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ATV2 and XBMC bufferring - Printable Version

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- roygbiv - 2011-02-11

Yeah, 720P streams constantly buffer using SMB for me. If I use PS3 Media Server on my PC (it uses UPnP) everything streams perfect, even 11-12 gig 1080 streams.


- rflores2323 - 2011-02-11

So would it be ok to assume if I install PS3 media server on ubuntu 10.04 and add the sources under UPnP that I would not have stuttering issues on the atv2? at least less than using SMB shares. How hard is it to install the PS3 media server? what benefits does it have?


- roygbiv - 2011-02-11

I would give it a shot. It's not too difficult. I've run it on Ubuntu before, if I remember right I just decompressed it to a folder and executed the PS.sh from the command line. Make sure Java is installed on your system, as PS3 Media Server requires it. I think you may also need to install mplayer. All these can be installed using apt-get.

The only benefit I can see right now is the lack of buffering compared to SMB. Other then that the cons that i've found are:

1. Library mode doesn't seem to work.

2. If you add a new file to your media directory you have to restart PS3 Media Server for the file to be visible in XBMC.

I am going to experiment with other UPnP servers to see if either of these issues are alleviated, that is if SMB doesn't start working for me in another build. I would much rather be using SMB for the sake of convenience.


- Doombelly - 2011-02-11

I just testet this and still got buffering under UPnP. The same as with SMB.


- rflores2323 - 2011-02-14

anyone else tried?


- lukenukem - 2011-02-14

roygbiv Wrote:If I stream the same movies on the ATV2 connecting via UPnP by way of running PS3 Media Server software on the PC I get no stuttering, at all. This includes 1080p rips of movies, with DTS sound. It's beautiful.

After reading your post I immediately tried your method myself. Where SMB didn't allow me to stream any 720p or 1080p without constant buffering, PS3 Media Server sometimes does.

However, I have found that only h.264-files stream perfectly, but all other files still buffer (be it less than before). PS3 Media Server offers to transcode those files, but outputs in a codec that is still different from h.264 and thus my video still buffers.

This is consistent with what is said on this forum, about the AppleTV only supporting h.264 for hardware decoding, and using software decoding for anything else.

So my question is, do you too have difficulty streaming 720p or 1080p non-h.264-files?
Or did you find some way to make it work?


- Majestic - 2011-02-14

I also have a Strange Problem:

I previously had a 4.2.1 ferneres jailbreak. I installed ATV Flash and so xbmc. I Updates the xbmc with the nightlies from the sticky. Everything went fine.

I now did a fresh restore and Run greenpoison untethered. Now i also installed xbmc ladest nightly and i have buffering issues at mkv Files through the Same smb share.

What can it be?


- roygbiv - 2011-02-14

non h.264 files are fine for me, but the only ones I have are SD Xvid so they shouldnt tax the network or the ATV2 itself.

I have run into an issue where sometimes PS3 Media Server tries to transcode to XBMC when it shouldn't. WHen that happens I do get severe buffering.. sometimes restarting PS3 Media Server helps and the same file won't be transcoded. You can tell if PS3 Media Server is going to transcode when the file name has something like [Mencoder*] appended to the file name. If its just the file name (movie.mkv) then it's not transcoding and you are fine.

Using another UPnP server like Serviio alleviates this because you can explicitly turn all transcoding off. However I keep using PS3 Media Server because its the only one I've found that lets me sort all the newest files to the top which is much more convenient for me.

Either way I wish SMB worked well for me, then I could scrape AND get proper date sorting.

PS: Also wanted to add that if PS3 Media Server IS transcoding you can see more buffering because depending on how it is set up it can actually increase a movies bit-rate greatly.. (i.e. a 12Mbs movie might be streamed at rates of 60Mbs+).


- lukenukem - 2011-02-14

Thanks for your response, Roygbiv.

I'm actually only talking about 720p and 1080p files. 480p (SD) files work just fine, even if they're not h.264. And 720p and 1080p that are in h.264 work fine too. However, I haven't been able to play a 720p or 1080p file that wasn't h.264. But I take it you haven't either?

I am fully sure that the problem is in the AppleTV itself, as my CPU only raises to 30% during transcoding. The bitrate can't be the problem, as I am able to play h.264-files in HD and PS3 Media Server tells me the bitrate of a transcoded file isn't really higher than that. Also, my directly wired AppleTV should be able to send and receive at about 90 Mbs.

So I am left at this:
Is the AppleTV at this time fundamentally incapable of playing non-h.264 files at 720p or 1080p?

By some posts on this forum I take it it is, but reading your post I was hoping that you had figured out how to do it. Smile


- Roland Deschain - 2011-02-15

I am using a Buffalo Linkstation pro, running on a gigabit network and I find the ATV2 running XBMC almost unusable. The Linkstation pro is known for its high transfer speeds, and the same movies play perfectly using the ATV2 with share activated streaming from iTunes. All these movies play perfectly and start almost instantly using XBMC on my PC streaming from the linkstation pro. I have tried several files, but most keep buffering or stuttering.

I really wanted XBMC to to work, and bought the ATV2 just for this purpose. I think that the original xbox that I had running xbmc worked better than the ATV2. I don't have a dedicated HTPC, but maybe that is the only way XBMC is going to be able to satisfy my needs. Just hope I can return the ATV2.


- systemx - 2011-02-15

No one forced you to buy an Apple TV, and certainly no one forced you to hack it. Return it if your dissatisfied or be grateful for the amount of work put by those trying to get it running correctly, But please stop the bitching.


- lukenukem - 2011-02-15

Jeez, the guy's just bummed out after buying something that doesn't do the things he wants it to do.
He's not blaming anyone for that, he just regrets buying one. It is a free country, you know.


- Roland Deschain - 2011-02-15

Please don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed XBMC for years. It is the best application that I have found for video playback. I am just disappointed that the ATV2 is not able to replace my PC for watching movies.

I purchased a WD media player that I hoped would do the job also, but it has problems updating my upnp share. Purchased a mid range sony blu-ray player thinking that it would stream video from my nas like the PS3, its a no go. I was really hoping that the ATV2 would satisfy my needs because I enjoy the XBMC interface.


- Eliah - 2011-02-15

Roland Deschain Wrote:Please don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed XBMC for years. It is the best application that I have found for video playback. I am just disappointed that the ATV2 is not able to replace my PC for watching movies.

I purchased a WD media player that I hoped would do the job also, but it has problems updating my upnp share. Purchased a mid range sony blu-ray player thinking that it would stream video from my nas like the PS3, its a no go. I was really hoping that the ATV2 would satisfy my needs because I enjoy the XBMC interface.

Try the latest nightly, my buffering issues with 720p seems to have stopped after that Wink


- AlessandroSS - 2011-02-15

Eliah Wrote:Try the latest nightly, my buffering issues with 720p seems to have stopped after that Wink
Where can i find the procedure to updated to the latest night build? Thanks!