Wireless streaming is stuttering

[Aeropars]

Hi guys,

I'm using the latest media server build with the latest PS3 firmware and i'm having problems when transcoding anything higher than standard definition.

I have a wireless g network and have a signal of 70% on the PS3. I've set up the media server to transcode average quality over wireless and set my network bandwidth to 10 yet it still stutters almost immediatly. PC is a quad core 3ghz with 4gb ram and a kickass graphicas card.

Any ideaS?

[meskibob]

Try changing the Channel on your router. If most of the routers around you are on the same default channel (usually 1, 6, or 11), you're going to have some unwanted interference.

Apart from that, if you've set a 10mbps limit, the pms buffer is increasing, and you're still stuttering, then your network is limiting and you'll need an upgrade.

[Aeropars]

Hi,

Whats the PMS buffer?

If you're referring to the graphic on the front screen then that only shows as not finding the PS3. The PS3 sees the media server though and streams music perfectly fine.

Hope you can help.

[Aeropars]

Just upgraded to the new version and now the buffer shows as finding the ps3 and displays some bugger information.

I set the maximum bandwith to 9mbps yet when watching something like planet earth the bitrate shows on the PS3 as exceeding 100 during a flock of birds flying. How is this happening when I set the maximum bitrate allowed on the media server?

[meskibob]

...the bitrate shows on the PS3 as exceeding 100 during a flock of birds flying...

The PS3 reports an incorrect bitrate when it doesn't receive the proper amount of data, i.e. your system/network isn't keeping up. The Planet Earth flock of cranes scene is one of the clips where you need to have enough pms buffer (the blue bar under the "Transcoding Buffer Status" in the Status tab in the PMS GUI) to not try and transcode that scene realtime.

[Aeropars]

displays some bugger information.

I really should watch what I type! hehe

...the bitrate shows on the PS3 as exceeding 100 during a flock of birds flying...

The PS3 reports an incorrect bitrate when it doesn't receive the proper amount of data, i.e. you're system/network isn't keeping up. The Planet Earth flock of cranes scene is one of the clips where you need to have enough pms buffer (the blue bar under the "Transcoding Buffer Status" in the Status tab in the PMS GUI) to not try and transcode that scene realtime.

Thanks for the reply.

I'm not sure what you mean by having enough buffer and transcoding in realtime. How would I stop the realtime transcoding? sorry if this is a simple question.

Lee

[meskibob]

I'm not sure what you mean by having enough buffer and transcoding in realtime. How would I stop the realtime transcoding? sorry if this is a simple question.

When you're transcoding to the PS3, you're balancing transcoding the file into memory and then streaming the transcoded file to the PS3. You'd like for transcoding to memory to always be just a little bit faster than the streaming, but different scenes within the same movie have different bitrates. Because of this, PMS has a memory buffer so you can continue transcoding and still stream smoothly if the streaming bitrate has to go higher due to an intense scene (like the flock of cranes). Realtime transcoding occurs when transcoding to memory is just as fast streaming the transcoded file. Without any buffer, any slight increase in streaming bitrate will cause the video to stutter.

Hope that helps explain it a bit more.

[Aeropars]

Got you.

So how can I ensure the buffer is filled before any streaming occurs?
I noticed my buffer bar is red and shows about 80% full (assuming the graphial indicator is a decent representation of how full it is)

Lee

[meskibob]

Pause the video right when it starts playing and let the buffer fill up. The amount of time depends on the specified size of the buffer.

[Joksi]

Its very important to notice that the buffer isnt responsible alone, if you let it fill up completely and then continue playing the video you could experience two things.

a) the buffer decreases only slighlty, meaning the bitrate is pretty low or the bitrate is high but your cpu is also pretty fast keeping it one step ahead filling the buffer. the best is when the video plays and the buffer doenst decrease thath much, and when it does it increases again soon (speed of cpu).

b) the buffer decreases quickly and seem to have a hard time filling up (when playing), which means that the bitrate is very high or higher then what your cpu can handle. the cpu cant transcode in the speed the buffer need to be filled for keeping a good buffer. this will eventually drain the buffer (if the bitrate keep beeing high contiously) and the video playing will start to stutter.