Sony BDP S580 Update and Playback Issues

[hangnail]

I would like to be able to install updates while maintaining playback quality.

After installing recent Mezzmo updates (up to and including 2.6.5), video playback quality has been degrading. Fast Forward would not work reliably, pausing videos would sometimes cause the playback to jump to the next video, videos would freeze and skip for no apparent reason. These were new issues as the initial Mezzmo installation seemed to work without a hitch. So, last night I uninstalled Mezzmo and reinstalled the initial version (2.5.00). I have not had time to fully test this, but several files that were giving trouble allowed me to fast forward through the entire file without a glitch.

No hardware changes have been made since the initial installation in Feb 2012. I am not sure at which point the hiccups began, but sometime within the last 4-6 weeks.

System configuration:
Mezzmo server Computer: Windows 7 Pro 64-bit, AMD Athlon II X4 630, 4GB DDR3 RAM, 500GB internal hard drive (OS & installations) with approx 350GB free, 3TB external hard drive (video and transcoding) with approx 1.75TB free.

The Mezzmo server uses the unmodified "Sony BDP (NTSC, No DivX)" profile.

The server computer has a wired gigabit connection to a Cisco WRT610N router and the router has a wired connection to the Sony BDP-S580 blu-ray player.

[Nyarlathotep]

See this thread (http://forum.conceiva.com/showthread.php/3663-2-6-5-Still-Transcoding-Video-for-Sony-BDP). The updated BDP profile that support sent me fixed my issues (with 2.6.5).

[hangnail]

Thanks. I've applied the update and changed the profile. We'll see how it goes.

[Nyarlathotep]

I've applied the update and changed the profile.

Did you update to 2.6.7? If not, I recommend you do so, as it seems to work best with both of my players.

[thescarletfire]

I have the 580 BDP too - how do I get that profile? I need a fix, I cant do anything with Mezzmo now.

[Nyarlathotep]

2.6.7 includes the updated profile.

[thescarletfire]

Oh. Hmm...that's the update that broke Mezzmo server for me in the first place.

Thank you!

[hangnail]

I've got the 2.6.7 update installed and changed to the 'Sony BDP, HT, SMP' device profile. Fast-forward and rewind are now disabled. That's no good.

[Paul]

Hi hangnail,

Please post the FFmpeg information the file that will not FF/REW. To do this, right-click on the file in Mezzmo and click 'Get FFmpeg Information'.

[hangnail]

Hi Paul,

Here is the ffmpeg info for a file that will not FF/REW in 2.6.7 using profile 'Sony BDP, HT, SMP', but would FF/REW in 2.5.0 using profile 'Sony BDP (NTSC, No DivX)'. 'Sony BDP (NTSC, No DivX)' starting sticking and stuttering in FF/REW sometime after 2.5.0:

ffmpeg version N-40693-gc457a29 Copyright (c) 2000-2012 the FFmpeg developers
built on May 15 2012 12:57:14 with gcc 4.6.2
configuration: --enable-memalign-hack --arch=x86 --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --enable-static --disable-shared --enable-zlib --disable-postproc --prefix=/home/peter/ffmpeg/build/gpl --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libx264 --enable-gpl --extra-libs='-lx264 -lpthread' --enable-runtime-cpudetect --extra-cflags=-I/home/peter/cc/include --extra-ldflags=-L/home/peter/cc/lib --pkg-config=pkg-config --disable-w32threads
libavutil 51. 51.100 / 51. 51.100
libavcodec 54. 21.101 / 54. 21.101
libavformat 54. 5.100 / 54. 5.100
libavdevice 53. 4.100 / 53. 4.100
libavfilter 2. 73.100 / 2. 73.100
libswscale 2. 1.100 / 2. 1.100
libswresample 0. 11.100 / 0. 11.100
[avi @ 016ebe60] non-interleaved AVI
[mpeg4 @ 016ec740] Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
Input #0, avi, from 'H:\Video\British\Inspector Lewis\Lewis Season 6\Lewis s06e02.avi':
Duration: 01:27:59.28, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1144 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: mpeg4 (Advanced Simple Profile) (XVID / 0x44495658), yuv420p, 624x352 [SAR 1:1 DAR 39:22], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: mp3 (U[0][0][0] / 0x0055), 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
At least one output file must be specified

---> DB Level Info: 5, 15
---> Frame rate: 25.00
---> Aspect ratio: 39:22

[Paul]

Thanks for the additional information, hangnail. We'll look into it and get back to you. Please contact us at support [at] conceiva [dot] com so we can send you an updated device profile after we've completed our testing.

