MKV, 50Hz display, VMR9 frames dropped/skipped

[Crabstick]

TV-Server Version: SVN 09-06-2008
MediaPortal Version: SVN 09-06-2008
MediaPortal Skin: Monochrome
Windows Version: XP SP3
CPU Type: AMD Athlon X2 4200+
HDD: Some 80 GB IDE + 1TB RAID 5 server over the network
Memory: 2GB DDR 800
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H
Video Card: integrated HD3200
Video Card Driver: Catalyst 8.6
Sound Card:
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Some USB stick (AF9015 BDA Device)
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver:
2. TV Card: Some USB stick (AF9015 BDA Device)
2. TV Card Type: DVB-T
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: ATI AVIVO (cat 8.9)
MPEG2 Audio Codec: FFDSHOW
h.264 Video Codec: PDVD 7.x
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote: MCE remote
TV: Samsung M87 40"
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI

I have a weird issue with XVID playback. Files are MKV files with xvid(low res), vorbis audio and srt subs.
The video is 25 fps PAL DVD rip I have made myself long ago.

If I play the file through Mediaportal, I get constant frame drops about 1/second. I can see this especially in panning shots. Viewing VMR9 details it does not claim to drop the frames in renderer. Overall achieved frame rate is somewhere around 24-24,5 because of the skipped/dropped frames.

Graph is as follows: haali -> ffdshow (postprocessing, resize to 702p, subtitles) -> VMR9

If I play the file with WMP11, no frames are dropped. Only difference in the graph is that it is using VMR, not VMR9.

What I've tried so far and didn't help:
- windowed/full screen
- VMR9 exclusive mode on/off
- decode with libavcodec/xvid in ffdshow
- increase buffersize in haali
- resize to 720p / original size in ffdshow

I'm out of ideas. ffdshow displays the correct fps in info, display is set to 1080p50, VMR9 does not claim to drop the frames. Still I get constant irregular skipping/stutter.

Anyone have similar issues? Where the frames are lost? Why with VMR9, not VMR?

[Crabstick]

Update:

Actually this has nothing to do with the video format or resolution of original video.
I have some 720p x264 mkv files with 25fps and they stutter too at 1080p50.

Files that have 23.967 fps and viewing at 1080p24 play back smoothly.

I suspect a ATI Catalyst problem. Problem is the same at least with cat 8.8 and 8.9.
Also could be DX 9.0c august related bug or something (I recently updated DX9).

Can anyone confirm this?

TV playback is perfect, so this could be limited to progressive content.

[Crabstick]

OK, now I'm totally lost. 720p x264 content plays back fine but still having problems with low res xvid. I think I'll just let this be and not watch those old movies.

[nabster]

Hi i have the exact same problem with all my MKv files, dropped frames inside MediaPortal but plays fine in any external player WMP11 Zoom etc (tried various codec).
Seems this is not the first post to ask the question but still no solutions available.

Any ideas anyone.

[baldytheman]

You can try changing the Audio decoder in Media Portal if you didn't already - I have had stranger problems being solved by doing so myself. I don't know enough about your setup when it comes to codecs to be able to say if this actually will make a change, but chances are when you play the mkv's in external player you are using a different audio codec - at least it's worth a try.

[ErikLarsson]

Because you are running a 24fps movie on a 50Hz display, every 25th of a second it'll show the same picture twice.

The only way to get it smooth that i know of is to use Reclock as audio renderer ReClock DirectShow Filter

This will speed up the playback to 25fps, matching your framerate perfectly.

[Crabstick]

Originally Posted by ErikLarsson

Because you are running a 24fps movie on a 50Hz display, every 25th of a second it'll show the same picture twice.

That is not the case here. I am switching the framerate to 24 Hz with 24 fps material, 50Hz for 25 fps and so on. The only difference between MP and WMP playback is the video renderer (VMR9 in MP, VMR in WMP).

I tried reclock some time ago but it threw me an error (hardware not supported) so that didn't work out.
BTW, the link you posted is for the old version of reclock. The source was acquired by some company and they are developing it from now on. Latest version is currently 1.8.1.5 beta.

Edit: BTW, playback of those 25 fps xvid MKV files is fine with MP and WMP on my laptop which is ages old and does not have half the power if my HTPC. This may have something to do with the refresh rates of display and video (videocard HW and renderer?) being slightly offsync. I also get terrible playback with 29.970 NTSC AVI and display is at 60Hz.

[ErikLarsson]

Yeah sorry for answering wrong there, it can be a bit confusing so i wanted to throw it out there.

Im running reclock 1.8.x atm. And using directdraw instead of direct3d will enable you to run reclock, so you wont get that error message.

Just some thoughts. If you source is at 23.976, and you display it at 24p, there is still a small difference. Would this be enough to cause stutter that often? Or is in fact 24p actually 23.976p?

And also, how to you open the VMR9 details about dropped frames?

[Crabstick]

You have misunderstood my problem. 24 fps (or 23.976 to be exact) content is fine when display is at 24Hz.
The problem is 25 and 30 fps xvid content when display is set accordingly. Playback from MP is skipping frames. Playback from WMP11 is fine.

I can see the skipped frames when opening VMR9 renderer details and the achieved framerate for 25 fps material is only around 24. VMR9 does not claim to drop frames.

[ErikLarsson]

Yeah i misunderstood.

Unfortunately im out of ideas. I cannot open my VMR9 details from graphedit, gives me an error message.

Good luck with this. I suggest you try reclock again though, it's been the only way for me to get perfect playback.

Read about it here, it solves your problem with the error message: A guide to stutter free playback with Reclock