What are H/W and S/W Video Decoders?

If you’ve used (or still using) MX Player for watching videos on your Android device, then chances are you’ve come across the H/W and S/W video decoders. Now if you’re wondering what these jargon mean and which is better than the other, then we’re here to try and shed some light about it.

Definition

First of all let’s understand what a video decoder is and what purpose it serves. Video decoder, as its name implies, allows a device to process a video file in order to be viewed on that device.

The responsibility of decoding the video is typically delegated to a hardware component, the multimedia chipset to be exact, which specifically meant to handle this task – hence the term Hardware Decoding or H/W for short.

MX-player-Decoder

There are, however, some instances that the video decoding is passed on to the device’s processor. Although the video decoding is still handled by a hardware component – in this case the CPU – the process actually requires a software, thus being called Software Video Decoding or S/W.

Playback Quality

Just to set things clear, neither H/W nor S/W can magically turn a low quality video file in to a high definition clip. Therefore, the quality of media playback is, first and foremost, dependent on the actual video file.

Now that’s out of the way, which of these video decoders provide better media playback? In general, the device’s dedicated multimedia chipset is better at processing videos than the CPU, thus resulting to a smoother video playback.

CM Ultra screen

Thanks to advancements in both software and hardware segments, S/W video decoding is slowly catching up to H/W, albeit requires a powerful processor in order for the playback quality to be comparable to a file handled by the H/W decoder.

Battery Life

Since these video decoders utilize different hardware components when processing video files, the mileage of our device will vary depending on what decoder we’re using to process the video.

It’s been said that users will get better mileage by using H/W decoder when watching a video since the S/W decoding requires more CPU horsepower in an effort to match the quality and smoothness of the video processed using the H/W decoder.

We’ve scoured the internet for any form of illustration that would support the aforementioned claim, but we came out empty handed. As a result, we had to run our usual battery benchmark test on the same device, with an identical set of parameters, using H/W and S/W video decoder to put this claim to its paces.

Test Parameters:

Device: MyPhone Uno
Device State: Airplane Mode, GPS turned OFF
Display Brightness: 50%
Volume: 0%
File Type: mp4, 1280 x 536
Video Bitrate: 1011 kbps
Frame Rate: 23 frames/second
Audio Bitrate: 93kbps
Media Player: MX Player

Result H/W Video Decoder: 6 Hours and 50 Minutes

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Result S/W Video Decoder: 4 Hours and 40 Minutes

Battery Life

Based on our test, the MyPhone Uno’s 1700mAh battery lasted 46% longer when we looped an HD movie using H/W video decoder. While there was no noticeable difference in the quality of the playback, using one over the other clearly dictates how much mileage one can get out their handset’s battery.

We’ve also ran the test on other devices with the same parameters, and although the mileage, as well as the difference in battery life varied from device to device, it’s clear that H/W video decoder is better than S/W decoder at power efficiency.

Video file compatibility

One of the few reasons why would anyone prefer to play video files using S/W decoder is because that it can decode a wider variety of video formats compared to H/W video decoder.

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That is slowly changing though as newer processors have better dedicated media framework which can decode more file formats compared to older ones. But as it stands, S/W video decoder is still better at this aspect.

Audio Output

Cranking the volume to 100% should, oftentimes, suffice for most users. However, for those who still need that extra oomph out their audio device or their handset’s loudspeaker, J2 Interactive offers extra sound amplification through the MX Player. But there’s a catch…

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By default, MX Player maxes out at 15 for volume, but it can go all the way up to 30 with the right decoder.

The catch is that you have to use S/W decoder in order to get that extra 100% sound amplification. The updated version of the popular media player app, however, allow users to use S/W decoder for the sound and H/W decoder for the video which is quite convenient as users technically gets the best of both worlds.

That’s pretty much it guys, that’s our short crash course to H/W and S/W video decoders. We hope that we were able to give you guys a general overview of these two video decoders, and which one to use when watching media on your smartphone or tablet. Leave a comment below if you wish to add more insights to this post so that other users will benefit from it.

