[robl45]

its like 100 years old.

[ozorfis]

Yeah its like red wine. I hope someone develops this further in the future.

[ozorfis]

Jriver as an external player is even nicer, if one wants audio processing and madVR. It eats bluray images and one can still use dvbviewer with the standard player.
Jriver for Kodi

[nidios]

Maybe I was in the wrong section where I can write about my problem.
I report it here, I have tried different players with MadVR but the best is Kodi. But I have this problem that even if it doesn't stop me from seeing the movies I would like to fix it:

"I've been having a crash with Kodi DSPlayer (MadVR) for some time now.
Basically I can see the whole movie but when I hit "Stop" to stop the movie Kodi crashes.

Do you have any idea what it could be?"

Thank you,
Fabio

[PatK]

whens there gonna be a proper update thats not broken , last proper working dsplayer release was 17.6

I'd like to take this opportunity to remind users that Kodi is 'v20.0 (Nexus)' and recommended, Kodi has been working fine continuously for  20 years. Not only are 7 year old offshoots obsolete, but no longer offer improvements over the stable offerings linked to the download top of your screen. A few users have found their obsolete hardware functions best with older iterations and players, which have been eclipsed by updated drivers, hardware and o/s but everyone is welcome to float their own boat, I do suggest these users might want to engage the latest and enjoy what the rest of the community finds as one of the best ways to enjoy your collections. Don't forget Portable mode (wiki) is possible without changing your present installation.

I have tried different players with MadVR but the best is Kodi

Suspect you may have fallen into the idea that Kodi is not the best player and MadVR is needed, tuning in with this program can sometimes make older hardware perform better; suggest that those conclusions need updating.

[axbmcuser]

Hi, I don't intend to comment much further due to time constraints, the missing need for such discussion and not being a support employee, but just want to clarify:

1) This build is not broken and never has been - even in previous versions.

2) It offers exactly the functionality which is intended at the point of creation and fixes many issues of the old DSPlayer build

Random top complaints like
- Missing support for file-types which were never intended to be supported by this build (Especially made by the first user quoted by @PatK  )
- Complaints from users insisting on using the explicitly non-recommended and knowingly buggy half-decade-old internal LAVFilters versions instead of latest 2022/2023 external LAVFilters)
- Complaints about this build not being rewritten on base of newer Kodi versions (for obvious reasons which have been laid out before)
- Complaints about this build not being personally intended for the use case of the user complaining

have been considered spam for a long time.

3) Every regular user should always consider just using the regular and officially supported Kodi builds as correctly suggested by @PatK  )
I have to disagree on this build being obsolete in a general sense though. I wish it would be! Old and narrow use case: Yes. Obsolete in a sense of newer versions offering the same or better for the narrow use case: Clearly No.
For the small target audience there still is no real alternative for their existing hardware, requirements (also UI) + wanted results.

4) This build is still used in quite a few high end home cinema environments without any real software alternative for these very specific use cases of these envivornments.
It it was generally broken, i'd be notified by the mentioned active users or notice it myself in the years of often daily use (without issues). :-) )

5) And finally, maybe most important - as mentioned by other users before in the past:

DSPlayer builds are only targeted at a small+advanced audience pool of users, which exactly know what and why they are doing what they are doing, being aware regarding how every complex setup can have issues due to the obvious endless potential for setup issues regarding config, Windows versions and driver issues.


@nidios 

Hi, if i remember correctly, i read about something similar a long time ago. If my memory serves correct, it ended up being a windows version+gpu driver and maybe framerate-switch-in-combination issue.
Also, not knowing your setup, in my opionion Windows 11 should be avoided being used with madVR, although i know it can work to an extent.
Of course it also could be an issue with a bad python addon or something else.

