Video Stutter with v6

[Ron]

Until we can get this reproduced and fixed by the folks at Sage, my only option, using the Nvidia Video decoder, is to have it set for overlay with FSE disabled. That's the only way my video is stutter free.

Interestingly, Kirby & I compared processes that were running. We're now almost identical, yet he's stutter free and I'm not. We have somewhat similar video cards, processors, and the only other difference is our respective displays and resolution settings. My display is a plasma with DVI out from the video card at 1366x768. Kirby is set at 1920x1080, via component to an RPTV.

None of this makes any sense.

[Keenan]

I still have some slight stutter, the problem seemed to get better by installing the latest v.6 incarnation. Running VMR9 and FSE, also running 1080p out from the PC.

Probably a subject for another thread, but, I'm not happy with the PQ through Sage at all. I can do a direct comparison between my Star Choice STB and the Sage output and the Sage output macroblocks and just isn't as sharp, or "clean" looking, much more video noise with the Sage output. I'm assuming it's the decoders, Nvidia? that are the culprit, but I thought PureVideo was supposed to be the cat's meow as far as HD PQ.

[Ron]

Originally Posted by jds23

The latest 6.0.19 version has the best playback I have seen so far with HD 1080i and above. For HD PQ there are sooo many variables, it really takes a thread with you listing your specs, the quality you are recording at, your settings in NVidia decoder setup, etc.

What are your specs and settings?

[Ron]

I tried a display and connection configuration I had not tried previously. I connected my plasma display via component connection to my Nvidia GeForce 7900GT video card and set its resolution to 1920x1080. With VMR9 and FSE, still using the Nvidia video decoder, stuttering appeared worse than with the previous DVI connection. Again, switching back to overlay and disabling FSE, cured the stuttering. Additionally, via component connection, video is not as sharp, crisp and clear as it is connected via DVI.

I then reverted back to my previous connection and configuration which is 1360x768 resolution, DVI connection and Sage set for overlay and FSE off. No stutter like I get with VMR9 and FSE.

[Keenan]

Grrrrr...

I'm so tired of this. Using the ultimate torture test for stuttering, football, 1080i is still stuttering, it looks like some old video footage from the early days, and there is certainly no live look, or feel to the image.

720p, OTOH, looks perfect(other than some color issues-like too much red in the faces) with a very sharp, smooth and "live" look to it.

That has to mean something, the fact that 720p works fine and 1080i doesn't, but I just don't know enough about this stuff to know what it means.

The only things I can think of are some problem the decoders are having with interlaced material, and/or the actual bitrate of the stream as 1080i will have more data than 720p.

Do others here have this same behavior, or is everything(720p and 1080i) stuttering for you?

[Ron]

I've got stutter with both 720p and 1080i, however 720p is not really that noticeable. But on 1080i it's real bad, which certainly is indicative that it has something to do with interlacing.

[dpalmer95]

I am seeing the stuttering problem with V6. I am using the PureVideo video and audio decoders. Interestingly, if I playback a file recorded with Sage in Windows Media Player, it works perfectly.

I have noticed that Sage does not appear to honor the audio decoder setting. The PureVideo properties show only video being handled. The audio stream appears to be going somewhere else.

While it's couter-intuitive, changing the audio decoder definitely affects the quality of playback.

Anybody know how to verify what decoder is handling audio?

Thanks.

Dave

[stevech]

Q:

1. Stuttering == dropped frames? (Esp. when camera pans) Right?

2. Is this discussion limited to HD with Sage V6? (No problem with standard def TV)?

[Taddeusz]

As I mentioned before I have the same problem with standard def. Manually setting PureVideo from Smart to Automatic fixed the problem. Although I'm happier with the "Film" setting. It seems to give a sharper picture. The "Video" setting which is automatically set doesn't seem to deinterlace as nicely.

Also, as I said before the problem appears, at least in my case, to be happening when PureVideo is set to Smart. It will switch between the Video and Film modes during playback and the switch appears to be when I get a stutter.

I have all the latest drivers and PureVideo trial. I have also recently switched my hardware around on top of installing a brand new 7600GS trying to solve the problem. Went from the Celeron D 335 2.8Ghz processor I mentioned earlier to an Athlon 64 3200+ with the same video card. No improvement.

[Keenan]

Originally Posted by stevech

Q:

1. Stuttering == dropped frames? (Esp. when camera pans) Right?

2. Is this discussion limited to HD with Sage V6? (No problem with standard def TV)?

In my case, yes, and yes, and only with 1080i content. SD TV looks fine, even SD being broadcast on HD channels is fine.

[Goodspike]

I just noticed the stuttering yesterday, watching football live while recording another game too. I'm thinking about going back to the first RC candidate (.16), because I didn't have these problems with it. I never did install .18, but did notice the problem at first with .17 and then upgrading to .19 didn't fix it.

