SageTV Client stutter with MKV files,

[gabrielcab]

Hello, When i try to play MKV files the image stutter a bit, but when i toggle to full screen the movie stutter so much that it is not worth viewing it. What settings should i select to view the image to maximum quality, do i need to download anything additional like CoreAVC or Shark codec pack? My PC specs are more than average so is not a hardware related.

[Bagal]

We probably need some more info about what codecs are actually in the MKV file you're trying to play and what codecs you have setup within Sage, however if it's all MKV files that you're having problems with the most likely cause is the SageTV splitter, if you do a search in the forums for 'EnableSageTVDemux' you should fine some posts that tell you how to disabled SageTV's internal splitter and use something else such as Haali instead, which should stop the stuttering.

[dealsdyker]

Originally Posted by Bagal

We probably need some more info about what codecs are actually in the MKV file....

How do you find out what codecs the file requires? I have a Panasonic HDC-SD60 that produces a MTS video (MPEG4-AVC/H.264, AVCHD standard complaint). Even my lowest spec Windows 7 machine (1.6ghz pentium 2gb memory) plays it flawlessly in Windows Media Player full screen using very little CPU (must be using nvidia video card). But from Sage, it only plays audio, no video. If I change the h.264 settings in Sage I can get horrible chop playback like 1 frame every 3 seconds. The fact it plays so perfectly in vanilla windows outside of sage puzzles me.

[dealsdyker]

Answering my own question http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net/en But still don't know why my MTS don't work.

[Bagal]

MediaInfo can tell you what's in the file, however in your case you already know the video codec as you've said it's H.264, although it would be useful to know what the audio codec is, even though Sage is playing the audio.

You didn't say what you changed the H.264 setting to in Sage? I assume you chose the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video Decoder as that's what Windows Media Player would be using by default, assuming you haven't changed anything.

Codecs, unfortunately are the worst thing about using a HTPC, getting the right combination can take time and lots of patience. Sage uses its own settings to Windows Media Player, generally speaking this is a better arrangement as you have finer grained control over which codecs are used but in situations like this it can be frustrating.

You said the camera produces an MTS file, did you mean M2TS? The reason I ask is because I believe Sage currently has an issue with M2TS files not playing back smoothly, although if memory serves, that might only be with VC1 video.

[panteragstk]

Some decoders act funny in sage. I've used CoreAVC, ffdshow, and cyberlink pdvd8 h.264 with much success. Right now the most stable decoder for h.264 for all containers has been ffdshow and coreavc.

[dealsdyker]

My settings in Sage are just the defaults for H.264. Is it true Sage would use the same as Windows Media Player? Because I use win7/64 and Sage is 32 bit right?

Here is the info on the file from MediaInfo

General
ID : 1 (0x1)
Complete name : \\FamilyServer\Videos\Videos2010\Vid2010Christmas\00002.MTS
Format : BDAV
Format/Info : Blu-ray Video
File size : 47.4 MiB
Duration : 31s 473ms
Overall bit rate : 12.6 Mbps
Maximum Overall bit rate : 18.0 Mbps

Video
ID : 4113 (0x1011)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 4 frames
Format settings, GOP : M=1, N=30
Codec ID : 27
Duration : 31s 465ms
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 11.9 Mbps
Maximum bit rate : 16.8 Mbps
Width : 1 920 pixels
Height : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Interlaced
Scan order : Top Field First
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.191
Stream size : 44.5 MiB (94%)

Audio
ID : 4352 (0x1100)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : 129
Duration : 31s 552ms
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 256 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Delay relative to video : -67ms
Stream size : 986 KiB (2%)

Text
ID : 4608 (0x1200)
Menu ID : 1 (0x1)
Format : PGS
Codec ID : 144
Duration : 30s 967ms
Delay relative to video : -67ms