WD TV Live streaming issues

[prawn_king]

Hi Guys, just wondering if you could shed some light on an issue I have when streaming .mp4 files to my WDTV Live?

Files are .mp4 with AAC audio encoded with Nero Recode, total bitrate of 3Mbps. Also happens on 2Mbps files (I thought that would help…).  I’m currently making some 1.5Mbps files, but the quality is defo worse than the 2Mbps…

Stuttering/freezing always happens when theres alot going on (explosions, big action scenes etc…) or dark scenes, presumably when the bitrate is higher?

Streaming setup is a MyBook Live plugged into a Belkin N600 wifi extender in the same room.

Most annoying thing is that I can stream these videos perfectly to my android tablet with no freezing.

Is it just because it doesnt buffer the same?  Should I plug in a usb drive to buffer to?  Does the Live Hub with its 1TB drive buffer differently?

Thanks, JF.

[TonyPh12345]

Please post the full TEXT output of MEDIAINFO for such a file.

http://mediainfo.sourceforge.net

[prawn_king]

Both of these files stutter, first one 3Mbps, second one 1.5Mbps

I also got Handbrake today and have made a couple using that, no stuttering at 1.5Mbps, but theres a screen ficker when the subtitle changes (not present on nero recode rips), and the sound isnt as good as nero’s…

General
Complete name : Thor (3Mbps).mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 2.40 GiB
Duration : 1h 50mn
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 3 122 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-27 12:50:43
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-27 14:46:04

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 2 991 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 18.4 Mbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 436 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.651
Original display aspect ratio : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.381
Stream size : 2.30 GiB (96%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-27 12:50:43
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-27 14:46:04

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 126 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 150 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 99.1 MiB (4%)
Title : English
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-27 12:50:43
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-27 14:46:04

Text
ID : 3
Format : mp4s
Codec ID : E0
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 2 200 bps
Maximum bit rate : 69.1 Kbps
Stream size : 1.74 MiB (0%)
Title : Danish
Language : Danish
Encoded date : UTC 2012-04-27 12:50:44
Tagged date : UTC 2012-04-27 14:46:04

General
Complete name : Thor (1.5Mbps).mp4
Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media / Version 2
Codec ID : mp42
File size : 1.25 GiB
Duration : 1h 50mn
Overall bit rate mode : Variable
Overall bit rate : 1 629 Kbps
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-04 16:09:56
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-04 17:50:02

Video
ID : 1
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : Main@L3.0
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1 494 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 7 549 Kbps
Width : 720 pixels
Height : 436 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 1.651
Original display aspect ratio : 2.40:1
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 25.000 fps
Standard : PAL
Color space : YUV
Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0
Bit depth : 8 bits
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.190
Stream size : 1.15 GiB (92%)
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-04 16:09:56
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-04 17:50:02

Audio
ID : 2
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile : LC
Codec ID : 40
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 128 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 141 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : Front: L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode : Lossy
Stream size : 101 MiB (8%)
Title : English
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-04 16:09:56
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-04 17:50:02

Text
ID : 3
Format : mp4s
Codec ID : E0
Duration : 1h 50mn
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 2 408 bps
Maximum bit rate : 60.4 Kbps
Stream size : 1.90 MiB (0%)
Title : English
Language : English
Encoded date : UTC 2012-05-04 16:09:57
Tagged date : UTC 2012-05-04 17:50:02

Thanks, JF.

PS Norton SONAR really doesn’t like MediaInfo…

[prawn_king]

Right just as an update got fed up with it skipping today and ran a cat 5 cable from the router that the hard disk is connected to, right the the WDTV box, results? Exactly the same on Nero Recoded 3mbps files (lots of freezin/skipping in action scenes)… so a little fed up. Only benefit is that I can stream to iPad/iPhone at the same time no probs (except it doesn’t skip on them…)

So been trying handbrake, mp4 files a little better, but not perfect, and subtitle screen flashing is a problem. Mkv files are fine in all aspects, but will not play on iPhone/iPad/Xbox, and there’s no way I’m doubling up the movies, just seems pretty pointless seeing as mp4 is a nice universal file.

Firmware 1.07.18

Please help?

Thanks, JF.

EDIT: actually the 2mbps handbrake mp4 is worse than the 3mbps Nero mp4… And the cat 5 cable is definitely OK, tested with the laptop and it can copy a file down it at over 10MB/sec, full 3.5Gb file in around 5mins.

OK, last bit of info for now, took offending 2mbps mp4 file, downloaded it to USB drive (took all of 10mins for a 2hr film…) and plugged that into WDTV Live, it was displayed as:

File size: 1.58GB
File type: MP4
Video coded: H264
Audio coded: AAC
Bit rate: 24.4Mbps

Now if I go to the LAN network and select the same file it displays a bit rate of… 562.5Mbps, and that’s the same for every MP4 file I’ve ever encoded, whether is 1.5Mbps or 3Mbps. The only videos I have that it displays differently on the LAN are old Virtual dub AVI’s, 921Kbps for them…

[Tinwarble]

I doubt that it has anything to do with your files bit rate.  Have you tried to copy the file to a thumbdrive and plug it into the usb port of the SMP and play it?  That would rule out any network issues.

If you are still getting freezing/skipping issue with the file playing it directly from the a thumb drive, try reencoding it with AC3 passthrough audio rather than AAC.

You may also be having the same issue as those here:

http://community.wdc.com/t5/WD-TV-Live-Streaming-Issue/Streaming-MP4-from-NAS-plays-only-20secs/idi-p/282060

[prawn_king]

Sorry, just typed out a Mega reply and lost it, this one will never be as good…

Playing same mp4’s off USB is fine, no problems. WDTV displays bitrate on USB files as 24.4mbps, and same files on network as 562.5mbps, regardless of whether the file was encoded at 1.5 or 3mbps.

Same files as mkvs work perfectly, but I only want mp4s as said because they work on everything, whereas mkvs don’t (Xbox and iPhone/ipads). And I don’t want to duplicate my entire video library just for this.

No, that’s not the same problem as mine, I have loads of big bang theory that play fine over wifi even, and most of house. My problem is only really noticeable in films with action scenes, epic panning shots etc… sound is never a problem except for when its freezing/skipping.

This has always been a problem for me, but I had put up with it because I blamed my poor wifi network, however after spending £250 on upgraded wireless routers and cat 5 cabling and NOT solving the problem I’m a little peeved… Mind you its not that bad, file transfers over he network are bloody fast now, just a shame the internet is still only 512k…

Thanks, JF.

EDIT: I will go away and encode a couple of files with AC3 audio tho, we’ll see what happens…

[Tinwarble]

So, they play fine locally just not over the network.

The reason that I said you may want to try AC3 instead of AAC is not because I thought you have issue with your audio, but because certain format/codec combinations can have an effect on how the stream is played.

If that still doesn’t solve anything though, let me know one the name of one of the movies that you are trying to play that studders and I’ll see if I can duplicate it on my SMP.  If your’s is standard def though, make it a pre 2011 movie as all my newer ones are BD.

[prawn_king]

Well, just tried a new handbrake mp4 with AC3 Passthru audio…  Same thing but worse, this time when it lost it it wouldnt catch up with itself until it was paused.

Currently got the same one but with AC3 ffmpeg audio cooking, but I’m not holding my breath…

Maybe its a fundamental problem with how I’m using handbrake, theres just so many parameters… I’m just using the Apple TV preset.

Thanks, JF.