INTERACT FORUM
More => Old Versions => Media Center 17 => Topic started by: boot77 on June 12, 2012, 05:50:00 pm
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I experience stuttering videoplayback after 2 minutes off playing video which ends with a total freeze on my HTPC jriver client. Audio files play without a problem.
Problem is only there when file play is started from jriver no matter what interface view is used.
I can play the same video files without a problem with VLC.
I can play the same video files via jriver with no problem if loaden/started from the file explorer (file assosiation jriver)
My setup
- JRiver 17.0.170 (problem has been there througout all 17.xxx versions, never ran lower versions)
- JRiver media server with libary and files intel i3 with 1gb nic / OS on SSD, files on normal 2TB HDD
- JRiver HTPC client i3 1gb nic / ssd hdd
- All systems running MS W7
- connect via gigabit switch
If i try the same on my laptop via wifi, playback is fine a few glitses every now and the but that's due the wifi connection.
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Is it only on the client that you have a problem?
What if you copy the file to the client and play it off a local drive?
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I will give that a try but will need to create another libary and not the libary being served by the server.
Playing files from the server is no problem as mentioned above, but the file needs to be started from the file explorer and not from within jriver.
I post what the result is from playing a local file.
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I tried playing the same file on the client with a local libary. It play's without a problem. Copy speed from server to client was around 63MB / sec. I attached the log file.
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kick
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just to be sure, the problem is not caused by audio settings, I tried all different output modes. But with no succes. The stuttering still appear after playing 2 to 3 minutes. Also tried an increased buffer size of 5 sec, but no improvement.
As mentioned before starting the file from the file explorer did not cause the video to stutter. I tried it via the theather view, gadgets, explorer and it played correctly as well.
It seems like it has something to do how the file is served to the client. As I am not that technical I don't know if there is any difference on the file handeling/ transport between the two methods. The internal processing (DSP etc.) is for both methods the same, so this can not cause the problem.
Another test I did was to connect to the libary on IP instead of using the key, no difference at all.
During my last test I did disable the firewall on the client compleetly. I have no mapped network drive on the client to the server.
Hope this additional info helps. If some additional log file are required please let me know.
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Try disabling your virus checker. If that doesn't work, try uninstalling it.
Make sure you have the latest build of MC. It's at the top of this board.
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My guess is that it's the buffering internet reader used for Library Server client playback.
We've made some improvements to this that will be public in about a week. Please test build 173 once it's available and let us know if it helps.
Thanks.
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I just set up a remote client and am also having the same issue. I did notice that when the stutter happens my CPU usage goes way up. When watching a movie normally, the CPU loafs at under 10%, but shoots up to over 50%. I have tried all the same things as the OP, and have petty much identical results, except it is random. I don't see it occurring at just 2 minutes...it seems to happen more when it is high action scene, but that could just be coincidental.
bricktop
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This build may fix this problem:
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=72804.0
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Just tried the new build and I get the same results. If I play a movie with JRiver player but selected over the network as just a file it plays perfectly, but if playing through the media server, it stutters and then stops. The same scenario, while playing fine, the CPU is around 10%, but as soon as the video starts glitching the CPU, shoots up between 50% and 75%.
Thanks,
Bricktop
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Did you install the new build on both machines? If so, it's not what Matt thought it was.
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Yes, both the client machine and the server machine were updated prior to trying it out. Another observation...it only does this with blu-ray rips. I have never noticed it streaming lower bitrate HD or SD streams.
Bricktop
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If it plays fine locally but not over the network, these are the possibilities I can think of:
1. Bandwidth is a problem
2. A virus checker is getting in the way
3. The file is being converted to a higher bitrate
#3 is unlikely. #2 would fit with the CPU spike. I can't see how #1 could cause a spike in CPU.
It's still possible there is an MC problem we don't know about.
In general, Blu-ray streaming has been less of a problem for us than DVD.
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It plays fine over the network using JRiver as the player, but playing over a samba network share, so basically leaving the JRiver media server out of the equation. I doubt it is bandwidth, I have hardwired gigabit connections throughout the house, but stranger things have happened. I am trying it out on another PC, connected through the same wires to see if it is repeatable.