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10 FAQs in joining Nissan Philippines’ GT Academy

Yesterday we’ve reported on Nissan’s collaboration with Sony, and Polyphony Digital to put up GT Academy that aims to turn gamers into real-life race car drivers. It was officially announced in Makati City and the company’s executives are urging Filipino gamers to participate and take a shot at being a superstar on the tracks.

Nissan-GTAcademy-1

Interested to join? Then check these 10 frequently asked questions to give you a clearer understanding of what it’s about and what you need to do:

1. What is GT Academy?

GT Academy was originally only run as a pan-European contest, but as the programme’s popularity has grown a new series in the USA and a specific German competition has begun. The program continues to expand as it now has the GT Academy Asia having Philippines and other Asian countries including Japan as participating countries.

2. Which countries participate in GT Academy?

GT Academy was originally only run as a pan-European contest, but as the programme’s popularity has grown a new series in the USA and a specific German competition has begun. The program continues to expand as it now has the GT Academy Asia having Philippines and other Asian countries including Japan as participating countries.

3.  Who can qualify?

Everyone is invited to participate in the Live Events and simulate a real race car driving experience using the GTA pods.

However, the 20 finalists who garnered the fastest lap times in the Live Events will have to abide by the following eligibility criteria:

  • Residents at least 18 years old
  • In order to be eligible to win, contestants must have a valid driver’s licence. Those who have an existing competition driving contract, or have previously held a National A or superior AAP racing license or equivalent, or competed in a national level karting, or other motor sport, national championship, are not eligible. Any contestant who made it to Race Camp in any of the previous GT Academy competitions will not be able to progress.
  • Those that make it to the National Finals are required to participate in a mandatory health screening for physical fitness and vision and be in good general health in accordance with the Automobile Association of the Philippines medical requirements.
  • Finally, in order to attend Race Camp contestants will need to have a valid passport and be able to travel internationally. They will also need to be free to be away from home for approximately one week.

4. How can I qualify?

Live Events

Nissan will hold Live Events in various locations nationwide in the Philippines starting April 10, 2015. The 20 fastest and qualified gamers at the event will go through to the next stage of the competition which is the National Finals happening in July 2015.

5. Is it worth entering GT Academy even if I don’t think I’ll win?

It is always worth trying to see where you are against the best gamers in your country. None of our previous GT Academy winners believed they had a chance of winning when they first entered GT Academy! But you can also have a lot of fun by challenging your PSN friends. The GT Academy competition is also designed to improve your skills.

6. What are the timings for the other stages of GT Academy Asia 2015?

  • National Finals will take place in July with the International Race Camp scheduled for August.
  • The Driver Development Programme runs from September until January.
  • The winner of GT Academy will get a chance to race in an international level racing competition.

7. What happens next to the winner of GT Academy?

The winner has to be prepared to make a major commitment to becoming a real racing driver. From the end of the Race Camp, the winner will be based in the UK for approximately three months in order to undertake an intensive race training programme. The winner will be housed close to Silverstone Circuit and will be racing in UK national and club level races most weekends.

The overall winners of GT Academy will be put through an intensive Driver Development Programme, in order to qualify for the main prize – a chance to race professionally with Nissan in Dubai and potentially beyond, dependent on the winners own abilities and commitment to the programme.

8. What if a competitor has never raced a real car in their life?

That’s not a problem. GT Academy is about finding the best of the best Gran Turismo gamer and turning him or her into a professional racing driver. As outlined in the rules, people with past professional racing experience are not eligible. As long as the competitor can drive in Gran Turismo, knows how to drive a real car, and meets the other eligibility requirements, all they have to do is try their best.

9. Can a GT Academy graduate be a realistic route into top-level motor sport?

Nissan and PlayStation posed the question – “can the world of virtual racing unearth a real racing talent?” The success of the competition’s previous GT Academy winners has demonstrated that this answer is a resounding “yes”. It was clearly demonstrated when Lucas Ordoñez, the Spanish winner of the first installment in 2008, went on to finish second in the Le Mans 24 Hour race in 2011 and won the Intercontinental Le Mans Cup for Nissan.

10. Where can I find out more?

To know more about the program and for updates on the program, you can visit Nissan Philippines, Incorporated’s Facebook Page.

