4 seconds of silence when resuming TV from pause

[bobjones687]

I've got a problem that I haven't been able to find anywhere else. If there are more threads about it, sorry - I apparently couldn't come up with the right search term.

In WMC7, any time I pause live or recorded TV, then press play, there's about 3-4 seconds where there's no audio at all. The video is often choppy for this timeframe too, but the audio is always missing.

I never have any other problems with video playback like this - it's only when unpausing. I also don't have these issues when pausing and unpausing movies stored on the computer in WMC or in Media Browser - it's only when I'm watching TV. I would think it was something with the tuner card, if it didn't happen when watching recorded shows, as well.

It also shouldn't be an issue of the machine being underpowered - it's got an i5 with 8GB of RAM, and currently (while watching live TV) CPU usage is around 5%, and memory is at 30%, including cache. It's got multiple hard drives, but non-DVR files from the same drive (including those with higher bitrates) play without any issues. I've got an InfiniTV 4 PCIe tuner with a Comcast cablecard.

[barnabas1969]

Is the PC's video adapter connected directly to a TV, or is it connected to an Audio/Video Receiver (AVR)?

In either case, please list the model number of the TV and/or AVR.

[bobjones687]

It's connected directly to the TV via HDMI. The TV is a Sony KDL-46V4100.

[bobjones687]

I just realized that the same thing also happens when I first start playing a recorded show. So I guess it's not just resuming from pause, it's pretty much every time I hit the play button on anything on, or recorded from, TV. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[barnabas1969]

It's possible that the problem is your TV. My AVR causes the opposite thing to happen. My video blanks out for a couple of seconds when I start playing something. The audio works fine. But, mine only happens when I start playing... no problem when I pause/resume.

[STC]

Mine stutters for a second or two then it all syncs up. The problem for me is the HTPC area as its done this since day one of existence. Different TVs and no AVR still the same.

/edit: Actually thinking about it, my audio is always good. I can see the AVR adjust the dB offset when it starts getting the DD signal, but it does release the audio as it's doing it, so as to make the audio start immediately all the time. It's just the video that stutters for a second or two. Strange....

[Shackleford]

I get something similar with my avr. After playing or ffw it takes a couple of seconds for the audio to start. It seems like its reestablishing the codec.

[barnabas1969]

STC, does yours do it when resuming from pause? Does your blank the video, audio, or both?

When you pause/resume or begin playing a show, the audio/video decoders in your AVR/TV need to sync again. To me, it appears that Media Center switches the audio stream from stereo PCM to DD. My AVR changes modes pretty quickly, and I don't think I miss any audio. The video appears to drop completely for a split second when I begin playing a show (moving from the Media Center interface to full-screen video), and this causes my TV to re-sync, which takes about 2 seconds.

[STC]

^ Sorry I may be clouding this thread with another issue. My audio is actually always instant on. It's my video that stutters. Literally.
This is upon starting playback or pausing/restarting.

barnabas, maybe look into a refresh rate difference between MC interface and it's video playback. I have both mine set to 59Hz. If they are not matched (one 59Hz the other 60Hz), I get a two second black screen transitioning between interface and playback.

[barnabas1969]

barnabas, maybe look into a refresh rate difference between MC interface and it's video playback. I have both mine set to 59Hz. If they are not matched (one 59Hz the other 60Hz), I get a two second black screen transitioning between interface and playback.

Thanks. I never thought of that as a possibility. The TV displays 60Hz on both, but I bet it's really 59.994 on video playback. It wasn't a problem until I got the AVR. My old AVR didn't have HDMI switching. But I'll see what I can do.

[STC]

Yes, my F8500 Samsung TV identifies 59.9Hz as 60Hz. Yours the same.

[bobjones687]

I may be missing something here, but if the problem was the TV, wouldn't I have the same problem when I play movies, etc. through WMC or media browser? Or is there something else involved in watching TV (even previously recorded TV) that comes into play and messes things up?

[barnabas1969]

I may be missing something here, but if the problem was the TV, wouldn't I have the same problem when I play movies, etc. through WMC or media browser? Or is there something else involved in watching TV (even previously recorded TV) that comes into play and messes things up?

WMC definitely does things differently than other programs. I'm not saying that there is something "wrong" with your TV, just that it may need to re-sync the audio... and it may not do that quickly.

[bobjones687]

Sorry, I may not have been clear. The only program I'm running is WMC. WMC plays back movies and other files on my computer without any issue. WMC only has a problem with what is, or at one time was, broadcast as a television signal. The exact same piece of software plays non-TV files without any error, but live or recorded TV has the pause.

Now does my question make more sense? If the TV is the issue, why would it only affect television playback, and not other files?

[STC]

Do you have another PC you can play a .wtv file on?
What is you tuner card?

[bobjones687]

Do you have another PC you can play a .wtv file on?
What is you tuner card?

Yes. I just copied one over and played it on this computer without any issues. Starting, pausing, unpausing - all worked without any glitches.

I've got a Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe.

[tony_park]

I have the same, however in my case, its when the signal starts to play, it takes my AVR a couple of seconds to detect the audio channel, and change to ac3 playback - it only happens for HD channels. SD channels play fine straight from the start.

[barnabas1969]

Do you have another PC you can play a .wtv file on?
What is you tuner card?

Yes. I just copied one over and played it on this computer without any issues. Starting, pausing, unpausing - all worked without any glitches.

I've got a Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe.

Did you connect the 2nd computer to the same TV?

[STC]

I have the same, however in my case, its when the signal starts to play, it takes my AVR a couple of seconds to detect the audio channel, and change to ac3 playback - it only happens for HD channels. SD channels play fine straight from the start.

Interesting. Here nearly all channels/programming are DD on SD or HD.

[STC]

Yes. I just copied one over and played it on this computer without any issues. Starting, pausing, unpausing - all worked without any glitches.

I've got a Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe.

Possibility: Do you have any codec packs installed?