I tried three different video codecs, and they seemingly had absolutely no effect. I haven't tried different audio codecs yet.

I think part of the problem, from Sage's point of view, is that they did the RC candidates during a period of time when not much is on TV (at least not much HD) and when not many people are watching TV. I didn't watch much football at all last week, due to the holidays.

[Goodspike]

Yesterday it wasn't so bad, so either it was not rebooting (my computer reboots every day except Sunday morning) or perhaps recording two three hour+ shows at the same time is just too demanding. One 3+ and shorter shows are all I've done in the past, and all I did yesterday.

[Taddeusz]

Originally Posted by Goodspike

Yesterday it wasn't so bad, so either it was not rebooting (my computer reboots every day except Sunday morning) or perhaps recording two three hour+ shows at the same time is just too demanding. One 3+ and shorter shows are all I've done in the past, and all I did yesterday.

Why do you reboot so often? Is this a dedicated machine or one you use for other stuff as well? My SageTV machine is dedicated running XP Pro and goes months without being rebooted just fine. Windows XP isn't like 98 where it pretty much needed to be rebooted regularly. It can be run for months on end without needing a reboot.

[unkyjoe]

Just a note, sorry it has been so long since I replied.

I installed the Nvidia Video card 7800gt 256mb ram etc.

I enabled all the goodies.

Nvidia Pure Video
FSE
VMR 9

No more stuttering, no more tearing, keep in mind I am only running SD resolution and not HD.

So for me so far the problem was solved by using a better video card with my AMD MB and Processor which are about 3-4 years old.

I ran across a corrupted jpg in my videos which caused the system to shitcan, but I see 6.018 is out and it addresses this issue. Looks like another install for me

[Ron]

Originally Posted by unkyjoe

Just a note, sorry it has been so long since I replied.

I installed the Nvidia Video card 7800gt 256mb ram etc.

I enabled all the goodies.

Nvidia Pure Video
FSE
VMR 9

No more stuttering, no more tearing, keep in mind I am only running SD resolution and not HD.

So for me so far the problem was solved by using a better video card with my AMD MB and Processor which are about 3-4 years old.

I ran across a corrupted jpg in my videos which caused the system to shitcan, but I see 6.018 is out and it addresses this issue. Looks like another install for me

Actually 6.0.19 was released late last week.

Glad your problems are resolved regarding stuttering, although you say you're only running SD. Mine aren't and I only run HD.

[unkyjoe]

Sorry to hear that Ron, I will keep an eye on the thread and of course lend any further support that I can, however I do not use HD at the moment so I do not know how helpful I will be.

Thanks for everyones help. Now to tweak Sage some more.

P.S The WAF is great, she loved it new years playing the music through the party that finally broke up around 4am. The next morning we got up wit about 8 other people that stayed the night and watched all of the Indiana Jones DVD's that I ripped on Sage, no problems what-sover, other than the volume level which I will be fixing soon!

[hocky98]

I'm curious to know whoever has stability problems did you try the new JRE version 1.6?

Combine this with the registry settings to increase the Buffers and Numbuffers gave me the greatest stability, even over wifi.

(I still had some stability issues but it was caused elsewhere and SageTV didnt seem to tolerate it well. So I tried BeyondTV which is .NET based and it works much better.)

I have tried over and over again but have to confirm that the PureVideo decoders do not work well with SageTV or client. It will stutter later even if you got it stable.

[Goodspike]

Originally Posted by Taddeusz

Why do you reboot so often? Is this a dedicated machine or one you use for other stuff as well? My SageTV machine is dedicated running XP Pro and goes months without being rebooted just fine. Windows XP isn't like 98 where it pretty much needed to be rebooted regularly. It can be run for months on end without needing a reboot.

To save energy and wear and tear on the system (I don't believe the old wife's tale that it's harder on them to turn them on and off). I only have stuff I want to record in the evening to early morning hours, so I can save about 66% on the power by having it turn off.

It comes on at about 4:45 p.m. and off at 1:?? a.m., except that it stays on Sunday morning to record the weekly news shows and football stuff.

[Taddeusz]

I wonder why my SD system stutters with PureVideo? It seems that most everyone is having problems with HD video.

[salsbst]

Ok, so my stuttering is severe with 1080i source material and unnoticeable with 720p.

However, if I switch to Nvidia decoder's "Film" deinterlacing mode, 1080i is almost watchable. It still stutters, but it's nowhere near as bad. (The deinterlacing sucks, though.)

To me, this feels like progress. Something that previously worked very nicely in Sage is no longer working for me on this client, but having narrowed it down to 1080i is comforting. This client is a Radeon 9000 Mobility, BTW.