Choppy video with WinXP shares on wifi

[tamar]

Okay, I’m back… now that I can get into my computer, I can access the files. Life’s good, or so I thought.

So here’s the next issue. I’m using the BUFFALO WLI-UC-GN USB 2.0 Nfiniti Wireless Ultra-Compact Adapter which is compatible with the device. But I’m getting really choppy MKV video, even on files that are 50MB…it’s like 19 frames per minute

I tried enabling Network DDE and that didn’t do it. What else can I try?

I had better luck using TVersity and the XBOX 360, and that doesn’t say much

[mkelley]

File size isn’t the issue – it’s bit rate.  What’s the bit rate on the files that aren’t playing properly?  (You can use mediainfo for the information, but it better to play it using something like VLC in case it’s a variable bitrate and you can judge the rates as it plays).

[tamar]

It’s happened with two files and both are variable. I can’t find any consistent patterns with the files I’ve checked. Perhaps it happens at above 7MB? However, it doesn’t fail me all the time…

Yeah, that’s not helpful. I’m really not sure what to do here.

[mkelley]

Yes, variable bit rate would explain choppy video, but what IS the rate?  If you play the videos in VLC you can watch the rate as it plays, and see where it peaks.

I had to swtich to a fully wired solution in order to play ALL my videos (most played just fine, but a handful were just too high, near or above 30mbps).

[tamar]

Well, looking at VLC, sometimes I see choppiness at a 7MB peak, but sometimes nothing happens at all and it plays normally at 7MB. However, 7MB seems to be the threshold for the most part (I think?) 

Is it because of the wifi specifically? Why is that happening? Is the signal bad?

[mkelley]

Are you saying 7MB per second?  Because that’s huge – or do you mean 7mbps?  (which isn’t bad at all)?

If the latter, then wireless shouldn’t have this problem if your signal is fine otherwise.  The other way to be sure is to wire it up (even if just temporarily) and test it.  If it plays fine that way then you know it’s a wireless issue.

[tamar]

um, I’m not sure. Input bitrate is measured in kb/s so we’re looking at like 7000 kb/s – unless I misunderstood what bitrate I’m looking at here…

I’ll check the wired setup.

[PixelPower]

tamar wrote:

um, I’m not sure. Input bitrate is measured in kb/s so we’re looking at like 7000 kb/s – unless I misunderstood what bitrate I’m looking at here…

 

I’ll check the wired setup.

That’ll be 7 Mega_bits_ per second.

The clue is usually in the case:  lower case (b) means bits; upper case (B) means Bytes.   

kbit/s  or  kb/s  or  kbps  = kilobits-per-second

kB/s  or  kBps  = kilobytes-per-second

VLC measures bit-rate in kb/s: kilo bits per second.   People often use the case interchangeably but it does make a difference!  ;)

[tamar]

Good call. I knew that but I totally forgot! It’s been awhile since I’ve done this tech stuff