A Few PS3 Media Server Concerns/Queries: Streaming; DD; AC3; AVISynth; Quality
Before now, I have been using Windows Media Player to stream videos to the PS3. Essentially, there was no difference in terms of format support between streaming the files vs. playing them off of a flashdrive/the PS3‘s HDD. Obviously, PS3 Media Server does a lot more and makes it much easier, one of the main reasons being the support for the MKV container, since the computer processor was made utilizable real-time. This leads me to my first question; that is, if my understanding is correct.
1) Like when using WMP by default, is there a way with PS3 Media Server to send the streams as are to the PS3 and just have the PS3 do all the processing? When I don’t see a transcoding engine name, I’m guessing that’s when what I’m asking about happens? And, the next step from that is TSMuxer which just remuxes real-time?
2) Is there a way to send the Dolby Digital signal (AC3 audio) within video files directly to the receiver like with DTS? It looks like the PS3 processes and transcodes it to PCM..
3) If I’m not mistaken, PS3 Media Server even transcodes formats that the PS3 supports like MP3 audio. What’s the point? Is there a way to disable that like in the way it’s done for AC3? It just takes up bandwidth and processing power for no reason..
4) I have the following AVISynth code which works in this form with FFDShow-
Import("C:Program Files (x86)AviSynth 2.5pluginsLimitedSharpenFaster.avs")ColorMatrix(mode="Rec.601->Rec.709")UnDot()FluxSmoothST(9,9)LimitedSharpenFaster(ss_x=1.0,ss_y=1.0,Smode=3,strength=36)LanczosResize(1280,720)
I’m not sure if I’d need the ColorMatrix filter in this case but either way, it appears as if this needs to be in another form in order to work with PS3 Media Server. I didn’t quite understand the instructions in the program. Can someone help me out with how this should be coded/really, just what should be added?
5) How would I know if my router/CPU isn’t keeping up with the necessary bandwidth/processing power? How would that reflect on the quality – would there be this sort of jittery lag, would there be blocky low bitrate like degregation, some sort of static, or something else? I really hope it’s just something obvious like lag so that I know to disable some of the possibly extra processing/just know that it’s not possible to stream the particular video.
6) Also, again quality related, but only with answering if knowing for certain, is the quality (colors, contrast, detail, sharpness, etc…) EXACTLY the same as in playing the video content directly from the PS3 HDD? My paranoia is keeping me from relaxing when watching using this method.
*Finally, what additionally concerns me in regards to quality is the "Enhanced multicore support for H264 HD content". If the quality of the video is supposed to be lossless to begin with, then what would be the point of that?
Technical Information-
-I have an Intel Centrino Dual-Core 2.66 GHz Processor
-I am using the Linksys BEFSR81 router for my home network
-I am using the latest version of PS3 Media Server (1.10.51)
Thank you very much for your time.
Kind Regards,
David