2011-03-21, 03:30
using an unraid server sharing smb having issues with avi files that are xvid and divx.. mkv files seem to stream pretty well though
2011-03-21, 04:04
Care to elaborate more? is it all avi's or just some, are they SD content or HD content?
Little bit of info goes a long way to diagnosing the issue at hand...
If they are HD avi's that could explain the issue, ATV2 does not have hardware acceleration for xvid and divx, it does however have hardware acceleration for h264 which is the most common format stuck inside of the mkv container.
Little bit of info goes a long way to diagnosing the issue at hand...
If they are HD avi's that could explain the issue, ATV2 does not have hardware acceleration for xvid and divx, it does however have hardware acceleration for h264 which is the most common format stuck inside of the mkv container.
2011-03-21, 05:13
I've not been paying very close attention to this issue because I haven't experienced any problems myself, but from what I have read there appears to be a problem finding a common factor to everyone who's experiencing the buffering/smb problem. This is just an idea, but would it be worth constructing a thread with a short questionaire to establish if there is a common factor? Say, 10 or fewer questions which should involve short or very short answers (to ensure you get a good number of respondants). As I say; just an idea, but if you can establish a common factor beyond use of SMB you might be closer to finding a solution. Personally I don't really know what questions would provide helpful answers, but if anyone can think what the pertinent questions are then it might be helpful. Alternatively I might be trying to get you to massively over-simply a complex issue by reducing it to a series of short questions. In which case disregard the suggestion. What do you think?
2011-03-21, 05:19
It would appear that I may have solved my buffering issue I have my media coming from my main pc via wireless NIC. What seemed to clear the issue for me was updating my drivers.
2011-03-21, 21:13
procrastinator Wrote:Say, 10 or fewer questions which should involve short or very short answers (to ensure you get a good number of respondants).
I'm running Win XP, over a Belkin N150.
I've tried SMB and FTP, both connect with steady buffering on x264 720p files. SD Avi and Mp4 files play perfectly.
Running the same movies via win7 XBMC wi fi N150 on the same network without issue.
Let me know if I should be running a diagnostic of some kind instead.
2011-03-22, 03:37
I tried streaming over HTTP as well. It's same thing for same content. I also notice ATV2 CPU at peak (120%-
during pause/buffering for some 1080p content. So it seems related to ATV2 processing power vs streaming prototol (SMB,FTP,HTTP).
However I don't understand why some 1080p MKV use less CPU than others. It's related bit-rate/codec?
during pause/buffering for some 1080p content. So it seems related to ATV2 processing power vs streaming prototol (SMB,FTP,HTTP).However I don't understand why some 1080p MKV use less CPU than others. It's related bit-rate/codec?
2011-03-28, 04:33
I`m getting buffering issues with MKV files that are RARed, but if I unrar it it plays fine. I could of sworn it worked fine before, with 4.1
Never mind FreeNAS and ATV2 Reboot seemed to clear it up
Never mind FreeNAS and ATV2 Reboot seemed to clear it up
2011-03-28, 05:01
XBMC SMB works fine out of the box. If you are having issues the server side is suspect. I stream 1080p 35 megabit bitrate mkv files wired with zero issues. Standard live HD install.
The killasample file is a good test.
The killasample file is a good test.
2011-03-28, 11:11
its not a question if it works or not, its working in a different way, and if your network is not 100% solid, for example has pack drops or is not 100MB then it works worse then on a same network with a Xbmc on PC ( win7 or ubuntu )
So some tweaking needs to be done on the SMB.
So some tweaking needs to be done on the SMB.
2011-03-28, 18:20
haffi Wrote:its not a question if it works or not, its working in a different way, and if your network is not 100% solid, for example has pack drops or is not 100MB then it works worse then on a same network with a Xbmc on PC ( win7 or ubuntu )
So some tweaking needs to be done on the SMB.
I'm sure that's a total priority for the devs right now. Better yet, how about you get setup as a dev yourself and provide some of the legwork in the coding?
2011-03-28, 23:26
Over the weekend, I got so fed up with SMB buffering that I bought a second wireless N router (300 MB, 5GHz), and connected it at my server PC, so it would stream the data directly from my PC to the Apple TV (previously, my data would run over an ethernet connection, through powerline networking, and to the wireless N router in the other room). I am still having lots of buffering issues streaming a 720P file of only 1.5 GB in size. Incidentally, I have no issues with buffering when using FTP or UPnP. However, I like SMB for the fact that I can delete the file from my server PC when I'm done watching it.
One thing to note, my internet connection speed is currently only 3Mbps, but this should not affect my internal network speed at all. In fact, I actually unplugged my modem while I was streaming to see if it made any difference, and the file was still buffering every few minutes.
After that, I uninstalled and reinstalled XBMC, but to no avail. So frustrating.
One thing to note, my internet connection speed is currently only 3Mbps, but this should not affect my internal network speed at all. In fact, I actually unplugged my modem while I was streaming to see if it made any difference, and the file was still buffering every few minutes.
After that, I uninstalled and reinstalled XBMC, but to no avail. So frustrating.
2011-03-29, 01:34
I would try using a wired connection to the ATV rather than wireless and see if that helps.
I would say that latency on Powerline and Wireless is very poor.. if you are investing money in a HTPC set up then invest some time and a little money in networking it up properly.
Also uPnP and FTP are protocols designed for streaming data as is CIFS, SMB just isn't but its still my preferential method. SMB also works perfectly over my wired network but haven't tested it wirelessly.
I would say that latency on Powerline and Wireless is very poor.. if you are investing money in a HTPC set up then invest some time and a little money in networking it up properly.
Also uPnP and FTP are protocols designed for streaming data as is CIFS, SMB just isn't but its still my preferential method. SMB also works perfectly over my wired network but haven't tested it wirelessly.
2011-03-29, 10:57
Paraffin Wrote:Also uPnP and FTP are protocols designed for streaming data as is CIFS, SMB just isn't but its still my preferential method.
CIFS and SMB are pretty much the same thing...
Quote:The Common Internet File System (CIFS) Protocol is a dialect of SMB.http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/...S.85).aspx
And FTP is not a streaming protocol, UPnP (actually technically it's not, DLNA is the protocol behind UPnP media streaming) was designed with streaming devices in mind, FTP is an ancient protocol that existed before http did... think the 1970's...
2011-03-29, 16:37
Paraffin Wrote:I would try using a wired connection to the ATV rather than wireless and see if that helps.
I would say that latency on Powerline and Wireless is very poor.. if you are investing money in a HTPC set up then invest some time and a little money in networking it up properly.
The only way to connect the ATV wired is by using powerline networking, and the buffering is WAY worse that way. Powerline is the only way I can get the network cables to where they need to be, short of stringing CAT6 cables through the walls, which I cannot do, since I don't own the place.