I'd recommend that if you really want to try/use this build seriously, to use it on an otherwise empty, dedicated SSD partition/system with a (maybe stripped down) version of Windows 10 + a knowingly accordingly fitting stable GPU driver version which isn't changed anymore once it is tested okay). As mentioned above: Never use the internal LAVFilters. Always use external LAVFilters.
Random additional tips - I always had best results with:
- Not using madVR framerate-switching but using KODIs own framerate switch function
- LAV Video Decoder set to D3D11 + Automatic (Native)
- Use Borderless fullscreen window for Kodi (not exclusive), also use the exact same for madVR. Never use exclusive fullscreen modes

All this often reduces the complex potential for issues by far.

Good luck! :- )

[robl45]

Exactly what I have been saying for a long time. I used this build for years primarily because it could do 3D.  Now I can do that with the MVC version which is actually updated to Kodi 20.    Why anyone would want to continue with a version that is long obsolete is beyond me.

[brazen1]

DSPlayer builds are only targeted at a small+advanced audience

Being advanced, you guys do know that you can use modern Official Kodi builds and gain all the new offerings not available back in the v17 builds? If you still need madVR, LAV Filters, etc. you just add the components, albeit a tiny bit more complex.

[ashlar]

DSPlayer builds are only targeted at a small+advanced audience

Being advanced, you guys do know that you can use modern Official Kodi builds and gain all the new offerings not available back in the v17 builds? If you still need madVR, LAV Filters, etc. you just add the components, albeit a tiny bit more complex.

If, with the last sentence, you are pointing to external players, I am quite surprised. External players were already possible when DSPlayer was born. The point was HDR for many, sure. But for others was better scaling (still relevant, as Kodi seems oblivious to any improvement over Lanczos/Spline), keeping the Kodi GUI throughout the playback experience (if you download subtitles through plugins that is very much relevant) and nowadays far better tone mapping options for HDR, through madVR.

If you are pointing to something else, please explain.

[brazen1]

keeping the Kodi GUI throughout the playback experience

This ^ is the only benefit there is using DSPlayer and personally I don't see it as a benefit.  If there is anything else, please share.  I'm interested in how others routinely use Kodi.  When we start a movie, we enjoy it until it's finished.  We only interact with the GUI before and after playback otherwise the experience is ruined tbh.  Immersion has a lot to do with that.  So, we don't use the benefit of having the GUI at will during playback and I wonder if anyone really does?  I will admit, there has been a couple of occasions we used the info overlay to look up actor names during playback to settle opinions and I actually liked it, but I wouldn't make a habit of it.  Besides the overlay, I guess obtaining a subtitle after starting playback must be a feature that's really important to some folks.  Personally, I have all my media requirements taken care of prior to playback and I can't imagine dealing with that stuff after myself and guests are tucked in and already viewing something.  However, I do understand some folks are different and do things the way they do them.

Not all users need to tonemap - only those with projectors and subpar displays because they aren't bright enough to display HDR specular highlights.  The rest of us using high nit displays simply passthrough.  So, madVR, with or without it being built into DSP, isn't ever going to improve anything for us because there is nothing to improve 4k HDR using a good 4k HDR display.  In fact, if you try to improve, at best you will accomplish nothing but ruining the video.  Official Kodi VideoPlayer now handles 4k HDR well - even with menus for iso users, something DSP, being so old, does not handle either of and iso's are important to me while mkv's are not.  Official Kodi now adjusts SDR subtitle peak brightness down to more reasonable levels, something we all welcome.  There are many new things too numerous to mention here.  Because Kodi only offers the few upscaling options you mentioned means nothing.  Us passthroughs aren't using them.  We don't need to.  

