ATV2 XBMC Jittering, Choppy Playback SMB

Hello, this is my first time writing here even thou i follow the forum when troubleshooting issues.

Just wanted to share a few things which some people might have already realised and sorted on their own.

Biggest concern to me when using XBMC on HTPC or ATV2 was an issue when watching a movie hosted from NAS or PC over the network.

I am very picky and always noticed that my video playback is never smooth.

i done heaps of test to get it sorted but never did.

One of the biggest notices recently was when watching Cowboy vs Aliens movie. At the begging theres a slow motion picture of Desert and it seems very choppy.

After lots of trial an error i found changing Audio/Video in ATV2 to 16Bit and Coaxial/Optical in XBMC fixed the problem imediatly also found that using Sync Back DropDupe option really leaned out the quality.
Video now plays exactly the same as it does when rented from iTunes store.

i rebooted ATV2 heaps of times to verify the fix and it works.

Does anyone else experience such issues and fixed it same way i did?

regards

Ross

Hi Rostic,

I have my ATV2 set to 16 bit and use coax/optical in XBMC.

However, Sync Back DropDupe, whats this? How do I set this?

Thanks in advance.

G

If i understand you right your picture quility wasent good, if so i have the exact same thing when watching on my apt2 xbmc the picture is bad, if i watch it on the computer it is perfect what can that be?

GnarusLeo Wrote:Hi Rostic,

I have my ATV2 set to 16 bit and use coax/optical in XBMC.

However, Sync Back DropDupe, whats this? How do I set this?

Thanks in advance.

G

It's under video settings a/v sync method Video Clock (Drop/Dupe audio)

Yes!!

The Drop Dupe option took away all of my stuttering worries. Amazing, thank you!

However, I am unfortunately still experiencing the ocasional buffering.

Sometimes with intervals on 1-2 minutes, but then suddenly, on the same movie, it playbacks for 10-15 minutes running fine. And the it may get it on again and so forth.

Dont understand this. I dont believe its buffering because the ATV2 is out of spec on the file (how will it then play smooth for 15 minutes straight?).

It has something to do with how XBMC utilize network (or perhaps how the ATV does it ..)

However, SMB is a pain for me, and AFP (using now) is somewhat better ..

Greetings, G

EDIT note:

I have my ATV on stone cold wire directly to a 1TB Time Capsule with all my movies.

GnarusLeo Wrote:Yes!!

The Drop Dupe option took away all of my stuttering worries. Amazing, thank you!

However, I am unfortunately still experiencing the ocasional buffering.

Sometimes with intervals on 1-2 minutes, but then suddenly, on the same movie, it playbacks for 10-15 minutes running fine. And the it may get it on again and so forth.

Dont understand this. I dont believe its buffering because the ATV2 is out of spec on the file (how will it then play smooth for 15 minutes straight?).

It has something to do with how XBMC utilize network (or perhaps how the ATV does it ..)

However, SMB is a pain for me, and AFP (using now) is somewhat better ..

Greetings, G

EDIT note:

I have my ATV on stone cold wire directly to a 1TB Time Capsule with all my movies.

Couldn't that just be related to variable framerates, which means some scenes have a higher bitrate, and therefor need for bandwidth, than other scenes?

It could, yes.

But my point being that I have run several other media centers (including WD TV Live) on this very same connection for years. Not one single time has the video stopped to buffer - which makes me wonder ...

Maybe the time capsule the cause of your problem? I red about this in other topics, where people had same problem and all had a time capsule network. Have you tried with another source for your movies, for example strem from a computer?

I had major issues with my Time Capsule (on a wired network). Don't know why, maybe someone hear can give a reason (or tell me I'm chatting rubbish).

But I eventually gave it up, got a new router with a USB host, and have a 1TB portable drive connected.
Now it works like a dream, even over Wireless-N.

As i have red in other topics, you are not the only with this problem. It's very strange that time capsule can give so many problems. I wonder waht can be the cause...