NextPVR and 1080i issue.

[mvallevand]

Post your zip to an external site like OneDrive or Google Drive and we can have a look.

Martin

[three6zerocool]

Okay, think I have OneDrive working and shared.
This should be a working link:   https://1drv.ms/f/s!Aor2UnWv3OQxkCUgWuL7...W?e=Z7XNMV

Is a zip file containing the two recordings.

One is a NextPVR recording of live TV thru Kodi.
The Other is a recording made from Hauppauge Capture Utility.

Note:  The NextPVR one stutters and strobes when viewed on my Firestick's
The Hauppauge Capture one plays fine on the Firesticks.

I notice they are both shown by kodi as 1080HD, but the NextPVR one has AAC audio,  and the Hauppauge Capture one has mp2 audio.

Let me know if the link does not work.

I have purchased another 3rd gen Cube for my office to replace the firestick.  Primarily as I have 2 of the Colossus 2 cards. (one as a backup)
Yes they are more expensive than a firestick, but I needed a new Alexa device, as my original Echo has been giving issues, so thought 'what the smeg'

..cheers..
..Deano..

[mvallevand]

They are significantly differences in those files beyond the audio difference. I am guess you can change that through the Hauppauge capture utility, but I suspect aac is going to be ok.

The NextPVR file is lower h264 leve 3.1 because of the setting

<VideoEncoderLevel>3.1</VideoEncoderLevel>

I confirmed that the Hauppauge Capture default is

<VideoEncoderLevel>4</VideoEncoderLevel>

so start by changing that. You might even try 4.2

Notably the frame rate is quite different too 50/1 vs 25/1 but I don't know how to change that, or even if you should because of the lower quality. I would check the default frame rate settings in Kodi and set it to 50 though.

Martin

[sub]

You could also try setting <Scaler1080iFPS>25</Scaler1080iFPS>

[three6zerocool]

<I confirmed that the Hauppauge Capture default is

<VideoEncoderLevel>4</VideoEncoderLevel>

<so start by changing that. You might even try 4.2>

I changed it to 4.2, and that has fixed it now as far as LiveTV is concerned.
It still cannot play recordings such as the 1080i one I sent you without the interlace weirdness.

However, it resolves the issue going forward.

Will try Sub's suggestion as well.

..Deano.. 

[mvallevand]

You will lose quality if you drop the fps, but it will make smaller files.

Martin

[sub]

That is true. It may have given him an progressive file instead of interlaced though, which might have got him past his original issue.

If setting the video encoder level to 4.2 is doing the job, I'd just stick with that.

[three6zerocool]

Update:

I started looking at some original recordings that were done with the original Colossus 1 card.
When I check the files properties, they all show as 1080, 25fps.

Can not discern any visible difference between those files and ones recorded with the new Colossus 2 card.
To me, the Colossus 1 recorded files look little bit better, as the Colossus 1 cards can record at higher bitrate than Colossus 2.  (20mbit vs 14 mbit)

I have tried sub's suggestion of using this command   'You could also try setting <Scaler1080iFPS>25</Scaler1080iFPS>'
Will see what happens.   

I think something weird in the capture is causing Kodi to occasionally interpret the aspect ratio of the video incorrectly.
I am sure the weird zooming thing that happens is to do with capture, as it happens on both the live tv and the recording that NextPVR makes, and only on Sky STB channels, and as it never happened with Colossus 1 card, it must be something occurring with the Colossus 2 files during liveTV/capture.

[BrettB]

I think something weird in the capture is causing Kodi to occasionally interpret the aspect ratio of the video incorrectly.
I am sure the weird zooming thing that happens is to do with capture, as it happens on both the live tv and the recording that NextPVR makes, and only on Sky STB channels, and as it never happened with Colossus 1 card, it must be something occurring with the Colossus 2 files during liveTV/capture.

I am definitely no expert here--and don't use a Colossus card for capture. But, reading this thread, I did have a couple of thoughts.

1. Might it be possible that the broadcaster is mixing aspect ratio sources (i.e. using 3x4 ratio for some inserted commercials and using 16x9 for the main program content)? And, if so, might Kodi be seeing something like the beginning being in 3x4 so using that for the entire playback?

2. When the problem occurs on one client, can you then begin watching Live TV on another client and see if it shows the same "wrong" aspect ratio?

[three6zerocool]

Thank you for those suggestions.  I better not talk about zoom issue on this thread, as moderators are getting upset with me.
You could be onto something, as indeed the show is full of ads, and scrolling banners etc.

Reply on the zoom issue thread, as the moderators have resolved this interlace issue in quite spectacular fashion, as is their habit.