wavefunction 0]

You wont be able to, its part of the functions in the DMMultiView software. If you were using just the browser app you could make the change on the Server side in the webcam folder and force it in the javascript, but more then likely it is a limitation of the OS or the Video Card or some driver related to direct draw overlay on that PC. If you can, check for a direct draw test program and see what it comes back with.

 

Hi rory,

 

When I run the DirectX Diagnostic Tool (dxdiag.exe), all three DirectX features are enabled in the Display tab, but I don't see a Test button like in previous versions of Windows. I've attached a screenshot for you. Any other suggestions for a DirectDraw test application?

 

BTW, this de-blocking problem of DMMultiView also exists in other Windows 7 systems that I've tried, not just my laptop. (They all have nVidia GPUs too.)

 

Do you think GeoVision will fix this problem in their next release? Do you have any idea when their next release will be?

 

Thanks for all your help and input.

 

Regards,

Paul

 

P.S. Seems like I can't add an attachment. I get the following error: "Upload Error: Could not upload Attachment to ./files/dxdiag_174.jpg." The file size is 91.2 KB too. Strange.

[rory 0]

Its says in the SDK that enable direct draw is reserved for Future use, so perhaps. Though if its the 64 bit issue then probably not.

 

Question, can you run 32 Bit windows XP inside a Virtual world on that PC? If so you could try installing XP 32 bit in Virtual Box then run the DMMultiview from within that. I had to do that with a Vista Laptop I came across, with an older DVR whose ActiveX would crash in Vista, and I just put the app on startup.

 

upload to www.tinypic.com if you are having issues with that.

[wavefunction 0]

I just tried the latest version of DMMultiView (v8.3.3) and the problem still exists.

 

I wish they would fix this soon.

[rory 0]

If you have upgraded to 8.2 or above on the DVR server, then you may be able to use an older Multiview now ... something pre 8.3. I know the 7.0 activeX control works with 8.2+.

[wavefunction 0]

Hello,

 

I just installed DMMultiView (v8.3.4) inside "XP Mode" on my Windows 7 x64 laptop. Even when it's running in XP Mode, I don't see any difference when I enable "De-Block" in the settings. Is this feature just plain broken, or do you have to be running XP natively for it work?

 

And how long is it going to take GeoVision to fix this problem? It's been more than a year since my first post.

 

Thank you,

Paul

[rory 0]

Thats typical with virtualized environments such as in VBox and VMware, so I imagine its similar to their XP Mode. If they have a Direct 3D setting in the XP mode options, before loading/installing it, then try that, usually helps. Standard XP directX normally doesnt work so they have to load modded directX files but still its not great - not sure how it is in XP mode though.

 

Also ive come across at least one Windows 7 laptop where directdraw didnt work properly at all. Same blocked video and it was a different DVR software all together. Tried enabling directdraw in the software's settings but then the video was messed up completely. Must be something with Windows 7? I dont use it so cant really say at this time.

[wavefunction 0]

Thats typical with virtualized environments such as in VBox and VMware, so I imagine its similar to their XP Mode. If they have a Direct 3D setting in the XP mode options, before loading/installing it, then try that, usually helps. Standard XP directX normally doesnt work so they have to load modded directX files but still its not great - not sure how it is in XP mode though.

 

Also ive come across at least one Windows 7 laptop where directdraw didnt work properly at all. Same blocked video and it was a different DVR software all together. Tried enabling directdraw in the software's settings but then the video was messed up completely. Must be something with Windows 7? I dont use it so cant really say at this time.

 

Thanks for the reply rory. I'm going to look into setting up a Windows XP PE (perhaps Bart's PE) on a flash drive and installing MultiView and Remote LogView on that. I'll let you know how it goes when I try it.

[Todd 0]

I'm running Win7 64 bit on home computer and not having any issues with Multiview. I'm running 8.3.2 fyi.

 

Going to try 8.4 and see what happens