[hangnail]

Any idea on how long the updated profile will take? Thanks.

[Paul]

Hi hangnail,

Sorry for the delay. We're making a few changes to Mezzmo server that will improve streaming to all Sony devices. It should be ready early next week. As soon as it is ready, we will email you the patch and/or device profiles to try.

[duroyprofundo]

While you're working on this release, can we please have a download link to version 2.5 of Mezzmo so that we can actually have a functional version to use. Version 2.6 has been completely unstable for me on my Sony BDP since it was released and, after patiently upgrading hoping for a fix, I would just like a version that I know works properly. I don't need any of the special "features" you've added to 2.6 -- I just want to stream videos to my device without stuttering, crashes, and "corrupt file" errors.

[duroyprofundo]

Download link for anyone else who would prefer to downgrade:
http://www.conceiva.com/downloads/2500_mezzmo-setup.exe

[BeFi]

Version 2.6 has been completely unstable for me on my Sony BDP since it was released and, after patiently upgrading hoping for a fix, I would just like a version that I know works properly. I don't need any of the special "features" you've added to 2.6 -- I just want to stream videos to my device without stuttering, crashes, and "corrupt file" errors.

Wholeheartedly agree!

The easiest repair would be to have an option to de-activate the auto update function so that one can stay on a stable release and wait until the cries of pain of the guinea pigs of new versions in the forum have faded.

[Paul]

The easiest repair would be to have an option to de-activate the auto update function so that one can stay on a stable release and wait until the cries of pain of the guinea pigs of new versions in the forum have faded.

The upcoming version of Mezzmo has an option to turn on/off check for updates.

[Paul]

...can we please have a download link to version 2.5 of Mezzmo...

You can download Mezzmo v2.5.0.0 from:
http://www.conceiva.com/downloads/2500_mezzmo-setup.exe

[hangnail]

Any news on when this update will be ready? I rolled back to 2.5.0 again and all seems well. May stick with it.

[Paul]

Any news on when this update will be ready? I rolled back to 2.5.0 again and all seems well. May stick with it.

If you're happy with v2.5.0.0, then stick with it for the moment. We think we have the source of the problems & are fixing it now. We are expecting to release the new version next week, and we'll make sure the new version works well. We will ask some users to test it before releasing it, and after they confirm it is working well, then we'll provide the new update for all registered users.

[hangnail]

Finally took the plunge and re-upped to v2.7.1 within the last two weeks. Thus far it appears to be working as expected using the "Sony BDP (Compatible)" device profile. Other profiles did not reliably allow FF\Rewind. Thanks for your help.

[Paul]

Thanks for letting us know, hangnail. Contact us if any problems.

[paul49]

I upgraded to 2.7.1 yesterday after running 2.6.3 for a while.
It doesn't appear to have fixed the FF/REW issues with my BDP S370's. I also have an S580 but I haven't tried that yet. My Bravia HX700 doesn't exhibit the same symptoms (at least not to the same degree).

I've never had any issues with stuttering or skipping to the next video as some others have reported. The files I play are all originally .wtv recorded from a Hauppauge tuner via WMC. They are then run through VideoRedo to convert them to mpeg ps and Quickstream Fix the timestamps. They all play reliably and have always done so (I've been using Mezzmo for a couple of years). However, I pad all recordings for 15 minutes before and after.

I normally start streaming and hit the "Display" button and then FF until it gets to 15 minutes into the recording and then hit Play. Most of the time, it will then immediately jump ahead at least 30 minutes and sometimes further. Rewinding usually produces a similar result. Both S370s behave the same. I'll try the S580 this evening for comparison.

As mentioned, the TV works fine. The only odd behaviour is that, occasionally, when I FF on the TV, it skips back around 60 secs and starts the FF from there. That's not a problem - just a curiosity - as it always reliably starts playing where I hit Play (and FF is very fast anyway)

Can produce logs or ffmpeg dumps if you think that will help.

Thanks,
Paul.

[Paul]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Please do capture as set of logs and send them to us at support [at] conceiva [dot] com. We'll investigate the FF/REW issue you mention. In your email, please also include the FFmpeg information on a file that you stream & has the FF problem. To do this, right-click on the file in Mezzmo and click 'Get FFmpeg Information'.