[no Bug] EPG bug causing media playback to loop/stutter (1 Viewer)

[doveman]

MediaPortal Version: v1.1.0 RC1
MediaPortal Skin: Blue3Wide
Windows Version: XP Pro SP3
CPU Type: P4 2.8Ghz Northwood
HDD: 500GB WD SATA
Memory: 1.5GB DDR
Motherboard: Gigabyte 8i848-PM
Video Card: 2600XT 256MB
Video Card Driver: 9.12
Sound Card: onboard Realtek AC97 (ALC655)
Sound Card AC3: no AC3
Sound Card Driver: 5.10.0.6300
1. TV Card: Hauppauge Nova-T 500
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 4.3.27240
MPEG2 Video Codec: Cyberlink Video/SP Decoder (PDVD9)
MPEG2 Audio Codec: ffdshow
h.264 Video Codec: ffdshow
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: Custom
Cooling: Nexus 120mm Intake Fan, Accelero S2, Mini Ninja
Power Supply: DELL DA-2 AC->12v DC, mCubed EF28 DC-DC board
Remote: Nova-T 500
TV: Sony XBR800 36"
TV - HTPC Connection: DVI

I've finally managed to find the bug which has been causing my media (Recorded TV and AVIs) to get stuck and loop for about 1 second several times during each file (very annoying as you can imagine).

It's the EPG updater, seemingly at the point where it updates the database, in combination with the TVService priority being set to above normal.

Yesterday I thought to try media playback in MPC-HC (IE outside of MP) and the problem still happened, which made me think it couldn't be a MP bug, until I realised that TVService was still running so I stopped it and it no longer happened anymore.

Today it happened whilst I was watching a Recorded TV programme, at approx 18:33 and 18:43, which coincide with the times in the epg.log where grabbing finished and the database updating began. I then dropped the service priority from Above Normal to Normal and it no longer happened.

 

[tourettes]

It's the EPG updater, seemingly at the point where it updates the database, in combination with the TVService priority being set to above normal.

Yesterday I thought to try media playback in MPC-HC (IE outside of MP) and the problem still happened, which made me think it couldn't be a MP bug, until I realised that TVService was still running so I stopped it and it no longer happened anymore.

Today it happened whilst I was watching a Recorded TV programme, at approx 18:33 and 18:43, which coincide with the times in the epg.log where grabbing finished and the database updating began. I then dropped the service priority from Above Normal to Normal and it no longer happened.

Well, you have answered your own question quite completely. If you are increasing some processes priority the other the OS scheduler will prefert that one when it gived CPU time.

 

[doveman]

I'm surprised you don't think it's a bug that using a feature in TV Server config (to increase the priority), which breaks another part of MP (media playback), isn't a bug. What's the point in that feature if it can't be used? I used it merely to ensure that TV recording had higher priority than say, my Web browser.

If, as it seems, it's only the EPG database updating that causes problems with media playback, perhaps the "EPG grabbing whilst idle" option should consider media playback a non-idle state and prevent EPG grabbing.

 

[tourettes]

I'm surprised you don't think it's a bug that using a feature in TV Server config (to increase the priority), which breaks another part of MP (media playback), isn't a bug. What's the point in that feature if it can't be used? I used it merely to ensure that TV recording had higher priority than say, my Web browser.

It should have a warning text. Changing application priorities should be done only when troubleshooting things, like broken BDA drivers.

Similar way you could say that if you are allowed to chose a non-working codec in MP's settings it is MP's bug that videos wont play. There is some level of responsibility when changing the settings.

If, as it seems, it's only the EPG database updating that causes problems with media playback, perhaps the "EPG grabbing whilst idle" option should consider media playback a non-idle state and prevent EPG grabbing.

To solve the issue wither lower the server priority or rise MP's priority.

Also did you have ever broken recordings because of browsing web at the same time when the priority was normal? If yes then most likely BDA drivers are behaving badly under load.

 

[doveman]

Adding a warning text would be a good idea. At least people would know not to fiddle with it then, or would know to expect problems if they do.

I wouldn't equate it to choosing a non-working codec though. That's an external piece of software that's out of MP control.

I never had any broken recordings due to browsing the web (or doing anything else) at the same time that I'm aware of, I just raised the priority as a precaution (who knows when an anti-virus is going to update or something else is going to pop-up that could interfere with recording).

As trouble-free MP is my main priority for this machine, it seems sensible for it to have priority over everything else, just to be safe. I could of course raise the priority of both TVService in TV Server config and MP in MP config, but then you're saying that this should only be done for troubleshooting so I'm not sure whether I should do this.