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HTPC: Streaming 1080p video from laptop to ps3 bandwidth requirements?
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A simpler solution is to avoid transcoding by playing a format the ps3 natively understands -- like MKV converted to MPG, which is what I keep asking about.
Again:
You need to spell out EXACTLY what you are doing, with details.
I suggest switching to wired networking for all tests; that will make t-shooting much easier.
What size is the file and how long does it play? 50GB @ 2 hours, or 4GB @ 2 hours? That provides clues to bandwidth required.
Your OP said 720p was fine with wired networking; are you now saying that's not correct?
What does Task Manager show for the busyness of your CPU(s) running the PS3 M.S. task?
If you switch to simple Windows Media Player 12 media sharing (the PS3 can see this ...) does anything work differently?
Can you play the file 'normally' via VLC (mapping a drive letter, not uPNP streaming) from another laptop/desktop on your wired network?
If you play a format the PS3 already understands (like an .mkv converted to .mpg via a PS3 conversion utility) does the problem go away?
giderac
Member
You should probably try and figure out why the aspect ratio gets messed up when you try and hook up your laptop directly to the tv. Is it a flatpanel? If so you should be able to get 1:1 pixel mapping with vga or hdmi. As far as sound you could use a 3.5 mm to rca adapter ( http://www.monoprice.com/products/p...d=10218&cs_id=1021804&p_id=665&seq=1&format=2 ) and hook it up to your speakers tv etc, or if you want surround sound buy a cheap pcmcia/usb sound card that has optical out.
Cuda1447
Lifer
I was running this wired. Example video. Pirates of Carribean 1080p trailer. Runtime is 2 minutes and 28 seconds. File size is 54 megabytes. File is .mp4 CPU usage is about 30-35% while running the video (not while running it and streaming it to PS3, I'll test that in a little bit when my wife stops using the tv). The other things I'll troubleshoot when I have the PS3 and TV available again for T-Shooting.
Try the .MKV converted to .MPG. I suspect you'll get far better results on that.
30-35% of a 3 core system? A 1 core system? I need to know if you're using all available CPU time on the core the transcoding task is running on.
I think we've reached the point where it's likely fair that your CPU can't do 1080p .mp4 transcoding, and it would be best to simply broadcast in a format the PS3 already understands - like .MKV that's converted to .MPG.
0roo0roo
No Lifer
2 minutes and a half in 50mb? That is severely over compressed, low bitrate stuff. There isn't much to decode there, so yes, you could decode it, and perhaps you had gpu acceleration. That doesn't mean you can transcode which includes decode and encode of hidef video with decent bitrate. Even an apple 1080p trailer is closer to about 8-9Kbps or about 125mb for 1 minute and a half or so.
Since OP doesn't want to tell us exactly what he is doing, with detail, maybe I'll just give examples that he could try to mimic.
I stream .mp4, .mpg and .m2ts Hi-Def files all of the time and rarely have any trouble. Files are physically stored on my PC downstairs that is connected to a D-Link DIR-825 router via ethernet cable. The PC is running Tversity media server but I have done it with PS3 Media Server as well. I NEVER transcode. There are settings in both programs to turn off transcoding. I don't believe that Windows Media Center gives you the option of turning it off.
The audio and video streams run through my Wireless N network to a wireless bridge that is upstairs, about 12 feet away in a straight line through the floor and a wall. The PS3 and my Dish Network receiver are ethernet connected to a regular switch that is ethernet connected to the Wireless N bridge.
I can stream video content up to about 85mb/s without a glitch. I have never had a problem with 720p content and only a couple of times with 1080p when the video featured close-ups of ocean waves crashing into rocks on a beach. Anything above that and the network has a diffcult time handling it. Where tha bottleneck is, I don't know. It could be my PC's non-Gigiabit ethernet port limiting me or maybe it's just the limitations of the wireless N.
My suspicion is that if on-the-fly transcoding is not the culprit, then OP is trying to use the built in Wireless G connection on the PS3. I have tried that, and it won't run anything past 40mb/s. The examples that he is giving almost mirror my experience trying to stream video over the PS3's built-in wireless. Either hard wire it, connect it to a bridge or get an HTPC.
Just reread the original post. Since it was doing it while wired, it's gotta be a transcoding issue. Something just tells me that it's a network issue, though.
How old is the laptop?
What software is being used to stream?
Has the PS3 been checked to make sure it is configured for wired ethernet connection? I think it would be possible to plug it in, but still use the built-in wireless connection if the settings have not been changed in the System Settings menu.
When you're streaming to the PS3, hit the "triangle" button (I think) and watch the mb/s as the video plays. At what mb/s does it stutter?
