[AshMan]

I will run down my setup and how I use XBMC and then the issues I have.

Setup, I run a normal PC as a file server running OSX 10.6.8. I have it setup to use sharing via AFP and SMB. Computer runs great.
I have two Apple TV 1 and both connect to media folders on the server to play media files via XBMC Eden

Previously I ran windows 7 as my file server OS since it was quick and easy to setup the system only holds files. Being that I like to tinker I put Mac osx on instead and painstakingly converted the drivers to HFS+ since all computers in my house are macs I wanted them all to be more seamless.

I have separate folders for my organization as follows - My son;s tv shows, my sons movies, then my tv shows, and my movies are all main folders in XBMC.

I have all the movies in the movies folders without any subfolders, apart from series of movies, I.E. star wars, etc are in their own folder.

One of my apple tv's is using firecore ATVflash, the other is using the USB patch stick (from google code)

I use XBMC in file mode not library mode for the following reasons:
1. Library mode shows all my sons movies and my movies lumped together. I prefer file mode to keep them separated so he can choose his folder and view only his movies or shows. he just selects the dvd cover and off he goes. I just don't want him to have to search through 1000's of movies to find his in the library and don't want him trying to watch movies that are not for his age.
2. File mode works great for my needs, but my movies folder has over 1400 movies in it all in the same folder with thumbnails, fan art and nfo files. XBMC sees them all beautifully in file mode

Here are the issues at hand.
Slow movie loading performance browsing is fast, but actually starting and running the movie is slow, painfully so. computer is linked to router and atv via gigabit connection. atv 1 i believe does not use gigabit but the computer is connected to network at gigabit speed and not via wifi.

I have tried via afp and smb and it just takes forever to load movies or tv shows, sometimes a minute or more. I originally had afp and performance with starting a movie was the same as SMB. tried some settings in advanced settings and made no difference.

I did not have this issue prior to switching out the server for a machine running mac osx

I do not want to go through the process of moving all my files back to ntfs drives and run windows, but if need be I will do so. I would just prefer not to if possible. I am open to running something like FreeNAS if need be but would prefer proper desktop os. I would prefer mac os as I can use it with time machine and for a central itunes server for my itunes files.

What can I do to speed up movies loading and playing? any ideas?

[nokdim]

first off instead of using file mode you can setup different Profiles (wiki) for yourself and your son so you can each only see your own content but that is kind of besides the point.

If the issue started after you converted your server to OSX it sounds like an issue with your server machine.

Have you verified the port speed and duplex settings on both the switch side as well as your OSX box to make sure they are either hard coded to 1000/Full or auto on both sides and if it negotiated at a good speed like 100/Full or 1000/Full?

You are correct the ATV1 only supports 100 Full and you should probably check that connection as well.

Once you check out layer 1 we can head up the stack and see what else might be an issue

[Ned Scott]

Install or dualboot (via USB) Crystalbuntu (wiki), and throw in a Broadcom Crystal HD (wiki) card while you're at it (they're cheap on ebay). I've got two ATV1s like that myself, and a 3rd I just set up for my sister. I love them, and they're much much faster than running Eden on the original ATV OS.

This may or may not solve your network problem, which could be an entirely other issue, but I still highly recommend the above advice.

[AshMan]

ethernet says full duplex, flow control and has 1000BaseT listed.

As far as crystal buntu, I have considered going that route, and have also thought about the crystal hd cards, to be honest, I don't run 1080 or even 720p content or mkv files, and I do not have issue with my viewing experience either. but my main issue with not using it is with remote control. my onkyo remote wont emulate an apple remote, and cannot learn it. so I like that the apple tv os can learn it and allow me to use the onkyo remote with the apple tv instead of me having to use the little white remote which is always getting misplaced...

I have thought about profiles, but I wanted to try to keep it simple, which is why I have simple folders for my son and for me.

Would it help if I had the movies in their own folders within my movies folder instead of have over 1000 movie files and the nfo, thumb, and fanart files in a folder tallying that 1000 files into 4000 files in the folder?

I would be willing to try other things to get the movies to load faster. like I said it is only when selecting a movie does it actually take a long time to start playing. I can browse the movies easily and fast with no issue there. and even copying files to the media server is very fast from my laptop to the server (way faster to copy files than when I had windows 7 for a server that took 2 - 3 times as longs as the current setup). so I have a feeling it is either an issue with the firecore atv patch stick/xbmc or the still something on the server, maybe some setting I can change on xbmc or the atv somewhere that will speed it up or perhaps I have to not use osx for the server. but my preferred methoud would be to use osx so I can keep everything matched since I do not run any pc's anymore. I could do a test and try running windows 7 in a virtual machine or even do a dual boot and try it that way, but I would rather not spend that much work into it yet if there is another solution that does not involve using windows. I am open to linux or freeNas type of setup as long as it is fast and easy to use. again though as mentioned already osx has many advantages for me and one of them is utilizing screen sharing if I need to do any maintenance on the server I can do it from any system in the house. without any third party software and it works flawlessly for me.