That said, there is still a time and a place Kodi with madVR shines imo and only for the most demanding audience.  Let's face it, that's all of us providing you have the ambition to strive for perfection.  Any video LESS THAN 4k HDR can be improved when using 4k HDR displays because you can tweak them UP.  Again, video that IS 4k HDR should not be tweaked UP - you'd be trying to sideways wash unless you're using an 8k chain.  What you can do is tweak 4k HDR video DOWN so a projector or subpar display can produce something watchable.  MadVR is pretty good at that.  Those of us passing through 4k HDR video and still using other video like 1080p can benefit incorporating madVR with an external player(s) via official Kodi.  So, we have the best of both worlds - official Kodi for all our 4k HDR needs including iso with menus, etc... and the same official Kodi with madVR, external player benefits, etc. for improving video less than 4k HDR such as 1080p.

Knowing newer official Kodi versions clearly have benefits over older versions such as v17 as described above, and if you don't miss interacting with the GUI during playback, why would anyone not use up to date official Kodi?  Can't wrap my head around it?  Fwiw, if you really want to interact with the Kodi GUI during playback when an external player is focused, take focus from the external player and give it to Kodi.  You can interact with the Kodi GUI to your heart's content.  Kodi is always actively sitting there waiting for attention while the external player is open you do know?  And once the external player that opened via Kodi seamlessly... quits, Kodi is automatically no hands on in focus ready for action again.  In fact, even if Kodi was manually forced to park minimized on the taskbar, when the external player closes, Kodi returns in focus and in fullscreen ready for action... and you don't see any of it take place.

When using official Kodi with madVR, we rely on an external player(s) unlike DSP which has a madVR compatible player built in.  Understand, that built in player has no where near the adjustments and features external players offer and well, it's old. Not all video is created equal. DSPlayer is unable to automate numerous madVR profiles for various external player adjustments that vary from one video to another.  DSPlayer is confined to using one setting fits all and at best forced to manually make changes instead of having them hands off automated for you.   I happen to use a lot of different madVR profiles because not all video is created equally.  Many of those profiles are dedicated to various player adjustments per video.  I couldn't live without em' tbh.  Still, I have MANY on-the-fly fine tuning adjustments mapped to my remote for absolute precision.  Because you are tonemapping madVR with DSP, you are also obtaining newer versions of madVR, LAV Filters, installing, adjusting, etc.  So, being built-in means nothing.  You're overwriting all of it.  And the fact that DSP offers madVR adjustments within the Kodi GUI means nothing to me.  All of madVR is set and forget.  I rarely if ever revisit it and don't mind accessing the system tray when and if I do since I'll probably be visiting many other softwares at the same time that aren't in the Kodi GUI anyway.

To sum up this rant, (call it spam if you'd like) I've tried to be informative and only touched the surface about a few things.  I think many DSPlayer users assume some things without knowing other things and there's nothing wrong with informing.  I'd bet many users think they need DSPlayer because there are no on par or better alternatives.  My intention is not to undermine the work done by a few people involving DSPlayer.  I think it is noteworthy that it was created, abandoned, and the torch picked up by others to keep it working despite conflicting advancements pushing it aside... but its abilities still remain v17 era.  It couldn't be beat back then, but a lot has changed as v21 enters the limelight.  Should someone ever update DSPlayer to Kodi v21 standards or beyond, I might embrace it as my daily driver.

[ashlar]

I think many DSPlayer users assume some things without knowing other things and there's nothing wrong with informing.  I'd bet many users think they need DSPlayer because there are no on par or better alternatives.  My intention is not to undermine the work done by a few people involving DSPlayer.  I think it is noteworthy that it was created, abandoned, and the torch picked up by others to keep it working despite conflicting advancements pushing it aside... but its abilities still remain v17 era.  It couldn't be beat back then, but a lot has changed as v21 enters the limelight.  Should someone ever update DSPlayer to Kodi v21 standards or beyond, I might embrace it as my daily driver.

I enjoyed reading your big wall of text :-)

But I think you don't have as complete a picture as you think you do (not flaming, mind).

