Live Studdering/slow video after channel change with HDPVR

[hvymetal]

I get perfect live playback from the HDPVR until I change the channel. The video will continue to stutter until I close the SageTV client and reopen it. I searched the forum and found nothing that helped. Can someone give me some hint to fix the problem. Below is my setupL

Tried the following codec's but everyone stuttered expect Cyberlink. Also tried all with VM9 and overlay no help.

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD8)
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=ArcSoft Video Decoder
videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CoreAVC Video Decoder

videoframe/local_encoding_to_playback_delay=2500
videoframe/safe_fast_file_switching=true
videoframe/time_behind_live_to_disable_skip_forward=4000
videoframe/time_to_start_into_tv_file_playback=500

Demux is Beta version 2.0.1.20
HDPVR driver is 1.0.5.5
HDPVR hardware version C2 open with 120mm fan blowing on it
SageTV version 6.5.3
Windows XP SP3
Geforce 8600 GTS drive 6.14.11.7824
Intel Quad Q6600 while playing no more than 10% load on all cpu's
Java 6 update 11

Please someone help this is driving me nuts.

[jm9843]

I have this exact same issue except that I am doing my playback through an HD200. Andy (Opus4) said the following a year ago today:

... wasn't there a comment about stuttering during live TV playback? I was told this is something known & is being worked on. For now, you can either pause briefly before continuing playback, or try setting this property:
videoframe/local_encoding_to_playback_delay=1000

I tried using that property without much luck, so it seems that this is still a problem today. In my experience, I can skip back in the buffer after a few seconds and it will playback smooth. Immediately skipping forward again (so that it is playing back "live") and it is still smooth. It is only on the initial channel change and playback that the bad skipping occurs so it's more of an annoyance than anything else.

[hvymetal]

I noticed if I switch to a tuner that that is standard-def and back to the HDPVR it will play back normal. Also this does not work if I switch to a high-def tuner specifically HDhomerun. It only works with a standard-def tuner. Someone please help.

[opusinteractive]

I have this exact issue as well and have tried numerous suggestions from other threads. Where I've ended up is the following:

"What I would suggest is to put a short delay before recording starts. That way the STB and the HD-PVR has a chance to sync before SageTV begins recording. You can do this by setting:

mmc/encoders/xxx/delay_to_wait_after_tuning= where "xxx" is the value for your HD-PVR. The setting is in milliseconds so for a full second you'd put 1000 in there. I need mine set to 7000 because it can take that long for my STB to tune two digit channels."

My two HD-PVR's are set at 4000. This makes for a long channel change but the stuttering/freezes after channel changes are almost entirely eliminated. I do still have a freeze and sound stutter when a program changes on the 1/2 or hour. This only lasts a few seconds and is just barely tolerable.

[Zladotimov]

Sounds very similar to an issue I used to have with Sage 6.5.1. The issue in my case disappeared when I installed 6.5.2, so I'm not entirely sure it's related.
In my case the transcoder process started after I changed channels, causing the video to go choppy and blurry. You could check if the transcoder process starts up on your server after you change the channel and the video starts to go choppy. If so, you should probably send a debug log file to Sage support, so they can see what the problem is.

[Djc208]

I get the same issue on my setup and I'm watching through the HD100, so it's not a codec issue. As other's have said you can try and delay the start recording but that's really just a way to hide the stuttering.

It's annoying but that's about it, and I don't see it during recordings so it doesn't bother me.

[Chriscic]

I set the delay factor to 4000. Shorter than that and I still had problems. It takes 6-7 seconds to change channels now, but it *usually* works.

I can't get HBO to come in/record properly at all with my HD100 or HD200, but I haven't had time to try and figure out why yet. Just the latest of scores of problems I've had with the HD-PVR/Sage combo.

[bsung]

I've noticed that some shows/channels have general audio problems even when I watch through the passthrough mode on the HDPVR. These are the same shows/channels that give me problems when trying to watch through SageTV.

What I think (keep in mind I know less about codecs and all this other stuff than most of the people on this forum) is that I have a bad signal or cable box. So I occassionally get a bad audio signal. I've read on other posts (sorry can't remember which specific ones) that HDPVR gets confused when you change audio/video type so when the bad signal causes audio to drop, it confuses the HDPVR. Changing the delay setting seems to fix the error that occurs due to channel changing but since bad signals are intermittent, it won't fix the intermittent error.

That's my theory anyway. Maybe the driver for HDPVR needs to be fixed?

[Chriscic]

There certainly could be a quality of signal issue involved. I should just go ahead and dump Comcast and go satellite, and hopefully my luck would be better than.

[hvymetal]

mmc/encoders/-431556906/delay_to_wait_after_tuning=7000

I set mine to 7000 like above but I still have the same problem. So I am waiting for my SD200 so I can check if I have the same problem as the PC client. I think it is how SageTV works by stopping the video feed and start it again when you change a channel or when a programs changes in the guide. I don't understand the problem since all they have to do is a issue a channel change to the IR blaster. Then the video stream from the HDPVR does not have to be stopped. My guess is they do it so they can stop the current video file and start a new one with a different name. I would think it should be possible to use one TV buffer for the HDPVR so we don't have problems like we are experiencing. Plus this should speed up channel changes because there is no delay to start the encoding from HDPVR. I just hope Sage can fix the problem.

[TallMomof2]

I set my delay to 4000ms when I was using 6.4.8 and haven't had any stuttering since. I'm running the latest beta.

[jerryt]

Just a reminder that I find the following registry hack in Sage is very important for h.264 files.

"I went from choppy to smooth by changing some registry settings.

HKey_L_M\SOFTWARE\Frey Technologies\Common\DSFilters\MpegDeMux values NumBuffers and BufferSize.
I currently have these set to 100 and 20000 hex, respectively.

(Up from 40 and 10000)"

This has always fixed any h.264 stuttering for me.

[hvymetal]

I tried every thing to fix this problem. I finally tried the older cyberlink 7 and all of my problems went away. SageTV must have some bugs with the newer cyberlink8. Install PowerDVD 7 and add the following to the SageClient.properties file.

videoframe/h264_video_decoder_filter=CyberLink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7.x)

I also reverted back to the following in the Sage.properties

videoframe/local_encoding_to_playback_delay=2000

[hvymetal]

I guess I spoke to soon after some channel changes the problem is back. Also one more note I received my SD200 and playback is perfect with the HD-PVR.
I just wish I can fix the computer playback.

[opusinteractive]

I think I may have just fixed this issue as well after months of codec trials, Custom Demuxers, Delay settings, Buffer settings, etc.

-MY SETUP DETAILS-
-Client-
Core2 DUO
Nvidia 8600 GT
Vista Business
SageTV Client v.6.5.5RC1

-Server-
XP Pro SP3
SageTV v.6.5.5RC1
2xHD-PVR (Component+SPDIF)

-STB's (Comcast)-
1 Motorola 6412
1 Motorola 3412

If it holds up, here's what worked for me. I have also attached a zip with client properties file (just the videoframe entries) and a listing of my installed codecs, filters along with their merits.

H.264 Decoder:
Cyberlink H.264/AVC Decoder (PDVD7)
CL264Dec.ax Version: 2.0.1904
CL264Dec.ax Digital signature Date: July 9, 2007


In server properties file for both HD-PVR mmc entries:
mmc/encoders/xxx/delay_to_wait_after_tuning=4000

In client properties file:
videoframe/local_encoding_to_playback_delay

Hope you get good results. Let me know if this does anything to fix your issues.

Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays