HD300 Video and Audio

[sflamm]

Just unwrapped my HD300. I put it physically in place of a SageTV Client (Shuttle Box) that is running the software client.

Plugged in the HDMI, plugged in the network.

The HD300 barely plays any HD programming (Live or Recorded or Bluray M2TS).
It stutters terrribly, the sound goes in and out.
And the Aspect Ratio is completely wrong.

Mind you that the Software Client works flawless in the exact location attached to the exact same SageTV server!

Please help!

[madpoet]

Wired or wifi? Did you update the firmware? Did you fix the output resolution?

[sflamm]

Wired. Firmware is updated to latest.

Turns out the stuttering is a problem with a local Gig switch.
Removed the switch and attached directly and that went away.
NOT SURE why this affects the HD300 (worked perfectly with a Software Client box)

I'm left with the aspect ratio issue.

I have tried several different configurations (1080i output only, 480p/720p/1080i/1080p) -- all of them have the same aspect problem.

I have even enabled "Allow Output Switching" and that did nothing as well.

System status:

Software Version: SageTV V7.0.11.1
Java Version: phoneme_advanced_mr2-b122
Current STV File: Cheetah.opt.stv (Version 7.0.16.0 September 1, 2010)
Online Videos Version: 2010081801
Display: 1920x1080i@59.94, Window: 1024x576
Firmware version: 20100909-0
Hostname: tango 3

Why does it say Window: 1024x576


Should I be running a beta firmware? How do I get that?

[gplasky]

Yes-you want the beta firmware. Type B-E-T-A on the remote before you have it search for new firmware.

Gerry

[sflamm]

updated to the Beta 0921 firmware.

no change.

I still have the wrong aspect ratio on all HD that is played.
And the system status still says: Display: 1920x1080i@59.94, Window: 1024x576


How do I fix the aspect ratio issue?

[sflamm]

I tried it on a second LCD HDTV (Sharp Aquos) in another room and the same result.

It is not setting the output screen resolution correctly.

The video does not fill the whole screen.

I set the playback to "Fill" instead of "Source" and it still does not fill the screen. It is as if the output itself is the wrong size. Not 1920x1080.

I believe it is 1024x576 shown in the Status Information.

All of the SageTV Menus fill the whole screen. It is only whenever I play any HD video (live, recorded, m2ts, ts, etc) that the full screen is never used! Standard DVDs play fine as well.

Where does this come from and what do I do?

How do you submit a bug for the HD300 - support ticket doesnt seem to include hardware...

[sflamm]

I installed my new HD300 in place of the software SageTV client (using exact same HDMI, networking).
The SageTV client worked perfectly, but the new HD300 has a serious problem. No matter how I configure it, all HD Videos (.ts created by HD-PVR, .m2ts ripped from blu-ray etc) are not playing at the right screen size / aspect ratio. What I see is that is spans the entire screen horizontally, but it is only about 3/4 the vertical height of the screen for .ts and 2/3 the vertical height for .m2ts.

Only standard DVDs are playing at the correct full screen size. Also the SageTV menus (i.e. home screen) are full size, but not the HD Video playing.

I have configured it to support 480i/480p/720p/1080i/1080p and to "Allow OutputSwitching". None of the adjustments seem to make a difference.

The system status shows:

I have the latest HD300 firmware beta installed.
The "System status":

Software Version: SageTV V7.0.11.1
Java Version: phoneme_advanced_mr2-b122
Current STV File: Cheetah.opt.stv (Version 7.0.16.0 September 1, 2010)
Online Videos Version: 2010081801
Display: 1920x1080i@59.94, Window: 1024x576
Firmware version: 20100929-0
Hostname: tango 3


While playing an HD Video I set the playback to "Fill" instead of "Source" --> and it still does not fill the entire screen. Only the partial non full height vertical strip. It is as if the output itself is the wrong size. Not 1920x1080.

I've attached photos of all the configuration screens (video, audio, advanced, system info), examples of all the video types (DVD, ts, m2ts) playing, and the physical hookup (hdmi, network, power).

Please let me know if you know how to fix this.

[sflamm]

Video samples (attached).

[sflamm]

I connected the HD300 to two DIFFERENT HD LCD TVs (different model Sharp Aquos) in two different rooms and the result is identical on both.

In both rooms there is a software SageTV client (PC) which runs normally and functions perfectly.

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by sflamm

Why does it say Window: 1024x576

That is the resolution that the UI (ie menus, etc, not when video is playing) is rendered at. A resolution of 1024 x 576 is completely normal and is a 16:9 aspect ratio. That UI (or Window) resolution is then scaled to whatever the output resolution of the HD300 is (480i/p, 720p, 1080i/p, etc).

Did you try deleting the MACAddress.properties file and reconfiguring the HD300 to see if something was amiss when it was originally setup?