EDIT:
I just tried it with a different PC with the same results. The video will start buffering, then skip, then eventually freeze. I notice when this happens the hard drive becomes very active, as well as the CPU usage goes way up. I know it is not anti-virus as the machine I just tried does not have one installed yet.
EDIT 2:
I set up a second library on the client machine based on a Samba share and played the same movies without issue. So if I play a movie using Media Server, I get stuttering and freezing video, but if I use a Samba shared library and play the same movies, I have no issues.
Thanks,
Bricktop
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thanks for the fast release of the new version. did install it on the client and server. But it did not fix the problem. tried different video's but all started stuttering after 2 to 5 minutes. trying the same video's via the file explorer ( jriver and windows it self) no problem at all.
Did try the large buffer setting of 5 sec, same problem. And virus scan / firewall software disabled.
windows is using 840 MB of memory in idle mode, when playing a file it doubles tp 1,6GB. When stuttering and freezing cpu is not behaving any different then when playing correctly. CPU usage varies from 10-30 %.
When files are started from the explorer CPU usage is around 7% less and memory is around 500MB less (1,1GB)
If a new log file is needed, please let me know. As with bricktop, I run a 1GB network and NIC's.
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Please do provide a new log.
However, it looks more like an audio rendering problem as I have seen a number of huge audio drift corrections. What audio mode are you using? Can you try switching from JRiver audio renderer to DirectSound Audio renderer as a test?
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for my set-up I use Asio
Soundcard is an asus xonar AVHD deluxe 1.3 using analog outputs
asio driver setting, bit deph 24-bit and 80 ms latency
jriver 5 sec buffer
in DSP no upsampling of source input
tried playing with direct sound as suggested but the same problem. Only diffence is that when the stuttering starts the last audio sec keeps repeating (like a sample)
I attached the log file.
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Xonar's have some driver issues. Are you using the "unified" driver?
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How was your mkv file created? I am also wondering if this is related to mkv or how it is handled in MC.
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Here is a log file from when the video stutters badly.
Let me know if there is anything I can do to help.
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The driver I use is the last version from the asus website: Version 7.12.8.1794
http://www.asus.com/Multimedia/Audio_Cards/Xonar_HDAV13_Deluxe/#download
What do you mean with "unified" driver?
The mkv files are downloads, but they are not the problem as jriver plays them well when loaded via the file explorer. VLC has no problem playing the files as well.
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unified driver as in this one: http://brainbit.wordpress.com/category/uni-xonar/?
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Tonight I did remove the current asus drivers and installed the Uni Xonar drivers 1.61. Both normal option and low latency.
Results are the same or even worse, stuttering starts faster, nearly after 1 minute.
again disabled the firewall on the client. I attached a new log file from the tests of tonight.
we are looking at client logs but it it uan option the problem is at the server side? if the server is not offering the stream quick enough the same problem coulld acure.
@ bricktop, what soundcard are you using?
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@ bricktop, what soundcard are you using?
On one machine I am using an AMD HD4550 to output the audio over an HDMI to a 2 channel setup. The other one uses an HD5310 (I think, is it built on the motherboard) to send 2 channel audio over HDMI. I am going to try passing the audio untouched over HDMI to a receiver to see if that changes anything.
Bricktop
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Does it happen with all your mkv files? Or all large mkv files? Or only some large mkv files?
I have tried finding some mkv videos online, but none was very large (only 235 MB, or 7 minutes).
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Just to add another perspective, I routinely play back high bitrate BluRay rips in mkv format over my hardwired gigabit network in MC, flawlessly. I don't think there's a problem with MC per se. Which codec settings are you using? ROHQ? If so are you in exclusive mode for MadVr?
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Does it happen with all your mkv files? Or all large mkv files? Or only some large mkv files?
It only happens with Blu-ray rips, but I have seen it happen on every movie I have tried so far that was a high bit rate Blu-ray rip. I can watch lower bitrate, but still HD MKV files and have no issues. Really seems as if Bitrate is the key here.
Just to add another perspective, I routinely play back high bitrate BluRay rips in mkv format over my hardwired gigabit network in MC, flawlessly. I don't think there's a problem with MC per se. Which codec settings are you using? ROHQ? If so are you in exclusive mode for MadVr?
