stuttering and choppy playback
#1
Is there a sticky for troubleshooting stuttering and choppy playback?

A few months ago, with Eden, my HTPC played all Blu-Ray ISOs just fine. Since then, I made two changes to my HTPC:

  1. I installed a Frodo nightly (end of month) which was verified to work with these same ISOs on my MAIN PC.
  2. I un-installed all that useless PowerDVD stuff I was previously using to play Blu-Ray ISOs.

Now, I am getting stuttering and choppy playback on my HTPC. I rolled back to the version of Eden which was previously working and that too is choppy. I've spent days adjusting every possible kind of audio and video setting (interlacing, stereo, DTS HD, etc...) to no avail.

Yes, I backed up my databases but I didn't think there was a way to back up settings. The bottom line is that I need to get this thing playing Blu-Ray ISOs again.

I'm done with trial and error. What I'm looking for is a step-by-step was to troubleshoot and solve these problems. Anyone?
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#2
Here some tips- Simplify XBMC configurations......
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
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#3
Unfortunately, these tips did not bring about any sort of solution.
  • I have NVIDIA ION, so I enabled "Allow hardware acceleration (DXVA2)" and select "Auto detect" as Render method in XBMC system/settings/video/playback
  • I am using HTPC-->AVR-->HDTV via two HDMI cables but, when I select Audio output device "WASAPI" in XBMC system/settings/system/audio output, I hear nothing. When I select Audio output device "DirectSound" in XBMC system/settings/system/audio output ... which is supposed to be for HTPC-->HDTV via HDMI cable ... I hear sound but the picture is still in slow motion.
  • I am NOT using an external player. I am using XBMC directly, so I did NOT enable "Use a fullscreen window rather than tru fullscreen" in XBMC system/settings/system/video output.

Anyone else have additional suggestions to help me restore my ability to play blu ray ISOs again?
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#4
Have you update Nvidia latest driver from here- Download Driver Manager and get Nvidia driver updates? There are several WASAPI HDMI output options in XBMC audio output system settings, and you should try all of them. You need to make sure that the correct HDMI output is selected in control panel playback device too.

While playback you can bring up audio settings as shown below to make sure that the correct audio output is selected. Some guy in here using Frodo, and it selected the wrong audio output in this setting....

Image
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#5
My nvidia driver was suspiciously updated ... unbeknownst to me ... on 10/2/12. Poking around in Windows 7 audio settings, I found out that it was no longer configured to 5.1. I corrected that.

There are four available audio devices in xbmc:
  1. HDMI WASAPI AVR DENON
  2. HDMI DirectSound AVR DENON
  3. SPDIF WASAPI AVR DENON
  4. SPDIF DirectSound AVR DENON

I am ignoring the spdif selections as nothing is hooked up there. This only leaves me with HDMI WASAPI and HDMI DirectSound. WASAPI gives me no sound and the video still stutters. DirectSound gives me sound. DirectSound also now has no stuttering (because of the above 5.1 change) for some of my video files.

Now, I have three types of videos in my library:
  1. HDTV .ts files - these were stuttering until I made the above changes
  2. DVD ISO - these were stuttering until I made the above changes
  3. Blu Ray ISO - these still do not play ... regardless of settings

Any other ideas?
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#6
WASAPI is the preferred setting for best quality, and is needed if you wish to playback HD Audio.

Check you Windows setting against this http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Win...udioEngine

From your description you could be missing the two Exclusive Mode check boxes being ticked.

Do you know if you've ION1 or ION2? as ION1 does not support bitstreaming HD Audio so you'll need to untick the HD Audio formats (TrueHD & DTS-HD) within XBMC.

If you not sure if it's ION1 or ION2 then tells us what you are using for your XBMC box.
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#7
(2012-11-29, 17:02)jaja714 Wrote: I am ignoring the spdif selections as nothing is hooked up there. This only leaves me with HDMI WASAPI and HDMI DirectSound. WASAPI gives me no sound and the video still stutters.

Any other ideas?
Have you try other WASAPI options as shown below? It would be Nvidia HDMI output on your HTC instead of AMD as shown below....

Image

or try the settings below-

Image


>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#8
Suspecting that my problems are related to nvidia's "automatic" driver update. I googled "nvidia ion 1080p stutter" and came up with an interesting hit, http://www.cccp-project.net/forums/index...pic=5847.0. This EXACTLY describes my problem and details a solution which involved rolling back the driver.

What's confusing me here is that the post is dated 2011, long before the nvidia ion update of 10/2012. Either way, I decided to rollback my driver and reboot. This did not fix my blur ray ISO stuttering playback issue.

Anyone else have any ideas?
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#9
(2012-11-29, 18:13)jjd-uk Wrote: WASAPI is the preferred setting for best quality, and is needed if you wish to playback HD Audio.

Check you Windows setting against this http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Win...udioEngine

From your description you could be missing the two Exclusive Mode check boxes being ticked.

Do you know if you've ION1 or ION2? as ION1 does not support bitstreaming HD Audio so you'll need to untick the HD Audio formats (TrueHD & DTS-HD) within XBMC.

If you not sure if it's ION1 or ION2 then tells us what you are using for your XBMC box.

