Topic: Sony Bravia "Playback not available" (Read 26497 times)

w_axlrose1 · « **on:** February 17, 2016, 02:26:20 am »

So for a while now I have been seeing sporadic instances of the "Playback not available" message on a Sony Bravia KDL-32W706B TV when I attempt to play videos over DLNA. It doesn't happen every time but usually manifests itself before the video even starts playing. I had tried all sorts of settings in the JRiver DLNA configuration options and all had ben to no avail. I then set up a duplicate server on another machine, copied all of the settings and found that the problem appeared to go away. This got me thinking that it may have been server hardware specific.

Anyway the only major difference between them appeared to be the LAN speeed. The TV only has provision for 100Mb/s connection yet the problematic server was linked to a switch at 1Gb/s. After forcibly lowering the LAN speed on the server to 100Mb/s FDx the problem appears to have resolved.

It's only been a few days so far but I haven't seen the problem since even after trying a variety of formats and previously problematic videos. I'll give it a while longer and then try switching the speed back and see if the issue comes back.

Just thought I would post this in case it helps anybody else who might be experiencing similar problems.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #1 on:** February 17, 2016, 02:54:26 pm »

That is good information. It's problems like that which take an age to sort out usually. Well done.

Usually that sort of network speed issue comes down to the driver at one end or the other, not correctly negotiating the speed, or just mucking up the handshake. Have you reported it to Sony and the supplier of the 1Gbps network card in your PC? Or perhaps just checked if there is a fix for the network card, via a driver update.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2016, 01:16:45 pm »

After a bit more testing I think it may be down to the data rate swamping the TV so that it throws this error before playback has even begun. Interestingly if I persist in attempting to play the file by repeatedly sending it to the TV it will eventually play leaving me to believe that it is only the first burst of data causing it. Once it starts playing it will play through to the end fine. Dropping the LAN speed of the server to 100Mbs only appears to work if set to FDx which in turn causes a duplex mismatch with the autonegotiating switch and has the effect of throttling the data rate. If I use Auto 100Mbs then I get the same problem. Of course settling with mismatched duplex is not really a solution as this causes network issues with the server itself for example transferring files to/from it sees transfer rates of around 300Kbs.

I'm pretty sure that this is a Sony problem as I never saw this happen until the TV downloaded one of the forced firmware updates. Unfortunately I can't pinpoint which one it was or when exactly it occurred. I did look at the JRiver options in case there was an option for throttling bandwidth which although is a bit of a workaround, would likely solve the problem but there doesn't appear to be a setting for this.

I will contact Sony and see if I get anywhere but in the meantime if anybody could suggest a way of throttling the bandwidth for JRiver without affecting the network speed for other applications I would be willing to give it a try.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, the server network card is an Intel 82567LF-2 and according to Intel I am running the latest driver. Server OS is Windows 10 x64.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2016, 03:37:52 pm »

I think chasing Sony over the issue is the correct approach. If a firmware update did cause the problem, there are probably other people complaining about it.

One thing I would try, if it is possible, is to manually re-run the latest firmware update on the Sony. If there was a problem Sony may have done a "silent fix", or the original update may have glitched. Worth a try.

I don't know of any way to throttle just MC.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 20, 2016, 11:06:22 am »

I'm afraid that the TV won't allow me to re-run the firmware as it detects that it already has that particular version. Likewise it won't let me roll it back to a previous version which is unfortunate.

However, the plot thickens. I thought I'd have a go at bypassing the wired connection and set the TV up to connect via WiFi using it's built in wireless adapter. After sending video after video to the TV from JRiver, the problem didn't occur so this issue only seems to affect the wired connection for some reason. I will continue to test with this to double check but I'm hoping I will hear back from Sony in due course as a wireless connection is less than ideal due to fairly weak signal. I can't relocate the TV or the wireless router and I don't particularly want to install a second AP.

I've also tried using a different TV a KDL-42W706B which is the larger screen version of the 32 but other than screen size is intentical in it's internal electronics and uses the same firmware. This TV has exactly the same issue as the original one yet appears to work on wireless.

I have already verified the integrity of the cabled network. All ethernet cables checked out fine and I did try numerous different ones just to make sure. The gigabit switch is a simple unmanaged one but this is one thing that I've not been able to eliminate from the equation as of yet. My next step will be obtaining a different switch from somewhere to test and although I don't suspect that it will make any difference, at least I can say I'm being thorough.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 29, 2016, 05:21:05 am »

Just to keep everybody updated it's now been a month since I contacted Sony support. After a few emails back and forth to their low level tech guy trying to teach me to suck eggs he said he was going to escalate it further with the technical team. Not heard from them yet so have sent them another email asking if anything is actually being investigated. I've given them all of the information I have collected from my tests so they have a fair bit to work with. Their starting point should be looking into what causes the issue on the ethernet port yet seems not to affect the wireless connection.

