TV frame drops after ~20 min playback (1 Viewer)

[franjorge]

Hello,

After several tweaks and reboots, I have managed to get a stutter free TV image. However, joy only lasts for some time and after about 20 minutes of perfect TV playback, frame rate drops from 50 fps to around 37 fps, and frame drops start to increase.

I am looking for help in order to determine what might be the reason for the following behavior:

1.- Reboot PC. After booting, MP is automatically started
2.- Select "My TV", what automatically starts TV playback in full screen.
3.- Press SHIFT+1. Almost flat lines, 50 fps and only about 10 frame drops (initial frames).
4.- Keeps so for about 20 minutes.
5.- Then, suddenly, all three flat lines turn into peaks and valleys, and frame drops increase. Picture quality is jerky.
6.- This behavior remains until I reboot the PC, ie, a restart of MP does not solve the issue.
7.- GOTO 1.-

Antivirus (Avast) is deactivated, all network devices (wireless and ethernet) are disabled. The same happens with all codecs I have tried.

Any hint would be appreciated. Please find the logs attached. TV playback starts at about 22:30 and the behavior described in point 5.- above starts at about 22.50.

Thanks,
Fran

MediaPortal Version: MediaPortal 1.2.0.0 Alpha (v1.1.5.0)
MediaPortal Skin: Blue3wide
Windows Version: Windows 7 Ultimate 32-bit
CPU Type: Genuine Intel(R) CPU 575 @ 2.00GHz running at ~1995 MHz
HDD: FUJITSU MHZ2500BT G2 ATA Device
Memory: 3GB RAM
Motherboard:
Video Card: Mobile Intel(R) 4 Series Express Chipset Family
Video Card Driver: 8.15.10.2226
Sound Card: HDMI Device (Intel(R) High Definition Audio HDMI)
Sound Card AC3:
Sound Card Driver: 6.10.0001.2077
1. TV Card: Hauppauge Nova-T IR
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: 3.11.27187.0
2. TV Card:
2. TV Card Type:
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card:
3. TV Card Type:
3. TV Card Driver:
4. TV Card:
4. TV Card Type:
4. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec:
MPEG2 Audio Codec:
h.264 Video Codec:
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case:
Cooling:
Power Supply:
Remote:
TV: TOSHIBA TSB0106
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI

 

[mm1352000]

Hi there

Strange issue!
There doesn't seem to be any indication of an error in the logs - TsReader just starts dropping frames:

27-01-2011 22:30:30.908 [5ac]Aud/Ref : 4.713, Late              Compensated = 4.424 ( -0.041 A/V buffers=01/05), Clk : 4.464875, State 2

27-01-2011 22:50:33.614 [5ac]Aud/Ref : 1207.401, Late              Compensated = 1207.112 ( -0.014 A/V buffers=01/11), Clk : 1207.126343, State 2

I wonder if something goes into a power saving mode after 20 minutes of idle. Harddrive? CPU?
Also, how full is your timeshifting harddrive space - could the timeshift buffer be filling it up after around 20 minutes of viewing?

 

[Sinbe]

On my system the reason for this behavior is W7 going into power savings mode and "shuts down" the display. If I pause the live tv when the jerkiness has started, the screen goes black. There was a plugin somewhere to stop this from happening, but I haven't found it since the last re-installation of MP. Now the only workaround I can think of is to press any key every 20 minutes to stop the monitor from blanking. The same happens when watching videos as well. I don't know if this is the same problem you're having, but It does sound a lot like it.

 

[Jay_UK]

Hi there,

I agree with some of the above points to check. Also look at background processes (search/indexing, updates, bitdefender, etc).

Have a look in the Windows event logs, these are normally a good point to start looking for any thing "microsoft" that might kick off.

Thanks,

J.

 

[franjorge]

Thanks everybody for your answers.

The solution for my problem was as easy as opening the glass door of the cabinet where my HTPC is located

My TV capture card is a USB one and was located over my HTPC (laptop). Everything was on a closed cabinet and each time I opened the laptop I could hardly bear the heat of the keyboard if I had to type anything.

Putting the TV card on another shelf of the cabinet and leaving the door open has solved everything and now I can watch TV for hours.

Hope this helps if anybody faces the same symptoms.

Fran

 

[mm1352000]

So possibly things shutting off to prevent damage... wow!!!

Thanks for reporting back