Stuttering on MP3 and MP4

[its-markk]

Tried using OnlyM 1.0.0.7 to play an MP3 of the John 4:43-54 reading, and also to play the Song #1 MP4 file. The reading file would stutter when it looks like maybe Windows was doing something else with the C: drive. The Song would crackle and sometimes stutter.

[its-markk]

We are using on of the small recommended ASUS media computers.

[AntonyCorbett]

@its-markk Please check that the video driver is up to date.

[XionTech]

@its-markk When you say the recommended Asus computers, do you mean something like the VM42? What other applications were running at the time?

[its-markk]

Yes, the VM42 model. All I had running for the test was JW App and OnlyM, since needed to make sure that the year text screen would work as expected and the OnlyM would work too.

I first noticed it when I put a copy of song #1 and tried playing it. Initial took a long time to start playing, then was ok. After a little bit of time, noticed the crackling and stuttering.

On Mon, May 21, 2018, 8:06 AM XionTech notifications@github.com wrote:

@its-markk https://github.com/its-markk When you say the recommended Asus computers, do you mean something like the VM42? What other applications were running at the time?

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[its-markk]

Some side info. Neighboring KH also has an ASUS VM42, but with 2 differences. Ours is already running Window 10 v1803, theirs is actually updating to that right now. Ours has the factory hard drive still, a WD Blue drive. Theirs has a replacement hard drive, a WD Black drive, which has better performance than the Blues. For them, early on, with Soundbox, they would have an issue with downloaded videos pausing or stuttering. Could not get any diagnostics to show there was any issue, and hard drive checks and advanced diags all said things were OK. Other drivers up to date. Educated guess and some hoping, replaced the factory WD Blue with a WD Black. No issues since then. Just loaded OnlyM on their computer and they don't have the stuttering. Will test theirs again after the Windows update.

[XionTech]

Those VM42 haven't been ideal but if tweaked just right it should be able to manage. If you aren't able to get it by next week (I'll be away until then), I can boot up a VM42 I have and work through it with you.

Some initial thoughts: Do you have any antivirus going? Is the power in balanced or performance mode? All updates applied with other non essential windows features turned off?

[its-markk]

There is no additional anti virus, just the built in Windows security. After the 1803 Windows update, I'll have to check to see what Windows stuff is enabled; so nice of Microsoft to re-enable disabled items. And I'll track down other sure updates this weekend. Thanks.

On Tue, May 22, 2018, 10:56 PM Danny notifications@github.com wrote:

Those VM42 haven't been ideal but if tweaked just right it should be able to manage. If you aren't able to get it by next week (I'll be away until then), I can boot up a VM42 I have and work through it with you.

Some initial thoughts: Do you have any antivirus going? Is the power in balanced or performance mode? All updates applied with other non essential windows features turned off?

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[XionTech]

I actually noticed stuttering today with some tests if I do anything else on the computer. And that was with a heavy duty machine with Geforce 1060 so I'm beginning to wonder about setting the Application priority.

[its-markk]

The other KH Windows update 1803 finished on their Asus VM42 with a better hard drive in it. They copied Song#1 in to the app and it started to crackle and stutter, then even more so if doing something else on the computer like exploring folders and files. They then tried playing a song form the JW app and said was not as bad cracking and stuttering.

They use Windows Media Player for their songs, and that worked fine.

I know on VM42 with the standard hard drive and our internet will every once in a while millisecond glitch on playing a song from the JW app.

I can try adjusting the priorities for the app to see if that makes any difference.

On Wed, May 23, 2018, 1:47 PM Danny notifications@github.com wrote:

I actually noticed stuttering today with some tests if I do anything else on the computer. And that was with a heavy duty machine with Geforce 1060 so I'm beginning to wonder about setting the Application priority.

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[AntonyCorbett]

@its-markk - what is the OnlyM CPU usage during video playback?

[AntonyCorbett]

@its-markk @XionTech Please would you test v1.0.0.8? I have made some minor improvements to playback performance.

[AntonyCorbett]

@its-markk @XionTech v1.0.0.9

[its-markk]

Will test latest version late tonight.

On Thu, May 24, 2018, 1:44 AM Antony Corbett notifications@github.com wrote:

@its-markk https://github.com/its-markk @XionTech https://github.com/XionTech Please would you test v1.0.0.8? I have made some minor improvements to playback performance.

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[TechMan88]

Great Media Player, i have 1 to 2 stuttering also on videos im testing on the caleb sofia short videos... I down load the latest version i notice i have less stuttering when i switch to warning im trying out diff settings

[its-markk]

Much better, at least for this test, but the issue is still there.

On Thu, May 24, 2018, 3:34 AM Antony Corbett notifications@github.com wrote:

@its-markk https://github.com/its-markk @XionTech https://github.com/XionTech v1.0.0.9

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[AntonyCorbett]

@its-markk @XionTech @TechMan88 I have updated to use ffmpeg 4 as of version 1.0.0.11

[AntonyCorbett]

The rendering is still fairly CPU intensive (owing to the use of ffmpeg and largely software decoding (GPU is not used much). Since the focus is on image display, this will have to go on the back burner for the moment. I'll keep the issue open.

