Generating DVD Catalyst benchmark Screen Rating values

CESD|200206

Applies To

Handheld PC Professional
HPC2000
Windows CE 2.11
Windows CE 3.0
Windows CE .net 4.x

Overview

The DVD Catalyst Screen Rating benchmark was developed by DVD Catalyst in conjunction with HPC:Factor to provide a data metric by which legacy device users could use the interface in the PocketDVD and DVD Catalyst products to produce optimised video files for their devices.

Before optimised video files can be generated, DVD Catalyst must be given enough information to produce the Screen Rating metric for the device. HPC:Factor records screen ratings for devices in the Devices & Specifications system, however this list is not complete and recent advances in graphical hardware driver models have in many cases improved performance over and above the original values recorded on the system.

This article discusses how to generate an optimised screen rating value for your Handheld PC and how to submit it for inclusion into the Devices & Specifications database.

Downloads

DVD Catalyst Benchmark File 2.5

More Info

The information in this article is written for use against devices which support the GAPI graphical sub-system or a variant of it. Parts of the information will be directly relevant to devices outside of the support sphere of GAPI however instructions for benchmarking on such devices are not covered specifically in the following section.

How-to Guide

Before you begin you must ensure that you have all of the necessary prerequisites to complete the benchmark

A Handheld PC
WinCESoft's GAPI 3.10 or higher, compatible GX or Direct Draw CE compatible graphics adapter and driver for your Hardware
TCPMP version 0.70 or higher (available from the HPC:Factor downloads section)
DVD Catalyst 2.4 or higher
The DVD Catalyst benchmark file (mirrored here or available from dvdcatalyst.com)

Getting Started

Copy the GAPI driver CAB, TCPMP CAB or GX or driver and the DVD Catalyst benchmark file to your Handheld PC
Install GAPI or the driver / GX file as per the instructions
Configuration For GAPI
1. Configure the GAPI driver against the make and model of your Handheld PC. If the device selection does not appear towards the end of setup or during first run open GAPI Setup from the start menu, tap the Set Device button and from the list carefully chose your Handheld PC.
2. It is recommended for performance reasons that you attempt to run GAPI with the setting 'Enable framebuffer - cache' enabled. If your device exhibits any instability you should disable this setting.
Install TCPMP
Configuration For TCPMP
1. Run TCPMP and ensure that GAPI (or your GX/Direct Draw driver) is configured as the primary driver. To do this, choose the Options menu
2. Select Video
3. Tap Video Driver
4. Ensure that the correct/most efficient driver is ticked
5. Restart TCPMP if needed
Tap File and select Open file...
Browse to and open the DVD Catalyst benchmark file
To begin the benchmark tap File and choose Benchmark

Overview of the Benchmark Process

The benchmark process is designed to push the hardware in your Handheld PC to its limits in order to statistically assess its capabilities.

During the benchmark process your device may exhibit the following expected behaviours

Your Handheld PC may appear to freeze
The video will fill the screen, masking the TCPMP interface
The video on screen will speed up, slow down and jump
The audio playback may sound garbled, speed up, slowed down or out of pitch

Generating the DVD Catalyst Screen Rating

Once the benchmark is complete, TCPMP will display the results of the benchmark process on the screen

TCPMP Results Preview

Tap 'Save Results' in the top left of the screen
TCPMP will report that it has saved the results in the root folder of the devices storage system
Copy the file to your desktop PC
Open DVD Catalyst
Select either Video or DVD to begin

Note: If you do not have a video file or a DVD to hand look for clock.avi in the Windows Folder on your PC
No settings need to be changed on the initial configuration screen, simply click Next
On the profile screen click on the Advanced button and then click Calculate
Click on the Import benchmark file button and browse to the benchmark file that you created on your Handheld PC

Note: Due to a bug in DVD Catalyst 2.5 under some conditions you may need to resize the window in order to see the Import button
Click Calculate and close the window
The DVD Catalyst Screen Rating will automatically be displayed in the screen rating box and can be copied by right clicking the text and selecting copy

Submitting your Screen Rating to HPC:Factor

Once you have generated your screen rating why not submit the information in to HPC:Factor so that other may benefit from the information.

Please ensure that you have performed your benchmark using the benchmark file available to download from this page. Benchmarks generated using other video files will produce different results so it is important that only the one file is used.

Once we receive your screen rating we will add it to the devices & specifications database as soon as possible so that other members of the community can benefit from faster and more efficient video conversion and playback for use with their Handheld PC.

Submit Your Screen Rating: Contact Chris Tilley

Acknowledgements

With thanks to DVD Catalyst for working with us on this article and for their continued commitment to the Handheld PC community.