BUG 1.05.04 - x264 Baseline Profile video is choppy

Community Archives WD TV Live Firmware
1

The current firmware version clearly has x264 decoder bug, which is visible as horizontal movement of the picture.

  • It’s not interlace or decomb issue, but the whole picture/frame keeps moving back and forth from left to right every second or so.

  • This is particularly visible when camera pans sideways/horizontally.

  • It looks like progressive frames are picked second forward and second backwards alternately.

  • like “two steps forward, one step backwards, two steps forward, one step backwards, two steps forward …”

  • The same file plays well on the PC with Shark007 codec pack, and also on XBOX360 Media Center Extender.

  • Bitrate and encoder features are bare minimum.

  • Handbrake FPS set as “Same as source”.

  • Confirmed the same behaviour on “WD TV Live” and “WD TV Live Hub”

I can PM the URL where to download a sample file.

Below you can see MediaInfo on the Handbrake output file:

General
Unique ID : 171419860354384790578699890178704897229 (0x80F643A3646E798968C07D4D0D0574CD)
Complete name : C:\Baseline_Profile.mkv
Format : Matroska
File size : 42.2 MiB
Duration : 2mn 48s
Overall bit rate : 2 103 Kbps
Writing application : HandBrake 0.9.5
Writing library : libmkv 0.6.4.1

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Baseline@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : No
Format settings, ReFrames : 1 frame
Codec ID : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration : 2mn 48s
Bit rate : 1 229 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 464 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16:9
Original display aspect ratio : 16:9
Frame rate mode : Variable
Frame rate : 23.976 fps
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.153
Stream size : 24.7 MiB (58%)
Writing library : x264 core 112
Encoding settings : cabac=0 / ref=1 / deblock=1:-6:-6 / analyse=0x1:0 / me=dia / subme=0 / psy=1 / psy_rd=0.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=0 / threads=6 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=0 / weightp=0 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=23 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=19.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=3 / qpmax=51 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language : English
Color primaries : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M
Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361
Matrix coefficients : BT.601-6 525, BT.1358 525, BT.1700 NTSC, SMPTE 170M

Audio #1
ID : 2
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 2mn 48s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 448 Kbps
Channel(s) : 6 channels
Channel positions : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 9.00 MiB (21%)
Language : English

Audio #2
ID : 3
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Format profile : Dolby Digital
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 2mn 48s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 3.86 MiB (9%)
Language : English

Audio #3
ID : 4
Format : AC-3
Format/Info : Audio Coding 3
Format profile : Dolby Digital
Mode extension : CM (complete main)
Codec ID : A_AC3
Duration : 2mn 48s
Bit rate mode : Constant
Bit rate : 192 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth : 16 bits
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 3.86 MiB (9%)
Language : French

Text #1
ID : 5
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language : English

Text #2
ID : 6
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language : Spanish

Text #3
ID : 7
Format : VobSub
Codec ID : S_VOBSUB
Codec ID/Info : The same subtitle format used on DVDs
Language : French
2

That is a 23.976 fps video.   What framerate are you using on the WDTVs?   Are you using AUTO, or setting it manually?

3

If I change the “match video framerate” to ON or OFF, it does not make any difference ; The video is still choppy with consistent interval of incorrect frame order.

4

Can you PM me a link to this file? I’ll take a look.

5

bump. I have PM the url to you now twice.

6

In handbrake, try turning the Framerate to 23.976 fps instead of SAME AS SOURCE.

I had LOTS of issues in HB 0.9.4 with that setting.

Also, try using a “Nightly” build of HB instead of 0.9.5.   

Basically, I’ve never had any issues with my HB"d files that use the same profile you’re using.

7

If I set it fixed 23.976 I get slightly smoother picture, and better when I enable detelecine and decomb filters with default setting. But, still some amount of jerkiness on WDC Live. (this is not visible with PC or any other device)

The issue does not appear with any other device, no matter what the said HandBrake settings are.

It looks like WDC is playing some of the B, P, etc frames in wrong order, hence making the picture jerky.

Sigma decoder bug as far as I see.

8

Ilari:

I *do* see a bit of a “Judder” artifact on my PC when I play it. 

There’s a couple of odd things here.

On my PC, the “Judder” happens for a few seconds, right when the scene is panning near the guy’s shoe.   It jerks a half dozen or so times, about 2 times per second.   I’m using the commercial DivX package installed on my Win7 box to play MKV files.

On the WDTV, the same thing happens, but it’s more noticable on my 55" TV.

Now here’s the weird thing.   The judder is only noticble if I play from the beginning of the clip.   If I fast forward to about 1:30, I do NOT see it;  either on the WDTV or the PC.

And, if I play from the beginning, allow the thing to get to 1:41 where the judder happens, and then REWIND a bit and start again, I do NOT see it.

So I’m thinking it’s NOT a sigma decoder issue, but I wouldn’t swear to it.   I’m still thinking it’s an encode issue.  

You did this with HB 0.9.5.   I think there’s something wrong with that build. 

Files *I* encoded with version 0.9.4 a long time ago display with the proper aspect ratio on my LGTV using the LG’s DLNA client.  Your file does NOT play with full 16:9 aspect; it has pillarboxes.  But if I play it with my LG BluRay’s DLNA client, it does show as 16:9.  

So something is just a bit “Odd,” but I can’t put my finger on it…

Again, I would suggestion you download one of the “Nightly” builds of HB and see if there’s any improvement.

https://build.handbrake.fr/

9

my VLC player on PC, and samsung BD-Player plays it nicely from the USB stick, but WDC Live judders on the same file. and it’s not the only file the same happens. It actually seems to be the issue with all files, but only visible when camera pans.

update: the judder does not seem to appear on WDC Live when the content is PAL 25fps.

So, it looks WDC has problem playing film speed content, playing frames in reverse order it seems.

I am using http://shark007.net/ free codec

Would be interesting to see what decoder WDC Live actually uses for x264 decoding

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xvid#Sigma_Designs_controversy

10

It’s all in hardware. Wdc doesn’t do the decoding in software.

11

Yes, decoder is by Sigma Designs, which chip the device uses, and sigma chip does run a SW, which is likely having a bug.