Video playback freezes after skipping forward a few times

nikleb

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Video playback freezes after skipping forward a few times

#1

Post by nikleb » Thu Jan 12, 2017 10:46 pm

Every so often the video playback from recorded shows freezes after skipping forward a couple of times in a row. Audio playback continues normal.
I need to kill the MCE shell and restart. Other XBOX extenders do not experience the issue.

I started to have this problem after converting my C drive to SSD. My recording drive is a regular drive. However, that could be a coincidence. I am sure I used the opportunity for some maintenance. I might have also increased memory capacity. I did check the memory a couple of times.

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Crash2009

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#2

Post by Crash2009 » Sat Jan 14, 2017 3:47 pm

nikleb wrote:Other XBOX extenders do not experience the issue.
I guess that makes it an Xbox problem.

https://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360 ... een-freeze

nikleb

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#3

Post by nikleb » Sat Jan 14, 2017 5:35 pm

I am experiencing the issue on the MCE computer, not on the Xbox.
My wording might have been confusing.
Crash2009 wrote:
nikleb wrote:Other XBOX extenders do not experience the issue.
I guess that makes it an Xbox problem.

https://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-360 ... een-freeze

DaveInPa

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#4

Post by DaveInPa » Sat Jan 14, 2017 11:58 pm

I have been having the same problem since Comcast switched to h.264. The WMC video player doesn't like that stream/codec.

I've found that it's best to not rewind... skipping backwards is usually ok. Also I try not to jam buttons too fast. One skip at a time with a pause in between.

On the network stations that are still mpg2, this isn't really an issue for me.

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#5

Post by stuartm » Sun Jan 15, 2017 12:50 am

I have Comcast and skip works well for me. I would make sure your video driver is up to date. Also make sure your recording disk is still healthy.

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#6

Post by spanner » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:19 am

DaveInPa wrote:I have been having the same problem since Comcast switched to h.264. The WMC video player doesn't like that stream/codec.

I've found that it's best to not rewind... skipping backwards is usually ok. Also I try not to jam buttons too fast. One skip at a time with a pause in between.

On the network stations that are still mpg2, this isn't really an issue for me.


Jamming buttons to fast is exactly what i found. After the Comcast switch, on my main HTPC, If i skipped forward then back several times to quickly(The way I always have) it would lock up with frozen picture and audio still working. once I slowed it down it has not happened since.

nikleb

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#7

Post by nikleb » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:28 am

I don't know if Comcast switched in my area or not. Sounds like we are sharing the same issue.
Interestingly, I don't get the issue with FF. Just the skip forward a couple of times in a row. And again, connected extenders don't experience the issue at all.

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#8

Post by adam1991 » Sun Jan 15, 2017 1:47 am

Then this might be cured with a different HTPC video card that better handles the new Comcast video stream.

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#9

Post by nikleb » Sun Jan 15, 2017 2:53 pm

How can I tell whether I have h.264 - or the particular show is h.264?
Is there a list of graphics card that are know to have the issue?
adam1991 wrote:Then this might be cured with a different HTPC video card that better handles the new Comcast video stream.

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#10

Post by stuartm » Sun Jan 15, 2017 7:33 pm

Use 411-Info and arrow right to the last screen of debug info It will tell you what the Video codec is. i.e. while playing the video enter 411followed by the info key
As to graphics cards I don't think there is a list anyone is maintaining. I use a lower end Nvidia card I would think a GT710 or GT730 would be fine.
Mine is an older GT630.

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#11

Post by nikleb » Sat Jan 21, 2017 10:49 pm

stuartm wrote:Use 411-Info and arrow right to the last screen of debug info It will tell you what the Video codec is. i.e. while playing the video enter 411followed by the info key
As to graphics cards I don't think there is a list anyone is maintaining. I use a lower end Nvidia card I would think a GT710 or GT730 would be fine.
Mine is an older GT630.
Some content in my area is h.264. Couldn't prove yet that the shows causing the problem are h.264, but likely.
I have a AMD 6570 1GB (HIS brand silent). I have the latest driver. However, it looks like AMD has not released a new driver for this card for a while.
Not sure where to go from here.

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#12

Post by artm » Fri Feb 03, 2017 7:50 pm

I have experienced this problem but only once in a week or so after switching to new equipment. Now running Dell 980 SFF, AMD 5450.

Could be with AMD. Only way to tell is to swap in a NVidia card and check.