Any developments and I'll post them here.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #6 on:** March 29, 2016, 04:51:30 pm »

Thanks for the update. It is always good to hear about issues such as this, so I know what to look for when I see problems, and hearing the resolution is even better. Let's hope you get to that stage!

BTW, did you think about buying a really long Ethernet extension lead and directly connecting the TV to the router, just to eliminate the switch as an issue? Because sometimes a switch can be an issue, and 20 or 30 metre/yard cables aren't that expensive. I have a 20m cable that can reach just about anywhere in the house for just such testing. Probably worth a try, unless you have already tried an alternate, different model and brand switch.

You could even eliminate the router if you were willing to put the time in setting IP Addresses manually for the PC and TV.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 05, 2016, 10:15:20 am »

I have. I've even gone to the length of connecting the TV directly to the server using a crossover cable and configuring the IP settings manually with exactly the same problem. Everything seems to point to the way the TV handles the data over the ethernet port. I'm just hoping Sony's silence on this matter is because they're currently testing. I did get a response from them that simply said the matter was being investigated. I really don't think I can give them any more information as my processes of elimination should have ruled out all sorts of potential culprits.

Again, I still don't get this issue when on WiFi and if the signal wasn't so weak and patchy where the TV is located I probably wouldn't be making so much noise about this.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #8 on:** April 24, 2016, 05:38:13 am »

I had an email from Sony suggesting that I try using the TV with a different DLNA server. Their suggestion was Serviio. I configured this, disabled all of the transcoding options and low and behold it appears to work fine whether cabled or wirelessly connected. This has now muddied the waters even further as it has thrown in yet another variable.

TV frequently throws the error when cabled and using JRiver yet not when connected wirelessly

TV doesn't throw the error at all when cabled or wirelessly connected when using Serviio.

Again I'm at a loss as to the real culprit of what is causing this.

JimH · « **Reply #9 on:** April 24, 2016, 07:41:53 am »

Please try this build:

Download: http://files.jriver.com/mediacenter/channels/v21/latest/MediaCenter210072.exe

Are you playing to it from MC? Or playing from MC on the TV? Maybe you said.

Search for user AndrewFG and read a few of his recent posts about his analyzer program. He posts regularly on the Media Network board here.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #10 on:** May 06, 2016, 03:11:37 am »

Thanks Jim, I will give this a try.

I seem to have this issue whether I pull the video from MC and when I push it to the TV .

Is there anything different with this latest build that you suspect may fix this?

Many thanks

Mark.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #11 on:** May 18, 2016, 03:42:58 pm »

Quote from: JimH on April 24, 2016, 07:41:53 am

Please try this build:

Download: http://files.jriver.com/mediacenter/channels/v21/latest/MediaCenter210072.exe

Are you playing to it from MC? Or playing from MC on the TV? Maybe you said.

Search for user AndrewFG and read a few of his recent posts about his analyzer program. He posts regularly on the Media Network board here.

Using this build didn't make a difference I'm afraid. I've run the analyzer tool and submitted the log. I'll see if I get a response.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #12 on:** May 18, 2016, 04:56:26 pm »

On a further note, today I installed NetLimiter on my server (a newly built server to rule out previous hardware) which allows you to restrict network bandwidth by application. I configured it to allow JRiver to use 100Mb/s of bandwidth only and low and behold it started functioning normally. This takes me back to my initial thought that JRiver is swamping the TV with a burst of data just as playback is starting.

One feature that I would like to see so that I could experiment further would be an option in JRiver to manually set this rate so that I can perform further tests on this. I'm not that keen on using additional software to achieve this and I'm convinced this would get around the problem.

JimH · « **Reply #13 on:** May 18, 2016, 05:51:13 pm »

That is probably a Sony bug, possibly a network driver bug.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #14 on:** May 18, 2016, 08:04:44 pm »

Quote from: w_axlrose1 on May 18, 2016, 04:56:26 pm

On a further note, today I installed NetLimiter on my server (a newly built server to rule out previous hardware) which allows you to restrict network bandwidth by application.

Good old NetLimiter. I had completely forgotten about that. I even registered a version some years back.

