LiveTV freezes and shows a lot of artifacts (1 Viewer)

[Snoopy87]

@Snoopy87
In one of your earlier posts I think you mentioned that the problem is more prevalent with HD channels. Can you confirm - is that true?]

No, I can't confirm it, but I think it is so. Because I never saw it on SD channels, BUT this could be luck. 95% of the channels I'm watching are HD channels...

To be clear, can you confirm the values of these two settings:

1. Grab EPG only for channels on same transponder.
2. Store data only for selected channels.

1. yes
2. yes


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New feedback:

I switched back to the original TSWriter and TSReader but still have the same issue. The current issue is new to me. It never stopped the whole TV playback ever few minutes. In the past I only have the issue of artifacts and stuttering, but not every few minutes.

Before I started this test a few days ago the new issue on seen on ZDF HD was not present. So what did I changed? I used newer TSReader and TSWriter and I used LAV Filters instead of AMD Video Decoder. The issue is still there after switching back to the original TSReader and TSWriter, so it is an issue of LAV Filter. The problem is, that I can't switch back to AMD Video Decoder (which works best for me in the past), after I updated to the latest Catalyst version one week ago. AMD Video Decoder is still available in the list of selectable codecs, but MediaPortal falls back to use Microsoft DTV Decoder... don't know why. I only updated the Catalyst driver. Can't understand why this should mixed up the merit values.

So I have to find out why I can't select AMD Video Decoder and then I want to switch back to it, because it works better than LAV Filter on TV playback. For movies I always use LAV Filters.

Also I find out, that the issue with freezing the TV playback extremly occurs on ZDF HD (signal and quality are both on 100%!). It happens every few minutes. This does not happen on any other channel. I'm able to watch e.g. ProSieben HD, Sky Cinema HD or Nat Geo HD with mdapi for a few hours only with 1-2 times of artifacts or stuttering. If the issue happens on ZDF HD it can be fixed, if I either switch the channel and then return back, or If I use the navigation buttons on my remote control (left and right for XX secs/minutes back or forwards). Strange thing: If I'm watching ZDF HD live (so timeshift position is at the end of the buffer) and the problem occurs it can also be fixed If I press "right" on my remote control, which will go to the end of the timeshift in gernal, but in this case I'm still at the end, so actually it should do nothing, but it fixes the issue for the next few minutes.


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Which values do you need from LatencyMon?

 

[Snoopy87]

Also have you checked that the CPU isn't getting too hot ?

Of course my CPU and my whole system isn't getting too hot ;-) My CPU is not getting hotter than 50° C.


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New feedback:

After switching to Microsoft DTV Decoder (cause MP is unable to use AMD Video Decoder at the moment) it is much better! ZDF HD is working without freezing and without stuttering every few minutes. I only see a few artifacts some times. So there is still a problem (that's why there are still artfifacts) and everything else depends on the selected Decoder. Some decoders (LAV Filter) have a big problem with errors in the stream, and other decoders (AMD and Microsoft) still working great after those errors and only show some artifacts.

So the big question is, where do those errors come from. One cause could be the EPG Grabber as shown in my logs.

 

[PickPocket]

Hi there,

i have the same Problem.
I fix it with the LAV Setting Video Decoding
i set it to nvidia cuvid on the right side show "available" and my System run without any freeze ;-)

cheers

PP

 

[Jay_UK]

Hi there,

I thought I would continue this thread (please let me know if you want a new thread @Owlsroost).

I am running 1.4.0 (Sky EPG SVN version), on a singleseat (i7, RAM timeshift, SSD OS/programs, DD Quad card). I have installed the new TSReader and am experiencing the occasional freeze.

I have attached the main logs (TSReader is reporting issues, but TSWriter is fine)

Many thanks,

J.

 

[Snoopy87]

@Mods: Could you please move this thread out of the archive? Because this issue is not related to 1.3, it also occurs on 1.4 and 1.5.

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And again I wasted my time... I made a completly new Installation with Win 8.1, latest Driver and MP 1.5 (with MySQL 5.6). Nothing else is installed.