I have yet to try a test with the other apple tv that is running the patchstick vs the fire core version. but I think it is the same. I will try to set aside some time to try it and time it to see.

And I have tried openelec on it as well but did not stay with it because of the remote issue. yeah I know I probably should just get a harmony remote and be done with that, but I prefer using the remote that came with my onkyo receiver.

[Glorious1]

I have thought about profiles, but I wanted to try to keep it simple, which is why I have simple folders for my son and for me.

Yet another option is to set up two sources, one for you and one for your son. Your source can be locked. When he gets on he just chooses Movies to get into the Movie Library and sees only his own. You make a playlist for yourself that is limited to your source. You get on, choose your playlist, unlock your source with the left-hand menu if it is locked, and you just see your movies.

EDIT: since you are networked, not sure this would work if he is using it while you are and your source is unlocked.

[nokdim]

Yeah I have a similar delay (not as long maybe 10 seconds) with a folder that I have lots of files/folders in instead of having things in separate folders but I also don't have 4000+ files.
It is kind of a pain but if you can get everything moved into a folder might be your best option.

Also since you have different content for yourself and your son maybe have separate folders for each of your content so like:

Movies/Dad Content/Movie Name/Movie Name (year).ext
Movies/Son Content/Movie Name/Movie Name (year).ext

And you can have 2 different sources defined and if you ever move to the library or profiles it will be easier for you to define what is what...

[j2048b]

Just set up parental control on ur folder of movies!! There is an add on out there, ive got it and block all bad bad girl movies and such so no prying eyes can see this smutt

[Ned Scott]

If you put all the content you don't want children to see on one source, you can use Master lock (wiki) to lock that source with a password. It's a built-in feature of XBMC, but it might require you to reshuffle where files are.

[AshMan]

I have two drives one has his folders and the other drive has mine. so I do use a seperate source for his files.

That is not really my issue though, my issue is that it takes about 3 minutes for a file to load fromt he apple tv off a max osx computer that is sharing the folders.

I did not have this problem with a windows box. I have tried afp and smb on the mac computer for the sharing and I can see the hard drive activity when the file is selected in xbmc. but it runs for a long time. it seems like xbmc is buffering the file for a long time.

Is there any way I can make a log file so we can look at it and maybe figure out what is happening?

Is there is a setting on xbmc to make it do a log? is it on by default?

[nokdim]

debug log (wiki)

try this and post your link.

[AshMan]

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=56267

in looking at it I see this area after starting the movie...

dont worry about the directory not found error, that was because somehow I think one of the kids renamed the volume and I fixed it so i would ignore that part.

I see some things showing a timeout and I see an AFP error, but my sources.xml has nothing with afp in it.

seems to be coming from some master profile xml file.

Any ideas to help me figure this out. once movie plays i have no issue with watching it. just can stand the time it takes for it to actually begin playing the movie

[AshMan]

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=56443

here is a log from my other apple tv which is connected in the exact same way and setup the same. only difference is it is not using the firecore atvflash it is using the free patchstick from google code.

I timed it and it took around 18 seconds to load the movie which is perfectly acceptable to me.

So I do not think it is an issue with the server. I suspect it is in the apple tv itself.

both are running xbmc eden.

look at line 138 which is where I started the same movie file via file mode as i always do.

here is again the log from the apple tv that is having the issue. line 151 is where i started the movie and almost 3 minutes elapsed before it actually started playing....

http://xbmclogs.com/show.php?id=56267

Thanks for any insight.. should i remove the firecore off the apple tv and reinstall from the google patchstick? and start over? I have no issue with doing so.

My only reason for not using openelec on it is because of the remote control otherwise i would run that in a heartbeat. if open elec could be set to learn commands from my remote i'd do it.

but for now if anybody can see something in the logs that may help me solve the issue without a reinstall i'm up for it.

thanks so much.

[AshMan]

ok so it was definately an issue with the xbmc install. I went ahead and restored my atv to original, updated it, then reinstalled eden, and put my sources file and advanced settings file back and changed a couple of quick settings and movies load within 2 - 20 seconds. not to bad. 20 seconds is from my movies folder with over 1400 movies in it. the other folders like my sons which has about 100 plays very fast now.

now if only I could get my sql to function i would be set. but not a big deal if it doesn't