Weird skip behavior

[TRW]

I'm replacing WMC now that I've moved to Windows 10, so I'm new to NextPVR and I'm just getting it set up. So far the basics are working well.

I have the latest version (3.8.3) and I'm seeing weird behavior when I try the skip buttons on my remote.

When I press skip (forward or backward, doesn't seem to matter) the video freezes. The sound appears to skip the requisite seconds and plays for 5-6 seconds and then that freezes too. If I wait long enough, the system unfreezes, although the sound is sometimes not synchronized properly.

Now the real weird part: I found by trial and error that if I press the skip button twice in succession the skip works perfectly, although it skips twice (60 seconds rather than the 30 seconds I have set for forward skip) I guess that is reasonable since I pressed skip twice!

I can live with this, but it would be nice to have it work the way it's supposed to. Am I missing something?

Thanks,
Tony

[HarryH3]

This type of problem is usually caused by the decoder that is selected. The easiest way to fix it is to go here: http://forums.nextpvr.com/showthread.php...SAF+hoborg Download SAF6, send a private message to hoborg (the author) and ask for a key. Once you have the key, run SAF6 and it will automagically setup the decoders for you.

[sub]

It looks like you're using the LAV Video Decoder. This decoder is known to be problematic. As mentioned above, you'd need to try a different video decoder.

[TRW]

It looks like you're using the LAV Video Decoder. This decoder is known to be problematic. As mentioned above, you'd need to try a different video decoder.

Thanks. I tried a different decoder and it now works well.

If the LAV decoder is known to have problems, why does it seem to be the 'default' decoder (e.g. the message at the bottom of the 'Decoders' dialog about downloading the LAV decoders)?

Tony

[mvallevand]

IMO LAV is the best AUDIO decoder because of the support for all the broadcast audio types some who have AC3 only like the AC3filter one.

Video is another matter. If the Microsoft decoder is available use it, then Hauppauge that come with their cards and then I don't think there is a default on these forums.

Martin

[johnsonx42]

If the LAV decoder is known to have problems, why does it seem to be the 'default' decoder (e.g. the message at the bottom of the 'Decoders' dialog about downloading the LAV decoders)?

yeah, that is a little strange. I think that might have been added before it was noticed that the LAV video decoder doesn't work so well for some scenarios. The reality is that there aren't any legally free decoders that really work well, and the program can't point you to any download of questionable legality; for various reasons the NextPVR project has to be kept strictly legal and above-board. The LAV decoders were oft-mentioned here as a set of decoders that would at least get a user going, even if they weren't the best in all situations. As Martin mentions, the LAV audio decoder works quite well, though I never found any reason to use anything other than AC3Filter.

I wonder if anyone has tried the MPC-HC decoders with NextPVR lately?

In the Windows 7 days, the Microsoft DTV-DVD Video decoder was the go-to decoder for US HD MPEG-2, but sadly Microsoft crippled it in Windows 8 and up for most users. I wanted to move away from having an actual PC hooked up to the TV, and upgrading to Windows 10 pretty much forced the issue: my remote doesn't work any more, and I lost the use of the MS decoder. So now I use Kodi w/X-NEWA on my Nexus Player. My NextPVR server still sits in the cabinet under the TV, but it's no longer connected to it.

[johnsonx42]

I wonder if anyone has tried the MPC-HC decoders with NextPVR lately?

nevermind about that, I just checked and MPC-HC uses the LAV decoders. I thought maybe it was something else before, but it's been a good while since I last looked at it.

[mvallevand]

Based on my experience with mpc-hc the LAV Video decoder is probably the best, but it likes to be connected to a splitter and not the big mpeg thingy that NextPVR uses.

Martin

[johnsonx42]

yes, I do gather that certain aspects of what we call "decoder problems" are actually due to the MS mpeg splitter nextpvr uses, and that if a different splitter were used LAV and some other decoders might work better (we just call it a decoder problem since the decoder is the only thing we can change). However "just use another splitter" isn't simple at all, as NextPVR depends on functions of the MS splitter that others don't have. The MS splitter, for whatever may not be perfect about it, works reliably and is present on every windows pc.

[jcole998]

While we're on the subject. can someone explain the function of a "splitter?" It seems to interfere with the skip operations of VLC forcing a 10-sec wait before more keystrokes are honored.

Thanks...