Timeshifting issues

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 02:35

MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Dark Metal
Windows Version: MCE2005
CPU Type: AMD XP 2600+
HDD: 120GB IDE Seagate Barracuda
Memory: 512MB RAM
Motherboard: ASUS A7V8X-MX
Motherboard Chipset:
Motherboard Bios:
Video Card: ATI Radeon 9600SE
Video Card Driver:
Sound Card: M-Audio Revolution 7.1
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Fusion
1. TV Card Type:
1. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: NVidia Purevideo
MPEG2 Audio Codec: AC3Filter
TV - HTPC Connection: S-Video

Hi all.
New person here looking for a little assistance. I've filled in all the details I can from work, if any others are needed i'll have a look when I get home. I've had a search around, but either i'm searching on the wrong keywords, or it's not been covered.

Bit of background, i've had this HTPC in this exact hardware/driver setup using Meedio for a couple of years now. For the past year or so, it's been running Meedio entirely for everything including TV, and it's been pretty faultless. I had some issues with my TV setup though, and I decided to look elsewhere which led me to MediaPortal.

Watching TV is fine, but as soon as I enable timeshifting the audio and video go terribly stuttered to the point of barely being able to make out what's going on. As soon as I turn it off again, everything goes back to normal. Now, I'm assuming it's not a hardware thing as everything was working, including recording and timeshifting, using Meedio. I've had a look through the manual pages but they're a bit light on and don't really cover this.

I'm thinking it could be a setup problem, but was wondering if anyone else was able to shed any light on a possible cause for it?

Cheers,
Nathan

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 03:57

Oh, and I forgot to mention, my CPU load doesn't go close to 100%, so that's not it.

Taipan · 2006-11-28, 04:15

Some questions for you ....

Are you using the new TV Server plugin, or are you using the standard "My TV" functionality in v0.2.1.0?

Do you get the same behaviour with the default BlueTwo skin?

Do you get the same behaviour with the MP supplied decoders - MPA and MPV?

I assume that you have a DVB-T card (a Dvico)?

Is your Windows version fully patched with all the latest patches and roll-ups?

Has your HDD been de-fragmented recently - particularly the partition that contains the timeshift buffer?

The timeshift buffer is not on a network drive, is it?

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 04:22

Sorry, I just realised this should be in the My TV section.

Not tried it with the other skin, will give it a shot tonight, although it seems a rather weird thing to break it.

I've not tried the other decoders as I preferred these ones, I can give it a go for testing sake though.

Yep, DVB-T card. FusionHDTV Lite.

It *may* not be fully up to date patch wise, i'll do that this arvo.

Not been defragmented in a long while. The timeshift buffer i've got pointed at a local partition. I shall do this this afternoon too.

Is it possible for someone to move this thread to the relevant section? Apologies, I got the two mixed up.

Taipan · 2006-11-28, 05:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamfrank

Is it possible for someone to move this thread to the relevant section? Apologies, I got the two mixed up.

Moved to "General Support"

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 05:59

Thanks mate.

Marcusb · 2006-11-28, 07:02

I agree with taipan. Windows is terrible at handling giant files like DVRMS ones and the drive gets badly fragmented. A lot of people (me included) use a scheduled task to defrag weekly in the middle of the night.

Check out this thread: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showthread.php?t=2288 to get the best digital performance.

With the advent of the animations, some skins can cause issues with slower systems. don't think that would be affecting you though.

The default MPA and MPV codecs are great for testing bugs. Since MP contols them they are a stable base to check performance. Some other codecs may (most likely) give better performance, but these should at least work ok.

Hope this helps and welcome

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 07:11

Thank you kindly for your help. I shall keep you posted with how we go.

I guess it begins again, every HTPC setup i've stuck on this thing i've gotten to work properly in the end, it just takes time

iamfrank · 2006-11-28, 23:04

Still working on it

The partition it's been recording to was susprisingly unfragmented. The main partition is all over the shop, so that's the next one. I've done all the updates as well now, so once I'm happy with it, i'll switch to the MPA and MPV codecs and see how we go.

iamfrank · 2006-11-29, 10:38

Alrighty, an update.

Both partitions defragged.

Windows fully up to date with all updates and rollups, and the patches from the linked thread.

Switched to the MPA and MPV audio and video decoders respectively. Turned deinterlacing off.

Switched to the original BlueTwo skin.

Checked CPU usage when timeshifting, sitting around 50% normally.

End result? It functions exactly the same as before

Where to now?

