2.6.2 much slower than 2.5 in realtime transcoding, skipping frames

**fcosenti** · 05-31-2012, 04:17 PM

Everyone,

before purchasing Mezzmo, I did extensive testing with 2.5 to assure that my devices were working fine with it. Amongst various files, I used in particular a 11 Gbytes MKV movie file (1080p). Now, with 2.5, playback with realtime transcoding was always very smooth. In 2.6.2, it skips frames like there is no tomorrow. It looks like all these 1080p large files started skipping.
Note that I have a Core i7-860 overclocked at 4 GHz (I increased overclocking to test, before I was running at 3.7), with 8 Gbytes of ram and Windows 7 64 bits. All devices are connected to Gigabit network - the MKV file is located on a NAS device on the network as well (QNAP TS-239 PRO II - about 95 Mbytes/sec sustained).

Has anyone else experienced issues with 2.6.2 being much slower than 2.5 in realtime transcoding?

**Paul** · 05-31-2012, 04:26 PM

We'll take a look at this for you. Please turn on logging (see http://forum.conceiva.com/showthread...nostic-logging) and restart your Mezzmo server. Stream one of the MKV files to your TV. After it starts skipping/stuttering, stop your Mezzmo server and exit Mezzmo. Zip up the logs and send them to us at support [at] conceiva [dot] com. Also, in your email to us, include (i) the DLNA device you have (including model number), (ii) the device profile assigned to your device (go to the Media Devices dialog to see this), and (iii) the FFmpeg information on the MKV file that you streamed (right-click on the file in Mezzmo and click 'Get FFmpeg Information').

**the1t** · 06-01-2012, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by fcosenti

Everyone,

before purchasing Mezzmo, I did extensive testing with 2.5 to assure that my devices were working fine with it. Amongst various files, I used in particular a 11 Gbytes MKV movie file (1080p). Now, with 2.5, playback with realtime transcoding was always very smooth. In 2.6.2, it skips frames like there is no tomorrow. It looks like all these 1080p large files started skipping.
Note that I have a Core i7-860 overclocked at 4 GHz (I increased overclocking to test, before I was running at 3.7), with 8 Gbytes of ram and Windows 7 64 bits. All devices are connected to Gigabit network - the MKV file is located on a NAS device on the network as well (QNAP TS-239 PRO II - about 95 Mbytes/sec sustained).

Has anyone else experienced issues with 2.6.2 being much slower than 2.5 in realtime transcoding?

I have a similar setup to you and experience the same problems with 2.6.2. ATM trying to sort it with support. pre-transcoding a file does help but not for every file.

In my logs were also mezzmo complaining about some blocked ports. Which is sorted now. But still investigation the route cause of on the fly transcoding performance.

**fcosenti** · 06-01-2012, 02:41 AM

Paul, you already had a look at my logs, and your answer has been "The frame rate on the transcoding looks like it is too slow for realtime transcoding of the movie, can you please try pre-transcoding the file to see if the stutter occurs?".

Now, pre-transcoding doesn't help - I only purchased Mezzmo for its real-time transcoding feature. I have a Terabyte of movies, and all new ones are 1080p - transcoding must be fast enough for these, the pre-transcoding function is truly useless for me.

**fcosenti** · 06-01-2012, 10:16 AM

This is the FFMpeg info output of the specific file:

