Occasional stuttering in 1080p playback - is it DXVA2?

I'm experiencing some occasional stuttering playing back 24p content at 24hz in XBMC. It's H.264 video encoded at about 15mbps. Here's my current rig (overkill for HTPC - I also use it for gaming, so I didn't think I'd have problems with video playback of all things):

Intel Core i5 3570k (Ivy Bridge)
GeForce GTX 670 (connected via HDMI to this, using to pass both video and audio)
8GB RAM

The stuttering doesn't happen often, but it's often enough to be annoyed that this high-end rig can't play it as smooth as butter. I have DXVA2 enabled in the playback settings thinking my GPU would be able to handle this, but after reading some other threads I'm going to try turning it off and trying it. Can the i5 Ivy Bridge (with the HD 4000 graphics) handle this type of movie playback? Unfortunately I'm not at home right now and can't try it myself until next week, so I figured I'd post on these forums to see if anybody else with a similar rig has run into any of these problems.

I guess my other question is this - if DXVA2 is enabled, I'm assuming the GeForce GPU is processing the video. If running through the GPU is causing the issue, is there a way to keep DXVA2 running, but through the CPU's HD 4000 instead of the GPU?

(2012-09-01 01:56)yanathin Wrote:  Can the i5 Ivy Bridge (with the HD 4000 graphics) handle this type of movie playback?

It is more than enough for HTPC. I have no problem playback blu-ray 1080P video and bitstreaming HD audio using Sandy Bridge iGPU.......

For Intel iGPU, you need to do as below-

- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output

Thank you! That was extremely helpful. I'll give it a shot as soon as I can. I can still keep my HDMI cable plugged into my GPU even though it's not really going to be used, right? Also, What's the benefit of using a full screen window instead of true full screen? I can't remember to what mine is set (whatever the default is), but I'm just curious. Oh, one more thing. What is this bitstreaming HD audio you're raving about? Is it something I can enable if the audio's coming through my HDMI port on my GPU?

Enable "Use fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" telling XBMC to use slower Directx mode, and it allow user to share display with other apps (which mean, XBMC can be used in a second LCD while user is working on apps on the first LCD)......Enable "Use fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC system/system/vdeo output will often (not always though) result in tearing.

If you want to know how to setup XBMC for bitstreaming, you check out this thread- Windows How to Bitstreaming using XBMC.........

Hi there

I'm also messing around trying to figure out the best setting for video playback in XBMC. I've built a brand new HTPC with an i3-3220.
I've watched two movies so far and with my current options (DXVA2 enabled / use fullscreen enabled, software rendering AUTO) I had in some scenes (where a fast camera movement takes place) a bit off stuttering.

So bluray, are you saying that the above described options
-------------
- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output
-------------
are the best for this setup, is this correct?
I don't understand a lot about the technical terms in this case, but it's kinda hard to believe that software rendering is superior to hardware rendering. So why is this the case?

(2012-10-10 23:45)ecopsorn Wrote:  Hi there

I'm also messing around trying to figure out the best setting for video playback in XBMC. I've built a brand new HTPC with an i3-3220.
I've watched two movies so far and with my current options (DXVA2 enabled / use fullscreen enabled, software rendering AUTO) I had in some scenes (where a fast camera movement takes place) a bit off stuttering.

So bluray, are you saying that the above described options
-------------
- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output
-------------
are the best for this setup, is this correct?
I don't understand a lot about the technical terms in this case, but it's kinda hard to believe that software rendering is superior to hardware rendering. So why is this the case?

Yes, it is correct.....

Quote:Yes, it is correct.....

Thanks, gonna try it out.

(2012-09-01 03:09)bluray Wrote:  

(2012-09-01 01:56)yanathin Wrote:  Can the i5 Ivy Bridge (with the HD 4000 graphics) handle this type of movie playback?

It is more than enough for HTPC. I have no problem playback blu-ray 1080P video and bitstreaming HD audio using Sandy Bridge iGPU.......