Quote from: JimH on May 18, 2016, 05:51:13 pm

That is probably a Sony bug, possibly a network driver bug.

I entirely agree with Jim on this one. Which is why I previously thought pursuing Sony was the correct answer.

Quote from: w_axlrose1 on May 18, 2016, 04:56:26 pm

This takes me back to my initial thought that JRiver is swamping the TV with a burst of data just as playback is starting.

But flow control of network traffic isn't the responsibility of MC, at all. It is the responsibility of network hardware, network driver, maybe OS a little bit, and the receiving devices hardware, drivers, etc.

Given your experience though, after trying two different TVs, and now with a new server, I'm wondering if you are setting something on the network card properties that is the problem. Have you changed the default Network Card properties? Or are you using the defaults? Flow Control is enabled? Everything that has the option (under Properties>Advanced) to select "Rx & Tx Enabled" has that setting selected?

Does you new server use the same network chip by the way? If the same chip is used in your old and new server, or even the same brand that uses the same driver, there could be an incompatibility between that brand/driver and the Sony.

But then, as Serviio works, it could be a problem with the implementation of DLNA in MC, or in the Sony, or an incompatibility between the two. You could try running AndrewFG's Digital Media Renderer Analyser to see if there is anything obvious. You may need Andrew's help in interpreting the results though. You could also check his database of completed tests, as that includes a couple of similar Sony TVs to yours. Andrew is pretty helpful with DLNA issues.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #15 on:** May 19, 2016, 10:48:07 am »

Quote from: RoderickGI on May 18, 2016, 08:04:44 pm

Given your experience though, after trying two different TVs, and now with a new server, I'm wondering if you are setting something on the network card properties that is the problem. Have you changed the default Network Card properties? Or are you using the defaults? Flow Control is enabled? Everything that has the option (under Properties>Advanced) to select "Rx & Tx Enabled" has that setting selected?

I've currently got the settings set as defaults. Flow control is 'Rx/Tx Enabled'. I have tried enabling/disabling many of the other settings listed but I always end up with the same error.

Quote from: RoderickGI on May 18, 2016, 08:04:44 pm

Does you new server use the same network chip by the way? If the same chip is used in your old and new server, or even the same brand that uses the same driver, there could be an incompatibility between that brand/driver and the Sony.

The adapter in the new server is listed as an Intel I219-V which is different from the one in my old server which was an Intel 82567LF-2.

Quote from: RoderickGI on May 18, 2016, 08:04:44 pm

But then, as Serviio works, it could be a problem with the implementation of DLNA in MC, or in the Sony, or an incompatibility between the two. You could try running AndrewFG's Digital Media Renderer Analyser to see if there is anything obvious. You may need Andrew's help in interpreting the results though. You could also check his database of completed tests, as that includes a couple of similar Sony TVs to yours. Andrew is pretty helpful with DLNA issues.

I will re-run the analyser on the new server and see if he can help point me in the right direction.

Just for info, here is a video of the problem which I originally sent to Sony...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPI4lTBllic

blgentry · « **Reply #16 on:** May 19, 2016, 10:52:42 am »

Ethernet hardware flow control isn't enabled or available on many switches. Some will completely ignore it. It all still works because of CSMA/CD . But it sure works better when hardware flow control is available.

Brian.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #17 on:** May 19, 2016, 01:15:04 pm »

Quote from: blgentry on May 19, 2016, 10:52:42 am

Ethernet hardware flow control isn't enabled or available on many switches. Some will completely ignore it. It all still works because of CSMA/CD . But it sure works better when hardware flow control is available.

Brian.

The switch is a D-Link DGS-105 which according to the manual supports 802.3x.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #18 on:** May 19, 2016, 06:04:12 pm »

Quote from: w_axlrose1 on May 19, 2016, 10:48:07 am

Just for info, here is a video of the problem which I originally sent to Sony...

That clarifies things a little. In all this testing I assume that you have been using the Sony to pull media from MC. Since you are using DLNA, and pulling media, I assume your server is not located near the TV. Do you have a laptop or something you can use as a MC Client to try pushing media to the TV, instead of pulling? I don't think that will solve your issue, but it would be interesting to see if pushed media works straight off or not. It may give Andrew a hint as to what is happening as well.