[its-markk]

Thank you for your work on this.

[fluffypony]

@AntonyCorbett it's been my experience on smaller devices (eg. anything with a Celeron or a Atom processor) you basically have to offload to the GPU for decoding. Even on faster processors (Core i3) you have to offload like 1080p and above.

I'd hazard that DXVA2 should have pretty broad support (DX9 and above) if you plan on targeting Windows only with the Only* apps.

[AntonyCorbett]

@fluffypony excellent link - I will investigate further, Thanks.

[AntonyCorbett]

@fluffypony looks like the ffmpeg binaries I am using already include dxva2 (https://ffmpeg.zeranoe.com/builds/)

[fluffypony]

@AntonyCorbett this is, admittedly, out of my wheelhouse, but I think that means the build merely supports DXVA2. You still need to enable it so that it tries to use it for the media playback, as it's off by default. On command-line ffmpeg that means passing the -hwaccel CLI flag; in code I'm less certain, but the https://trac.ffmpeg.org/wiki/HWAccelIntro page I linked earlier might provide some input.

[EthAsk]

@AntonyCorbett Have you had any recent luck with this issue at all?

[AntonyCorbett]

@EthAsk No. Unfortunately, the libraries that I use are unable to make use of dxva2 yet.

[gonzo041]

Is there an estimated date of solution for the problem of stuttering?

[AntonyCorbett]

@gonzo041 Sorry, no. The rendering technique currently requires a moderately powerful CPU.

[gonzo041]

Sorry for my ignorance but, because with SOUNDBOX does not that error occur?

[AntonyCorbett]

@gonzo041 SoundBox has 3 rendering options - each uses a different technique for decoding and rendering the video. Some are slower than others but may offer better quality or wider compatibility. OnlyM uses a single rendering technique (which incidentally is not one of the SB options). I chose it because it does not require 3rd-party codecs and should not depend on the capabilities of the video card. However, the downside (as you have found) is that it uses the main processor (CPU) to do most of the work rather than the graphics card (GPU) requiring a reasonably well-specified machine. I will probably add one or more additional rendering modes eventually but I don't have a timeline for it. Thanks for your feedback - much appreciated.

[2OfratellO]

We've been having the same problem. Foreign language and we hoped to use OnlyM for videos when we have to download the public talk for Sunday. (Back to iTunes for now.) Is there a place I can get an update when the new release is ready? Thanks for your attention to this "hiccup". The rest of the design is really great.

[2OfratellO]

Also, do you recommend a certain resolution (we've been using 720) or codex to help the processor along in the mean time? Thanks again.

[AntonyCorbett]

@2OfratellO this is the place to get updates. Just subscribe to notifications on this issue.

[AntonyCorbett]

@2OfratellO you can try lower resolutions which will help.

[Blann]

Just a question regarding this - is making the OnlyM process higher priority likely to make any material difference to rendering performance?

[AntonyCorbett]

@Blann @2OfratellO @gonzo041 @fluffypony @EthAsk @its-markk @XionTech The latest draft release adds the "Media Foundation" rendering engine (see Settings, Video).

[AntonyCorbett]

@Blann the process already has "above normal" priority. You can experiment by altering the priority in the Task Manager Details tab. Please try the latest draft release (using Media Foundation rendering which is less CPU intensive).

[Blann]

Thanks - will test at the KH tomorrow. That should solve the issue for us as video playback has always been rock-solid in SoundBox using MF.

[2OfratellO]

Grazie. We’ll try it out this afternoon.

Russ

On Aug 18, 2018, at 2:07 AM, Antony Corbett notifications@github.com wrote:

@Blann @2OfratellO @gonzo041 @fluffypony @EthAsk @its-markk @XionTech The latest draft release adds the "Media Foundation" rendering engine (see Settings, Video).

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[Blann]

Can confirm that the stuttering issues are solved - thanks.

I hadn't noticed before, also present in SoundBox - MF seems to increase the brightness of videos (blacks appear grey); is that just a peculiarity of the rendering engine?

[danielthorley]

It has fixed this issue on our PC too. Thanks Antony!

[ghost]

The stuttering has been fixed on my Surface Book as well. There is, however a noticeable increase in saturation that did not seem to be present on SoundBox when using WMF. At this time, this would prevent me, along with issue #28 and playlist oriented playback (as opposed to folder oriented playback) from recommending OnlyM on the same level as VLC (being able to open a file and have it open in a desired program simplifies training when you are sharing a KH).

[AntonyCorbett]

@omaha4 thanks for feedback on this. The saturation issue has been reported but I can't reproduce on any systems here. I suspect it may be dependent on video card, Thanks for trying OnlyM, Sadly, I don't think it will ever meet your stated requirements.

[Blann]

Realise we’re getting off the issue here, but post-SoundBox, I would say OnlyM is superior to VLC for handling both images and videos in a congregation meeting setting for the simple reason that it co-operates with JW Library. I don’t think the value of that should be underestimated for those who were used to the integration that SoundBox afforded, and I think that’s who OnlyM is really designed for (I’m sure Antony will correct me if I’m wrong).

