2 Things to try to fix stuttering

[Narflex]

For those of you with occassional video stuttering, hiccups or long pauses, there's 3 things I'd like you to try to see if they help at all (try them independently):

1. Set the following registry variable as a DWORD:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DSFilters\MpegMux\BoostThreadPriorities=0

2. Use Java 1.5

3. If you're using the SageTV Windows Service, try it without the service.

Please post your results here. Thanks for the help.

[salsbst]

a) If we have found quartz.dll replacement to solve stuttering, would you like us to revert to the bum version and then test these -- are these potential fixes for a "different" kind of stuttering?

b) If stutter is on the client, is it safe to rule out #3 (turning off the service)?

[DFA]

I did not have that parameter (BoostThreadPriorities) in the "MpegMux" registery folder. I assume it is a REG_DWORD data type like the others?

DFA

[Narflex]

a) this has nothing to do with the quartz.dll fix

b) if you're using the client, then the cause could be the same as what I'm suspecting with #3 (the server may be running Java's garbage collection, and it was only checking if any local clients were playing back files, when it should be checking if any clients are playing back files at all)

[Narflex]

DFA, yes as a DWORD (I just edited it to reflect it)

[Cayars]

Hey Jeff, where did you learn to count?

TITLE: Two things
BODY: 1) 2) 3)

[robertmcox]

Testing #1 - I assume we should restart Sage Client?

For #2, could you clarify JRE 5.0 vs JRE 1.5 -- I don't see 1.5 available, but maybe I wasn't looking?

[matterw]

BTW, without the Server has done wonders not only for performance, but my stability has been fantastic as well!

[Narflex]

Java 1.5 == Java 5.0

[Wheemer]

BTW, without the Server has done wonders not only for performance, but my stability has been fantastic as well!

Should we read that as without running in service mode?

[tealcomp]

Originally Posted by matterw

BTW, without the Server has done wonders not only for performance, but my stability has been fantastic as well!

Ever since I upgraded my video quality has gone down the tubes; Jeff I will be submitting a bug report, but basically I still have the stuttering issue now with fuzzy video


I have stopped using the Sage Service, and I tried the registry hack and nothing..I still need to install the Java v1.5 program..

-Dan

[matterw]

Yes, without using the SageTV in Service mode things have been real good!

[Wheemer]

Are there any plans for implimentation of exclusive fullscreen mode?

[blade]

I stopped running the SageTV server in service mode and that seemed to help the menu speed on my client box but did nothing to improve the stuttering.

I also tried changing the registery for both the client and server and neither seemed to have any effect.

I did notice when the Nvidia decoder was set to smart deinterlacing it would constantly jump between film and video mode while watching the same show. It was almost as if it couldn't decide which format the recording was in. Each time it would change the mode the picture would stutter. I don't know if this is normal or not but when I set it back to Automatic this stopped. The decoder then recognized the show as film throughout the show and all of the studdering stopped.

Is it possible that for some reason on certain shows the nvidia decoder can't figure out which format to use when it's using "smart" deinterlacing?

[DFA]

Blade:

Thanks very much for that info. I was wondering about "Smart" setting myself. I'm changing mine to "Auto" as well and continue to monitor. I "sense" an improvement in the short term use of 2.2.3 and hope we keep moving in that direction.

DFA

[Wheemer]

I've made the adjustments suggested in the first post, aswell as changing from "Smart" to "Auto". I also used a batch file to launch the client in High priority.

With all these changes made, I do notice my display problems are a lot better... I am now experiencing a stutter or bob every 2-3 seconds. I was previously noticing this constantly...

[stanger89]

The nVidia decoder is supposed to change back and forth, that's because it's detecting film/video based on content instead of flags. If you've ever played with Dscaler, it does the same thing.

FWIW, when set to Automatic, it should be video all the time, or if it's gets to film somehow you're likely to see a great deal of combing, at least if you're running an HD display.

-edit

One question, are you guys having trouble with Smart control using the VPP in software, or are you running in DXVA mode on nVidia hardware. I run DXVA with Smart on my 6800 and it doesn't cause any problems.

[DFA]

That's just it; not sure if this might be trouble. I was using VPP / Smart but am now trying VPP / Auto along with Jeff's #1 (#2 & #3 been doing for some time). Since stuttering comes and goes for me, only time will tell if improved stuttering and/or film problems.

DFA

[blade]

Originally Posted by stanger89

The nVidia decoder is supposed to change back and forth, that's because it's detecting film/video based on content instead of flags. If you've ever played with Dscaler, it does the same thing.

I knew that it was supposed to change by detecting content instead of going by the flag, but is it supposed to change back and forth every 3-4 seconds? I was under the impression that it was detecting the mode based on content because some shows are flagged incorrectly. I didn't think it was supposed to make constant adjustments during the show.

For example I watched Angel this morning and literally every 2-3 seconds the mode would change and the video would stutter during the show. After setting it to automatic it selected the mode the show was flagged as and stayed in that mode for the duration of the show. I'm a complete newb to all of this stuff and was under the impression that smart mode would select the correct mode based on content (not the flag) then remain in that mode for the duration of the show or until a commercial using a different mode came on.

Either way changing from smart mode to automatic has cured all of my stuttering problems for now. So far I've watched around 2 hrs with no stuttering. Before making the change I had constant stuttering.

I'm running VMR9, Nvidia Decoding (hardware decoding not post processing) with a 6600GT.

[stanger89]

You ask a complicated question, so lets break it down.

Is Smart supposed to cause it to change from Film to Video an Video to Film?

Yes, the VPP, or 3:2 pulldown correction, Film detection, IVTC, whatever you want to call it, is supposed to look at the fields it's getting and decide if it's film or video content, and adjust between Film reconstruction and Video deinterlacing.

Is Smart supposed to cause it to switch very frequently?

I would say no, but does that mean it's working wrong, no it doesn't. This is where it gets tricky. AFIAK, the hauppauge cards (and all PVR cards for that matter) record in "video mode" (for lack of a better term). They record 60 fields/sec, every field that's sent to them, so normally, with an automatic mode, it would go strait to video mode and stay there.

However it's more complicated than that. A rather large portion of the stuff we record is actually film (24fps) sourced, IIRC from playing with Dscaler, I'd guess somewhere around 90% of what we record (maybe less if you throw in commercials).

So what we end up with is film content, recorded and flagged as video. Another thing I noticed from Dscaler is that ever few seconds you run into what's probably considered a bad edit with broadcast TV, forcing either a drop into video mode, or a change in the cadence of film mode processing.

If any of you have a cheap old Dscaler compatible card, I suggest you try watching something with it. It's very interesting to see exactly what the makeup of broadcast TV is, how much is video, how much is film, what cadence it is, etc.

On to the studder question...

What drivers are you using?