Video stutter on NPO HD channels after Ziggo "5555" change (1 Viewer)

[NoStringsAttache]

Hello All

After the "big 5555" network change by Ziggo, my HD NPO channels do not run so smooth any more. At more or less random times, the video freezes for about 4 sec, while audio continues. Other HD channels seem fine. NPO1 HD is the worst, but video freezes on other NPO channels as well.

Around the network change I also applied Windows updates, so I cannot rule out OS related issues.
Logfiles are attached. Any one has a clue where to start looking?

You do not have to remind me that I'm using an outdated MP. I know ;-)

Best regards

 

[mm1352000]

If the network change involved switching from 64 QAM to 256 QAM then it is possible that your FloppyDTV can't handle the full transmitter/multiplex bandwidth anymore. PID filtering would need to be enabled to reduce the required Firewire bandwidth... but that can't be done without code changes. Sorry but I won't be making any code changes for such an old version of MP.

 

[NoStringsAttache]

Hello mm1352000,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, most transponders are on QAM256 now, but this holds also for the HD channels that seem to be ok.
I had no urgent reason to update my MP since it was running fine as it was. Would an update of MP be the solution, or are there still code changes to be done in that case? If so, would this be feasible?
Any idea why other HD channels seem ok, do they use lower bandwidths?

(If it's indeed FloppyDTV related in combination with QAM256 I guess I am not the only one)


Ciao

 

[Lotsofjazz]

Hello mm1352000,

Thanks for the reply. Yes, most transponders are on QAM256 now, but this holds also for the HD channels that seem to be ok.
I had no urgent reason to update my MP since it was running fine as it was. Would an update of MP be the solution, or are there still code changes to be done in that case? If so, would this be feasible?
Any idea why other HD channels seem ok, do they use lower bandwidths?

(If it's indeed FloppyDTV related in combination with QAM256 I guess I am not the only one)


Ciao

Most channels are now QAM256 also before the Ziggo to UPS change, the floppyDTV can handle it fine... Because the frequencies have moved, you probably have some radio interference problems now (from mobile telephone signals probably) coming in via bad quality coax cabling and plugs, the symptoms you describe are typical for that.. Some channels work fine others stutter all over the place, sometimes it is all good, sometimes it is all bad... If you do a rescan of the channels, you probably see some bad channels (signal strength and quality indicaters less then 100% sometimes)

I have had similar problems after other frequency changes that happened so often with Ziggo the last few years, in the end I solved all stuttering, freezing and blocking problems by changing old COAX cabling with new Hirschmann coax cables, that have these sturdy cast metal plugs at the end, I also changed all cabling that is behind the walls with Hirschmann coax and installed metal Hirschmann plugs everywhere..Before changing the cables I also installed a signal splitter/amplifier (close to the HTPC) which also helped at the time, but a few years later it prooved that was not enough and changing cables was also necessary, so I have now all new cabling AND a signal amplifier, and at the moment it seems working fine with me...BUT I have not changed to 5555 yet (end of the month)

Hirschmann coax, plugs and signal amplifiers you can buy at the Media Markt or Handyman.

Another problem I had is that I had the timeshift folder on a SSD, the SSD gone bad and caused also stuttering problems, very weird.. Changing the timeshift folder to the old HDD and everything was OK again.

I asume you excluded the timeshift/recording folder from your virus scanner, right? to be sure I also excluded the TVserver exe and Mediaportal exe from being dynamically scanned.

I hope this helps!

 

[NoStringsAttache]

Thanks for the reply.

Timeshifting folders are on a ram disk. Made the changes to virus scanner as you suggested, no change.
Not sure this is EMI related:

• I am using shielded cables and in addition an amplifier (6dB). Wall outlet is only a few meters away from my set and there is a divider to split the signal to two receivers. Amplification by 6 dB should be sufficient (even 3dB would do).
• NPO channels are on 570 and 578 MHz. On this frequency there also other HD channels (like RTL8) that do not seem to have any issue.

Will check the cabling again and try 9dB amplification, and have a closer look on the other HD channels.

 

[mm1352000]

Will check the cabling again and try 9dB amplification...

Too much amplification can cause distortion, so I'd try more and less if possible.

 

[Lotsofjazz]

The distance from the wall to the TV card doesn't matter, if the short cable is bad, you get stutter as well.. What happened to me is that I thought I had a good shielded short cable from the wall outlet to the TV card.. but after changing all the cabling behind the wall I still got stutters, after two days trial and error I also changed that short cable of which I thought it would not make any difference.. but in fact it did, only after changing that last short old cable by a new Hirschmann cable everything was OK.

Just give it a try, buy a Hirschman cable at the mediamarkt, try it, if it does not help, bring it back the same day, they give you back the money, no questions asked.

BTW, I have opened the removed cable that was installed behind the wall by the construction company (I bought the house new, 22 years ago at that time), and found out that the copper core had gone very bad.. it was green at the outside, and very brittle, it breaks in my hand, no wonder the signal had difficulties coming through clean!... So cabling has a shelf life it doesnt remain good for ever.

 

[mm1352000]

...

Good advice.

it was green at the outside, and very brittle, it breaks in my hand, no wonder the signal had difficulties coming through clean!

Oh dear. Sounds like water or air ingress. The copper will eventually oxidise and become brittle like you say. It is like rust... except for copper instead of iron.

 

[Lotsofjazz]

I suspect moist has ingressed during the first months after the build of my house, when the concrete walls were still quite moist. Add to that they used the cheapest of the cheapest coax they could find, then in hind sight it is quite logical the coax corroded so badly.