[2OfratellO]

Great job. I haven’t tried it yet. But, it does what you’ve said. Great job. Thank you for supplying this FOR FREE! I think some may forget how generous you’ve been. Thank you again, brother.

Russ

On Aug 21, 2018, at 5:23 PM, Antony Corbett notifications@github.com wrote:

@omaha4 thanks for feedback on this. The saturation issue has been reported but I can't reproduce on any systems here. I suspect it may be dependent on video card, Thanks for trying OnlyM, Sadly, I don't think it will ever meet your stated requirements.

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[ghost]

@Blann Yea, don't mean to stray off topic either, but I do have to follow up. I think that one thing that gets lost in all this is, all of our circumstances vary. In one way or another, all of our KH's circumstances vary.

For example, in our KHs case, when we train for AV, we just aren't training for JW Library or Sound box, or VLC, we are training basic computer skills, skills that I've taken for granted greatly because I had the opportunity learn off of MS-DOS, Apple 2, early 90's MAC, learned to type off of Windows for Work Groups, survived the Windows x86 era (Win95-Me) and so on. Now, its my turn to pass it on to those older than me, and to do so patiently. When I train on AV, I have to consider my audience. This applies to which programs I use to show extra videos and pictures, doing so knowing that if they mess up, they can learn and go on and use the knowledge elsewhere, such as JW.org. This is a big reason why #28 makes so much sense to our circumstances, it's Windows/ Mac OS 101. I have to remember, the ones I am teaching, they have no idea what GitHub is or what it is used for. Training like this keeps us humble, and busy.

Another example is a post I seen on Soundbox Facebook that is a few days old, but I refuse to have a account there so I didn't respond. This individual's KH doesn't have internet. Nobody's fault, just in some places, the internet stinks. This causes several problems. JW Library can't be updated. Virus definitions are not up to date, leaving them potentially vulnerable to USB sticks and there potentially undisciplined use. What would our advice to this person be? Soundbox? VLC with it's powerful library support for easy referral to the song book? A mobile laptop? How many congregations do they have? Is a MAC with VLC or Playback Pro (and the MAC's sandboxing features) a better fit for their circumstances? You get the idea.

The point is, it is so easy to make broad assumptions that we lose sight that everyone's circumstances are different. No ones fault. That's just the way it is in this old world.

[Blann]

Just a little local update on the issue - I think it will be a compromise whichever rendering engine we choose to use. Media Foundation is less resource-intensive but Ffmpeg does look better (using MF videos look somewhat 'washed out', as if the luminance is not quite right - more noticeable on a projector screen). The audio level is also slightly lower when using MF which I have no explanation for. Suspect one or both of these issues might be related to our setup but would be interested to know if anyone else experiences the 'greying' effect when using MF.

[AntonyCorbett]

@Blann regarding "washed out" video when using Media Foundation mode, it has been observed and reported before but I haven't been able to reproduce the issue. Perhaps it is dependent on video card. It would be useful to know if the same is experienced when using SoundBox in media Foundation mode.

[AntonyCorbett]

@Blann have aded a new issue #45

[drmeyer]

Anthony, We have the same issue with stuttering. I would like to try the draft release that you mentioned using the "Media Foundation " rendering engine, but I'm a total loss as to how to find the download. The only download I find is the latest ...25. Please point me to correct location. I have reinstalled 1.0.0.25 and there is no option to select "Media Foundation" rendering engine.

Thank You

Have attached log-20180825.txt

[its-markk]

In the link for the 25 version, remove the ending part of it that is /tag/{version#}. That will take you to the all released versions page.

On Sat, Aug 25, 2018, 4:56 PM drmeyer notifications@github.com wrote:

Anthony, We have the same issue with stuttering. I would like to try the draft release that you mentioned using the "Media Foundation " rendering engine, but I'm a total loss as to how to find the download. The only download I find is the latest ...25. Please point me to correct location. I have reinstalled 1.0.0.25 and there is no option to select "Media Foundation" rendering engine.

Thank You

Have attached log-20180825.txt https://github.com/AntonyCorbett/OnlyM/files/2321130/log-20180825.txt

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[drmeyer]

Thanks, Got it. Works much better with "Media Foundation" rendering. Much appreciation for the resource..

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On Sat, Aug 25, 2018 at 8:21 PM its-markk notifications@github.com wrote:

In the link for the 25 version, remove the ending part of it that is /tag/{version#}. That will take you to the all released versions page.

On Sat, Aug 25, 2018, 4:56 PM drmeyer notifications@github.com wrote:

Anthony, We have the same issue with stuttering. I would like to try the draft release that you mentioned using the "Media Foundation " rendering engine, but I'm a total loss as to how to find the download. The only download I find is the latest ...25. Please point me to correct location. I have reinstalled 1.0.0.25 and there is no option to select "Media Foundation" rendering engine.

Thank You

Have attached log-20180825.txt https://github.com/AntonyCorbett/OnlyM/files/2321130/log-20180825.txt

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.

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