The PS++ client plugin is enabled and tries to connect to the TVServer plugin which is disabled...
Michael
Recorder:Pid 7c0 Continuity error... 3 ( prev f ) - bad signal? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter tachtevrenidis
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Michael
- September 1, 2008
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Let's be clear here.
The cause of the stuttering is continuity errors in the stream that the TsWriter log is telling you about. In other words, those log messages are telling you that there is corruption in the stream before it gets into TV Server. There could be a playback issue as well for all I know, but you're always going to have playback issues even with the most power GPU if you have corruption in the source.
The short list of causes for continuity errors:
Now, you've told us you don't have problems playing the same channels from the same tuner on another PC. This is critical. Theoretically it means your signal quality and tuner are A-OK.
HDD stress? Well, you've also told us you don't run an anti-virus, but I notice you do run Comskip. Maybe an issue there.
Network? You're running gigabit networking, but actually the HDHR itself is only 100 Mb/s. Theoretically there could be bandwidth issues... and switches aren't perfect. Especially green switches.
Overheating is a more unusual cause but I included it for completeness. Worth considering.
How to debug?
I suggest you run MP side-by-side with TV Server configuration, task manager, HDHR Config and the DPC latency checker.
Start any channel in MediaPortal.
In TV Server configuration go to the "manual control" section and select the same channel that you're viewing in MP - you should now see info about signal quality and discontinuities in the top area.
In task manager, go to the performance section and click "resource monitor".
View the signal quality and network rate for the tuner in HDHR config.
Monitor the DPC latency graph.
When you see stuttering, does the discontinuity counter in TV Server config start moving up (which indicates continuity errors are occurring)?
Does the HDD, CPU or network utilisation also peak?
Do you get higher than usual DPC latency?
Your log files agree with your comment about stuttering only occurring occasionally and apparently randomly. My guess is that your HDD is fine but occasional bursts of either network or HDD activity, CPU power saving features, bursty signal issues, or other software running in the background are responsible. Let's see what the above test reveals...
I note: with regard to MP 1.5 PR, there are benefits for cable and ATSC scanning. However they won't solve this problem.
The cause of the stuttering is continuity errors in the stream that the TsWriter log is telling you about. In other words, those log messages are telling you that there is corruption in the stream before it gets into TV Server. There could be a playback issue as well for all I know, but you're always going to have playback issues even with the most power GPU if you have corruption in the source.
The short list of causes for continuity errors:
- Signal quality.
- HDD stress.
- Decryption issues.
- Overheating components.
Now, you've told us you don't have problems playing the same channels from the same tuner on another PC. This is critical. Theoretically it means your signal quality and tuner are A-OK.
HDD stress? Well, you've also told us you don't run an anti-virus, but I notice you do run Comskip. Maybe an issue there.
Network? You're running gigabit networking, but actually the HDHR itself is only 100 Mb/s. Theoretically there could be bandwidth issues... and switches aren't perfect. Especially green switches.
Overheating is a more unusual cause but I included it for completeness. Worth considering.
How to debug?
I suggest you run MP side-by-side with TV Server configuration, task manager, HDHR Config and the DPC latency checker.
Start any channel in MediaPortal.
In TV Server configuration go to the "manual control" section and select the same channel that you're viewing in MP - you should now see info about signal quality and discontinuities in the top area.
In task manager, go to the performance section and click "resource monitor".
View the signal quality and network rate for the tuner in HDHR config.
Monitor the DPC latency graph.
When you see stuttering, does the discontinuity counter in TV Server config start moving up (which indicates continuity errors are occurring)?
Does the HDD, CPU or network utilisation also peak?
Do you get higher than usual DPC latency?
Your log files agree with your comment about stuttering only occurring occasionally and apparently randomly. My guess is that your HDD is fine but occasional bursts of either network or HDD activity, CPU power saving features, bursty signal issues, or other software running in the background are responsible. Let's see what the above test reveals...
I note: with regard to MP 1.5 PR, there are benefits for cable and ATSC scanning. However they won't solve this problem.
OK, but weird... since the user reported that he disabled the plugin.
he didn't tell what part of plugin he has disabled. So it could be that he disabled only server part of plugin.
Very true, since Michael also mentioned that the Client plugin seems active (and i neve got a confirmation about it)
Let's hope the Client plugin is acive, and that disabling that (and restarting TvService after that!!) solves some of his issues.
