[bfg9000]

Hi all, this is my first post.
I've been using this marvellous program since a few weeks, my compliments to the programmers! You are great!.

Now my problem: i have a long list of mkv files, each one of them works fine except one that makes XBMC to crash.
The movie start playing: i hear only the soundtrack (black screen), and in a while i got xbmc crash.

I have the same behaviour with this particular file on two different machine (same xbmc ver).
here the xbmc log from one of this machine (in debug mode):
http://pastebin.com/Ga5xdDLY

I'm running windows 7 64 bits, 8 gb of ram, i5 cpu, latest driver.
I tried different settings: with dvxa on and off, adjust display refresh rate.. on and off, with confluence and aero skin.

anyone can help me?

thanks a lot.
Corrado

[CrystalP]

Well, there is the error -2005530508 in the log, which means "D3DERR_DEVICEHUNG", "Hardware adapter reset by OS" - not good at all, an app should not be able to do that. I love Intel drivers!

Are the two machines you tried Intel isomething?

[bfg9000]

Yes my machines are similar, both of them with i5 cpu (one is a 661 and the other is M520 for laptop), and with intel HD graphics.

This mkv file runs ok with VLC.

Intel driver: i have the latest version... already checked.

[geekdragon]

I feel I might have observed the same problem, so I'll report it here as well.

My main media box is an Intel E2220 dual core, running Win XP Pro. It uses a Gigabyte motherboard running the Intel G43 Express chipset (embedded graphics). I've updated to the current Intel driver, version 6.14.10.5284 (July 20, 2010).

Using Dharma beta 2, I can predictably crash the system by playing one of the most recent 720P encode releases by Yibis Fansubs (http://www.yibis.com). These are MKV files with subtitles. Earlier releases by this fansubber played fine. Judging by the timing of the problem, and comments on their site, the change might be related to either the introduction of Variable Frame Rate information in their files, or possibly some new subtitles for the introduction song.

These "problem" files work perfectly using Dharma Beta 2 on my other computer (Older Pentium system, NVidia 6800GT graphics). They also play perfectly well using Media Player Classic on the Intel graphics system. If I knew how to make a smaller sample file from the MKV, I would.

As described by the OP, playing the file will result in a blank screen aside from the "loading" indicator in the bottom corner. Mouse and keyboard input are ignored at this point. Sound will play for about 3 seconds before it begins to stutter, then hang completely. At this point one of two things happens:
1) The system hard reboots. After restarting Windows declares that a serious error ocurred and points fingers at the Intel graphics DLL.
2) The screen blanks momentarily, then the Intel driver declares that it saved the day by resetting and going into ugly failsafe mode (640x480, psychedelic low colors). XBMC appears on the task bar, but does not respond.

This is a log from XBMC leading up to scenario 1: http://pastebin.com/awM7b2Td

[CrystalP]

The both of you, does it also happen with the Software Renderer? (Settings->Video->Playback->Render Method)

I tried the yibis file and had no problem playing back. I don't have an Intel GPU though.

[bfg9000]

I've just tried on one of my xbmc machines and with software renderer it works!!

Great!
thanks a lot CrystalP

[geekdragon]

Software rendering works on my system too, though it chewed away for probably 5 seconds or so before the file began playing. At least it's an option. Thanks CrystalP.

For what it's worth, I do also have a Broadcom CrystalHD decoder in this system. I usually have it disabled because several of my most-played videos are out-of-spec for it. (aka BBC Planet Earth series). Enabling the decoder makes no difference to the circumstances described above.

Since I run a lot of FullHD content (to take advantage of a 1080P projector), which typically run this system balls-to-the-wall, I'm not thrilled at the need to flip the software renderer on and off.

[CrystalP]

OK, so the problem is with the pixel shaders. They're used with software decoding and CHD. The software renderer is just a workaround.

