Stuttering/freezing live TV

mrman · 2006-11-21, 19:35

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: Simplify wide
Windows Version: XP Pro SP2
CPU Type: Intel Celeron 2,0 GHz
HDD: Seagate Barracuda IV 80 + 40 GB
Memory: 512 MB
Motherboard: Asus P4P800-X
Motherboard Chipset: Chipset Intel 865PE
Motherboard Bios: American Megatrends 080009
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9250
Video Card Driver: 6.14.10.6601
Sound Card: Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96
Sound Card AC3: Coax
Sound Card Driver: 5.40.3.130
1. TV Card: FireDTV (Floppy)
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 4.2.0.0
2. TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV-Nexus-S (not in use)
2. TV Card Type: DVB-S
2. TV Card Driver: 1.7.0.4
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: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder 6.0.1006
MPEG2 Audio Codec: CyberLink Audio Decoder 6.00.1027
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Boxer (Swedish terrestial)
HTPC Case: Antec Midi tower
Cooling: Arctic cooling CPU fan
Power Supply: Hiper Type-R 480 W
Remote: Harman Kardon + Girder 3.2
TV: Sony kv32fx66 32'' Wide
TV - HTPC Connection: S-Video

I have problems when watching live TV.
Symptoms:
Video and audio stutters/freezes. It happens often when switching channels but also (strangely enough) when e.g. Discovery Channel switches to commercials.
It is more frequent when I have timeshifting enabled. With timeshifting disabled the stuttering is not that common but when it happens i get bad audio/video sync.
It is more frequent when watching channels that has AC3 audio.
The problems seems to disappear if I pause playback for a few seconds. It sometimes then returns after a longer period of time (about an hour), but not allways.

Additional information:
CPU usage is normal (20 - 50%) when the problem is occuring.
I have tried different audio codecs
I use wave out as audio renderer (otherwise AC3 pass through wont work)
I have had similiar problems with earlier versions of MP (0.2.0.0 RC4 builds), but not as severe as now.
Current MP installation is quite "fresh" (a couple of weeks old)
Recording seems to work fine, even when stuttering occurs. Playback of recordings work just fine.
I have no problems playing DVD:s, avi:s etc.
I all other cases MP seems to run just fine and audio/video quality is great besides this problem.

If additional testing is required to work on this problem, I'll be happy to help.

PS. Thanks to Team Media Portal for a great app and the hard work!!! DS

diehard2 · 2006-11-21, 20:30

take a look at my post in tips and tricks about the updated quartz.dll. You can check if that is the problem by turning off DXVA for your decoder.

mrman · 2006-11-21, 23:03

OK, I'll try. How do I disable DXVA? Is that the same as Hardware Accelerator?

diehard2 · 2006-11-21, 23:10

mrman · 2006-11-22, 16:58

Thanks for your help diehard2, but that wasn't it. I tried disabling DXVA in the cyberlink codec, but the stuttering is stil there. If this was the problem, it would, I guess, also occur while playing DVDs and AVIs, which it doesnt. I can rewind and fastforward as much as i like.

I have alot of "VMR9Helper: repaint->playing" in my log as discussed in this thread: VMR9Helper: repaint->playing 1

Does anyone know if this is a bug in MP or should I seek a solution among hardware, drivers, codecs etc?

debaser_uk · 2006-11-24, 11:02

Just a quick one - I initially had loads of problems with stuttering TV. Out of interest what de-interlacing method are you using. I only had good results with BOB. It's worth a try maybe!

igalan · 2006-11-24, 12:26

I have a similar problem. Often watching TV, analog or DVB-T, suddenly the image freezes and audio keeps going, then a couple of seconds later video speeds up to catch audio and then it keeps going in sync. I've tried different audio and video codecs with no success. Deinterlacing doesn't seem to affect this issue either. So I haven't been able to trace the source of the problem yet

.

mrman · 2006-11-24, 14:18

@debaser

I have tried different de-interlacing methods. I can get good results with almost all of them, but I normaly use hardware acceleration. That gives me the clearest and smoothest video.

The stuttering and freezing doesn't seems to be affected by the choice of de-interlacing method, it's there regardless.

Thanks for the input anyway! :-)

@igalan
Is your problem also limited to live TV, or do you have the same stuttering when playing DVDs, avis etc? One theory I have is that this is related to bad signal strength or some kind of interference in the reception of the signal, as my problems are worse some days, end better other days. Have you experienced something similar?

igalan · 2006-11-24, 16:19

Yes, it's limited to live TV. The DVB-T tuner uses a small internal aerial that can suffer interference (mobiles do interfere), but the analog tuner uses the building's antenna which does not suffer from interference. And yes, some days it seems worse than others and it can happen on any channel.

dareh · 2006-11-24, 16:48

Hi igalan, bona tarda

, I used to have the same problem with my nova-t usb2 , it was caused by a poor signal in it, and the stutters/freezes happened even if I were watching live tv with one of the other tunners pvr250 or hvr-1300 (both of them with very good signal) but recording something with the nova-t at the same time.

Hope it helps.
Dareh.