For Intel iGPU, you need to do as below-

- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output

I dunno bluray, I'm gonna have to disagree with you here. Occasional stuttering may well be to do with 24p playback issues, which I don't think any GPU has got completely right yet. What you're saying is to disable hardware acceleration completely, and handle playback completely with the CPU, which is certainly possible with an i5 (and probably an i3), but it isn't optimal, as you get more CPU usage (obviously) and so more heat.

I'd still use true fullscreen, as he's not using an external player. OP, update both your Intel and nVidia graphics drivers. I would guess, seeing as you're on a desktop, that you don't have a switchable graphics solution (like I have in my laptop), so your nVidia discrete card is doing the decoding with DXVA enabled. I'd have a play around in the nVidia control panel, and the XBMC Video settings screen before you jump the gun and just disable DXVA completely. Some have good results toggling "Adjust display refresh rate..." etc., others have good results going to Program Files, xbmc.exe and disabling window composition under compatibility settings.

All I'm saying is that it definitely is possible to get smooth (enough) hardware accelerated (DXVA) playback on AMD and nVidia cards, so OP (yanathin) should be fine, with some minor tweaking. I have an AMD HD6450 myself with DXVA enabled and can vouch for this. Intel iGPUs may be a little trickier, but as ecopsorn has a 3rd generation Intel iGPU with HD4000 graphics I *think* 24p playback should also be smooth when accelerated.

In short, I'm completely disagreeing with bluray here (), and saying you should both leave DXVA and true fullscreen on. I would think it's other options within XBMC that you might need to fiddle with if you're getting micro-stuttering.

Also, if you want HD audio bitstreaming, you'll need a pre-12.0 alpha build (one of the monthly snapshots) or a nightly build. These are great in that they are the "bleeding edge" of XBMC, as it were, and there's lots of features and bug fixes in there that just aren't in 11.0, but they do have bugs of their own, because they're not stable releases. Personally I couldn't go back to 11.0 having tried pre-12.0, but that's just me =].

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  

(2012-09-01 03:09)bluray Wrote:  

(2012-09-01 01:56)yanathin Wrote:  Can the i5 Ivy Bridge (with the HD 4000 graphics) handle this type of movie playback?

It is more than enough for HTPC. I have no problem playback blu-ray 1080P video and bitstreaming HD audio using Sandy Bridge iGPU.......

For Intel iGPU, you need to do as below-

- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output

I dunno bluray, I'm gonna have to disagree with you here. Occasional stuttering may well be to do with 24p playback issues, which I don't think any GPU has got completely right yet. What you're saying is to disable hardware acceleration completely, and handle playback completely with the CPU, which is certainly possible with an i5 (and probably an i3), but it isn't optimal, as you get more CPU usage (obviously) and so more heat.

The stuttering causes by DXVA2 are more frequent than 24p bug. 24p is a known issue for all GPU's. I and some others don't notice 24p issue on my screen using Intel iGPU. DXVA2 + XBMC is known issue too. I get stutters with DXVA2 enabled on my i3 laptop, i5&G530 desktops. With DXVA2 disabled, I don't notice stutter. The G530 can handle 1080p fine with DXVA2 disabled, and I don't have any issue with heat in the ultra small form factor case.

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  I'd still use true fullscreen, as he's not using an external player. OP, update both your Intel and nVidia graphics drivers. I would guess, seeing as you're on a desktop, that you don't have a switchable graphics solution (like I have in my laptop), so your nVidia discrete card is doing the decoding with DXVA enabled. I'd have a play around in the nVidia control panel, and the XBMC Video settings screen before you jump the gun and just disable DXVA completely. Some have good results toggling "Adjust display refresh rate..." etc., others have good results going to Program Files, xbmc.exe and disabling window composition under compatibility settings.

OP wanted to try his HD4000 iGPU, which mean Nvidia out of the loop. The update and configurations are suggested in post #2.

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  All I'm saying is that it definitely is possible to get smooth (enough) hardware accelerated (DXVA) playback on AMD and nVidia cards, so OP (yanathin) should be fine, with some minor tweaking. I have an AMD HD6450 myself with DXVA enabled and can vouch for this. Intel iGPUs may be a little trickier, but as ecopsorn has a 3rd generation Intel iGPU with HD4000 graphics I *think* 24p playback should also be smooth when accelerated.