Nissan-GTAcademy-2

Below is a more detailed skeleton or outline to becoming a pro racer:

First Gear: The Recruitment (April – June)

Thousands of hopefuls will be narrowed down to the top 20 gamers to be determined by time trials taking place behind the wheel of GT pods during live racing events.

Second Gear: National Finals (July)

The National Finals will determine top 6 Filipino players who will go to the next round and go bumper-to-bumper with the best Gran Turismo drivers in Asia.

Third Gear: The Race Camp Week (August)

Players will be tested on their strength, stamina, mental agility and driving skills against Asia’s best at the Silverstone Racing Circuit in UK.

Fourth Gear: Driver Development Program

The emerging GT Academy Champion in Asia will join other GT Academy winners in a rigorous training under the wing of professional coaches and racers at the Silverstone Racing Circuit in UK.

Fifth Gear: Graduation

After passing the Driver Development Program, graduates will receive their International C License, allowing them to compete in a prestigious racing event anywhere in the world.

{Nissan Philippines}

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PNoy’s ratings plunge

PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III as he delivers his speech  during the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – Coke Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program Women's Month Celebration 2015 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena, MOA Complex in Pasay City on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 | Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO

PRESIDENT BENIGNO S. AQUINO III as he delivers his speech during the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) – Coke Store Training and Access to Resources (STAR) Program Women’s Month Celebration 2015 at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena, MOA Complex in Pasay City on Wednesday, March 25, 2015 | Rey Baniquet / Malacañang Photo Bureau / PCOO

Top five government officials fail to get majority trust and approval ratings

The trust and approval of Filipinos for President Benigno S. Aquino III dropped significantly compared to the ratings of four other top government officials of the country, the March 2015 Ulat ng Bayan survey results of creditable pollster Pulse Asia showed.

During the November 14, 2014 to March 15, 2015 period, Aquino’s approval ratings dropped by minus 21 points (38 percent from 59 percent) while those of Vice-President Jejomar C. Binay and Senate President Franklin M. Drilon remained unchanged (46 and 49 percent, respectively).

SEN. PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DRILON, center | Senate Photo

SEN. PRESIDENT FRANKLIN DRILON, center | Senate Photo

Approval for House Speaker Feliciano R. Belmonte (27 percent from 34 percent) and Chief Justice Maria Lourdes A. Sereno (29 percent from 37 percent) also dropped.

Disapproval for the performance of Aquino also increased by 12 percentage points (23 percent from 11 percent) while that of Binay remained unchanged at 23 percent.

VICE-PRESIDENT BINAY, left, with President Benigno S. Aquino III. Is Binay pretending to be poor? | Photo from PCOO

VICE-PRESIDENT BINAY, left, with President Benigno S. Aquino III | Photo from PCOO

Almost the same number of Filipinos, however, are undecided about the performance of Aquino (39 percent). The percentage of those undecided was highest for Belmonte (53 percent), followed by Sereno (48 percent), Drilon (38 percent), and Binay (30 percent).

SOURCE: Pulse Asia

SOURCE: Pulse Asia

Aquino also got the highest loss of trust among Filipinos (36 percent from 56 percent) while the ratings of Binay (42 percent from 44 percent) and Drilon (44 percent from 42 percent) were almost unchanged while those of Belmonte and Sereno improved slightly (five percent and four percent, respectively).

SOURCE: Pulse Asia

SOURCE: Pulse Asia

 

Significantly, however, none of the leading government officials were able to obtain majority and approval ratings for the first quarter of 2015, Pulse Asia said.

Pulse Asia conducted the survey fieldwork for the survey from March 1 to 7, 2015, using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 representative adults aged 18 years old and above.

It said the survey has a plus/minus three percent margin of error with a 95 percent confidence level while estimates in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have a plus/minus six percent margin of error with a level of confidence also at 95 percent.