A few things to try...
- Go back to the pixel shader renderer. On a file that doesn't crash, set the bilinear scaler, then apply the setting to all videos. Then try the problem video. Any better? The bilinear shader is simpler than the bicubic and Lancsoz ones.

- Try the latest trunk build. If you can't build, I think they're available as the non-Dharma builds on http://www.sshcs.com/xbmc/sshcs.com.
There are a few things in there that I didn't backport to Dharma, who knows.

To take this further, please create a Trac ticket summarizing the info in this thread and cc me. It's more appropriate for issue tracking/resolution.

[steelman1991]

CrystalP - link is wrong http://sshcs.com/xbmc/ - too many sshcs.com's

[bfg9000]

Some more info.
I tried pixel shader rendering and i got the same problem
but with further attempts i noticed that even with software redender i still get the issue.
Last time i tried i didn't try from the beginning of the file. So the situation is that with both redendering methods i get xbmc to hang.
But if i choose to resume the file i have no problem playing it...

I can catch any reasons why for this behaviour..

Still of the idea to open a ticket?

[geekdragon]

I found:
- The Software Renderer consistently works.
- The Pixel shader only has trouble with MKVs. No other file (TP, MP4, AVI) that I tried was a problem.
- My default scaler for all testing mentioned to this point was Bilinear. The most recent Yibis fansub files would fail when using any scaling method (Bilinear, Bicubic, Lanczos 2 or 3)
- Older Yibis files (that I mentioned tested as working) would ALSO fail when using Bicubic or Lanczos 3 scalers.

Most interesting however, is that switching from Dharma to Trunk nightly 34016 resolves all problems. All scalers work on all the files.

I may work on making a Trac ticket when I get some time to consolidate these findings in a meaningful way.

[CrystalP]

You two don't seem to have the same problem.

bfg9000, looks like there is something weird with your file - can you cut a small piece that still shows the problem and upload it?

geekdragon it's good news that the problem is fixed in trunk but we need to figure out what needs to be backported.
With Dharma, can you disable subs for all files and then try the new yibis, with pixel shader & bilinear upscaler?
Can you upload on pastebin the DirectX capabilities of your HW? The caps viewer (DXCapsViewer.exe) comes with the DirectX SDK, free download from MS. It may be available separately through other means, I don't know.

[Maconi]

How do I run XBMC in debug mode so that I can post a proper log? I have a feeling I'm having a similar problem.

My HTPC is an Intel HD Graphics system (i3 Processor) with Windows 7 using the DSPlayer version of XBMC and there are a few movies in my library that it refuses to play (it doesn't crash like others say, but the screen goes black, it says Loading, and then it takes me back to the movie selection screen). Actually it does hang/crash sometimes but not every time. I'm using the MPC standalone filters as well as DXVA EVR rendering as well.

I tried installing Shark 007 codec pack and Windows Media Player also refused to play those movies. It either said it was missing a codec, or it would play the movie stuck in pause mode (as in I could click the slider bar to fast-forward to a random part of the movie and see the picture change, but it would remained paused and wouldn't play normally).

However, if I use the MPC Player or VLC Player those movies play perfectly fine.

My main PC has a Radeon HD 5870 with Windows 7 and it plays those movies just fine using the Shark 007 codec pack or anything else.

I'm inclined to believe it is an Intel problem but I'm not sure if it has to do with DXVA (hardware acceleration) or not since I forced DXVA in the MPC Player and the movies still played just fine (although I'm sure there is a difference from using DXVA in XBMC).

[geekdragon]

Maconi: From the main menu select System, and then chose the System section from settings, Debugging - and check "enable debug logging".

CrystalP: My DirectX capabilities log is pasted at http://pastebin.com/K8d2yBVu . I discovered that disabling subtitles for all files prevented all crashing in Dharma beta 2. Interestingly, the subtitles could be re-enabled after the file had started playing without ill effects.

[CrystalP]

OK thanks. I know what to do.

Maconi: the dsplayer branch is only supported in its dedicated thread.