Stuttering problems when watching Freeview on HTPC

Forums › Home Theatre (including HTPC and EPG Collector) › Stuttering problems when watching Freeview on HTPC

1 | 2 | 3

3539 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#577870 6-Feb-2012 15:51

watman: -Also your long shot disable Speedstep suggestion may have worked, haven't had any audio stuttering yet, but it may take a few hours/days of watching mindless TV to try to replicate the problem

-Side question, the Speedstep, what will the effect be on the performance, if any, due to being a HTPC?

Speedstep is a power-saving function which slows down the CPU when it decides that full clock speed is not needed. In your case, it's possible this could be kicking in after a while due to the 10% CPU usage while playing video.

Basically, the power saving is minimal at best, so I would always disable it where you want the best performance from your system.

Speedstep is usually of more benefit for a laptop rather than a desktop PC.

Dingbatt

6756 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#577875 6-Feb-2012 16:23

I find it interesting that the problem only occurs while watching freeview live. Have you hit record at any stage while the interference has been occurring? And then replaying it. If the problem is related to reception then it should appear in the recording. I would have thought if it was codec related it would occur whether the media was live or recorded. Sorry can't help further with suggestions on a cause just trying to discount factors.
Incidently I had a problem when I first built my htpc where the graphics card and tv tuner were too close together on the motherboard and caused em interference.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

gzt

17146 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#577885 6-Feb-2012 16:39

Speedstep dynamically changes processor multiplier and voltage in response to load. Some audio libraries have trouble dealing with the very tiny delays introduced during that process.

watman: Side question, the Speedstep, what will the effect be on the performance, if any, due to being a HTPC?

The corresponding benefit to lower power usage is lower average CPU temperature.

Unless the thermal design of your case is tight, it is probably ok, but you could use something like CPUZ to keep an eye on the temperature if you feel this is a concern.

CPUZ also displays processor multiplier and core voltage etc which could be helpful in going back to diagnose the problem if it really is related to speedstep.

gehenna

8512 posts

Uber Geek

Moderator

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#577886 6-Feb-2012 16:41

Make sure you install your processor drivers.

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#577889 6-Feb-2012 16:50

How does it perform if you have just got one freeview tuner plugged in?
I sometimes get lag and audio problems when I have lots of programs open. Sounds like it could be one of those difficult ones to fix. You could always try a totally clean install on another partition.

What does the GPU meter show. eg usage %, and memory amount used on the GPU.

gzt

17146 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#577916 6-Feb-2012 18:36

gehenna: Make sure you install your processor drivers.

You mean the H61 chipset drivers?

watman

66 posts

Master Geek

#577973 6-Feb-2012 21:22

@Dingbatt
-I tried your suggestion to press record when the stuttering happened, I recorded all the way till it went silent and a few minutes after, all in all about 3 minutes. The recorded version was fine no stuttering at all.

-I don't believe that the components are too close together, the place i bought them from installed them. The Tuner stick are on an extension cable (I have also connected them directly to the back USB ports, same result)

@mattwnz
-I've only got one tuner stick (dual tuner) in use at the moment for troubleshooting purposes and there is only 48-51 process running and the only application running is Windows Media Center.

-Where abouts would I find the GPU/RAM usage?

@gzt and gehenna
-Which device should update? I don't have any unknown devices in my device manager.

I'm currently trying out Win7DSFilterTweaker 4.7 to see if CoreAVC will decode better.

It's just so frustrating that my old botched together media center worked perfectly and my purposely bought parts have been so problematic.

Quic Broadband

Move to New Zealand's best fibre broadband service (affiliate link). Free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE. Note that to use Quic Broadband you must be comfortable with configuring your own router.

gzt

17146 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#577975 6-Feb-2012 21:28

so the problem is still occurring?

djtOtago

1153 posts

Uber Geek

#578024 6-Feb-2012 23:52

watman: Where abouts would I find the GPU/RAM usage?

Try utility app GPU-Z http://www.techpowerup.com/gpuz/

GPU-Z will give you info about your GPU and its usage.

David

mattwnz

20164 posts

Uber Geek

#578025 6-Feb-2012 23:57

watman: @Dingbatt
-I tried your suggestion to press record when the stuttering happened, I recorded all the way till it went silent and a few minutes after, all in all about 3 minutes. The recorded version was fine no stuttering at all.

-I don't believe that the components are too close together, the place i bought them from installed them. The Tuner stick are on an extension cable (I have also connected them directly to the back USB ports, same result)

@mattwnz
-I've only got one tuner stick (dual tuner) in use at the moment for troubleshooting purposes and there is only 48-51 process running and the only application running is Windows Media Center.

-Where abouts would I find the GPU/RAM usage?

@gzt and gehenna
-Which device should update? I don't have any unknown devices in my device manager.

I'm currently trying out Win7DSFilterTweaker 4.7 to see if CoreAVC will decode better.

It's just so frustrating that my old botched together media center worked perfectly and my purposely bought parts have been so problematic.

You can get a desktop widget/gadget for nvidea cards through windows 7/vistas widget/gadget system. that is what I use. You will see the GPU usage go up and spike if it is grahics card related.

watman

66 posts

Master Geek

#578428 7-Feb-2012 20:56

@gzt
-No luck, still stuttering

On further Googling, it seem quite a common fault with no definitive answer.

There seems to be quite alot of discussion about the default codecs.

gzt

17146 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#578448 7-Feb-2012 21:37

Asus released new audio and chipset drivers for that board 20/1/2012.

[Edit: Network and SATA also updated]

Got those installed?

watman

66 posts

Master Geek

#578477 7-Feb-2012 22:26

Have just installed new audio and chipset drivers dated 20/1/2012.

Will report back tomorrow evening with a result, fingers crossed a good one.

Could there be the possibility that the whole setup just doesn't like Windows 7 64bit?

codyc1515

1598 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#578478 7-Feb-2012 22:27

watman: Could there be the possibility that the whole setup just doesn't like Windows 7 64bit?

Works fine for me.

watman

66 posts

Master Geek

#578934 8-Feb-2012 21:08

Still no solution, I also tried putting audio through an 3.5mm to RCA to my amp still the same result.

1 | 2 | 3