- July 22, 2013
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- #26
guys, thanks so much for the attention you have paid to my issue. Here is some more info:
1) I did not have the client side of the powerscheduler plugin disabled (only the server side). I disabled that and restarted the TV service.
2) I performed the following test (as instructed above). I went in debug mode, in a windowed environment, started a show recording and started watching live tv (so both tuners busy). I have the latency app running as well as task manager and the tv server config showing signal strength etc. Please take a look. It looks good to me (I still saw some stuttering though). I will post the logs in a bit (I am keeping it running for a while).[DOUBLEPOST=1377887032][/DOUBLEPOST]more info. As you can see the screenshot shows 'discontinuities' 0, but in the time it took me to write the previous post we are up to 17. I am going to try to figure out if the counter increments right after the stuttering happens.
Also network seems to hover between 50-70% never spiking to 100 and never dropping out.
FYI[DOUBLEPOST=1377887628][/DOUBLEPOST]OK I think I nailed it. A rather large stutter happens (I am not even touching the laptop, it is just recording and playing back) which lasts maybe half a second. The discontinuity meter increments, and latency goes RED! There is no change in network activity though (no drop, no spike). This is the same network config that I used for 5 years with mce and never had any problems fyi.
I am attaching the screenshot and the logs.
1) I did not have the client side of the powerscheduler plugin disabled (only the server side). I disabled that and restarted the TV service.
2) I performed the following test (as instructed above). I went in debug mode, in a windowed environment, started a show recording and started watching live tv (so both tuners busy). I have the latency app running as well as task manager and the tv server config showing signal strength etc. Please take a look. It looks good to me (I still saw some stuttering though). I will post the logs in a bit (I am keeping it running for a while).[DOUBLEPOST=1377887032][/DOUBLEPOST]more info. As you can see the screenshot shows 'discontinuities' 0, but in the time it took me to write the previous post we are up to 17. I am going to try to figure out if the counter increments right after the stuttering happens.
Also network seems to hover between 50-70% never spiking to 100 and never dropping out.
FYI[DOUBLEPOST=1377887628][/DOUBLEPOST]OK I think I nailed it. A rather large stutter happens (I am not even touching the laptop, it is just recording and playing back) which lasts maybe half a second. The discontinuity meter increments, and latency goes RED! There is no change in network activity though (no drop, no spike). This is the same network config that I used for 5 years with mce and never had any problems fyi.
I am attaching the screenshot and the logs.
Attachments
Nice find!!!
Stats on first screen are looking great. 2nd screenshot shows the issue
so now it's time to open the taskmanager on the laptop also, and wait for it to spike again, and see which process is doing that.
A HD TV stream doesn't 'eat' more then 15 Mb/s here on my gibt LAN.
Stats on first screen are looking great. 2nd screenshot shows the issue
so now it's time to open the taskmanager on the laptop also, and wait for it to spike again, and see which process is doing that.
A HD TV stream doesn't 'eat' more then 15 Mb/s here on my gibt LAN.
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- July 22, 2013
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- #28
as far as network utilization goes, I don't remember that much network being eaten up per HD stream when I was on WMC.
ok more here. I left the latency tool and resource monitor on (sorted by processes by cpu usage in descending order). MePo UI was not running (just one hd stream recording from my previous tests. I do see the latency spike up every so often and the resource monitor seems to indicate that 'system interrupts' are to blame. What now? Do I start disabling devices on the laptop?
K
ok more here. I left the latency tool and resource monitor on (sorted by processes by cpu usage in descending order). MePo UI was not running (just one hd stream recording from my previous tests. I do see the latency spike up every so often and the resource monitor seems to indicate that 'system interrupts' are to blame. What now? Do I start disabling devices on the laptop?
K
- September 1, 2008
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WMC probably supports PID filtering, which would reduce the bandwidth used quite significantly. That feature is on the way in our next generation TV engine.
One of the drivers for hardware is going to be responsible. I reckon first thing you should do is update the network adapter driver. Then, please list off the specs and peripheral devices connected to it.
- July 22, 2013
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- #30
I updated the network card drivers and I can say I have seen some improvement (I used to have the driver suggested by lenovo, and I replaced it with the latest drivers available by intel. When something is recording though, I can still see some stuttering while I am watching something else (the nature of the stutter has changed too, hard to explain but it is different from before).
What other drivers should I try to replace? Any other suggestions in general?
What other drivers should I try to replace? Any other suggestions in general?