In short, I'm completely disagreeing with bluray here (), and saying you should both leave DXVA and true fullscreen on. I would think it's other options within XBMC that you might need to fiddle with if you're getting micro-stuttering.

I don't have issue with DXVA2 enabled on my AMD and Nvidia GPU's either, but different system is different in many ways. For me, stuttering is not acceptable. Since OP had issue with his Nvidia card, it doesn't hurt to try his very capable Intel HD4000 iGPU. If HD4000 work fine without Nvidia card, it will be less heat and power in his system too.....

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  Also, if you want HD audio bitstreaming, you'll need a pre-12.0 alpha build (one of the monthly snapshots) or a nightly build. These are great in that they are the "bleeding edge" of XBMC, as it were, and there's lots of features and bug fixes in there that just aren't in 11.0, but they do have bugs of their own, because they're not stable releases. Personally I couldn't go back to 11.0 having tried pre-12.0, but that's just me =].

The bitstreaming option I suggested in post #4 works flawless on my system and other users have no problem with it either. I don't like to mess around with Nightlies. When I tried it a month ago, it wasn't stable on my system......for now, I stick to what work....!

(2012-10-11 22:28)bluray Wrote:  

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  

(2012-09-01 03:09)bluray Wrote:  It is more than enough for HTPC. I have no problem playback blu-ray 1080P video and bitstreaming HD audio using Sandy Bridge iGPU.......

For Intel iGPU, you need to do as below-

- Download the latest Intel driver from here- Automatically identify and find drivers
- Disable DXVA2 but select software as Renderer Method, and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback
- Enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than true fullscreen" in XBMC settings/system/video output

I dunno bluray, I'm gonna have to disagree with you here. Occasional stuttering may well be to do with 24p playback issues, which I don't think any GPU has got completely right yet. What you're saying is to disable hardware acceleration completely, and handle playback completely with the CPU, which is certainly possible with an i5 (and probably an i3), but it isn't optimal, as you get more CPU usage (obviously) and so more heat.

The stuttering causes by DXVA2 are more frequent than 24p bug. 24p is a known issue for all GPU's. I and some others don't notice 24p issue on my screen using Intel iGPU. DXVA2 + XBMC is known issue too. I get stutters with DXVA2 enabled on my i3 laptop, i5&G530 desktops. With DXVA2 disabled, I don't notice stutter. The G530 can handle 1080p fine with DXVA2 disabled, and I don't have any issue with heat in the ultra small form factor case.

(2012-10-11 19:19)StartCodon Wrote:  I'd still use true fullscreen, as he's not using an external player. OP, update both your Intel and nVidia graphics drivers. I would guess, seeing as you're on a desktop, that you don't have a switchable graphics solution (like I have in my laptop), so your nVidia discrete card is doing the decoding with DXVA enabled. I'd have a play around in the nVidia control panel, and the XBMC Video settings screen before you jump the gun and just disable DXVA completely. Some have good results toggling "Adjust display refresh rate..." etc., others have good results going to Program Files, xbmc.exe and disabling window composition under compatibility settings.

OP wanted to try his HD4000 iGPU, which mean Nvidia out of the loop. The update and configurations are suggested in post #2.

Except that by disabling DXVA, you're not using the iGPU and so not using hardware acceleration. You're using the CPU and software rendering. To get hardware accelerated playback, OP would realistically have to use his nVidia card (which is no bad thing, as it's more than capable). I would suspect it's a setting that needs tweaking and/or a driver update (to his nVidia card).
Edit: You say yourself in your bitstreaming thread: "Enable DXVA2 with DXVA as Renderer Method and disable everything else in XBMC settings/video/playback". I bet it's one of those settings that's causing the stuttering (can't say what settings are there right now, as I'm a few hundred miles from my setup!)

For some people software playback gives the best results, and it's typically the most reliable option if all else fails. I'm just saying that in my experience, hardware accelerated playback gives the best results in terms of CPU usage, heat, noise and power consumption.

To those with stuttering problems: you can press the "O" key during playback to see realtime playback stats, which might be helpful. Also, is your media all local? (i.e. not network-streamed)