Specific OTA SD channel stuttering/freezing - Hardware decoder ATV Shield

#1

I am noticing on 41.2 Qubo and 41.3 ION Plus, both SD channels, and both are not that strong a signal...both are pausing, stuttering for several seconds, and then plays at a frame rate of like 1 fps for bit, then it recovers and plays good for a short time, then start up freezing again.

HDHR Quatro
The channels play smoothly despite the signal stats of
|Signal Strength|67%|
|Signal Quality|66%|
|Symbol Quality|100%|

They are not digitizing or breaking up like if dropped or low signal, they did before i got a better antenna and mount location.

The channels play smoothly in the HDHR app and via Emby.

Clients are Nvidia Shield 2019 Tube and Pro. Both hardwired.
Issue happens on both Beta ATV app version and Stable.
Server version at present: 2020.03.07.0019

I export a client log after a few min of the channel playing and it did the issue a few times.

I also notice that just before the stutters and 1fps thing happens, the seek bar Ui comes up and the thing jumps back in the time lime a few times then, jumps back to present, all by it self. I am not touching anything.

How do i Attach a .txt file?? The attach icon is not present on here (I am on other forum boards that use this same back end so i know it has a attach feature)

https://pastebin.com/1RA7HYKi

EDIT: I set Decoder to Software in the ATV app and that resolves the issue, but the picture is much more soft.

Here is log when using software:
https://pastebin.com/kt422SC9

EDIT2: I have set the app to Hybrid. And that seems to be good. Could you detail out what each mode is and how it works? How does Hybrid know when to use Hardware decode vs software? Is there any loss in video quality using anything other than Hardware?
The vast majority of channels we watch are HD, a few on OTA, but all others on on TVE. Does this decode setting affect TVE channels?

Constant buffering on Fox News channel
#2

Trying turning off surround sound. Causes issues for me on Sony Android TV and FireTV 4k Stick devices.
My Pixel 4 XL needs to be set to Hybrid for video and sound to work.

#3

That is off....has always been. I dont have surround sound system.
Also, I have had not needed to switch to hybrid on my shield before, the channels played fine in hardware for over a month.

#4

Sorry I'm no help then. Those OTA channels work fine for me. I know they are having player issues that's tied to Android TV/FireTV and have posted that they are having a conversation internally about it. I know just that setting alone makes a large difference on my Sony Android TV and FireTV 4k Stick. I have a 2015 Shield but I have it setup as a DVR Server and don't use it for a Client any longer.

I don't know if they just don't have anyone giving the same effort to Android as they do with Apple but I hope get this resolved soon.

#5

Yea. i didn't know Channels primary focus was on Apple products....the Apple Tv, a friend has and I hate it, and its remote. (and i thought the remote for the 2017 Shield was bad lol). U cant pay me to use any thing Apple anyway.

CHannels has been great on my Shields. Only had it a couple months, aside from a few hickups here and there...its been good.

1 Like
#6

I bet that most new Channels DVR users do not use AppleTV 4K but use the Shield or Firetv devices.

#7

Well it's my opinion from the development I've seen since using channels a few+ months back. Android as seen no development since the first week of January's latest Android (including FireTV) release even with the numerous complaints. I'm am not an Apple fan but decided to try the Apple TV because it had more technology support at the time than any other streamer for my use case. I don't have the 2019 Shield version so I can't comment on that one. My built in Android TV on my Sony has surpassed my 2015 Shield which is why it's retired and only used has a Channels DVR Server. Once they add Atmos support on Disney+ I don't really have a reason to use my Apple TV.

#8

Personally I think the Android Ecosystem is tougher to develop in than the Apple Ecosystem because it's open source.

#9

I need the ShieldTV to watch DRM channels such as Starz and EPIX using the HDHomeRun App.... as I have replaced all my Comcast Boxes.

#10

Ok so. this is weird.

I am playing 41.3 ION PLus, the video freezing happens and press pause, then play again, the app instantly jumps to playing 6120 Disney channel.

This is with ATV app 2.1.21.beta-v103112049

#13

This still happens with Hardware Decoder set even in Stable ATV app 2.1.20.

#14

Double clicking the play/pause button triggers the "jump to previous channel" feature so the app is changing channels.

If you have tuner sharing enabled, you can check the dvr web UI activity to see if the freezing channel is showing signal errors

1 Like
#15

I must clarify i see. I am not double pressing the button at all. I meant i pause it it for a bit, weather 2 secs or 2 min, then play it again, it jumps to DIsney chan

Tuner share is not enabled....and i looked at the HDHR Ui stats direct and they are good.
They play fine and smooth in the hdhr app.

#16

The stats in our DVR will report network drops as well, which may be related if the antenna signal is confirmed to be good.

#17

If it was network drops, i assume u mean LAN to the Shield, i would see issues with other channels i assume.

The channels 41.2 Qubo and 41.3 ION Plus, play fine on the Shield in Emby, either with live tv buffer enabled, or set to direct play)

Also play fine on HDHR app on laptop and via the Channels Web browser player.

The fact that changing the Channels app decoder to Hybrid or software, results in these channels playing fine, leads me to think it is something with Hardware decode feature, not sure how much Channels is involved with processing video/audio data in hardware mode.

Hybrid mode, however, as noted in my other thread, cant seem to handle when a commercial in a TVE channel switches to a lower resolution.

I also notice, that anything other than Hardware decode, the Shield's AI Enhance sharpening thingy, does not work.

#18

Any idea on this?

It is 100% an issue on 41.2 Qubo and 41.3 ION Plus. none of the other channels, even the SD ones, do this.

I have noticed that i can seek back and forth when the issues happens and it will play the the channel fine for a short time.

Or maybe its like the buffer issue somehow, as when it starts to get all janky and super slow frame rate, while the audio is still fine, i can just press FF once or twice and it moves the time line a few secs, and its smooth video again for a bit...anywhere from 10 to 30 secs.

I do see the seek bar come up when it hikcups, and the current postion bar jumps back and forth and ends up a several secs behind the live time line.

here is client log of me doing that: https://pastebin.com/nvZUG0kD

Futhermore, i enabled tuner sharing on my Shield, to thus get stats from the server in reguards to signal stats. this is in the log after a min or so of playback and it doing the issue.

2020/03/22 23:30:46.264120 [TNR] Opened connection to 10799EB6/0 for ch41.3 IONPlus [transcode=none]
2020/03/22 23:33:03.197937 [SNR] Statistics for ch41.3 IONPlus: ss=61%,58%-65% snq=52%,0%-63% seq=92%,0%-100% bps=1909659,106784-3350912 pps=184,11-318 sigerr=11%
2020/03/22 23:33:03.198127 [TNR] Closed connection to 10799EB6/0 for ch41.3 IONPlus

It does seem to have some low signal issues, and drop outs i guess, is see 0-100% for one stat. However, there are no issues what so ever when i switch the app to Hybrid or Software decoder. Also plays fine with the HDHR app.

using sever version:
2020.03.19.2121
ATV app ver 2.1.20 (have tired beta, same behavior)

#19

What remote are you using?

#20

You have poor signal stats but that shouldn't be causing the issue you are talking about.

I think I know what you are explaining now and I was seeing this also using TVE. The audio is fine but the video is like 15fps. It's similar to what I saw with the MPV player with Debanding set to CPU.

Anyway, use Hybrid and Software takes care of that issue for me on Channels.

#21

Was only $15 when i order it early Jan this year

Assuming u mean to ask due to the other posts about MPV and needing a remote?

#22

I wonder if it is send a repeat signal which reads on the shield as a double button press.