Also, I can't tell from that video if the Sony is being flooded with data, or starved of it. It could be that the MC DLNA server isn't responding quick enough (or too quickly) when communication is via a 1Gbps connection, but at 100Mbps it does. Since the TV only supports 100Mbps, but the PC supports 1Gbps, there may be some speed negotiation going on every time the Sony tries to pull media. That causes enough of a delay that the Sony decides playback isn't going to work. When you try multiple times to play media, there is enough time for the speed negotiation to complete. Or maybe multiple attempts "force" the DLNA server to communicate at 100Mbps. Or the network card. Hence, if you restrict MC to 100Mbps, no speed negotiation is required, and playback works first time. I'm guessing a bit here, as I'm no network/DLNA expert.

If the above is correct, it isn't a Sony problem, and is more likely to be a MC DLNA server problem. Which takes you right back to the start. Although maybe it is a combination of both, as the Sony probably should wait for the MC DLNA server to switch speeds.... Or it could still be a purely network layer issue. Although I have always found Intel NICs to be the best for standards compatibility, so it should know the Sony is only 100Mbps, and communicate at that speed. Unless effectively a new network connection is created every time playback is initiated.

I think you need a network expert. But you know what you are doing. Maybe you could use WireShark or similar to analyse what is happening at the server NIC, in terms of connections and speeds? You may even be able to see the speed negotiation happening, or the new connection being made to the Sony. I don't know.

Finally, just because why not, have you tried turning on the "WMC compatible" flag on the MC DLNA server? That may fix some idiosyncrasies that the Sony expects.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #19 on:** May 20, 2016, 09:13:53 am »

Quote from: RoderickGI on May 19, 2016, 06:04:12 pm

That clarifies things a little. In all this testing I assume that you have been using the Sony to pull media from MC.

I get the error regardless of whether the content is pulled by the TV or pushed from JRiver. I do have a laptop and have used this to connect to the server library and push the content to the TV and the same happens. I did use the laptop to configure a separate DLNA server with JRiver which I successfully used to push/pull to/from the TV although the laptop was on wireless at the time. I guess I should repeat the process again but using the ethernet port on the laptop.

I also had another play last night with Serviio and successfully pushed/pulled video to the TV without issue over numerous attempts. I then tried using the built in 'cast to device' application in Windows 10 which also worked successfully (although this particular piece of software always transcodes what it believes can't be handled).

I will give the WMC compatible option another try later although I'm fairly sure I've tried this before.

Thanks for suggestions, though everybody. I'm really impressed that you guys are taking time out to assist me.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #20 on:** December 18, 2016, 06:28:48 am »

After getting nowhere with Sony support I thought I'd post my workaround. Not exactly an ideal solution but it seems to do the trick nicely and once set up, no longer requires any additional fiddling around.

My suspicion of it being related to network speeds led me to 'fix' the problem by doing the following...

1. Install NetLimiter 4 on the JRiver server
2. Configure a rule in NetLimiter for JRiver Media Centre restricting the upload rate to 4.5MB/s.
3. Configure NetLimiter service to run on startup (no need to configure the software itself to launch on startup).

After using this workaround for 6 months or so I haven't had the issue since. I did experiment with the upload cap and 4.5MB/s was the highest I could achieve that reliably worked.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #21 on:** December 18, 2016, 04:26:34 pm »

Oh snap. I am so glad that you posted this now.

I am just about to buy a new TV, and a Sony 65" X9300D 4K HDR TV KD65X9300D is at the top of the list at the moment, because it just about matches the Samsungs, and it still has 3D while Samsung doesn't anymore. The Sony does still only have a 100Mbps Ethernet connection!

I am going to have to watch for this now. Hopefully, being an Android TV, the firmware won't have the same problem.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #22 on:** December 19, 2016, 04:52:14 am »

I'll be very interested to hear how you get on should you get this TV.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #23 on:** October 18, 2017, 09:36:57 am »

Just for a follow up, this issue seems to have been resolved since upgrading to v23. I've been running on this version without the aforementioned NetLimiter fix since mid August and not seen the problem show up on either TV.

RoderickGI · « **Reply #24 on:** October 18, 2017, 04:31:05 pm »

Good to hear. A shame there was no obvious reason for it.

Sorry I didn't get back about my experience. I haven't had any issues with the new TV.

sarawilliams · « **Reply #25 on:** March 03, 2019, 01:11:45 am »

Has anyone got proven and permanent solution for this error? I tried everything as mentioned in this thread but no help. Even followed few more guides but they doesn't seem to be providing permanent solution.

w_axlrose1 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 16, 2019, 05:48:58 am »

I'm afraid I never got to the root of the cause. Installing NetLimiter seemed to work as a workaround in the interim but when MC23 was released and I installed that the problem seemed to go away completely.

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Author Topic: Sony Bravia "Playback not available" (Read 26497 times)