WASAPI doesn't work for any video (.ts, DVD, or Blu Ray). DirectSound does allow me to play DVD and .ts. Just to humor you, I will set it for WASAPI (audio and passthru) like you say.

My Windows settings exactly match the link you provided. Exclusive mode check boxes have always been checked.

I have no way of knowing ION1 or ION2 but I have unticked the HD Audio formats (TrueHD & DTS-HD). I have an Acer Aspire R3700 which has always been able to play Blu Ray ISOs in 5.1 until the past few months (as the above thread details).

PROBLEM NOT SOLVED. Actually, it is worse because with WASAPI, I can no longer play .ts or DVD.

More ideas pease?
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#10
FYI: I can confirm that I was able to play 5.1 blu-ray content on 10/27/2012 as Madagascar 3 was the last blu-ray I successfully watched.
Is there any chance this could be related to removal of the stupid PowerDVD9 OEM Suite from my system?
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#11
Also, my AVR is a Denon AVR-591. As per the Owner's manual it has High-definition audio support--Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz for front height effects channels.

Why don't these HD formats appear in the Windows Sound Supported Formats list?
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#12
(2012-11-29, 21:03)jaja714 Wrote: Also, my AVR is a Denon AVR-591. As per the Owner's manual it has High-definition audio support--Dolby TruHD, DTS-HD Master Audio, and Dolby Pro Logic IIz for front height effects channels.

Why don't these HD formats appear in the Windows Sound Supported Formats list?
Since it is stuttering after you installed Frodo, maybe it is time to un-install XBMC completely and re-install Eden from scratch.....

I'm not familiar with Nvidia Ion. If you want to bistream with Eden, you check out my thread- Windows How to Bitstreaming using XBMC.........
>Alienware X51- do it all HTPC
>Simplify XBMC configurations
>HOW-TO Bitstreaming using XBMC
I refused to watch movie without bitstreaming HD audio!
Reply
#13
SUMMARY

MAJOR ISSUE:
  1. cannot play Blu-Ray content anymore

MINOR (related) ISSUES:
  1. DirectSound works for DVD and .ts ... why doesn't WASAPI work?
  2. Denon AVR-591 supportd HD Audio (DTS-HD, etc...) ... why aren't those HD formats listed in Sound->Supported Formats?
  3. Is there any chance this could be related to removal of the stupid PowerDVD9 OEM Suite from my system?
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#14
(2012-11-29, 21:36)bluray Wrote: Since it is stuttering after you installed Frodo, maybe it is time to un-install XBMC completely and re-install Eden from scratch.....

I'm not familiar with Nvidia Ion. If you want to bistream with Eden, you check out my thread- Windows How to Bitstreaming using XBMC.........

I tried re-installing Eden before and that didn't work. Following your suggestion, I did the following:
  1. uninstalled Frodo
  2. renamed %APPDATA%\XBMC to %APPDATA%\FRODO (saving it and moving it out of the way)
  3. reinstalled EDEN
  4. adjusted a few EDEN settings (HDMI, 5.1, etc...)
  5. played my Raiders Of The Lost Ark Blu-Ray ISO
Voila! ... all is working now in glorious 5.1 1080p!

I have a feeling FRODO was suspect all along and reinstalling EDEN on top of FRODO was an insufficient roll-back strategy. We should all make a note to uninstall first as part of any XBMC roll-back.
Will I ever be able to upgrade to FRODO because of my hardware? I need FRODO so that my movies can be sorted by file create date. Sorting by date added is insufficient because EDEN loads videos alphabetically (because that's the way Windows sorts them).
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#15
There could have been a problem introduced during the upgrade.

Have you got any Realtek drivers install? if so uninstall them so you've only got the Nvidia HDMI audio device in Windows.

Install Frodo again but this time to a new directory so

Eden is in C:/Program files/XBMC/

Frodo is in something like C:/Program Files/XBMC-Frodo/

Go into the XBMC Frodo directory and create a sohrtcut to XBMC.exe

Right click on shortcut select Properties and in the Target: box you should have "C:/Program Files/XBMC-Frodo/XBMC.exe"

Change this to: "C:/Program Files/XBMC-Frodo/XBMC.exe" -p

The -p will cause XBMC to start in Portable Mode and create a new directory in the install directory to hold your Userdata for example C:/Program Files/XBMC-Frodo/portable_data

Now you've a Frodo install that can be run independently without affecting your Eden install until you get your Frodo issues sorted.

The Acer Revo 3700 is ION2 I believe so should be able to bitstream HD Audio, but these need to be displayed in the Supported Formats tab within Windows before XBMC can play them, so for the moment untick the TrueHD & DTS-HD and test again with the new Frodo install.

If you've still got problem with WASAPI then you'll need to create a debug log, refer to http://wiki.xbmc.org/index.php?title=Log_file

Basically enable the logging.
Close XBMC then start XBMC again (this starts a new log file).
Try to Play something then once done close XBMC again to finish log.
Post the log to one of the pastebin sites suggested in the wiki entry.
Then you can start XBMC and disable logging if you wish.

The reason the HD Audio formats may not be appearing in Windows is that there could be a HDMI handshaking issue between the Revo & Denon via the EDID information, if so you'll need to override the EDID info. For help on this you'll need to head to AVSForums, the relevant threads are:

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1227161/edid-o...-ati-5xxxs

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1091403/edid-override-thread



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