[SkylerA]

Hey Folks,

I'd love some help if you could offer it. I've been trying to stream recorded shows between two local PCs at my house and it works for the most part, but it often gets into a state where it stops to buffer almost every minute. Both computers are pretty decent rigs and the network seems to be working fine. I was able to watch local 2gig MKV files fine, but something about the PVR interface is causing issues.

I've tried to fix things w/ the advancedsettings but haven't had any luck yet. Could you please check my log files and provide some advice?

XBMC log: http://pastebin.com/Mf21j51C
This looks like the culprit to me, but i couldn't find any solutions when googling it: "WARNING: CDVDMessageQueue(video)::Get - asked for new data packet, with nothing available"

ServerWmc Log: http://pastebin.com/eXYVmJqd

Thanks for your help!
-Skyler

[scarecrow420]

Playing completed recordings doesnt really do much, addon wise. XBMC is just playing the WTV files over the network (via UNC path on windows, or SMB on non windows). What type of network connection do you have between the PC and Media-PC?

If you run XBMC locally on the server PC, Im assuming the recordings play back OK then?


Also as a side note, you are running an old serverWMC version, you should upgrade to the latest release for additional features and bugfixes (not that I think anything in this newer version will fix your problem, it's just a side note ovservation I noticed)

Edit: I also noticed you have some custom cache settings in your AdvancedSettings.xml file - is that in an attempt to correct this problem? If they are from previous PVR setups or whatever, you could try removing those. I dont need to have any special caching settings, even from one of my clients that is attached over a WLAN bridge

[krustyreturns]

I get that stuff about mkv working fine a lot. Usually though, the mkv file is a movie, so its a video that is 2GB in size and will take about 2 hours to view. So as long as your network is fast enough to xfer the mkv in that two hour window, it will play smooth if you view it will it transfers.

A wtv file varies in size, but many times a 2GB file is for a half hour show. So for your network to xfer that file for smooth play, it has to xfer if four times faster.

To debug, if you are running wireless, try a wired connection just as a test.

[SkylerA]

The MKVs are 1hr as compared to the 1/2hr similarly sized WTV files so that could be a sign for bandwidth issue like you mentioned. I am running on a wired network tho so i don't really see how that could be too slow. I have watched WTVs through my xbox 360 for years w/o problem so I think there's enough bandwidth unless the xbox does some sort of transcoding.

I tried updating my serverWMC on the server comp and i also removed the advanced settings(was trying some tips i had found while googling it). Now the thing buffers ever 30 sec ;p I agree that the cached setting isn't valid, i later found out that that's only for online stuff I guess.

What i find really odd is I can pause the video for like 20 minutes and come back and it will still have buffereing issues which makes me think something just isn't intelligently buffering. Ideally after 20 minutes i would prefer it to have just cached the entire file and allow me to watch the thing. Do you guys know any advanced settings that might cause that? I'm wondering if maybe there is some default setting that is only letting it cache a few minutes?

Thanks!
-Skyler

[scarecrow420]

Have you tried playing the WTV files in XBMC via the "Videos" section (add your RecordedTV as a source) rather than through the LiveTV->Recordings section? Just to test it

Also what about if you try playing a WTV remotely using WMC itself?

What if you take one of the WTV files from the server, copy it locally to the client, then view it in XBMC locally on the client, does that play back smoothly?

Is it Gigabit LAN or 100Mb? How far apart are the 2 devices and do they go through multiple switches/routers or anything? Have you tried plugging the 2 machines into the same switch just for a test?

I dont think there is anything specific to the applications (XBMC WMC ServerWMC) that would be responsible because it works on so many people's setup on both GB LAN and on wireless... so it must be something environmental in my reckoning.

[SkylerA]

I think i found the issue thanks to your steps. I went to copy a wtv over the network and the speed was maxing at 10.1MB/s. I have a gigabit router, but then send that connection to an old router i turned into a switch in my entertainment center. I don't know what speed it is, but it looks like it's either slow or has some weird settings because i connected my client pc to the router minus the switch and the tx speed went up to 100+MB/s so that's def the issue. I'm watching the video now w/o any buffering!

Thanks so much! Really appreciate your help!

[scarecrow420]

woohoo glad you've pinpointed the problem! Sounds like a new switch is on the cards