Live TV Playback stuttering, gets worse over time

[PsychoPingu]

Hi,

I've set up NPVR on my Media Centre. Its really nice, reponsive and far easier to use than WMC.

Unfortunately, I have an issue that's stopping me from using LiveTV as frequently as I'd like. When watching channels, the audio noticably stutters - its most noticable during Ad breaks on Five on Freeview and on BBC1HD/ITV1HD on Freesat. The longer the LiveTV playback stays on a channel, the more frequent the audio stutters occur and the video begins to noticably stutter as well.

I've got Hauppauge Nova T-500 (Freeview/DVB-T) and Compro S350 (Freesat/DVB-S), processor is an AMD and graphics card is a Radeon HD3450.

I've attached the logs from my box. Please let me know if there's any more information that you need.

Thanks

[NumberFive]

Hi,

This sounds similar to what I'm experiencing with a Nova-DT-500. I've been discussing this with sub in another thread.

[BigMoose]

I've had the exact same thing with nPVR via UK DVB-S transmissions, but Sub fixed it in recent releases. It's possible that the fix caused problems elsewhere and has been undone? I still do get stuttering but a pause/play fixes it. I've not watched much live recently so cant say for sure if it gets worse over time or not. Recordings are fine though.

What decoders are you using?? I am using the SAF5 codec pack with ffdshow for audio (both mpeg audio and AC3 for the HD channels) but am using the MS decoder for mpeg2 and H264.

[McBainUK]

When watching channels, the audio noticably stutters

Me too, with a single tuner Nova-T 9009 and a HD4350.

Interestingly recording the show and then watching the in progress recording results in no stutter.

[BigMoose]

My experience is the same as McBainUK - but with a HVR-4000 and Skystar2 (DVB-S) and HD4650. But I cant state for sure if it still degrades over time, it used to, Sub fixed it, but I'm fairly sure it caused other problems so was undone... I also notice some channels are worse for stutter than others. Typically the "poorer" channels stutter worse than the likes of BBC1. I wonder if these crapper channels and the ad breaks on 5 broadcast a different audio bitrate? Cant think of any other reason why they'd be worse.

I think this is related to the "set all audio decoders to none except the one you are using" work around - but that's not very useful in the UK as we have two types of audio (mpeg and AC3). You can try disabling all audio decoders except either mpeg or AC3 and see if the stuttering stops on those channels.

[sub]

I think this is related to the "set all audio decoders to none except the one you are using" work around - but that's not very useful in the UK as we have two types of audio (mpeg and AC3). You can try disabling all audio decoders except either mpeg or AC3 and see if the stuttering stops on those channels.

Yep, try that.

[Reddwarf]

I think this is related to the "set all audio decoders to none except the one you are using" work around - but that's not very useful in the UK as we have two types of audio (mpeg and AC3). You can try disabling all audio decoders except either mpeg or AC3 and see if the stuttering stops on those channels.

BTW: AC3Filter works fine for MPEG1 audio.

[McBainUK]

Yep, try that.

I've set MPEG1 Audio to ffdshow and disabled all others. Initial testing found no stuttering channels Will I miss out on anything if I have AC3 audio disabled?

[BigMoose]

5.1 surround sound on some HD progs on BBC HDs. Actually any sound at all on BBC 1 HD / BBC HD! Other than the narrative audio...

[McBainUK]

No problems for me as only receive standard def Freeview here. Won't switch until 2013 I think.