Possible to lower quality/bandwidth for MVP?

[dinki]

I just got a Helios MVP and got it working with Sage. My problem is that the MVP is in a room that doesn't have an ethernet drop. I am using a Netgear ethernet-over-powerline adapter. Apparently the bandwidth is not adequate to stream MPEG2 without AV hiccups.

Is there a way that I can have the server lower the quality of the stream or somehow lower the amount of bandwidth needed? I tried playing a divx movie that I had and it streamed without hiccups.

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

*EDIT* I did a little testing and just for fun I tried to view one of my HD channels on my HVR1600 expecting it to be totally unwatchable. To my surprise, it played without a single hiccup. I went back to my SD tuners and it was still hiccuping like crazy. I have no idea how the transcoding works, but is it possible that I'm not getting any transcoding on the SD channels but am getting it on the DIVX and HD streams? If this is the case, is there a way to force trascoding of the SD channels as well? The SD channels are close but hiccup every one to two seconds which makes it pretty much unwatchable.

[gplasky]

The MVP handle mpeg2 in hardware so no transcoding is necessary. Only file formats OTHER than mpeg2 get transcoded. No way to change that. Your MVP should handle mpeg2 without even breathing hard. If it is stutteringdouble check the network configuration of the device and the powerline adapter.

Gerry

[dinki]

Originally Posted by gplasky

The MVP handle mpeg2 in hardware so no transcoding is necessary. Only file formats OTHER than mpeg2 get transcoded. No way to change that. Your MVP should handle mpeg2 without even breathing hard. If it is stutteringdouble check the network configuration of the device and the powerline adapter.

Thanks for the speedy reply. Unfortunately there's not much to check. Plug one adapter into a receptacle then network cable to router. Plug other into bedroom receptacle then network cable to mvp.

This really is a bummer. Would it be possible to convert my recordings to AVI and still keep the original mpeg? I'd like to be able to watch the mpeg on my main sage machine while viewing the AVI on the mvp. I have to figure out some kind of fix or workaround ... Grrr..

[gplasky]

With powerline it will also depend which receptacle you have it plugged into. Some people have found, depending how and with what wiring their house was done with, they got poor to no performance at one outlet and great at another. People have got the MVP to receive SD recordings over wireless G without a stutter. That is why you should either check the network or check any network configuration on your MVP. Maybe plug them both into outlets in the same room.

Gerry

[dinki]

Took your advice and was able to plug them in on the same circuit and I'm still seeing the stuttering. I knew that these things weren't ideal solutions but they do work for the most part. I've changed my default quality to GOOD and no stutters. This is a workaround, but definitely not ideal. All my tvs are SD but I am planning on getting an HDTV soon so the workaround is a pretty crudy one.

[dinki]

This morning I ran a long network cable to my router to confirm that the MVP was functioning properly; it is. No problems watching MPEG2 directly wired in.

I have an old XBOX wireless adapter and hooked that to the MVP. I got pretty much the same results as I did with the ethernet-over-power adapter. I put a laptop next to the wireless adapter and it showed either 4 or 5 bars on a G network.

So short of running a wire (which is next to impossible), am I just screwed?

[dinki]

For what it's worth, I read something about the MVP wanting to communicate in half-duplex mode. I changed my Sage server's NIC to half duplex and it greatly improved my throughput. Although I can't watch live/recordings at my previous quality level of GREAT, I can use GOOD and that's, well, good enough for me.

[dinki]

I guess I spoke to soon. Even though I had watched a couple hours of live MPEG2 streams, the thing started stuttering again last night. I just don't get it. It's like the stream is inconsistent.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks

[dinki]

I failed to mention that I had trouble booting my Helius MVP from the Sage server and resorted to installing the Hauppauge software and copied/rename the mvp.bin file from the Sage directory to the Hauppauge software's directory. Do I pay any sort of penalty for doing this or does it just load the bin on boot and never deal with the Hauppauge software until another reboot of the MVP?

[mdnttoker]

I had nothing but problems with powerline and Sage extenders.

The NIM100's on eBay work like a charm for me, even for HD...

[dinki]

Originally Posted by mdnttoker

I had nothing but problems with powerline and Sage extenders.

The NIM100's on eBay work like a charm for me, even for HD...

Hmm. Interesting. I guess you need one NIM100 on each side (at router and at mvp)?

I was hoping that the MVP would act like the Placeshifter client and downgrade the video based on the connection speed. Heck, it would probably even work well if I were able to set a larger buffer size. My problem would probably disappear with a little buffering.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by dinki

Hmm. Interesting. I guess you need one NIM100 on each side (at router and at mvp)?

I was hoping that the MVP would act like the Placeshifter client and downgrade the video based on the connection speed. Heck, it would probably even work well if I were able to set a larger buffer size. My problem would probably disappear with a little buffering.

No, there are only two quality settings for the MVP: Normal and High. The transcoder for the MVP does not adjust bandwidth based on connection speed like for the Placeshifter because it is made only to work locally, not across the internet.