You state that a DSPlayer user cannot take advantage of madVR Profiles? And why would that be? I have several profiles, which in conjunction with the mediasconfig.xml and filtersconfig.xml rules from Kodi DSPlayer allow me a flexibility unreachable by either Kodi or (and that is important) any other DirectShow based player (since they lack something analogous to mediasconfig.xml, AFAIK from MPC-HC and others, not familiar with Jriver). I use them automatically and/or manually (by remote, using EventGhost).

Subtitles downloading through a GUI is incredibly handy when it's needed and all the workarounds are just that. Don't want to explain them and impose them to the rest of my family.

HDR tonemapping is not as clear cut as you seem to believe it to be. Even high-nits displays need it (most OLEDs even for 1000nits mastered movies, LED TVs and high nits OLEDs for 4000nits mastered movies) and at that point it becomes simply a matter of taste (the director of photography or whoever is in charge of mastering does it on a mastering monitor, he/she has no idea about what curve the different displays the movie will be displayed on are going to use).
I prefer the way madVR tonemaps and I calibrate my OLED so as to avoid doing any internal tonemapping (SamuriHL devised the method to do that).

Having said all this, I keep a working install of vanilla Kodi updated on my machine, with its own video/music db also kept updated. I test the new releases (case in point) and I appreciate the steps ahead that are taken (although I begrudge the way updated scaling algorithms are constantly avoided... for people with the right GPU there's so much available now from mpv). I would love for Kodi to offer me the flexibility and performance that the DSPlayer version offers but, sadly, that's still not the case.

[tonerudez]

Great stuff and will be following this thread.

[robl45]

I used external for years. It was a PITA just for having to deal with the remote situation. I honestly don’t understand why the two couldn’t be options in Kodi. Settings video. Video player or dsplayer with dsplayer fixed to be easier to use. It was way similar to use an external player madvr and lav than using newest ds player. The excuse that some can’t use dsplayer doesn’t make sense. Give two options which could have been done forever

[brazen1]

You state that a DSPlayer user cannot take advantage of madVR Profiles?

You isolated part of my sentence.
This is the rest of it.

for various external player adjustments that vary from one video to another.

I'll elaborate a bit.  

DSPlayer is confined to using one setting fits all and at best forced to manually make changes instead of having them hands off automated for you.

I wrote this because DSPlayer users are using DSPlayer.  Users like yourself don't want to leave the GUI, even though if you were using a modern Kodi build, you simply focus Kodi from the external player because it's still active in the background.  This rules out your interest in using external player(s), let alone external player(s) with an official updated Kodi build, not to mention all the other goodies like madVR, LAV, etc.

Here's what you're missing out on by dismissing external player(s) in favor of just DSPlayer albiet, obtaining subtitles, etc. is highly valued:
You are confined to 

DSPlayer is confined to using one setting fits all

Every video you play through DSPlayer is using DSPlayer settings.  You have no other choices... only what DSPlayer offers.

Not all video is created equal.

It would be great if they were... but they are not.  Fortunately, we being enthusiasts, can tailor things to present different audios and videos different ways to maximize each of their unique potentials.  DSPlayer + madVR + Lav Filters is one way.  But, you're limited to only what DSPlayer itself offers.

various player adjustments per video.

External player(s), compatible or not compatible with madVR + Lav Filters, offer a lot more than DSPlayer.  Many of them offer the subtitle download scraping that I (think) you think is exclusive to Kodi.  And once again, when an external player is open, simply focus Kodi (or close the external player and Kodi will focus automatically) and go get your subtitle if you prefer the Kodi method.

I've used as many as 7 different players at once externally including Kodi VideoPlayer.  This is because all audio/video is not created equally.  No single video player maximizes every audio/video unique potential.  Fortunately, advances and declines (3D) here and there have narrowed down those 7 players to 3 mostly because of official Kodi advancements.  Some are compatible with one type of audio/video - some aren't.  DSPlayer for example:  What happens when you try to play an iso?  