[derelicte1]

I had the same issue with my new extender. the default overscan adjustment only uses the middle of the screen. once I moved the arrows to the corners it looked correct.

I also had to manually set the display aspect ratio to 16:9. it defaults to 4:3.

[sflamm]

I setup the HD300 per the manual's instructions. When it did not work I updated to the beta firmware per advice on this thread. I did nothing on the server side other than enable the media extender in the setup.

Not familiar with the MADAddress.properties file. (this is my first extender)

I assume you mean "MACAddress.properties" file -- I found one under SageTV/clients (attached). It looks similar to a SageTVClient.properties file...

What do I do? Simply delete and retry?

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by sflamm

I assume you mean "MACAddress.properties" file -- I found one under SageTV/clients (attached). It looks similar to a SageTVClient.properties file...

What do I do? Simply delete and retry?

yes sorry... it performs the same function as the sagetvclient.properties file... so deleting it just resets all the settings...

derelicte1 has a good suggestion though... our your overscan settings correct (setup during initial startup)?

[Opus4]

You don't need to delete the properties files to check these things. Go to Setup -> Detailed Setup -> Multimedia and check the settings for "Overscan Settings" and "Display Aspect Ratio Settings".

- Andy

[sflamm]

To troubleshoot the issue further I copied the following videos to a USB drive and attached locally.

1. Glee-BritneyBrittany-3883282-0.mpg : (720p recorded with HD-PVR at fixed 720p output from cable box)
2. HawaiiFive0-Ohana-3883370-0.mpg : (720p recorded with HD-PVR at fixed 720p output from cable box)
3. Nikita-RoughTrade-3893920-0.ts (720p recorded with SilconDust HDHR)
4. A Bugs Life.M2TS : H264 @ 1080p (ripped with ClownBD)
5. Planet Earth The Complete Series - Disc 1.M2TS : VC1 @ 1080p (ripped with ClownBD)

All of these play perfectly on my software SageTV clients.

Results of playing these off the HD300 locally (USB) are:

1. HDMI output is 720p. Full screen playback. Video plays fine with audio.
2. HDMI output at 1080p. Full screen playback. Plays grainy as output has been upsampled incorrectly. Should have output HDMI at 720p
3. HDMI output at 720p. Full screen playback. Video plays fine with audio.
4. HDMI output at 1080p. Screen is 100% black. No video. No audio.
5. HDMI output at 1080p. Screen is 100% black. No video. No audio.

Results of playing these off the HD300 as an extender (extender client) are:

1. HDMI output is 720p. Partial screen playback (does not fill screen). Video plays fine with audio.
2. HDMI output at 1080i. Partial screen playback (does not fill screen). Plays grainy as output has been upsampled incorrectly. Should have output HDMI at 720p.Video plays fine with audio.
3. HDMI output at 720p. Partial screen playback (does not fill screen). Video plays fine with audio.
4. HDMI output at 1080p. Partial screen playback (does not fill screen). Video plays fine with audio.
5. HDMI output at 1080p. Partial screen playback (does not fill screen). Video plays fine with audio.

This looks like video playback is very buggy.

Please advise.

[sflamm]

My overscan settings (and all others) are in the attached photos above.

Re-attaching here again.

[sflamm]

I originally adjusted the overscan manually and manually set 16:9. All of the problems occur with these manually set.

Note, some of the local video play full screen correctly. So the settings must be fine.

And they are reflected in the "System Info" screen shot I attached.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by sflamm

This looks like video playback is very buggy.

Please advise.

I have noticed any of the issues you are seeing is your tv capable of 1080p? All the above listed files playback without issue (I think I have played most of those). Do you have native resolution switching on?

[sflamm]

Yes of course the tv is - as I stated above my sagetv software client running on a shuttle box works perfectly connected with the exact same HDMI cable.

Native resolution switching is on. All the configuration info is attached above.

[sflamm]

Attaching log results of standalone test.

Played the following videos off of a USB drive attached locally.

1. Glee-BritneyBrittany-3883282-0.mpg : (720p recorded with HD-PVR at fixed 720p output from cable box)
2. HawaiiFive0-Ohana-3883370-0.mpg : (720p recorded with HD-PVR at fixed 720p output from cable box)
3. Nikita-RoughTrade-3893920-0.ts (720p recorded with SilconDust HDHR)
4. A Bugs Life.M2TS : H264 @ 1080p (ripped with ClownBD)
5. Planet Earth The Complete Series - Disc 1.M2TS : VC1 @ 1080p (ripped with ClownBD)

Results of playing these off the HD300 locally (USB) are:

1. HDMI output is 720p. Full screen playback. Video plays fine with audio.
2. HDMI output at 1080p. Full screen playback. Video plays fine with audio.
3. HDMI output at 720p. Full screen playback. Video plays fine with audio.
4. HDMI output at 1080p. Screen is 100% black. No video. No audio.
5. HDMI output at 1080p. Screen is 100% black. No video. No audio.