Topic: Video playback stutters with disk access (Read 6013 times)

rpalmer68 · « **on:** July 19, 2006, 05:35:10 am »

I use another application (webscheduler) to schedule and record TV programs and then watch them back with MC (dvr-ms format) this worked fine in MC11 but in MC12 whenever webscheduler writes its block of data to disk (every 30 seconds or so) MC12 video playback stutters for a few seconds and then comes right once the disk access has stopped.

It's like there isn't any buffereing happening so other applications accessing the disk causes the playback to stutter.

Originally I thought it may have been the new folder monitoring, but now I'm sure it's when webscheduler writes to disk MC stutters. I disabled folder monitoring and it still happened.

I'm running a 7200RPM SATA HDD and a 3.2GHz CPU.

Richard

Yaobing · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2006, 03:48:52 pm »

Does this happen when you play the same file the other program is writing or different file?

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2006, 04:38:44 pm »

Both, same file or different.

Also if I use the MS Engine the problems seems to go away it's only with the MC engine.

Richard

Yaobing · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2006, 04:46:24 pm »

Is the same video decoder used in MC11.1 and MC12?

To tell which decoder is in use in MC11.1 you need to look at the log file. For MC12 use right-click menu.

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2006, 05:05:14 pm »

Yes both are using the NVIDIA decoder. (Purevideo Decoder)

I also notice that the picture is more washed out in the MC engine over the MS engine. There is more noise in the picture and it looks like the brightness is set too high.

Richard

gpvillamil · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:11:32 pm »

Sounds like MS and MC are using a different video renderer - VMR7 for MS, probably overlay (or direct write to screen) for MC.

I believe Nvidia PureVideo reverts to software mode (no hardware acceleration) if there are other incompatible filters in the DirectShow graph after it. This might create a CPU load that is greater, and hence more sensitive to activity in other programs.

Yaobing · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:20:43 pm »

Quote from: gpvillamil on July 19, 2006, 06:11:32 pm

Sounds like MS and MC are using a different video renderer - VMR7 for MS, probably overlay (or direct write to screen) for MC.

I believe Nvidia PureVideo reverts to software mode (no hardware acceleration) if there are other incompatible filters in the DirectShow graph after it. This might create a CPU load that is greater, and hence more sensitive to activity in other programs.

MC uses VMR9 if it can be used. It falls back to whichever renderer that can be connected if VMR9 can not be connected.

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 19, 2006, 06:26:03 pm »

The decoder information says that the MS one is using overlay and MC is using VRM9, both with H/W acceleration.

R

Yaobing · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2006, 09:16:40 am »

In general VMR9 SHOULD perform better. So I do not quite understand.

I suppose your video card should be modern enough for VMR9. Is your monitor set to use 32bit or 16bit color (and NOT 24 bit)?

gpvillamil · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2006, 11:20:20 am »

Quote from: rpalmer68 on July 19, 2006, 06:26:03 pm

The decoder information says that the MS one is using overlay and MC is using VRM9, both with H/W acceleration.

R

That is exactly the opposite of what I was expecting.

I do agree that VMR9 can sometimes look a bit worse - until you calibrate your monitor. But it should definitely be faster.

MC wouldn't happen to be opening VMR9 in renderless mode, right?

Yaobing · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2006, 11:34:27 am »

Quote from: gpvillamil on July 20, 2006, 11:20:20 am

MC wouldn't happen to be opening VMR9 in renderless mode, right?

Right. It is not in renderless mode. It is in Windowless mode.

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2006, 08:39:30 am »

I'm still getting the video stutter in playback, tonight I didn't have anything else recording and it still stuttered from time to time, otto was running so it may be his disk access also causing it.

I'm using 32bit color and my card is a NVIDIA GeForce 6200 Turbocache so should handle VMR9 fine I would think.

Still OK using MS engine, just a problem with MC playback engine.

Anything I can test/try to help isolate it?