I have a second PC with WMC installed, as a test bed to my real system. That has a NVidia Quadro FX580 and seems to run fine with back/fast forward on recorded content. haven't really tested it extensively with live TV or DRM.
-Art --
Win7 Ultimate x64 (NO UPDATES!), EPG123 v1.1.19, Schedules Direct, HDHomerun Prime,
Dell 980 SFF, i5, Nvidia GT710
Dell 780 SFF, i5, HD4000

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#13

Post by jbf154 » Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:04 pm

Just started experiencing this. Definitely related to the switch to h.264 with Comcast. Any suggestions to a different codec I could try? I'm using whatever came built in with WMC.

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#14

Post by artm » Sun Feb 05, 2017 5:26 pm

It's not the codec. I installed the one below and still get this glitch - occasionally.

K-Lite_Codec_Pack_1110_Basic

I also get the occasional glitch when switching between DRM/non-DRM channels. Sometimes switching channel up or down resolves it, sometimes I restart WMC.

Comcast crap!
-Art --
Win7 Ultimate x64 (NO UPDATES!), EPG123 v1.1.19, Schedules Direct, HDHomerun Prime,
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#15

Post by Gravydog » Mon Feb 06, 2017 5:51 am

It sounds like what I have seen once in a while when using the skip buttons. I first saw it several weeks ago or a little longer. When it happens the video sits there and stutters without advancing while the audio continues. It won't respond to any remote buttons but a left click where the x would be at the top right corner (it's not visible) kills MC. Then I can restart MC and resume the program and it will play through that spot if you are careful about skipping. This has persisted through a cablecard swap and updated video drivers. I had never seen this in years of use before. I hope someone can figure it out--

Rob

Windows 7 64 bit on ssd, hard drive for recording, Comcast, Infinitv 4 pcie, Radeon HD 5570, ShowAnalyzer, DTBAddin

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#16

Post by nikleb » Thu Feb 09, 2017 2:39 pm

I want to try a NVidia card. What would be a similar or better performance card as compare to my current AMD 6570 1GB (HIS brand silent)?
A 750 Ti?
Also want to be make sure the power consumption doesn't go up much in order not to produce more heat in the case. A silent model would be a plus.

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#17

Post by DaveInPa » Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:22 pm

Gravydog wrote:It sounds like what I have seen once in a while when using the skip buttons. I first saw it several weeks ago or a little longer. When it happens the video sits there and stutters without advancing while the audio continues. It won't respond to any remote buttons but a left click where the x would be at the top right corner (it's not visible) kills MC. Then I can restart MC and resume the program and it will play through that spot if you are careful about skipping. This has persisted through a cablecard swap and updated video drivers. I had never seen this in years of use before. I hope someone can figure it out--

Rob

Windows 7 64 bit on ssd, hard drive for recording, Comcast, Infinitv 4 pcie, Radeon HD 5570, ShowAnalyzer, DTBAddin
I have the same symptoms with the stuttering video while audio continues.

I've discovered that the WMC navigation buttons continue to work even though all I see is the stuttering video. Because of how I have my front page menu setup, I can hit the green button and stop to get to the main menu of WMC. Then I scroll up and down (right and left) and figure out where I am and navigate to "tasks / shutdown" by sound. Once WMC shuts down, I they restart with the green button. It's not ideal, but I can do it with my remote while sitting on the couch and don't have to did out the mouse.

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#18

Post by DaveInPa » Thu Feb 09, 2017 3:25 pm

adam1991 wrote:Then this might be cured with a different HTPC video card that better handles the new Comcast video stream.
I would love for people to chime in about this.

Who has h.264 video with Comcast and is NOT experiencing freezing video? Tell us what video card/driver you are using.

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#19

Post by stuartm » Thu Feb 09, 2017 11:05 pm

I have h.264 video with Comcast. Just tested with a recorded h.264 program. I verified it is h.264 with 411-info, no problems skipping forwards, backwards, fast forward/reverse.
Video card is an Nvidia GT630 (current equivalent is gt730) I use a pretty old driver since it has always worked and there were driver releases that introduced problems e.g. for quite a while iirc the nvidia driver would cause WMC crashes if running 64 bit win 7 (which I do). My current driver is 335.23 (listed in device manager as 9.18.13.3523)
Note: I tend to shy away from the latest Nvidia stuff as they seem to concentrate on supporting gaming and I doubt they do a lot (or any) testing with WMC. That said, I think someone in another thread says they are using the new GTX1050 for 4k with WMC and it's working fine. Don't know if he is skipping forwards while playing h.264 recordings from Comcast though.

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#20

Post by webminster » Fri Feb 10, 2017 12:48 am

I have a GTX-750, driver version 375.95 iirc... video doesn't freeze normally or during skipping.
-Alan

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