I can watch high bitrate Blu-rays over my network fine, even with JRiver as the player, I just can't do it when I am using my server PC as a Media Server and my extender PC as a client. If I set up the library through Samba, instead of Media Server, all the movies I have tried played perfectly. As for video setting, I am not using MadVR for either of the PCs I have configured currently.
Bricktop
EDIT 1: I tried putting one of the clients HDMI outputs through a receiver and changing the audio setting to bitstream and I got the same issue as before. Every Blu-ray I tried stuttered and eventually froze up, the audio froze up. It didn't matter what the Video CODEC was, or audio. I can work around this by setting up the library without syncing to Media Server, but it is not the way I would like to do it as having multiple libraries to keep updated and the "same" is much more work this way.
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I am still puzzled. There is something suspicious but I can not tell what it is. I enabled more logging for the next build. Hopefully we can get some info then.
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I experienced some of the symptoms described as well. With the last build and by switching my motherboard (INTEL NIC vs REALTEK NIC before) the symptoms have disappeared. My setup is a nvidia GT640 and a core I3, 2130 on a intel DH77 mini-itx motherboard.
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I'm having the exact same problem on both of my HTPCs. Videos will playback anywhere from 10 minutes to 30 seconds perfectly fine before stuttering and completely locking up. These HTPCs playback the same videos over the network on XBMC, Plex, and MPC-HC (with MadVR) perfectly. Also, firewalls on server and HTPCs are disabled and no anti-virus software is installed on any of them. Definitely not a problem with my hardware or network. Running the latest version of Media Center on all PCs. Let me know what I can do to help figure this out.
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i am running 2 Intel 5 serie motherboards as well both with intel onboard NIC's
@ lockdown571, bricktop: what motherboard / nic config are you using?
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i am running 2 Intel 5 serie motherboards as well both with intel onboard NIC's
@ lockdown571, bricktop: what motherboard / nic config are you using?
One is an Asrock H61M-GE with the built in Atheros AR8151. The others is an Intel G41. I'm not sure what onboard lan it has. The server is a Asus p5n7a-vm. Again I'm not sure what the onboard lan is. Is there an easy way to find out?
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157256&Tpk=asrock%20h61m-ge (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157256&Tpk=asrock%20h61m-ge)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101116 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101116)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131348 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131348)
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The shuttle is propably:
Marvell 88E8057 Ethernet network controller (Gigabit)
the other client with asus board P5N7A-VM is a Realtek GigaBit nic.
So no Intel.
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The shuttle is propably:
Marvell 88E8057 Ethernet network controller (Gigabit)
the other client with asus board P5N7A-VM is a Realtek GigaBit nic.
So no Intel.
Do you suspect the NICs are the problem? Seems odd considering the files play flawlessly over the network on other software.
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I don't think it is the NIC, but if we would if we all had Intel nics. There could have been a specific problem with the driver when it concerns streaming. So we can write this one of the list.
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Update: It turns out that the problem has to do with JRiver's server/client functionality. I tried just adding the movies to the client using smb and everything plays back fine.
Update 2: I'm an idiot. I had used local folders on the server instead of the smb folders. What's even more dumb of me is this was already addressed in an old thread of mine (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=69514.msg470614#msg470614 (http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=69514.msg470614#msg470614)). I guess I had forgotten XD. Everything is working now.
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Can you guys try the latest build available on this board? I enabled some additional logging. So please provide a new log.
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installed the new release on both client and server. Sorry to say but same results. Tried playing 2 files, both ended up in stuttering of video.
Log file is attached. Please let me know if further logs or settings needed to be set.
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Here are logs from the server and client during badly stuttering playback. Let me know if there is anything you want me to try.
Thanks,
Bricktop
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Thanks for the new logs. They almost eliminated the possibility of the stuttering being caused by buffering of data. The network reading and buffering of data is generally way ahead of data requests.
However, to do further verification, I built a special build of a player component for you to test. If you would like to test this, please shoot me an email so I can sent it to you. I am yaobing at jriver dot com
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email shot, yes please :D
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I can say I had the same problem. I never succeded in getting a client/server setup to play smoothely. I ended up ditching the server and have the library in the client playing files over the network with no problem.