Richard

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 11, 2006, 12:50:58 am »

This is still an issue for me with the latest builds.

Has anybody else seen this when playing back video with the native MC engine not the MS engine?

I'd use the MS engine, but it doesn't seem to recognise when I'm watching a file still being added to and won't let me FF past the length of the file when first opened while the MC engine lets the file continue to grow as it's being watched.

Thanks
Richard

Yaobing · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2006, 08:20:33 am »

Can you try using a different decoder filter?

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 12, 2006, 08:26:33 am »

Quote from: Yaobing on October 11, 2006, 08:20:33 am

Can you try using a different decoder filter?

OK I have installed the InterVideo decoder from WinDVD, and thought I'd try to tell MC to use it through the DirectShow Playback Options.

I selected the dvr-ms file type and then "Select Filters" and ticked the InterVideo Video Decoder in the "Other Filters" list and nothing from the "Source Filters" list.

When I try to play I get "locating" and nothing plays.

Do I have to select something from the Source Filters as well, if so what should I select (what is the default that would normally be used)?

Thanks
Richard

Yaobing · « **Reply #15 on:** October 12, 2006, 08:58:16 am »

Quote from: rpalmer68 on October 12, 2006, 08:26:33 am

OK I have installed the InterVideo decoder from WinDVD, and thought I'd try to tell MC to use it through the DirectShow Playback Options.

I selected the dvr-ms file type and then "Select Filters" and ticked the InterVideo Video Decoder in the "Other Filters" list and nothing from the "Source Filters" list.

When I try to play I get "locating" and nothing plays.

Do I have to select something from the Source Filters as well, if so what should I select (what is the default that would normally be used)?

Thanks
Richard

In theory, DirectShow would try to use the filter that you selected. If it is not usable, DirectShow would just ignore it and find another usable filter. So if DirectShow does not like InterVideo decoder, it should have just loaded PureVideo Decoder that it previously was using. Puzzling...

And you do not need to select a filter in order for DirectShow to play. However, it does not hurt trying it. How about selecting "StreamBufferSource" for Source Filter?

Yaobing · « **Reply #16 on:** October 12, 2006, 11:04:23 am »

Have you tried turning Hardware Acceleration feature on or off on your decoder filter?

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #17 on:** October 12, 2006, 04:51:41 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on October 12, 2006, 08:58:16 am

In theory, DirectShow would try to use the filter that you selected. If it is not usable, DirectShow would just ignore it and find another usable filter. So if DirectShow does not like InterVideo decoder, it should have just loaded PureVideo Decoder that it previously was using. Puzzling...

And you do not need to select a filter in order for DirectShow to play. However, it does not hurt trying it. How about selecting "StreamBufferSource" for Source Filter?

OK selecting StreamBufferSource and InterVideo Video Decoder crashes MC every time I try to play. (Maybe there neesd to be a trap in here to stop an application error crash)

Then tried StreamBufferSource and a CyberLink Video decoder and that seems to work OK, will wait and see it this stutters or not.

R

JimH · « **Reply #18 on:** October 12, 2006, 04:57:50 pm »

Quote from: rpalmer68 on October 12, 2006, 04:51:41 pm

(Maybe there neesd to be a trap in here to stop an application error crash)

If the OS fails, it's sometimes impossible.

Yaobing · « **Reply #19 on:** October 12, 2006, 05:35:18 pm »

There is a new option in the build today. You can choose not to use video mixing renderer 9 to render video. Please try using that feature and see if it stutters (with your PureVideo decoder).

rpalmer68 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 13, 2006, 07:45:22 pm »

Quote from: Yaobing on October 12, 2006, 05:35:18 pm

There is a new option in the build today. You can choose not to use video mixing renderer 9 to render video. Please try using that feature and see if it stutters (with your PureVideo decoder).

Unticking this option and using the NVIDIA Purevideo decoder seems to be working well now, will do further testing and post if problem returns.

Many thanks

Richard

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Author Topic: Video playback stutters with disk access (Read 6013 times)