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
Input #0, matroska,webm, from '\\192.168.1.222\Multimedia\Movies\Sci-Fi\Avatar.mkv':
Duration: 02:41:41.65, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 9674 kb/s
Chapter #0.0: start 0.000000, end 377.961000
Metadata:
title : 00:00:00.000
Chapter #0.1: start 377.961000, end 473.598000
Metadata:
title : 00:06:17.961
Chapter #0.2: start 473.598000, end 724.891000
Metadata:
title : 00:07:53.598
Chapter #0.3: start 724.891000, end 840.465000
Metadata:
title : 00:12:04.891
Chapter #0.4: start 840.465000, end 1200.574000
Metadata:
title : 00:14:00.465
Chapter #0.5: start 1200.574000, end 1440.230000
Metadata:
title : 00:20:00.574
Chapter #0.6: start 1440.230000, end 1613.278000
Metadata:
title : 00:24:00.230
Chapter #0.7: start 1613.278000, end 1901.900000
Metadata:
title : 00:26:53.278
Chapter #0.8: start 1901.900000, end 2013.428000
Metadata:
title : 00:31:41.900
Chapter #0.9: start 2013.428000, end 2143.850000
Metadata:
title : 00:33:33.428
Chapter #0.10: start 2143.850000, end 2611.859000
Metadata:
title : 00:35:43.850
Chapter #0.11: start 2611.859000, end 2963.627000
Metadata:
title : 00:43:31.859
Chapter #0.12: start 2963.627000, end 3269.975000
Metadata:
title : 00:49:23.627
Chapter #0.13: start 3269.975000, end 3596.051000
Metadata:
title : 00:54:29.975
Chapter #0.14: start 3596.051000, end 3910.198000
Metadata:
title : 00:59:56.051
Chapter #0.15: start 3910.198000, end 4296.417000
Metadata:
title : 01:05:10.198
Chapter #0.16: start 4296.417000, end 4511.006000
Metadata:
title : 01:11:36.417
Chapter #0.17: start 4511.006000, end 4829.116000
Metadata:
title : 01:15:11.006
Chapter #0.18: start 4829.116000, end 5081.910000
Metadata:
title : 01:20:29.116
Chapter #0.19: start 5081.910000, end 5764.801000
Metadata:
title : 01:24:41.910
Chapter #0.20: start 5764.801000, end 5875.786000
Metadata:
title : 01:36:04.801
Chapter #0.21: start 5875.786000, end 6273.100000
Metadata:
title : 01:37:55.786
Chapter #0.22: start 6273.100000, end 6495.489000
Metadata:
title : 01:44:33.100
Chapter #0.23: start 6495.489000, end 6833.868000
Metadata:
title : 01:48:15.489
Chapter #0.24: start 6833.868000, end 6932.884000
Metadata:
title : 01:53:53.868
Chapter #0.25: start 6932.884000, end 7118.820000
Metadata:
title : 01:55:32.884
Chapter #0.26: start 7118.820000, end 7325.568000
Metadata:
title : 01:58:38.820
Chapter #0.27: start 7325.568000, end 7533.859000
Metadata:
title : 02:02:05.568
Chapter #0.28: start 7533.859000, end 7801.835000
Metadata:
title : 02:05:33.859
Chapter #0.29: start 7801.835000, end 8167.284000
Metadata:
title : 02:10:01.835
Chapter #0.30: start 8167.284000, end 8390.841000
Metadata:
title : 02:16:07.284
Chapter #0.31: start 8390.841000, end 8750.325000
Metadata:
title : 02:19:50.841
Chapter #0.32: start 8750.325000, end 9074.065000
Metadata:
title : 02:25:50.325
Chapter #0.33: start 9074.065000, end 9305.296000
Metadata:
title : 02:31:14.065
Chapter #0.34: start 9305.296000, end 9701.651000
Metadata:
title : 02:35:05.296
Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1920x1080, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: dts (DTS), 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), s16, 1536 kb/s (default)
Metadata:
title : English DTS 1509kbps
Stream #0:2(eng): Subtitle: text (forced)
Metadata:
title : English
Stream #0:3(eng): Subtitle: text
Metadata:
title : English
At least one output file must be specified

---> DB Level Info: 41, 100
---> Frame rate: 23.98
---> Aspect ratio: 16:9

**Paul** · 06-01-2012, 02:45 PM

When the above file is transcoding on-the-fly, what transcoding framerate (fps) are you getting? Stream the file to your TV and go to the Transcoding pane to see this.

**fcosenti** · 06-01-2012, 04:24 PM

Just looking it now, it starts at 107 FPS, the drops at 98. When the entire thing starts freezing and skipping frames, it is 95 FPS. So definitely something else. This on the Toshiba Regza that we troubleshoot earlier (we had to use 2.5 device profile to get good video quality). I have another interesting video for you:

C:\Program Files (x86)\Conceiva\Mezzmo\ffmpeg.exe -i "\\192.168.1.222\Multimedia\Movies\Sci-Fi\The X Files I Want to Believe.avi" -y -c:v mpeg2video -b:v 19000000 -g 45 -filter:v "yadif, scale=660:280, pad=688:384:14:52:black" -c:a ac3_fixed -ac 2 -ab 448000 -ar 48000 -sn -f mpegts -threads 4 -pix_fmt yuv420p -copyinkf -sc_threshold 1000000000 -coder ac -qmin 1 -cmp 2 -subcmp 2 -flags +loop -mbd bits -bsf h264_mp4toannexb -fflags +genpts+ignidx+igndts -deinterlace "C:\Users\ferdinando\AppData\Local\Conceiva\Mezzmo \TranscodingFiles\D57A2940-DD08-4aba-B1AC-4165952F00CF\Video\2184-mpegts-mpeg2video-ac3.mzt"