The Mamasapano operation and related developments dominated the news headlines before and during the face-to-face interviews conducted by Pulse Asia from March 1 – 7, 2015. These included:

  • The declaration by President Benigno S. Aquino III of 30 January 2015 as National Day of Mourning for the fallen officers;
  • The President’s absence during the arrival honors for the 42 of the 44 fallen policemen whose bodies arrived at the Villamor Air Base from Maguindanao on 29 January;
  • President Aquino’s conferment of the Medalya ng Katapangan upon the 44 slain PNP-SAF policemen during the necrological services held as part of the National Day of Mourning;
  • The conduct of several investigations to shed light on what really transpired in Mamasapano and who should be held accountable for the death of the 44 policemen;
  • A proposal for the creation of a still another body – an independent truth commission – to conduct a probe into the incident;
  • Amidst the unresolved questions surrounding the Mamasapano incident, calls for the resignation of President Aquino by several senior bishops belonging to the National Transformation Council (NTC), student groups and other militant organizations;
  • The statement by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) that it is not supportive of such calls even as it favors the creation of a truth commission; and
  • The expression by several business groups of their continued support for President Aquino and his administration’s peace initiatives in Mindanao despite the events in Mamasapano.

    SOURCE: Pulse Asia

    SOURCE: Pulse Asia

Other developments during this period that are connected to the Mamasapano encounter were:

  • The removal of PNP-SAF Commander Getulio Napeñas who was removed from his post on 27 January 2015 following the death of 44 of his men during the Mamasapano encounter;
  • The resignation of PNP Director General Alan Purisima on 05 February 2015 amidst reports that he was involved in the decision-making process related to the police operation in Mamasapano whilst under preventive suspension resulting from a graft and corruption charge;
  • Reports that disgruntled members of the country’s armed forces are planning to stage a coup against President Aquino in the aftermath of the Mamasapano incident and expressions of loyalty to the Philippine government by high ranking military and police officers who say that they still have to verify such reports; and
  • Military operations conducted toward the end of February 2015 by the AFP against the BIFF and the Abu Sayyaf in certain areas of Mindanao reportedly to reduce these groups’ ability to carry out violent attacks against civilians. The military offensive has resulted in casualties on both sides as well as the evacuation of thousands of civilians.

Pulse Asia said its pool of academic fellows “takes full responsibility for the design and conduct of the survey, as well as for analyses it makes based on the survey data.” Most important of all, “in keeping with our academic nature, no religious, political, economic, or partisan group influenced any of these processes.”

“Pulse Asia Research undertakes Ulat ng Bayan surveys on its own without any party singularly commissioning the research effort,” it said.

AurumOne Hotel Makati

A few weeks aho I received an invitation to try AurumOne, one of the newer hotels within Makati City.

And coming from a late nightflight from Palawan, I foind it a perfect time for me to try the hotel.

AurumOne is located along the intersection of Evangelista and Del Pilar Street. It is actually very near the Pasay City boundary.

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The hotel is quite near from the airport. From Terminal 4, my taxi fare was no more than P100. And this was even before the P10 fare reduction for taxi was implemented.

I was given a suite room with one big bed. The room is quite big and veey spacious. Toilet and bath is squeaky clean. It also has a complimentary WiFi for your Internet browsing needs, flat screen cable TV telephone and a workdesk with lampshade.

All checked in guests can avail of free breakfast at the 8th floor. And one of the thing I like about aurumOne? It is just beside FamilyMart. This means you can just go to the ground level for your late night snacks.

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Its location is not a problem too. It is just a few blocks away from EDSA and just a jeepney ride away from Buendia LRT station.

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AurumOne is also very near Mall of Asia Victory Liner bus terminal and Glorietta mall.

For booking inquiries log on to http://www.aurumOne.com

System update v2.50 for PlayStation 4 arrives today

Sony has announced that its v2.50 system update, codenamed “Yukimura,” for the PlayStation 4 will arrive today.

The v2.50 update for the PS4 will bring the following new features:

• Suspend/Resume
• Back-up and restore HDD to USB
• Find and connect with friends
• Share earned trophies and optimise your trophy list
• Improved and expanded accessibility options
• Remote Play and Share Play
• Automatic installation for system software updates
• Sub-account upgrade
• Verified Accounts
• Uploading to Dailymotion

In addition, Sony is also pushing updates for its PlayStation Vita – version 3.50, and PlayStation App – version 2.50.

READ: Sony PlayStation 4 Review

For details about the Yukimura update hit the source link below.

source: Sony PlayStation

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