Every ripped video originated from a ripped disc that had complete 1:1 folder and file structure.  This structure is contained on the physical disc.  When you rip the disc, it should remain contained.  When it isn't, that structure is subject to contamination because the folders and files are loose.  One quick example out of MANY:  Scrape your loose folder structured rip using Kodi as an example.  Now go look inside the bdmv folder.  Your uncontained rip is now filled with everything Kodi scraped instead residing alongside your loose folder and files structure rip.  You have just ruined the integrity of your rip by contaminating it.  How do you prevent contamination including accidental manipulation known or unknown corruption of the integrity of those loose structured rips?  Contain them again just as they were on the physical disc by putting those loose files and folder structures into an iso container.  They will remain and perform as pristine as the original disc.

I know most users opt for cherry picking certain items from the original structure.  Sometimes a specific file like a .m2ts.  But then, you leave behind every other aspect of the structure.  Maybe you cherry pick multiple files out of the structure and place those into more popular (if you can call it that) containers such as .avi, .mp4, or .mkv.  After all is said and done, users declare they saved space even though HDD space is a relic excuse from when HDD's were small.  That and many other words of wisdom why mutilating an original rip is great idea.

The real reason has nothing to do with any of that though.  Those are just excuses beating around the bush.  It's because some popular players, well, all but a few, and of those few, need assistance from other things, and only one truly works correctly, and with no assistance either, fall on their face when presented with a complete 1:1 untouched original rip straight from the disc.  Afaik, DSPlayer has no idea what to do with an unmolested rip.  Like everybody else, it requires dissecting an original work of art in order to be able to present something much less.  Then through internet propaganda declare why this destructing is the best course of action to do to your pristine rips.  All in the name of your benefit... when it's really for theirs on account of their stuff just doesn't work.  I do understand there are vanilla users.  They just want the meat and no potatoes.  And that's ok.  Given the cost of a disc, or a rip, personally, I want every item in the banquet.  I want an experience beyond the movie or the song.  With an iso (and other containers) using diverse techniques, we get just that and more.

It isn't just about a players compatibility either.  Suppose you wanted to use specific adjustments in a player for specific types of videos... and wanted to use different adjustments in that player for other different types of videos.  Well, you can... if you don't mind fiddling with those adjustments every time you play a video.  Of course, you can just dismiss some types of audio/video and settle with "I just won't play those kinds" or "I can play them and they could probably look and/or sound better but, I'll just call it good enough".  Hey, your entitled to that but if you're using madVR, you're an enthusiast whether you know it or not.

Suppose you don't want to fiddle and you just wish those player adjustments were changed automatically?  Well, keep wishin'.  OR, get yourself an external player.  Set DSPlayer up one way and the external a different way.  Assign which player is to be used for which videos (AUTOMATICALLY) and viola... you're off to the races.  Suppose you have even more audios and videos that are different from those others and desire even more unique player compatibilities and/or settings?  Simple, add as many players as you want/need.  I will bet dimes to dollars, in time, after using external players, and provided you are striving for perfection, you will replace DSPlayer with a recent official Kodi build using VideoPlayer with external players that are and are not compatible with madVR + Lav Filters + any other software.

HDR tonemapping is not as clear cut as you seem to believe it to be. Even high-nits displays need it (most OLEDs even for 1000nits mastered movies, LED TVs and high nits OLEDs for 4000nits mastered movies) and at that point it becomes simply a matter of taste (the director of photography or whoever is in charge of mastering does it on a mastering monitor, he/she has no idea about what curve the different displays the movie will be displayed on are going to use).

