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[strebormj]

I'm using 12.0.534 to play back video encoded in Xvid  (via Handbrake) at around 1500 kpbs from a NAS drive over an 11n home network.  The movies play back well directly on several computers, but playback is choppy from the network device regardless of the client computer (although playback is better on my XP laptop than my Vista desktop). 

This choppiness exists with VLC, MPC, and WMP as well, although I have seen an improvement by increasing the caching in VLC.  So, I'm wondering (1) how do I increase the caching of AVI files in MC, and (2) what codecs/settings should I be using to get optimal network playback in MC?   I've  been using Xvid instead of H.264 because of the widespread support for it, but I have purchased several licenses for MC and would like to use it instead of WMC/XMBC on all of my home computers, so I'm willing to bend a bit, if need be.

TIA

[strebormj]

I should probably point out that the network device in question is a Buffalo Linkstation Live, and it's serving up the files only over SMB, not via a streaming server.

I also reencoded some video in Xvid using a web-optimized MP4 container, then tried it in VLC, MPC, and MC.  VLC and MPC play it well, but on two different MC boxes, MC only plays the audio and the UI freezes.

[JimH]

A virus checker could give you choppy playback.

So could a network that wasn't fast enough, but I know you know that, and the better performance on XP would suggest that it isn't the bottleneck.

Do you have DIVX installed?  You don't need it and it can cause some problems.  The CCCP filter pack includes a DIVX filter that will work.

Playing from another PC might tell you whether the NAS drive is the problem.

[strebormj]

A virus checker could give you choppy playback.

So could a network that wasn't fast enough, but I know you know that, and the better performance on XP would suggest that it isn't the bottleneck.

Do you have DIVX installed?  You don't need it and it can cause some problems.  The CCCP filter pack includes a DIVX filter that will work.

Playing from another PC might tell you whether the NAS drive is the problem.

Thanks for replying, JimH.

No virus scanner was running, and the network is fast enough.  Most of my machines are connected at >= 170 Mbps over 11n, autotuning is disabled on Vista boxes, and as I mentioned in my original post, once I increased caching in VLC, playback was fine on several computers.   Also, playback with a web-optimized MP4 container works well from MPC, VLC, and even ZP.   (Unfortunately, when I try to play the MP4/M4V files in MC, the UI freezes and I only get audio.)

I don't have DivX installed.  I am using CCCP with default settings.

[JimH]

Did you find the DirectShow playback guide in our Wiki?  Link is above.

[strebormj]

Did you find the DirectShow playback guide in our Wiki?  Link is above.

I did.  Apparently, I did not remember to enable DS for MP4/M4V after I had to reinstall everything on my computer.   The web-optimized MP4 playback looks good.   (Still looking into the issue of compatibility re: dropping those files onto a DVDR and playing them on someone's DVD player.)

 

[strebormj]

For the benefit of anyone else researching this issue:  http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=49903.0