DVB-C: stutter, other hints please? (1 Viewer)

[hansdegit]

Area: Media Portal Program
MediaPortal Version: 0.2.0.0 RC4 (SVN 2006-04-21)
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo
Windows Version: Windows XP (SP2)
.NET CLR Version: 2.0.50727
DirectX Version: 4.09.00.0904 (9.0c)
Audio Codec: nVidia Audio Decoder
Video Codec: nVidia PureVideo Decoder
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Memory: 511 MB
Motherboard: 'K8N' (ASUSTeK Computer INC.)
TV Card Model: FloppyDTV
TV Card Type: DVB C
TV Card Driver: 4.1.0 BDA
Video Card Model: Radeon 9800SE (256 MB)
Video Card Driver: 6.14.10.6458
Video Card Resolution: 1024x768
Video Render Type: VMR9
Audio Card Model: Realtek AC'97 Audio
Audio Card Driver: 5.10.0.5620
Synopsis:

Hi everyone, I've got this strange problem with the nVidia purevideo mpeg decoder. No matter what I try, I have a choppy picture quality.

What have I tried so far:
1) Registry settings for nvidia:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=7495

2) Microsoft patches:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=8146

3) disabling Cool & Quiet

None of these tricks seem to work. All other codecs (intervideo, mpeg2dec, Dscaler) do not cause stutter, but they have the disadvantage of being blurry and/or giving artifacts (mostly blocks). The nvidia is far superior when it comes to picture quality, that's why I refuse to give up on this problem.

disabling timeshifting doesn't do the trick, so I assume it's no harddrive problem. Otherwise, those other codecs would cause stutter also.

Your advice is most welcome and appreciated.

 

[Taipan]

And you have checked and reset the PCI Latency of your Radeon 9800SE ?

 

[hansdegit]

Thx for your comments, Taipan. No I have not tried the latency. PCI Latency in my BIOS is set to 64 (dunno if this latency is the same latency that's addressed in the links you provided..)

But, suppose I do have a latency problem, then I would expect that the other codecs also cause stutter, right?

EDIT: I know now that the BIOS setting is the PCI Bridge setting.
Is it also possible to set the PCI latency in Powerstrip?

EDIT 2: Yes, you can tweak the settings in Powerstrip.

 

[Taipan]

But, suppose I do have a latency problem, then I would expect that the other codecs also cause stutter, right?

Yes, probably... :?

Do you get the same "stutter" with DVD and videos, or just TV?

 

[hansdegit]

Do you get the same "stutter" with DVD and videos, or just TV?

Haven't tried yet. I'm at work now, will try this evening.

 

[davej00]

If you do only see the issue with Live TV, you may be seeing this problem

https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/viewtopic.php?t=14287

If I use RC4, I get stuttering and the "No Signal" after a few minutes. With RC2 all is well.

- Dave

 

[hansdegit]

Well, I tried to fiddle with the PCI latency to no avail: still stuttering picture.

I'm unable to check the amount of stutter in a DVD, because DVD navigation doesn't work in MP (at least for me it doesn't).

EDIT: DVD picture is quite good. No stutter.

I even changed graphics adapters to see if it made any difference...Nope.

Any hints of last resort? Please?

 

[davej00]

As a last resort -- try RC2

- Dave

 

[hansdegit]

Call me stupid, but I just do not want to throw the towel yet.

I bought myself a Sony Bravia widescreen LCD (32"), connected to my Silverstone through a standard 15-pin D-sub VGA cable and yes, still stutter.

As a matter of fact: every decoder I tried has some stutter. I never thought that one could take a shocking picture this literally....Execpt for dsclaer and MPV, but the exhibit some nasty artefacts.

One thing caught my attention today: it's only DVB streams that have this stutter. When watching an analogue channel through the hauppauge card, everyhting is fine.

What could be the cause of this?

 

[Taipan]

it's only DVB streams that have this stutter. When watching an analogue channel through the hauppauge card, everyhting is fine.

That sounds like poor TY signal quality is causing the stutter. Whenever the signal quality drops below the acceptable level, the picture will "freeze" until an acceptable quality frame is received again.

Do you get the same effect if you watch the DVB channels with the software supplied with your TV card?

Can you improve the signal level to the TV card - remove any splitters or any other TVs that might be sharing the signal?

Maybe the TV card (FloppyDTV) is faulty?

What version of MediaPortal are you using? Posting your current System Specifications would be helpful .. in the CP under "My System".