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I tried the special release, replace the .dll file on the client. I did not update the server as you said data transport was not a problem. The video will not open at all. After pressing play, the graphic and text opening appear along with the cover image. After wainting 5 minutes with no results I pressed stop. It toke a while but I returned to jriver.
Playing the same file via the smb / explorer using jriver, no problem at all.
Tried to attach the log which is quite big 53MB without success, did send you a mail with download link.
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I tried the new .DLL file and played a movie...it did play after a minute delay. It made it much further into the movie without stuttering, but when I tried to skip to the next chapter it froze completely. I will try more in a bit.
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I tried the new .DLL file and played a movie...it did play after a minute delay. It made it much further into the movie without stuttering, but when I tried to skip to the next chapter it froze completely. I will try more in a bit.
Don't try skip forward. It does not work with this test DLL. Just play.
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I tried the special release, replace the .dll file on the client. I did not update the server as you said data transport was not a problem. The video will not open at all. After pressing play, the graphic and text opening appear along with the cover image. After wainting 5 minutes with no results I pressed stop. It toke a while but I returned to jriver.
Playing the same file via the smb / explorer using jriver, no problem at all.
Tried to attach the log which is quite big 53MB without success, did send you a mail with download link.
Please try this:
Before playing the file, clear the bookmark. If you can play the file, let it play for a while and see if you will get any stuttering problem. Do not seek forward.
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Tried to watch 2 movies today, and I got around an hour into them before they started stuttering. I have the log files, but they are 3 & 5 megs, so I can't upload them to the forum.
Thanks,
Bricktop
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Tried to watch 2 movies today, and I got around an hour into them before they started stuttering. I have the log files, but they are 3 & 5 megs, so I can't upload them to the forum.
Thanks,
Bricktop
I've been following this thread for a while because I've seen this problem for about as long as I've used MC for video playback. Same symptom. Video starts stuttering after a while. For me, it's sporadic and I can never reproduce it at will. I can ALWAYS resolve it by pausing playback (briefly) and resuming OR seeking forward/backward a little.
Here's what I'm 99% sure of:-
- it doesn't occur if I use Madvr in *exclusive* mode
- it doesn't occur if MC is not connected to Library Server
- it seems to occur more frequently when the client is syncing to the server (in the background) and building thumbs
- it occurs on every PC in the house - all use AMD GPU's of varying flavors.
- it can occur for any valid display refresh rate and video frame rate combo.
Like I said, a long time problem and possibly not exactly what the thread's trying to solve but I thought I'd chime in just in case it's relevant.
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Can you run the benchmark in MC under Help and post the JRMark number (at the bottom) here?
If you haven't done so, try Red October Std.
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If it helps, here are my benchmark numbers:
Server - 3513
Client 1 - 1323
Client 2 - 1108
Both of the client machines play the movies perfectly if they are not using the remote library, but instead have the "own" library over a network share.
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Just to double check, you guys did use networked folders and not local hard drive folders when setting up your media folders on your server, correct? I mention this because your issue sounds identical to the problem I had, and I wanted to make sure you didn't miss my previous post.
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Hi,
I have the inverse of this problem, specifically with The Dark Night blu (ripped bdmv folder structure in all it's glory). Other blu's appear fine (by other I mean Source Code as that's the only other blu I've got ripped at the moment!).
Basically, you know the opening scene where it pans/closes in on the building where 2 of the bank robbers zip line over to the roof of the bank, the first 5 seconds is fine, then I get severe pixellation on the outer parts of the screen for about 3 seconds, then this clears and it subtly goes slow-mo until they shoot out the window, then it's fine.
This happens exactly the same all the time I start from the beginning. No A/V software installed on HTPC.
NAS -> Gb switch -> HTPC. MC 17.0.177, Windows 7 (x86) SP1, ATI 5450 card with latest drivers. Tried both ROSTD and ROHD, LPCM and bitsreaming, WASAPI audio.
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You best open a new topic ldoodle so there aren't different issues crossing each other in the same thread.
