Placeshifter - Configuring

[EChodun]

Can someone please tell me how to optimize my computer and wireless settings to use Placeshifter. For example, here at work we get about 384mpbs down and when I view the video it's often choppy and sometimes blurry. My upload speed from the server is about 384mpbs too. Should I make the viewing window smaller, change my wireless security from WPA to something else, change the settings in Placeshifter? Or is this just how it works unless you have a really high speed line? How much does computer speed affect performance? Is watching LiveTV different than viewing a previously recorded show in connection to the speed? Does the Video Quality setting matter? Maybe we can start a Placeshifter Optimization Guide. Does anyone really get picture perfect quality on when using Placeshifter?

[ke6guj]

I would be interested in optimization as well. I have 600k upload on my DSL line (soon to be 768) and it is still more pixelated than I would hope, expecially with motion. Once the motion stops, it does clean up some.

Maybe I am just being too critical, but from reading other's posts, I thought it was better than that.

[Osoksniper]

Wouldn't these be similar to the media extender parameters? They are in a post above. I am interested in this as well...seems that viewing two over the network throug placeshifter, playback on the main unit and recording 4 are too much at times...there must be a "sweet spot" setting for playing and recording.

[sainswor99]

In my experience, placeshifter performance depends on two factors: network throughput and CPU utilization on the client machine. I was pulling my hair out because Placeshifter was working on one machine, but not the other on the same network. Turns out my laptop's CPU and GPU were underpowered; I'm getting pretty good picture now on the laptop by adjusting:

1. The Video bitrate under the streaming section (which is related to the network speed),

2. Disabling the video post processing on the General tab (affected by the CPU), and

3. Disabling the B-frames under the streaming section (related to the GPU).


If your machine is fast, and the network is slow, adjust the streaming speed. If the network is fast, but the machine is slow, disable the video post processing first, and then the B-frames. Set your streaming speed to slightly less than your upload speed.

HTH,
Stu

[Osoksniper]

That is really good information. I have a Dell 610 with a newer G wireless and my wife's is the older 600 with the older G type 1450 i think it is. Hers gets choppy a lot more than mine does and That might explain it...thanks!!! We too have the two laptops, the main tv and 4 recordings going on a 2.4 mhz raided unit...works most all the time except when she is in one room of the house and it actually works better at lower network speed because it starts buffering then...really weird.

[Osoksniper]

It worked...and very well. Since the two laptops were pretty good in the processor area, I left the post processing line and took away the b_frames and set it to false. That immediately smoothed out the video and, last night I tried watching on the server to the big screen while taping two other shows and also watching two on the laptops, all wireless without peggin out the server or the laptops...seems to have worked...the only time it even slightly hesitates now is when a new client jumps in or the show ends and it writes the concluding file to the disk, that even is hardly noticeable.

[sainswor99]

Glad it worked; I've still had some issues since I last posted that. I ended up adding ffdshow to my laptop and that seems to have an impact, although I'm not sure why. Just keep that in mind in case you have issues.

Stu