2006-11-28, 02:35	#1 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Timeshifting issues MediaPortal Version: 0.2.1.0 MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo Dark Metal Windows Version: MCE2005 CPU Type: AMD XP 2600+ HDD: 120GB IDE Seagate Barracuda Memory: 512MB RAM Motherboard: ASUS A7V8X-MX Motherboard Chipset: Motherboard Bios: Video Card: ATI Radeon 9600SE Video Card Driver: Sound Card: M-Audio Revolution 7.1 Sound Card AC3: Sound Card Driver: 1. TV Card: Fusion 1. TV Card Type: 1. TV Card Driver: MPEG2 Video Codec: NVidia Purevideo MPEG2 Audio Codec: AC3Filter TV - HTPC Connection: S-Video Hi all. New person here looking for a little assistance. I've filled in all the details I can from work, if any others are needed i'll have a look when I get home. I've had a search around, but either i'm searching on the wrong keywords, or it's not been covered. Bit of background, i've had this HTPC in this exact hardware/driver setup using Meedio for a couple of years now. For the past year or so, it's been running Meedio entirely for everything including TV, and it's been pretty faultless. I had some issues with my TV setup though, and I decided to look elsewhere which led me to MediaPortal. Watching TV is fine, but as soon as I enable timeshifting the audio and video go terribly stuttered to the point of barely being able to make out what's going on. As soon as I turn it off again, everything goes back to normal. Now, I'm assuming it's not a hardware thing as everything was working, including recording and timeshifting, using Meedio. I've had a look through the manual pages but they're a bit light on and don't really cover this. I'm thinking it could be a setup problem, but was wondering if anyone else was able to shed any light on a possible cause for it? Cheers, Nathan

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2006-11-28, 03:57	#2 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Oh, and I forgot to mention, my CPU load doesn't go close to 100%, so that's not it.

2006-11-28, 04:15	#3 (permalink)
Taipan Portal Tester Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,929 Thanks: 4 Thanked 15 Times in 15 Posts Country: My System	Some questions for you .... Are you using the new TV Server plugin, or are you using the standard "My TV" functionality in v0.2.1.0? Do you get the same behaviour with the default BlueTwo skin? Do you get the same behaviour with the MP supplied decoders - MPA and MPV? I assume that you have a DVB-T card (a Dvico)? Is your Windows version fully patched with all the latest patches and roll-ups? Has your HDD been de-fragmented recently - particularly the partition that contains the timeshift buffer? The timeshift buffer is not on a network drive, is it?

2006-11-28, 04:22	#4 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Sorry, I just realised this should be in the My TV section. Not tried it with the other skin, will give it a shot tonight, although it seems a rather weird thing to break it. I've not tried the other decoders as I preferred these ones, I can give it a go for testing sake though. Yep, DVB-T card. FusionHDTV Lite. It may not be fully up to date patch wise, i'll do that this arvo. Not been defragmented in a long while. The timeshift buffer i've got pointed at a local partition. I shall do this this afternoon too. Is it possible for someone to move this thread to the relevant section? Apologies, I got the two mixed up.

2006-11-28, 05:59	#6 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Thanks mate.

2006-11-28, 07:02	#7 (permalink)
Marcusb Super Moderator Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Melbourne Posts: 1,936 Thanks: 67 Thanked 28 Times in 28 Posts Country: My System	I agree with taipan. Windows is terrible at handling giant files like DVRMS ones and the drive gets badly fragmented. A lot of people (me included) use a scheduled task to defrag weekly in the middle of the night. Check out this thread: http://forum.team-mediaportal.com/showthread.php?t=2288 to get the best digital performance. With the advent of the animations, some skins can cause issues with slower systems. don't think that would be affecting you though. The default MPA and MPV codecs are great for testing bugs. Since MP contols them they are a stable base to check performance. Some other codecs may (most likely) give better performance, but these should at least work ok. Hope this helps and welcome

2006-11-28, 07:11	#8 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Thank you kindly for your help. I shall keep you posted with how we go. I guess it begins again, every HTPC setup i've stuck on this thing i've gotten to work properly in the end, it just takes time

2006-11-28, 23:04	#9 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Still working on it The partition it's been recording to was susprisingly unfragmented. The main partition is all over the shop, so that's the next one. I've done all the updates as well now, so once I'm happy with it, i'll switch to the MPA and MPV codecs and see how we go.

2006-11-29, 10:38	#10 (permalink)
iamfrank Portal Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Perth, Western Australia Age: 25 Posts: 38 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts Country: My System	Alrighty, an update. Both partitions defragged. Windows fully up to date with all updates and rollups, and the patches from the linked thread. Switched to the MPA and MPV audio and video decoders respectively. Turned deinterlacing off. Switched to the original BlueTwo skin. Checked CPU usage when timeshifting, sitting around 50% normally. End result? It functions exactly the same as before Where to now?