Nah.  C'mon.  Let's be real.  Either your display of choice handles HDR as intended, or it doesn't.  SDR as well!  If it does, you do nothing, provided your display is calibrated.  And I don't mean by a pro.  Nothing against pros.  We all pick a job... or a side job backed our full-time job.  Every display ships with the lowest junk settings possible understanding the majority of end users won't care.  Plug and play.  Imo, this is to limit stress on the display which in turn limits RMA's.  Also, to advertise lower energy.  As soon as you adjust settings up, you are asking it to do more than defaults.  If higher settings are not good, why are they there?  So, you've adjusted the settings that count up to where the unbridled fervor of your display can shine.  Then you are presented with getting the white balance, etc. colors correct and you need lots of special meters, software, and knowhow.  The fact is, if your display was shipped with colors so incorrect, it should have never left the factory floor.  If it did, you bought a POS.  Do you think the manufacturer stays in business by selling things that are broken and overlooked requiring you obtain a pro to fix them?  I suppose internet propaganda applied to expensive junk might keep some of them in business but not with my money.

So, you can't simply calibrate your display because it just isn't capable.  Well, then your convinced if you calibrate EVERYTHING else, you'll be good to go.  Tell em' it's a matter of taste and shift blame pointing attention to the colorist at the studio.  Start with the room and everything in it.  Windows?  Forget it.  Lights?  Are you out of your mind.  Decor colors.  Any... as long as it's black.  But those calibrations aren't nearly enough.  The movie itself needs calibrating too.  Can't leave it where it is.  The things in the video that are supposed to be bright... aren't?  (specular highlights).  Let's lower the entire brightness of the movie so when something bright has its moment to shine, we can see it!  (tone map)  Of course, the majority of the movie will be dim but who cares... we're in a cave while those other idiots outside are subjecting themselves to "LIGHT CANNONS"!  So, we've darkened the movie so much, that dark things in a movie can baaaaarly be seen if at all.  Who cares.  We won't pay any attention to that because we won't know what we're missing if we can't see it anyway.  Besides, our OLED's next to our PJ's are the best thing the internet ever taught us about blacks.  Turn the black pixels all the way off and take pride in how black blacks can be.  So much so, black objects in real life don't even get that black and look phony.  

I would love for Kodi to offer me the flexibility and performance that the DSPlayer version offers but, sadly, that's still not the case.

DSPlayer is Kodi.  It's Kodi modified with a replaced player and additional GUI items to include madVR settings.  So, Kodi does offer you the flexibility and performance you continue to use - the flexibility and performance offered back in the v17 era.  I'm suggesting an alternative for how to keep using a replaced player and how to keep using madVR.  So, you don't lose anything except that some things would no longer be built-in.  So, it comes down to built-in vs not built-in (but still functional in every way) pros and cons.  Imo, coveting the built-in aspects fall far short of the additional benefits gained that DSPlayer has not, is not, and most likely will not ever realize.  But I respect that some things are more important to others than to myself.  I'm just providing some insight and opinions to digest others may not have realized... and like yourself have their own.
 

I used external for years. It was a PITA just for having to deal with the remote situation.

Huh?  What remote situation?  I can say throughout 7 external players, now two plus controlling Kodi, I use(d) exactly one remote control to command every aspect of my home theater.  I would think after the amount of time and money spent on everything else, why on earth would anyone skimp on one of THE most important items?  No Event Ghost or any of that other BS.  Just the programmed remote.  There are many hard coded mappings that can be shared with other software.  You just need to figure out which.  I posted my list someplace.  Probably the link in my sig.  Also, many software remote mappings offer the ability to make custom selections - Kodi, MPC players, and madVR for example.  This way you can match other hard coded remote button configurations that are different defaults.

[izprtxqkft]

that was a very passionate post @brazen1 i wanted to make sure you knew at least 1 person read all of it thoroughly, even if im still just the new guy

im the meat and potatoes guy, i want 1:1 video+audio but the rest i can live without, i do 4k bluray remux for myself, no pretending its for disk space either its just how i prefer it
been doing movie only rips since i was cuing, disassembling and cutting vhs tapes so they would start the movie immediately

anyway i dont want to trim down your post to just that part but i wanted to share from the other side

thanks for posting that, i enjoyed reading it and appreciate the passion it took to write all that down