Dropped frames on both Audio and Video

[almo81]

Hello,

I seem to be experiencing a problem: every 3-4 seconds frames are dropped from both audio (MP3) and Video playback (SD)

Even stranger: starting XBMC from scratch, and selecting a file will generally provide proper playback . However, if I skip forward, or switch to a different file, the problem begins: A fresh restart of the software is required to return to normal.

I am noticing that when Playback is OK, the frame rate is fixed at 24fps, or 30fps, or whatever the proper fps for the source file is.. When the system is problematic, fps fluctuates: It peaks at 50 or even 60fps which creates the effect of Dropped frames and then speeded up playback.

CPU is lnot the issue . normally at 20-30%- with peaks around 50%. ( I set Vsync at Enabled: prior to that, CPU was at 100% no matter what I did).


My setup:

AMD sempron 2600+ running at 1600Mhz with 500MB RAM.
Radeon 9200 Video card supporting OpenGL 1.3 running at 1360X768 (60Hz)
AudioTrack Prodigy7.1 audio card
Windows XP SP3 build 2600

I've tried several different builds - all exhibit identical symptoms:
XBMC 9.04-Beta1
Build 19664
Build 19293


Logs follow.

[almo81]

Log:



http://www.filefactory.com/file/agdha7c/n/xbmc_log


The file will show my accessing a video file: then skipping forward a # of times. Until the first skip, file was OK.

Then I access a music directory: play the first file, and skip to files 2,3,4. All Music files showed problems.

BTW, All of these files play well with WINAMP and VLC with no issues, so I don't think the files are the problem.


While I'm at it, why is the software (according to the log) constantly accessing Google? I had the library feature turned off!

Thanks,

Almo

[almo81]

Is it possible that the problem originates with my video Card?

[natethomas]

Please repost log here.

http://pastebin.com/

Also, try turning "high quality software upscaling" off, if it is turned on.

[almo81]

REposting log.

http://pastebin.com/m134825b5

High Quality software upscaling is off.

Thanks

[natethomas]

This is a pretty old system. Plus, the lack of OpenGL support at least to 1.4 is not great. Devs would have a better idea, but I'm guessing updating a few things would be a good idea.

[almo81]

Thanks. I'm going to try and experiment with a newer display card and see if that might help - Will take me a few days to get my hands on one. Don't want to replace the entire PC, though just because of one piece of software.


The question remains: According to XBMC documentation, OpenGL1.3 should be sufficient.

Also, The fact that initially, the s/w runs OK and only after changing files or fast-forwarding do the problems begin - tends to suggest that the problem is maybe something else - and not the display card (Esp. since Audio files tend NOT to use Video card other than maintenance of the GUI).

The GUI seems to be expensive in CPU usage: Watching Video in FUll-screen Mode is actually LESS Cpu intensive then listening to Music! (probably due to the high-frame-rate used by the GUI).

Another observation I made: I created a long music playlist (roughly 1 hour- 12 tracks). It played through without any issues. when it was
over, I created a second playlist (with identical material) and played it: The music skipped: every 3-4 seconds - a half-second or so of material was skipped (my original problem).

Repeating the test again: the first playlist was OK, UNTIL I tried to skip to the next track once. Once that happened - the material skipped again and won't recover until I restarted the software.

Almo

[almo81]

anyone?

[CrashX]

Is that dedicated videocard ? How much video ram ?

Are you playing 720P or 1080P content ?

[almo81]

No HD content.

It is a dedicated Video card - with 128MB of memory.

[almo81]

No suggestions?

I'm tending toward replacing my display card: however, I want to be sure that that this is, in fact the problem and I won't find that the problem persists.


Any inputs?

[natethomas]

The problem with giving a firm suggestion is the fact that I'm guessing no one uses this combination of parts, so we can't guarantee any individual piece really is the problem. There's just as good a chance that replacing the CPU or just buying more RAM will also resolve the problem.

Honestly, if SD video is the sole goal, buying an inexpensive, new CPU/MoBo/Vid/RAM system shouldn't cost more than $150 and be dramatically better than what you have going now.