is using an MVP easy?

fluffykeith · 2008-04-09, 07:54 PM

Its a wired connection 100Mbps.
The video was liveTV and recordings - MPEG.

***sub*** · 2008-04-09, 08:05 PM

Some people have had problems with the network connection between their PC's NIC or Router causing slow networking to the MVP. This is only thing I'm aware of that can cause slow or choppy playback of .mpg files.

The reason I asked if it was an AVI file was because normally there would be virtually no CPU usable playing .mpg video files on the MVP. All the decoding is done in hardware on the MVP. In the case of AVI files it uses the PC's CPU to transcode the file to .mpg on the fly, which can lead to performance problems.

fluffykeith · 2008-04-09, 08:34 PM

Not sure what's going but it now works. Oddly I played some music then went back to play some recording and it worked.
I have seen this before on the server where a recording (MPEG) won't play until I play something else then go back to it. I assume its a decoder thing, not a big deal.

What I am seeing is the image brightness changing - is there some sort of gain control on the video image? its causing a flicker as the image changes intensity.

Just an aside:
I've now got the server doing 1 recording, watching TV on MVP and watching a recording on the server, watching TV on the PC client and the CPU is running at about 50%.
I guess if I start using AVI's it will runout of processing power.

***sub*** · 2008-04-09, 08:40 PM

Quote:What I am seeing is the image brightness changing - is there some soft of gain control on the video image? its causing a flicker as the image changes intensity.

I'm not sure what would cause that. GB-PVR has no control over the picture produced on the MVP.

Quote:I've now got the server doing 1 recording, watching TV on MVP and watching a recording on the server, watching TV on the PC client and the CPU is running at about 50%

Odd. I cant think what it would be doing.

fluffykeith · 2008-04-09, 08:42 PM

As an extra - some MPEG does not play back on the MVP - this is MPEG I've ripped of a VCD. It almost looks like the vertical sync has gone on the TV.

Any ideas ?

It's all looking supprisingly good, just these few little things.

***sub*** · 2008-04-09, 08:47 PM

I've never really used MPEG1 files on the MVP, so cant vouch for how well your VCD sourced files will work.

fluffykeith · 2008-04-09, 09:08 PM

I am guessing that the CPU usage I got for all things running is high. Even for the bottom end processor, single core 3800?

I think the odd flickering may be the connection on the MVP, the scart adapter I have touches the casing so it wasn't pushed all the way in.
EDIT - nope spoke to soon - it flickers when it shows a slideshow image on the screen saver.

Whats the best way to convert my MPEG1 to MPEG2?

cheers

Keith

***sub*** · 2008-04-09, 09:12 PM

Quote:I am guessing that the CPU usage I got for all things running is high. Even for the bottom end processor, single core 3800?

I get virtually no CPU on the PC when I'm watching things on the MVP. Navigating around the menus can be somewhat CPU intensive, but watching videos uses just about no CPU unless its a format it needs to convert (AVI etc).

Quote:I think the odd flickering may be the connection on the MVP, the scart adapter I have touches the casing so it wasn't pushed all the way in.

Actually, I do seem to remember something about this with the scart connector in the past. It might be worth doing a forum search here, and at http://www.shspvr.com/smf

Quote:Whats the best way to convert my MPEG1 to MPEG2?

I dont know. I've never done it myself.

fluffykeith · 2008-04-09, 09:43 PM

The flicker is the screen I have seems that the signal levels dont quite match and the effect I am seeing is the sync not being detected.

fluffykeith · 2008-04-11, 08:57 AM

As a quick update - the answer to the question of this thread "is using MVP easy?" The answer is YES.

The hardest bit is routing the cat6 cable round the house!!