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[voodoo5_6k]

Hi everybody,

I potentially have a problem with JRiver MC. It is always on the most current version since I noticed the issue and read about the troubleshooting and error reporting hints.

JRiver MC is used as a video player on this device (HTPC). Videos are stored on a server and accessed via SMB shares (read only). This infrastructure predates JRiver MC, it has been in use previously with PowerDVD for a long time, with zero issues. Video files are either DVD (in folder structure) or BD (*.iso), and there are a few *.mkv or similar files. No other media files are accessed from this system (i.e. everything on SMB shares, no local files or optical drives). Also, this has been in place before JRiver MC, zero issues.

The issue has only been seen during DVD playback. At some point in time, the playback will stop (frozen image). In some instances, the playback recovers after a few seconds, with a little stuttering (just like the beginning of each DVD playback with JRiver MC, independent of the issue). However, after a little while, the playback will stop again, and then there is usually no recovery. Quitting JRiver MC and directly restarting playback of the same DVD will play the same scene without any issues. For some examples, I have restarted playback for the same DVD and let it run from beginning to end, no issues.

So, it shouldn't be the files or the network (that would surprise me, as they are on quite fast server, with SAS 12Gb/s DC HDDs and ZFS, in a fast network, with solely enterprise switches and Supermicro E200-9A pfSense router/firewall, and as written above, all of this has been in place before JRiver MC).

Doing the whole Windows Defender routine doesn't change anything.

Then I started looking at the logs (latest attached, but I have more). What I see are a lot of entries like this one, coinciding with the playback stops.
2219580: 8740: Playback: COutputPluginAudioRenderer::DoRenderSample: Dropping sample because it is too late; Error: -11345.046

This seems to point to some sort of issue with the audio processing. I have VideoClock enabled, as I'm using an nVidia GPU, and also have a mixture of PAL and NTSC DVD. This is, according to my understanding, "adjusting" the audio on the fly to better match the video clock (and I find it to work good). Could this be a thing to test (deactivating it), or is this completely unrelated to this type of issue?

The biggest problem I have is that I haven't identified a pattern or trigger for this... So, no reproducing right on cue.

Also, when I switch to task manager during one of the playback stops, there is a really high CPU usage by JRiver MC (almost 75%, while the mad* home cinema control has 0%), until I kill and restart it, than it's back to normal.

Maybe someone from JRiver could look into this. Thanks in advance!

[tij]

Try copying one of troubled DVD on local hard drive to see if it plays without problem ... to make sure it’s not network related problem

[voodoo5_6k]

Thanks! I'll look into this. But without any means to reproduce the issue, just playing the DVD from the local storage is no real verification. When playing back from the SMB share, most of the times, there are no playback issues at all, and even a DVD whose playback was subjected to the issue, plays fine immediately afterwards.

I'd be interested in what those messages in the logfile hint to. What does "too late" mean, in this context? Read too late, or processed too late, or something else? Maybe there's a buffer size issue?

Let's assume for a moment, there is a delay because of the storage/network. I'd understand the stop, because it then is more like a "pause", waiting for the data stream to catch up (although I'd say then, there need to be more frames buffered), but then there are instances where it never recovers, and just sits there, endlessly dropping frames because they are "too late". Quitting JRiver MC and instantly restarting it, it directly resumes at the last position and works fine. That's odd, somewhat.

For the time being, I'll also try to run a Wireshark capture each time I'll watch a DVD. Maybe this can help, in addition to the logs.

[jmone]

Your HW setup looks top notch.  It may be worth turning on madVR's OSD to just see if there is a video queue issue at the point where playback gets stalled.  It could be as simple as changing the nVidia Control Panel --> Manage 3d Settings --> Power Management Mode to Adaptive (note: This option seems to be gone/fixed in the latest driver I have on my 3090) as it it is set to "Optimal" the GPU can clock down causing issues with playback.

[voodoo5_6k]

Great idea, thanks! Later, I'll check the driver for the power management setting and, in case the issue reoccurs, will bring up the OSD to check for the video queue.

In addition, I'll run a Wireshark capture during each playback. Once I can reproduce the issue at will, I can also check the playback from local storage.

Edit: Just checked, and it was indeed set to "optimal". Changed it to "adaptive". Now I'll have to wait until or if the issue reoccurs... I'll report back.

[voodoo5_6k]

I hadn't forgotten this thread, but I had no issues for a while with DVD playback. Of course, yesterday, when I forgot to start a capture, the issue reappeared. Playback stopped (paused), then recovered and froze again, no recovery. Looking at the madVR OSD showed that all queues were 0-1, exactly like it looks when I intentionally pause the playback. The same issue in the logs, as always...

Sample:
4700626: 9320: Playback: COutputPluginAudioRenderer::DoRenderSample: Dropping sample because it is too late; Error: -13975.010

I'm still on the same driver (nVidia), but JRiver has of course updated a few times as has Windows.

[voodoo5_6k]

OK, I took some action

The "old" setup relied on SMB shares mounted in Windows to access the data. I wanted to look at another setup, in which MediaCenter would be responsible for transferring the data across the network.

I now have set up a VM on my NAS, installed the current Debian release, fiddled around until I somehow got a working desktop via VNC, mounted the dataset, installed MediaCenter 27, started the Media Network/Media Server, and imported a test file (a DVD as an *.iso image).

On the HTPC, I connected to the Media Server to gain access to the library, selected the DVD *.iso and waited for it to load. After it had received enough data, the file was automatically mounted via VirtualCloneDrive (like it should have been, as my BDs are all stored as *.iso). MediaCenter asked what it should do with the new DVD, and I selected "play" and unchecked "ask each time". And now, the DVD is playing.

Seems like I've got the test setup running. Now, import the entire data to the library and test... I have 29 days left (I should have bought the master license ). If this works OK (or if I don't come to any conclusive results during the trial period), I'll upgrade my Windows license to a master license.