It is still impossible to watch TV. A lot of discontious erros. TV playback stops and playing the last 1-2 seconds in a endless loop.

I tried different TSReader versions and different Decoders without any noticable change.

Btw: I dont know if it is related to any changes in MP 1.4 / 1.5 or to any any changes in AMD Catalyst Driver, but it is not possible to use "AMD Video Decoder" anymore. MP always Switch back to Microsoft DTV. This is not a merits related issue!

 

[Snoopy87]

Now I installed XBMC for the first time and used it with MediaPortal TV Server.... No TV playback issues so far!

 

[Sebastiii]

XBMC didn't use directshow filter so if all is ok :

The tvserver side is not an issue
The client side is the issue, it can be codec or issue with video card, MP GUI can consume more memory than surely XBMC for OSD stuff etc. that mean that maybe it's related to Video card to handle both OSD and HD in same time lol

 

[Snoopy87]

No, it is not a decoder issue (because it happens with LAV Filter, Microsoft DTV and AMD Video Decoder). Also it happen with all versions of those decoders.

It is also no GPU issue. It happen with all driver versions and with two different GPUs (AMD E450 and AMD A4 4000). Both GPU/CPUs have enough power for watching TV. I'm able to watch 1080p MKVs with highest video bitrate and with DTS HD Master or Dolby True HD Audio without any playback issues. Those playback issues ONLY (!) occur while TV playback. So as said at least 100 times, it is an issue of MediaPortal and I don't understand why no one focus on that BIG issue. It should have the highest priority because it makes no sense to develop new versions of MP if MP is unable to show TV. A lot of people have this issue! And of course a lot of people who having this issue are not posting in this forum (they use either other forums or they uninstall MP and use other software which work).

So please: FIX THIS BIG issue. As told so many times: I will help as much as I can! I posted so many logs, but of course those logs are useless. A told so many times that I need special debug versions of MP (or the components which are causing the issue) to find the exact code lines which have to be fixed.

 

[HomeY]

I'm able to watch 1080p MKVs with highest video bitrate and with DTS HD Master or Dolby True HD Audio without any playback issues. Those playback issues ONLY (!) occur while TV playback. So as said at least 100 times, it is an issue of MediaPortal and I don't understand why no one focus on that BIG issue.

1080p vs 1080i can't be compared AT ALL. 1080i uses way more resources.

And again I wasted my time... I made a completly new Installation with Win 8.1, latest Driver and MP 1.5 (with MySQL 5.6). Nothing else is installed.

[2013-10-05 21:22:39,370] [Log ] [DVB EPG timer] [INFO ] - mdplugs: MDPLUGINS exist
[2013-10-05 21:22:39,370] [Log ] [DVB EPG timer] [INFO ] - mdplugs: useMDAPI = True

Using that stuff and reporting back issues is indeed a waste of your (and our) time as stated before.

 

[Snoopy87]

And again I wasted my time... I made a completly new Installation with Win 8.1, latest Driver and MP 1.5 (with MySQL 5.6). Nothing else is installed.

[2013-10-05 21:22:39,370] [Log ] [DVB EPG timer] [INFO ] - mdplugs: MDPLUGINS exist
[2013-10-05 21:22:39,370] [Log ] [DVB EPG timer] [INFO ] - mdplugs: useMDAPI = True

Using that stuff and reporting back issues is indeed a waste of your (and our) time as stated before.

Come on! That's really, really stupid! I told 100000000 times, that this issue HAS NOTHING to do with mdapi! If you would read this thread carefully you would know that I also post logs without using mdapi! And of course mdapi is used with XBMC and working GREAT! So please stop this stupid discussion! It's 100% (!!!) an issue of MediaPortal (Client, TSReader, etc.) and a lot of people having this issue since MANY months! I always trying to help but NO ONE is helping us! It DOESN'T help, if you or someone else always say "it's mdapi related" or "please post logs, please post logs, .....".

A lot of people NEVER used Mdapi and having this issue. I made a clean installation of Windows and MediaPortal WITHOUT mdapi and of course I had those issues! So STOP IT!