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
[mpeg4 @ 01e79bc0] Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
Input #0, avi, from '\\192.168.1.222\Multimedia\Movies\Sci-Fi\The X Files I Want to Believe.avi':
Metadata:
encoder : VirtualDubMod 1.5.4.1 (build 2178/release)
Duration: 01:43:34.32, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 948 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: mpeg4 (Advanced Simple Profile) (XVID / 0x44495658), yuv420p, 660x280 [SAR 1:1 DAR 33:14], 25 tbr, 25 tbn, 25 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: mp3 (U[0][0][0] / 0x0055), 44100 Hz, stereo, s16, 128 kb/s
-deinterlace is deprecated, use -filter:v yadif instead
[buffer @ 01e8f3c0] w:660 h:280 pixfmt:yuv420p tb:1/1000000 sar:1/1 sws_param:flags=2
[buffersink @ 01e8e5c0] No opaque field provided
[yadif @ 01e718c0] mode:0 parity:-1 auto_enable:0
[scale @ 01e71860] w:660 h:280 fmt:yuv420p sar:1/1 -> w:660 h:280 fmt:yuv420p sar:1/1 flags:0x4
[pad @ 01e893c0] w:660 h:280 -> w:688 h:384 x:14 y:52 color:0x000000FF
[ac3_fixed @ 01e6ca80] channel_layout not specified
[ac3_fixed @ 01e6ca80] No channel layout specified. The encoder will guess the layout, but it might be incorrect.
[mpegts @ 01e6c280] muxrate VBR, pcr every 2 pkts, sdt every 200, pat/pmt every 40 pkts
Output #0, mpegts, to 'C:\Users\ferdinando\AppData\Local\Conceiva\Mezzmo \TranscodingFiles\D57A2940-DD08-4aba-B1AC-4165952F00CF\Video\2184-mpegts-mpeg2video-ac3.mzt':
Metadata:
encoder : Lavf54.5.100
Stream #0:0: Video: mpeg2video (hq), yuv420p, 688x384 [SAR 1:1 DAR 43:24], q=1-31, 19000 kb/s, 90k tbn, 25 tbc
Stream #0:1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, s16, 448 kb/s
Stream mapping:
Stream #0:0 -> #0:0 (mpeg4 -> mpeg2video)
Stream #0:1 -> #0:1 (mp3 -> ac3_fixed)
Press [q] to stop, [?] for help
[mpeg4 @ 025ffcc0] Invalid and inefficient vfw-avi packed B frames detected
frame= 207 fps=0.0 q=2.0 size= 2917kB time=00:00:08.20 bitrate=2914.1kbits/s dup=1 drop=0
frame= 375 fps=359 q=2.0 size= 5191kB time=00:00:14.92 bitrate=2850.4kbits/s dup=1 drop=0
frame= 558 fps=358 q=2.0 size= 6375kB time=00:00:22.24 bitrate=2348.2kbits/s dup=1 drop=0
frame= 861 fps=415 q=2.0 size= 7343kB time=00:00:34.36 bitrate=1750.7kbits/s dup=1 drop=0

<MEZZMO>: Child process ended with code: 109

This second one causes the program to freeze - I have to stop/start server to recover. But we should troubleshoot one thing at a time.

**fcosenti** · 06-09-2012, 07:05 PM

Just tried 2.6.3 - same skipping of frames in 1080p videos. The video plays fine for a while then it starts skipping.

**Rainey** · 06-11-2012, 05:32 AM

Just a though, you said you are doing this to a NAS drive over the network. You stated it had about a 95M transfer rate.
Have you located you trans-coded filed directory there also or are they on an internal HHD in the PC.? If in the PC, what is its HHD transfer rate.

You have very High bit rates for the Video and the Audio. How many meg dose one frame take and then add in the Audio, then times it by 95 frames a second and can the NAS or HHD keep up with that rate.

Do you have a faster HHD in the PC you could try reading and writing to instead of the NAS for a test.
Also with these very large files i assume you defrag often. You could look at the resource monitor in Win7 to see what HHD or network bandwidth is being used and look for a bottleneck.

**Paul** · 06-12-2012, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by fcosenti

Just tried 2.6.3 - same skipping of frames in 1080p videos. The video plays fine for a while then it starts skipping.

It may be that the video bitrate may be too high for the TV and the TV's firmware is struggling to play the file. When this happens, you can often get stuttering. Contact us at support [at] conceiva [dot] com and we'll provide an update profile that delivers a reduced bitrate. That will allow us to confirm whether the video bitrate is causing the problem.