Server update from XP to W7 messed up TV (1 Viewer)

[VdR]

This weekend updated my server (MP TV server and file share) from XP to W7 Ultimate 64bit (to able to use a new 3TB HDD).

This has created a problem with the TV server. Both live TV and recorded TV stutter terribly.

To do the update I also had to change the TV tuner card and the video card in the server because the previous where not supported under W7.

I do not suspect the TV tuner card, because the stuttering also occurs on recorded TV, even TV recorded before the update. I do not suspect the LAN connections (1GB) because nothing changed. I do not suspect the clients, because two of them show this behavior and nothing changed.

The client ts-reader log shows the discontinuities plentyful. I (but who am I) do not see anything special in the server ts-writer log.

Suggestions for where to look next?

 

[mm1352000]

Are you sure you formatted the drive appropriately - aligned to 4kB sectors?
Are you sure that there are no real time scanners that are monitoring your timeshifting and recording folders?
Are you sure the video card driver is okay (have you checked CPU utilisation to ensure the GPU is being used for hardware accelerated video decoding)?

 

[VdR]

Thanks for your reaction. Good suggestions.

I'll check the new drive for alignment. However the 3TB drive is only used for movie files, not at all for TV.
I'll check the scanners, true that's another difference, now running AVG 2013 instead of 2012.
I'll check the video card driver again. But is the video card even involved when streaming a recorded show?

You made me think of something else though. The recorded shows and the time shift buffer are now on the same drive, maybe that could be a problem? Although, that shouldn't bother life TV ...

 

[mm1352000]

However the 3TB drive is only used for movie files, not at all for TV.

Okay. If only TV (recorded and live) is affected and playback of movies is okay then you can probably discount the HDD and video card.

I'll check the scanners, true that's another difference, now running AVG 2013 instead of 2012.

I'd check this first.

I'll check the video card driver again. But is the video card even involved when streaming a recorded show?

Yes, the video card has to display all video.

You made me think of something else though. The recorded shows and the time shift buffer are now on the same drive, maybe that could be a problem?

Only if the drive is stressed.
This can happen when it is being used heavily by scanners or multiple different processes, or sometimes also when it is close to full and fragmented.

 

[VdR]

Disabling AVG and moving the time shift buffer to another drive has not made a difference.

Judging from the ts-reader log there must be something fundamentally flawed. Is the problem with the ts-writer, the transmission or the ts-reader? Hopefully somebody can give some guidance based on the logs attached.

In the logs I have started live TV and then streamed a recording.

 

[mm1352000]

There are a few discontinuities in your TsWriter log files, but many more problems on the TsReader side.
I realise now (should have recognised this earlier) that you have a multi-seat configuration. The issue here could be network related: if not hardware and wiring, then firewalls.

 

[VdR]

Thanks for looking at the logs. Sorry I wasn't clear about the setup.

I thought about network related. But the network didn't change, and playing movies from the same server works fine. It is only RTSP that fails? I'll have a closer look at the whole network setup (I messed around with homegroup, now use good old workgroup though) and firewalls.

More suggestions very welcome (two kids without a TV can drive you nuts ...).

 

[Owlsroost]

This feels very much network related - the TsReader continuity errors are almost certainly due to lost RTSP packets. Have you tried updating the network card drivers ?

If you don't find the problem quickly, you can also try running in 'UNC paths' mode as an alternative - https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...iseat-mode-test-plz.36735/page-28#post-829934

Tony

 

[VdR]

This feels very much network related - the TsReader continuity errors are almost certainly due to lost RTSP packets. Have you tried updating the network card drivers ?

If you don't find the problem quickly, you can also try running in 'UNC paths' mode as an alternative - https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/...iseat-mode-test-plz.36735/page-28#post-829934

Tony

Thanks for the tips.

It's a new installation and I double checked if the network card drivers are up to date. I have a 1 GB network card laying around I'll try that as an alternative to the integrated one.

And of course I try the UNC alternative.

(Probably no chance until the WE )

 

[VdR]

After trying everything else with the network connection, work group, home group, sharing, credentials, anti-virus, firewalls, etc. UNC saved the day.

Not sure I see the fast tuning advantages that where mentioned in other threads. The file server seems a lot less snappy since the update to W7 in general. Still see some minor discontinuities, but those have been there since 1.2.0.

So it seems I'm fine with UNC. Why not show the option in the advanced settings menu by default.

It's amazing how the MP team had a solution ready, waiting in hiding, even before the problem showed up.

Thanks for your help.