Playback Issues in Web UI (Mac hardware transcoder)

Channels DVR Server
#21

I don’t know if it’s any help, but I also just tried Chrome and Vivaldi, and both run the transcoded video for a time (3 to 5 minutes or so) and then hang up, usually when the transcode rate drops below 1x.

I’m not now at my home computer, and I don’t have file access to it from work, so I’ll have to grab the streaming video file later this evening to send to you.

All of these transcodes on Chrome and Vivaldi seem to be starting out in the mid 1x-2x range (even start out like that on Safari), and then fairly quickly drop to at or near 1x (1.02, 1.01, 1). Is this symptomatic of anything? Shouldn’t the transcode rate be higher than that with my hardware?

#22

As long as the timestamp is still increasing, it should be fine. 1x means its transcoding in real time, i.e. it takes 1s to transcode 1s of video. If your CPU isn’t fast enough to transcode in real time, you’ll see the rate fall to 0.9x or lower, which means it takes longer than 1s to encode 1s of video, which means the transcoder will quickly start to fall behind and never be able to catch up.

When transcoding live tv on capable hardware, 1x is normal because the video data is coming in real time. When transcoding a recording, you’ll see higher rates because the transcoder can read the data as fast as possible off disk, instead of waiting for it to arrive off the tuner.

#23

I’m still trying to figure out why my hardware wouldn’t be able to transcode in real time. I know that the EyeTV transcode can go to right around 2x at 720 on recorded material, so I think the hardware is up to the task.

Would a move to newer system software help at all? I’m on 10.10.5 now. Or is there some other software reason the live TV transcodes could be falling below 1x?

#24

So with hardware transcoder you’re seeing the rate fall below 1x? What does it say?

But the software transcoder is able to stay at 1x?

The hardware transcoder should always be faster… upgrading to a newer macOS would probably help if you’re seeing otherwise.

#25

Don’t recall if it was the software or hardware transcode, but it dropped into the '.9***x range.

I guess I’ll try upgrading to 10.12 to see if that helps.

#26

Okay, made the not-too-painful slog to 10.12, but the video is still stopping after a time, regardless of settings or browser (Safari the worst [it dies almost immediately], Chrome and Vivaldi play some channels for a couple of minutes and then grind to a halt as the rate drops close to or below 1x).

Is there anything else I can try? Is this mostly a function of CPU speed, or are there other major factors? Are there other settings in ffmpg I can manipulate?

Here’s what the player window looks like (often-representative) when it dies (this one is from Vivaldi; similar screens seen in Chrome): Uploading…

#27

Uploading…

Thanks for all your attention to this. You folks are about the most attentive, diligent developers I’ve ever seen.

#28

I use an older 2010 mac mini which hasn’t been able to handle hardware transcode to web ui.

Today, I tested both Live and Recorded files on iPad Safari web ui. I tried both with software, blend and 240p. As I watched the speed start at 2-4+, I was hopeful…however, the speed inexorably crept downward over the next 3-5 min.

Wonder of wonders, the Live seemed to settle at 1.01 after 4 minutes and remain constant until 8 min when I stopped. The recorded speed fell to 1.11, but it took almost 2 hours…then a new recorded file started which caused a drop to 1.05, but when I quit about 10 minutes later, speed was still at 1.05.

Obviously, earlier than the new build above from @tmm1, so hopefully will be even better.

Thanks for moving @tmm1, so I guess we are still watching for improvements on the Mac side?

#29

Latest DVR build has some Mac hardware transcoder improvements too. Mentioned in Playback doesn't work on Safari (Mac and iPad)

#30

Follow up to yesterday’s tests:

Using same options with 1 show being recorded simultaneously…

Live: Watched for 40 min, speed primarily at 1.01, fell to 1.00 at about 20 min.

Recorded: Speed over 1.X, however on 1 show ( playback would stall approx every 10 sec, transcoding didn’t show “paused” during this test. Another show, intermittant pauses, another none. Weird: The worst performance was a 720p, the 2 others 1080i original file format.

#31

When having stall issues but transcoder status seems fine, try pausing video for 15-20s to let the transcoder race ahead of where you are trying to watch.

#32

@DebbieFL I assume this was software again and you’re still not able to use Hardware?

#33

Correction: Transcoding did not show paused.

Yes, SW, blend, 240p, same as prior.

Will be trying HW later.

#34

Hardware, blend, 240p - 1 show recording

Live TV: Playback starts at 1.x and decreases over 2-3 min to <1, then freeze. Other times, freeze will occur with speed at 1.2-1.3.

Recorded: Playback starts at 1-2x and decreases slowly. Usually within 2-4 min the screen freezes, however transcoder time keeps increasing. Usually speed at freeze is 1.2x

Tomorrow: will try same options but…with no other activity running

#35

Last test:

HW, blend, 240P - No other activity

No appreciable difference from previous results (with simultaneous 1 recording)

#36

Seeing the same; software transcoding works great but hardware transcoding freezes after a minute or two. I just switched from my NAS to using an iMac with a i7-4790k to test this out with hardware transcoding.

#37

Thanks folks. Sounds like the bug @photosmike originally reported is still happening. It only affects the Mac hardware transcoder, and only when watching via Safari. Using Chrome for desktop does not freeze.

#38

I get freezes with Chrome as well as Safari.

#39

Desktop chrome (not mobile)?

To confirm, when the playback freezes, the transcoder time under the player keeps increasing?

Can you zip up the Streaming folder and email to me while the player is open and frozen?

#40

Maybe it was something else that caused Chrome to messed up like stopping the same channel streaming on both my Mac and my iPad. It’s been running now for 6 minutes without freezing.

Edit: froze a little after 7 minutes.

Edit2: Not sure if the email worked so here’s the link:
https://drive.google.com/a/stephens.cc/file/d/0Bwl_6mLEajuPZ0lyT2RLVzA2UlE/view?usp=sharing