Choppy H.264 playback & General Question

[albrigsr]

All,
I have tried a few samples of HD Video (BD Rips) that are in a H.264 format with a mkv container (I think I stated this correctly) but the audio pops/pauses for about 1/10 of a second every 4 seconds or so. I am using the HD200 as a client with the server being an Athlon XP (2 GHZ processor with 2GB RAM, Windows XP, etc.). Is the choppiness due to the server speed? I get that the UI is served up from the server to the client but what about when watching a video? All my videos are stored on a NAS device. Does this mean that the video goes from the NAS Device to the Server PC and then to the client? Anyway, I just want to understand the architecture and what may be causing my problem as well as how to resolve it. I appreciate the help!

[skyfox]

The server will do transcoding of the video to make it HD200 friendly.
Check your computers CPU usage if it's at or near 100% it's due to being under powered.

NAS > Server > Client

[_Demo_]

There is no transcoding for that case. It is most likely a network streaming issue.

See this thread for instructions on how to test :

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53793


_Demo_

[Slipshod]

The video does go from your NAS to the server, then to the HD-200, but as Demo said there is no transcoding for LAN connected HD-200 so it's a relatively lite CPU load while the video is playing. The only time you transcode for the HD-200 is when it's operating in remote mode (like a Placeshifter)

Probably network, or maybe NAS speed issue if it's an older NAS.

[kkapp]

i have saw several posts that says the hd 200 extender will play mkv vids out of the box. i am not having any luck playing them, it doesn't even try to load it, actually not even on the server pc either. I am using windows 7, sagetv 7 with my movies and diamond so this may be in the wrong forum.....

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by kkapp

i have saw several posts that says the hd 200 extender will play mkv vids out of the box. i am not having any luck playing them, it doesn't even try to load it, actually not even on the server pc either. I am using windows 7, sagetv 7 with my movies and diamond so this may be in the wrong forum.....

Remember, MKV is a container type, not a video or audio codec. What is in your MKVs?

[kkapp]

not sure I follow (mkv is just a container), I have a folder named lets say cujo and inside that folder i have a bluray rip 1080p, the file name cujo.MKV. i can play the file just fine using JRMC but not via sagetv or the extender.

[JParedis]

To my understanding, MKV is a container meaning it 'groups' audio files, video files, and potentially other files (subs, ...). The actual audio/video files in the MKV container are encoded using a specific codec. A player must be able to play files encoded with that specic codec to be able to play the MKV file (actualy, a player does not play the MKV file, but the audio/video files inside the MKV container).

There exists nothing as an MKV codec, the audio/video files in the MKV container can be encoded with whatever codec selected.

I can thus happen that a specific player can play the video file, but not the audio file. E.g., the HD200 can't play DTS audio files, so if you have an MKV with a video file HD200 can play, you'll have image but no sound (you'll have to convert the DTS into AC3 for instance).

(note: SageTV sends the file 'as is' to the HD200, it's the HD200 who has to take care of the encoding)

Same goes for AVI, it's also a container. I believe MKV has more flexibiliity then an AVI, hence it's being used more and more.

There are freeware tools on the market that give you info on what is inside an MKV file. It also provides info on which coded has been used to encode the video and audio files - so you can check if these are ok for SageTV/HD200.

I always test my files on my PC with VLC. That plays almost everything, and if VLC plays a file, SageTV normally also does play it. DTS being an exception.
I do have a problem that some audio files are stuttering on HD200, still have to investigate why.

Hope that helps.

[kkapp]

so you are saying the video file i have with the ".MKV" file extension is not really a file after all?? but instead a "container" ..

[kkapp]

ok, so if this is the rip info (1080p BluRay Rip | MKV | 1920 x 1040 | x264 @ 12,3 Mbps | DTS 5.1 @ 1510 Kbps | 01:32:46) how do i play it on the extender or in Sage either way?

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by kkapp

ok, so if this is the rip info (1080p BluRay Rip | MKV | 1920 x 1040 | x264 @ 12,3 Mbps | DTS 5.1 @ 1510 Kbps | 01:32:46) how do i play it on the extender or in Sage either way?

OK, so you have a x264 1920 x 1040 video, and DTS 5.1 sound in a MKV container. 1040 is a weird size. Mine are all 1080.

Audio, I think the HD 200 can only pass thru DTS (you need a DTS receiver hooked up), anyone else know different???

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by kkapp

so you are saying the video file i have with the ".MKV" file extension is not really a file after all?? but instead a "container" ..

A box is a container. I can carry cats or dogs in a box. (most of the time it's better not to have both at once )

Water can be carried in a bucket, a bag, a glass .... containers can hold different things. Most of the time what's in the container that's important, not the container it's self. (though not always)

[JParedis]

Originally Posted by MattHelm

OK, so you have a x264 1920 x 1040 video, and DTS 5.1 sound in a MKV container. 1040 is a weird size. Mine are all 1080.

Audio, I think the HD 200 can only pass thru DTS (you need a DTS receiver hooked up), anyone else know different???

I got my HD200 HDMI connected to my Sony flat screen, and from there I got optic running to my Sony suround player. It works as a charme, but DTS it does not play. My understanding, and I may be wrong here (not that technical), is that the HD200 just doesn't process DTS that well.

I use some freeware to convert the DTS into AC3 audio file (not at home, so can't give you the name). The soft gives the option to replace DTS by AC3 or just add the AC3 sound track (in your MKV container ). I always add it. The AC3 audio plays through the HD200 and does give me the surround sound.

Jan

[_Demo_]

Originally Posted by JParedis

I got my HD200 HDMI connected to my Sony flat screen, and from there I got optic running to my Sony suround player. It works as a charme, but DTS it does not play. My understanding, and I may be wrong here (not that technical), is that the HD200 just doesn't process DTS that well.

Your TV might not say it supports DTS so the HD200 won't be able to send it, if you run optical from the HD200 directly to the receiver then this should solve the problem.