Network issues

[madcat]

I have 1.0.8 on my main PVR machine (see sig). Now I installed a client machine on an old (P3) PC.

I have two issues:
1) on the client, I can watch recordings from the main GB-PVR, and also can watch other media stored on other PCs over shared folders.
But the LiveTV stutters terribly. Any idea why (yes, I know, it's over a WiFi, but still, recordings are fine).

2) This is a more general thing: GB-PVR is sometimes too "sensitive" to network connectivity. Two things I noticed:
a) Client PC: if the server is not active, the client will not start. Why? it should be possible to start it, while not having the functionality the server delivers, but still allowing it to perform as a local media center machine
b) Net Radio. Many times, after working fine for a while, the music will stop. I can click on the same Station again, and it will resume. I think it should do retries every so often when the connection is lost.

[sub]

I have 1.0.8 on my main PVR machine (see sig). Now I installed a client machine on an old (P3) PC.

I have two issues:
1) on the client, I can watch recordings from the main GB-PVR, and also can watch other media stored on other PCs over shared folders.
But the LiveTV stutters terribly. Any idea why (yes, I know, it's over a WiFi, but still, recordings are fine).

The way GB-PVR does its streaming is pretty network intensive, so its possible your wireless link just isnt up to it.

Did it work the same under previous releases?

Does it work better if you temporarily plug in a cable?

2) This is a more general thing: GB-PVR is sometimes too "sensitive" to network connectivity. Two things I noticed:
a) Client PC: if the server is not active, the client will not start. Why? it should be possible to start it, while not having the functionality the server delivers, but still allowing it to perform as a local media center machine

Sorry, this is a known limitation. Its not an easy for fix, so I'm leaving this for some time in the future when I have more free time.

b) Net Radio. Many times, after working fine for a while, the music will stop. I can click on the same Station again, and it will resume. I think it should do retries every so often when the connection is lost.

ok, I'll keep this in mind when I implement the new net radio screen in PVRX2.

[madcat]

The way GB-PVR does its streaming is pretty network intensive, so its possible your wireless link just isnt up to it.

Very well might be. I am now doing it with "Sharing" and not "Streaming". which is the less network heavy of the two?

Did it work the same under previous releases?

It's a new (old) PC that I have. I will try from another desktop I have at home, which did work in the past (there would be a lag before LiveTV will start, but afterwards it worked quite well).

Does it work better if you temporarily plug in a cable?

Sorry, not so easy. These are PCs on different floors...

Sorry, this is a known limitation. Its not an easy for fix, so I'm leaving this for some time in the future when I have more free time.

Fair enough. As long as you have it in the back of your mind, maybe to someday fix it. You see, if you have a "server" and a bunch of "Clients", the clients are (shouldnt) be totally dependant on the server. Even the way you implemetned the Videos/Photos/Music folders forces this - these are local folders to the client. So now, I have a "media center" machine in the basement (GB-PVR of course), and it has local vidoes, it runs DivX files from another PC in the house, and for TV it relies on the main GB-PVR machine in the house (that has the tuner). If the server is off, or not accesible - no other clients can work at all (without opening the config, disabling client, etc.).

ok, I'll keep this in mind when I implement the new net radio screen in PVRX2.

Great.

[madcat]

BTW, during those tries with the client, at one point I wanted to try liveTV and got the msg "no tuner available" (with either "watch so and so" and "don't watch"). So, I went to the recording screen, Pending, selected the one being recorded, and canceled it.

Tried LiveTV again, and still got that msg, only now it had only "don't watch". Was I doing something wrong?

[madcat]

BTW, during those tries with the client, at one point I wanted to try liveTV and got the msg "no tuner available" (with either "watch so and so" and "don't watch"). So, I went to the recording screen, Pending, selected the one being recorded, and canceled it.

Tried LiveTV again, and still got that msg, only now it had only "don't watch". Was I doing something wrong?

I just had this happen again, on the main GB-PVR machine.
this time, I was watching a show, when suddenly I was kicked abruptly to the main menu. First - I think a popup is due, saying something like "A recording is about to begin. Would you like to: a) stop watching liveTV b) watch the recorded program c) cancel this recording".
So, I had to go to the pending, cancel this running recording. but got this behavior of "don't watch tv" with no other options.
When the scheduled recording time was over, I was able again to watch liveTV.

[sub]

Its normal that you can get this popup with only the 'dont show tv' option shown about in a few situations:

1) when a recording is preparing to start very soon
2) or when a client PC is using the tuner.
3) or when you were watching live and killed the user interface without shutting it down gracefully. This can take up to a minute to realise the client is no longer there and free the tuner up.

[madcat]

Its normal that you can get this popup with only the 'dont show tv' option shown about in a few situations:

1) when a recording is preparing to start very soon
2) or when a client PC is using the tuner.
3) or when you were watching live and killed the user interface without shutting it down gracefully. This can take up to a minute to realise the client is no longer there and free the tuner up.

Nope - sorry, none of the above. Here is the 4th one:
When a recording is in progress (say the recording is scheduled from 21:30 to 22:00).
Then, you cancel the recording (say at 21:35) from the "Pending" menu. You will have this popup until 22:00.

[Turas]

hi,
i had problems with stuttering live-tv on a server / client / streaming configuration (on vista). the following settings helped to make it a lot better:
- setting video renderer to: vmr9 fullscreen exclusive
- setting video decoder to: mpv decoder filter or / gpl mpeg-1/2 decoder

strange, but only these freeware-decoders seem to do the job properly with my config. nvidia, cyberlink, main concept, nero decoders are giving stuttering or no (black screen) results.

[madcat]

hi,
i had problems with stuttering live-tv on a server / client / streaming configuration (on vista). the following settings helped to make it a lot better:
- setting video renderer to: vmr9 fullscreen exclusive
- setting video decoder to: mpv decoder filter or / gpl mpeg-1/2 decoder

strange, but only these freeware-decoders seem to do the job properly with my config. nvidia, cyberlink, main concept, nero decoders are giving stuttering or no (black screen) results.

that is all set on the client side I suppose?

[Turas]

yes. on the client side.