[Csimbi]

I installed XBMCbuntu (using the ISO from the official site; Ubuntu 11.10) - and I installed all updates.
I even managed to fix the audio not working using a few hits I found on Google.
I did not find a way to fix crackling and hangs when a HD movie (MKV with DTS or better track) starts/stops.
I do not understand why the HD family videos (MTS) are now choppy.
But these are not the issue I worry about right now (I list these in case they might be related).

The issue that I want to fix first is this: When I play a DVD from an ISO (not from disk; did not even try a disk) via the networked Samba NAS running Ubuntu 12, the playback speed varies.
It is not choppy, it's just that once every sec or so the normal video playback speed is accelerated for a short time.
Another second, another acceleration - spikes in playback speeds every second.
Sort of like this:
http://www.jimdirectory.com/1/53_2.jpg
It's pretty bad as it twists your senses after watching it for 20 mins or so. My kids want to watch their DVDs all the time but I cannot not let them after they puked all over my couch (possibly from the dizziness caused by constant playback speed variations). It breaks my heart to have to say no to them all the time.

I tried every possible combination the following settings:
- 60FPS vs 24FPS
- Adjust display refresh rate to match video
- Sync playback to display
- A/V sync method
Nothing helped.
What I did notice is that when I hit 'O' (to display information during feedback), the 'Error' field (the last field of the last line that is) is changing rapidly: 100%, 200%, 300%, etc and it follows the pattern of the playback speed changes.
I did not have any issues of such nature with XBMC in the past and this was supposed to be an improvement rather than a setback - so I am bit sour because I don't feel like reinstalling XBMC again.
Any recommendations on fixing the DVD playback speed variation?
Thank you!

[artrafael]

Have you tried playing one of these ISO files from the local disk of your XBMC system (to remove the network factor) to see if the same problem occurs? What about playing the actual DVD disc (you said you didn't try this) just to rule out any possible issues with the rip?

[Csimbi]

There is no optical drive in the system, so I cannot check physical disk. I can take it out from my main PC and try it with that.

I copied over a random disk (A Fish Called Wanda); same result as the kid's DVDs. Playback speed varies and error counter is increasing.

One thing to note is that the old XBMC system played these all right (that was Ubuntu 9.10 on both the player and the server).

Can I capture some logs that might help pinning it down (how and which logs would be helpful)?

Thank you.

[artrafael]

Can I capture some logs that might help pinning it down (how and which logs would be helpful)?

Yes, that will be very helpful. Enable debug logging in XBMC and then play your ISO file for a bit so it goes through at least one of these cycles. Upload the debug log (wiki) to a public paste site (such as pastebin.com) and post the URL to the log in your reply here.

[gpborges]

Hey guys, I'm also desperate looking for a solution to have smooth DVD playback as I had in Ubuntu 10.04 + XBMC Dharma. I've been posting debug logs in 2 other threads but didn't see activitiy there. I'm willing to help debug this and I did test it with both ISO files and physical DVD disks (protected).

At the moment I'm ripping one of my Prison Break oficial DVDs to ISO to see if it might be anything related to the copyright stuff (and yes, I do have libdvdcss installed). Please take a look at the debug logs I've post in these 2 threads:

[LINUX] Iso/DVD files playback issues
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=117828

Linux Choppy playback / Video stutter with Eden
http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=131393&page=3

Lets try to stick in one of these threads to solve this...

Thx!