LiveTV Stutter (2 Viewers)

Shazza

Portal Member
October 28, 2013
13
1
60
Adelaide, South Australia
Home Country
Australia Australia
Hi all, I am a newbie here but have been using MediaPortal for over a year. I recently upgraded my system as the last one died. I upgraded to the newer technology thinking I would have a much better system and that I would then have no problems with MediaPortal. I temporarily forgot I'm working with computers. I use MediaPortal for Live TV and recording LiveTV only. For quite a few weeks it has been working flawlessly, then in the last few days the stutter has come in. I've read the forums over and over and tried different tweaks with the LAV filters, refresh rates but can't get rid of the stutter. I've attached my logs if anyone is able to check them out and see if they can find any obvious problems please. I love the EPG in MediaPortal and would hate to have to go back to the crappy EPG on my TV. I hope I have done this all correctly.
 

mm1352000

Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • September 1, 2008
    21,577
    8,224
    Home Country
    New Zealand New Zealand
    Hello and welcome Shazza :)

    I hope I have done this all correctly.
    Indeed, you have - thanks! (y)

    I upgraded to the newer technology thinking I would have a much better system and that I would then have no problems with MediaPortal. I temporarily forgot I'm working with computers.
    Heh! Newer is not always better. :)

    I use MediaPortal for Live TV and recording LiveTV only. For quite a few weeks it has been working flawlessly, then in the last few days the stutter has come in. I've read the forums over and over and tried different tweaks with the LAV filters, refresh rates but can't get rid of the stutter. I've attached my logs if anyone is able to check them out and see if they can find any obvious problems please.
    There are continuity errors in the TsWriter log... which is to say that it is a TV Server side issue and no amount of fiddling with codecs will make it go away.

    Continuity errors normally mean one of two things:
    1. Bad signal strength/quality.
    2. Stressed timeshift/recording hard drive.

    Presumably you're using the same tuner and cable as you were previously using... which leaves the hard drive. Please check that your timeshift drive (C: ) has a reasonable amount of free space (like... ideally more than 10 GB) and that you don't have any security software doing real-time scans on the MediaPortal and TV Server program, timeshift, recording and configuration folders. Microsoft Security Essentials and Windows Defender are very good at causing problems like this...

    mm
     

    Shazza

    Portal Member
    October 28, 2013
    13
    1
    60
    Adelaide, South Australia
    Home Country
    Australia Australia
    Thanks for the prompt reply mm :)
    I'm kinda glad you said it's not codecs as I've fiddled with refresh rate and codecs until I can fiddle no more.
    I'm fairly sure it's not C: drive issue, it's a 1TB that I use mainly for programs (no media) and has 853 Gb free. I'm also fairly sure it's not security programs causing problems and it's happening all the time. I've checked services and there's not much running. I've attached an image of the Manual Control timeshift test from the TV Server Config which shows Signal level at 0 - is that a bad thing, it doesn't seem right to me lol. Hope this sheds some more light on my issues.

    manual-control.png
     

    Attachments

    • cpu-usage.JPG
      cpu-usage.JPG
      20.4 KB

    mm1352000

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • September 1, 2008
    21,577
    8,224
    Home Country
    New Zealand New Zealand
    Thanks for the prompt reply mm :)
    No problem. :)

    I'm fairly sure it's not C: drive issue, it's a 1TB that I use mainly for programs (no media) and has 853 Gb free.
    Okay.

    I'm also fairly sure it's not security programs causing problems and it's happening all the time.
    Hmmm, okay.

    I've attached an image of the Manual Control timeshift test from the TV Server Config which shows Signal level at 0 - is that a bad thing, it doesn't seem right to me lol. Hope this sheds some more light on my issues.
    Well, the signal level reading comes from the tuner. MediaPortal assumes that readings will be between 0 and 100, but some tuners produce readings above or below that range... which MediaPortal cuts off. So your tuner may have signal level readings below 0. I can't tell you if that is bad or not because different tuners have different behaviour and I'm not familiar with your tuner.

    The thing to watch is the "discontinuities" reading. You want that to stay constant... ideally at zero. Each time it increases is equivalent to a stutter.

    mm
     

    Shazza

    Portal Member
    October 28, 2013
    13
    1
    60
    Adelaide, South Australia
    Home Country
    Australia Australia
    The thing to watch is the "discontinuities" reading. You want that to stay constant... ideally at zero. Each time it increases is equivalent to a stutter.
    That's interesting, running the TimeShift test, the discontinuities are gradually incrementing by one as the packets are processed. You are saying this is a bad thing?
     

    Shazza

    Portal Member
    October 28, 2013
    13
    1
    60
    Adelaide, South Australia
    Home Country
    Australia Australia
    I'll do some more reading on this issue tomorrow. Might buy a better quality TV cable. I'm only using free to air here via a TV aerial. I have another look at Microsoft security software and uninstall them if they are there. I may not waste too much time on this as I'll be moving house in 7 weeks and may have to start this process all over! I appreciate the time you have taken to explain things. (y)
     

    Shazza

    Portal Member
    October 28, 2013
    13
    1
    60
    Adelaide, South Australia
    Home Country
    Australia Australia
    Good news mm! I bought a new TV antenna lead and a new splitter, sorry didn't mention the splitter before and now I have zero discontinuities and no stutter....I'm so happy. And I'm sure you will sleep better tonight too knowing this lol. Thank you so much for your help :D
     

    mm1352000

    Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • September 1, 2008
    21,577
    8,224
    Home Country
    New Zealand New Zealand
    Thanks for reporting back - I'm glad you managed to figure it out! :)
    Marking the thread as "no bug"...
     

    Users who are viewing this thread

    Top Bottom