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I did think about doing that first, but thought it may be better to tag-along as it's similar issues...
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tried the new dll again, after chaning the bookmark option to never in the general item in the option menu. I don't know how to clean the current bookmarks. I could playback a whole movie without a problem. Tried other movies but they did not load at all, but this could be because of they having a bookmark somewhere. I will drop some new movies on the server and test with them tomorrow. The new movies will not have any bookmark history so should all play fine I hope....
client benchmark 2598
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Today I had the time to test with three new movies on the server. They all played without stuttering, both mkv and mds (iso) files. Only the subtitle froze in each movie at a random time.
I will drop an email with 2 log files as on is to big to post. I would like to know how to clear the bookmarks on already bookmarked movies which will not play at all. Thanks.
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Press stop twice or edit the tag.
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Today I had the time to test with three new movies on the server. They all played without stuttering, both mkv and mds (iso) files. Only the subtitle froze in each movie at a random time.
Was this with the new dll?
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I finally got my main HTPC up and running with JRiver and tried the same tests with great results. Without using the new .dll I was able to watch entire movies without a glitch. The only difference I see between my HTPC and my other PCs are speed. My HTPC is much faster than the two that have stuttering, which begs the question, what is JRiver doing when in client/server mode to use more horsepower/bandwidth? Both of my PCs that stutter during playback only stutter when set as a client, but when streaming from the network using shares the files play perfectly. I have checked the server PC when the stuttering occurs and it doesn't appear to be doing any conversion. When I select a movie from the client and press play, what does the server do? How is JRiver sharing the file?
Bricktop
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I found a few free evenings to do some testing and watch a few movies.
I tested several movies and all played without trouble the first 20 min. I did not watch the whole movies as the stuttering would have appeared with in the first 5-10 minutes. I tested 2 movies all the way and they played without trouble. Only the subs freeze after 20min, but the rest is fine.
Log file mailed as it was to big to upload (5MB)
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Thanks for the updates.
When playing a video in client-server mode, file is read through network just like playing an YouTube video over the internet. We add extensive buffering of data on the client machine to make sure playback and seeking is smooth.
The experimental DLL that I sent to you uses a different, less extensive method of buffering data.
I don't remember whether I asked you to try using a different drive for MC's temporary file location. If you have not tried that, please try setting it to a different disk drive. It is under Tools > Options > File Location. Scroll down to the bottom, in section "Program Files", you can change the location of Temporary files.
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i only got i1 drive on the client, it's an SSD drive. Got 13GB free space. I did create a new temp dir on the root of the disk instead of the deep nested temp dir used as default. I installed the latest release 17.0.182. Tried playing 2 movies. No luck, with in 2 minutes sturring appeared. Before trying I did disable ip6 protocol. At work I had some trouble with VMware images and copying data to a virtual image. In this case ip6 was the trouble maker. Anyway I will add the log if not to big. If not I will mail it. Please advice what to try next.
with the special dll all movies played well. do ahv another partition, would that help?
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Do you have some software, such as antivirus, that would be "watching" disk accesses? Maybe it is overly zealous?
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I do, but as mentioned in earllier posts I did disable them. As i made the new temp dir, i made an exception for the scanner not to scan this folder as well as the j river programm folder itself. Any suggestions what to exclude from scanning as well? Just to be sure I will run a new test with the scanner disabled.
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ran a few tests with a double check on the disabled virusscanner, but the same results :'(, heavy stuttering. I hope there is a solution as I would like to upgrade to the next version with better SACD support :).
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Sorry, still no clue. We will keep working on it.
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giving it a little bump up fowards
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I was happy to see the new beta of MC18. Did install it on the client to see if it made any difference to the stuttering problem. Before installing I did a complete clean W7 64-bit install with the asus unified drivers.
I tested a few movies, my results are. The first 2 minutes or so run fine, then the stuttering begins, but not as heavy as before, video keeps only playing. After 2-5 minutes of stuttering, a fast forward playback starts. It looks like it is overtaking the video it missed during the stutting. After this the video/movie runs fine till it's finished.
I hope the final version of MC 18 does resolve the stuttering problem.
log files are mailed