2006-11-21, 19:35	#1 (permalink)
mrman Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 59°19.8'N, 18°29.0'E Age: 40 Posts: 32 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Stuttering/freezing live TV MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0 MediaPortal Skin: Simplify wide Windows Version: XP Pro SP2 CPU Type: Intel Celeron 2,0 GHz HDD: Seagate Barracuda IV 80 + 40 GB Memory: 512 MB Motherboard: Asus P4P800-X Motherboard Chipset: Chipset Intel 865PE Motherboard Bios: American Megatrends 080009 Video Card: ATI Radeon 9250 Video Card Driver: 6.14.10.6601 Sound Card: Terratec DMX 6fire 24/96 Sound Card AC3: Coax Sound Card Driver: 5.40.3.130 1. TV Card: FireDTV (Floppy) 1. TV Card Type: DVB-T 1. TV Card Driver: 4.2.0.0 2. TV Card: Hauppauge WinTV-Nexus-S (not in use) 2. TV Card Type: DVB-S 2. TV Card Driver: 1.7.0.4 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: CyberLink Video/SP Decoder 6.0.1006 MPEG2 Audio Codec: CyberLink Audio Decoder 6.00.1027 Satelite/CableTV Provider: Boxer (Swedish terrestial) HTPC Case: Antec Midi tower Cooling: Arctic cooling CPU fan Power Supply: Hiper Type-R 480 W Remote: Harman Kardon + Girder 3.2 TV: Sony kv32fx66 32'' Wide TV - HTPC Connection: S-Video I have problems when watching live TV. Symptoms: Video and audio stutters/freezes. It happens often when switching channels but also (strangely enough) when e.g. Discovery Channel switches to commercials. It is more frequent when I have timeshifting enabled. With timeshifting disabled the stuttering is not that common but when it happens i get bad audio/video sync. It is more frequent when watching channels that has AC3 audio. The problems seems to disappear if I pause playback for a few seconds. It sometimes then returns after a longer period of time (about an hour), but not allways. Additional information: CPU usage is normal (20 - 50%) when the problem is occuring. I have tried different audio codecs I use wave out as audio renderer (otherwise AC3 pass through wont work) I have had similiar problems with earlier versions of MP (0.2.0.0 RC4 builds), but not as severe as now. Current MP installation is quite "fresh" (a couple of weeks old) Recording seems to work fine, even when stuttering occurs. Playback of recordings work just fine. I have no problems playing DVD:s, avi:s etc. I all other cases MP seems to run just fine and audio/video quality is great besides this problem. If additional testing is required to work on this problem, I'll be happy to help. PS. Thanks to Team Media Portal for a great app and the hard work!!! DS

2006-11-21, 23:10	#4 (permalink)
diehard2 Portal Developer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 510 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 9 Posts Country:	Yup

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2006-11-21, 20:30	#2 (permalink)
diehard2 Portal Developer Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 510 Thanks: 2 Thanked 13 Times in 9 Posts Country:	take a look at my post in tips and tricks about the updated quartz.dll. You can check if that is the problem by turning off DXVA for your decoder.

2006-11-21, 23:03	#3 (permalink)
mrman Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 59°19.8'N, 18°29.0'E Age: 40 Posts: 32 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	OK, I'll try. How do I disable DXVA? Is that the same as Hardware Accelerator?

2006-11-22, 16:58	#5 (permalink)
mrman Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 59°19.8'N, 18°29.0'E Age: 40 Posts: 32 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Thanks for your help diehard2, but that wasn't it. I tried disabling DXVA in the cyberlink codec, but the stuttering is stil there. If this was the problem, it would, I guess, also occur while playing DVDs and AVIs, which it doesnt. I can rewind and fastforward as much as i like. I have alot of "VMR9Helper: repaint->playing" in my log as discussed in this thread: VMR9Helper: repaint->playing 1 Does anyone know if this is a bug in MP or should I seek a solution among hardware, drivers, codecs etc?

2006-11-24, 11:02	#6 (permalink)
debaser_uk Portal Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: NE Lincs, UK Age: 39 Posts: 56 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Just a quick one - I initially had loads of problems with stuttering TV. Out of interest what de-interlacing method are you using. I only had good results with BOB. It's worth a try maybe!

2006-11-24, 12:26	#7 (permalink)
igalan Portal Developer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Barcelona Age: 35 Posts: 334 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	I have a similar problem. Often watching TV, analog or DVB-T, suddenly the image freezes and audio keeps going, then a couple of seconds later video speeds up to catch audio and then it keeps going in sync. I've tried different audio and video codecs with no success. Deinterlacing doesn't seem to affect this issue either. So I haven't been able to trace the source of the problem yet .

2006-11-24, 14:18	#8 (permalink)
mrman Portal Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: 59°19.8'N, 18°29.0'E Age: 40 Posts: 32 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	@debaser I have tried different de-interlacing methods. I can get good results with almost all of them, but I normaly use hardware acceleration. That gives me the clearest and smoothest video. The stuttering and freezing doesn't seems to be affected by the choice of de-interlacing method, it's there regardless. Thanks for the input anyway! :-) @igalan Is your problem also limited to live TV, or do you have the same stuttering when playing DVDs, avis etc? One theory I have is that this is related to bad signal strength or some kind of interference in the reception of the signal, as my problems are worse some days, end better other days. Have you experienced something similar?

2006-11-24, 16:19	#9 (permalink)
igalan Portal Developer Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Barcelona Age: 35 Posts: 334 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Yes, it's limited to live TV. The DVB-T tuner uses a small internal aerial that can suffer interference (mobiles do interfere), but the analog tuner uses the building's antenna which does not suffer from interference. And yes, some days it seems worse than others and it can happen on any channel.

2006-11-24, 16:48	#10 (permalink)
dareh Portal Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Alcalá de Henares Posts: 85 Thanks: 4 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post Country: My System	Hi igalan, bona tarda , I used to have the same problem with my nova-t usb2 , it was caused by a poor signal in it, and the stutters/freezes happened even if I were watching live tv with one of the other tunners pvr250 or hvr-1300 (both of them with very good signal) but recording something with the nova-t at the same time. Hope it helps. Dareh.