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[DancingSamurai]

Hello JRiver Community,

I'm hoping someone can offer some assistance -- the only other thread I've found with basically the same issue is here (from a year and a half ago): http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=67946.0  but unfortunately there isn't a solution there.

Basically, when Media Server is running in the background, my HTPC video cuts out for 2-3 seconds (black screen) at semi-random intervals. It doesn't matter what is running in the foreground - JRiver, XBMC, my web browser, etc -- but it can be triggered by accessing the Media Server (e.g. via the Gizmo app for android) and getting to to create thumbnails (e.g. by browsing to a tree item that hasn't been looked at before). Also seems to do it sometimes when starting to stream video. It does it also if the Media Server is running on another user account.

This is a brand new HTPC I just built, running windows 8. I have an old GTX 295 card in it with the latest drivers, connected to my Sony TV via HDMI.
My old HTPC (a Zotac atom-based box with Nvidia ION) had the exact same issue under Windows 7. (also connected via HDMI)

I cannot find an option in the bios to disable S3 sleep, as suggested in the other thread.

Any other recommendations? This is really quite frustrating and is a deal breaker for using this as my media server. (Plex is my alternate but it lacks some features -- like playlists?! WTF plex?)

Thanks for any suggestions,

-- DancingSamurai

[gtgray]

I see something similar from time to time on an i3 with an Nvidia. I don't see it on my i3 with AMD. I can not attribute it to Media Server but I am using Media Server on both boxes. It can happen a couple times a day and I do not use S3 on the AMD box. I don't find sleep all that reliable. I may not even start JRiver every day on the Nvidia box.

I don't know if my experience is a useful datapoint or not. My HDMI chain is also HDMI.. PC >Denon>Display. On the AMD box I go to Radiance XS and then separate HDMI outs to a Denon and my display.

[jmone]

I also saw in the last couple of days something similar.  I was setting up a MC HTPC (also running Media Server) for a mate and when in Std View we kept getting the HDMI flicker on a off.  It was importing stuff at the time (building thumbs maybe?)

[JimH]

Sometimes people tell Windows to run MC with a higher or lower priority.  This is not a good idea.

Virus checkers cause a lot of strange problems.

[DancingSamurai]

I haven't adjusted the priority from default and have no virus checker installed (other than the built in Microsoft one). But no other software has similar behaviour... only other time I've seen similar blacking out is when the screen switches modes (eg app goes from windowed to fullscreen)...

*sigh* so I guess there is no solution?

[JimH]

This is not likely to be an MC problem.  Your network shouldn't interfere with video.

[JustinChase]

I started that thread you referred to, and I never found a real solution.  I ended up replacing the video card in that machine, and never had that problem again.  I wish I could tell you there was a 'better' fix, but I never figured it out.

I actually replaced the power supply, motherboard and processor in that box, and have been using the Intel HD4000 onboard graphics chip and have never seen that problem return.  i actually put the video card from that machine into another machine, and it hasn't happened on that machine either, so there must have been some software or hardware combination issue that was causing it.

Wish I could help, since I know how frustrating it can be.  But unless you want to purchase hardware, I got nothing

[DancingSamurai]

JimH, the only time I get this problem is when MC does bacgound activity (presumably generating thumbs). Also happens on import of new video files (screenblinks like crazy) so its not network related per se.

once I get home I guess I'll try pulling the nvidia card and using hd4000 onboard to see if that fixes it... Just had hoped to have a bit of ooomph if I wanted to game on that box.

Thanks everyone for your quick replies and suggestions.

[jmone]

That "blinking" was what I was seeing.  It was almost like a loose HDMI cable and it happened in batches.  Eg it was fine then when in Std View doing some tagging etc the screen would flash a few time.  Did not seem to happen in TheaterView.  It sort of looks like the blink you get when the refresh rate or resolution is changed.  I've never seen this before on any of the other builds I have done.

[glynor]

Could it be drive access shaking the case and actually making the cables loose?

See if you can reproduce it by tapping on the HDMI cable lightly.  I'm just thinking...  Thumbnailing accesses the local disk.  Vibrations.

I've seen a similar blinking issue before... I was convinced it was sleep related and all sorts of crazy things.  And it WAS a loose HDMI cable.  I traded cables (for one less stuff and heavy) and it went away.

[jmone]

Yeah we already wend around doing the tap/wobble HDMI thing.  As the rig is at a mates place I'll not see it for a week I guess so will see if it is still an issue.  He as reported no issues at all when playing content.  It was just when we were importing and tagging stuff up in Std View.

[DancingSamurai]

Disk vibration is an interesting idea... but there was no blinking when I imported my terabyte + collection into Plex, or Dropbox re-analyzed my 200 GB Dropbox folder, which I think causes way more disk activity than a few thumbnails. I'm just wondering if there is something in the video library MC uses to analyze video and pull a thumbnail from it that's resetting the display (maybe particular to nVidia cards/drivers?).

[HiFiTubes]

I changed to Nvidia card from ATI, and see blinking while Video thumbs are built. JRMC19