I stream .mp4, .mpg and .m2ts Hi-Def files all of the time and rarely have any trouble. Files are physically stored on my PC downstairs that is connected to a D-Link DIR-825 router via ethernet cable. The PC is running Tversity media server but I have done it with PS3 Media Server as well. I NEVER transcode. There are settings in both programs to turn off transcoding. I don't believe that Windows Media Center gives you the option of turning it off.
The audio and video streams run through my Wireless N network to a wireless bridge that is upstairs, about 12 feet away in a straight line through the floor and a wall. The PS3 and my Dish Network receiver are ethernet connected to a regular switch that is ethernet connected to the Wireless N bridge.
I can stream video content up to about 85mb/s without a glitch. I have never had a problem with 720p content and only a couple of times with 1080p when the video featured close-ups of ocean waves crashing into rocks on a beach. Anything above that and the network has a diffcult time handling it. Where tha bottleneck is, I don't know. It could be my PC's non-Gigiabit ethernet port limiting me or maybe it's just the limitations of the wireless N.
My suspicion is that if on-the-fly transcoding is not the culprit, then OP is trying to use the built in Wireless G connection on the PS3. I have tried that, and it won't run anything past 40mb/s. The examples that he is giving almost mirror my experience trying to stream video over the PS3's built-in wireless. Either hard wire it, connect it to a bridge or get an HTPC.
Just reread the original post. Since it was doing it while wired, it's gotta be a transcoding issue. Something just tells me that it's a network issue, though.
How old is the laptop?
What software is being used to stream?
Has the PS3 been checked to make sure it is configured for wired ethernet connection? I think it would be possible to plug it in, but still use the built-in wireless connection if the settings have not been changed in the System Settings menu.
When you're streaming to the PS3, hit the "triangle" button (I think) and watch the mb/s as the video plays. At what mb/s does it stutter?
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First and foremost, your network is NOT the problem (unless you have a hardware issue). You do NOT need to upgrade to a gigabit network for 1080p - that is FUD. It bothers me that someone would post something like that, and potentially have people upgrading their network for no reason. Wireless G would never get you there, wireless N might under the right circumstances (little to no signal interference, short distance). But that's irrelevant - you already have a wired network! As long as you are getting even reasonable performance from the devices, a 10/100 ethernet system is everything you need.
Take the advice above, and see if you can solve your problem by converting to a format the PS3 can handle natively. Personally, I gave up on streaming to my PS3 because I just don't like the way it handles my iso files. But if you are intent on streaming to it, you probably need to put in some time to convert to a different file format.
Take the advice above, and see if you can solve your problem by converting to a format the PS3 can handle natively. Personally, I gave up on streaming to my PS3 because I just don't like the way it handles my iso files. But if you are intent on streaming to it, you probably need to put in some time to convert to a different file format.
This would make sense, if the OP connected a wire to the PS3 but didn't change the configuration settings, and it's still using wireless G. Possible.
Cuda1447
Lifer
That may be what's going on. I'll check my settings next time I do it.
Was your Q6600 really doing transcoding? Why would you transcode MKVs to a PS3 with PS3MS?
simonizor
Golden Member
What kind of question is that? Of course it was. The video file started as mkv, which the PS3 can't play, so it had to get to a format the PS3 could play somehow. It didn't just happen magically. Why wouldn't I? It was the easiest solution at the time to stream a couple of 1080p blu ray rips that I had.
Cuda1447
Lifer
So the problem appeared to be that I just hadn't told my PS3 network it was wired. I assumed the PS3 would recognize it and automatically change, silly me. Thanks for all the help though guys. I learned some good information. All videos I've tried seem to stream properly now, with the exception of the videos that even my laptop can't play.
Or you could take a few seconds and convert each one from MKV to MPG via MKV2VOB, which would then remove transcoding from the equation and give you better quality. It takes about as fast as your hard drive can read and write the .mkv/.mpg file...the CPU isn't usually involved in this.
simonizor
Golden Member
Or I could not waste my time with that because PS3 Media Server worked perfectly.
I guess if quality doesn't mean jack $hit, then you could do that.
eh???
i was thinking of buying a ps3 very soon...and use ps3 media server. is the quality really that bad?
That statement was just about automatically transcoding an incompatible file. Remuxing using MKV2VOB maintains the quality of the video & audio stream because really you're just taking them out of a container that doesn't work and putting them in a container that does. It's like taking a Whopper out of your Burger King bag and placing it in your McDonald's bag. It might be wrapped differently, but when you eat it, it will still taste like a Whopper instead of a Big Mac.
When you use streaming software to automatically transcode incompatible files, it's like taking the recipe for a Whopper and giving it to the cook at McDonald's and hoping it comes out the same, which it won't. If you care about maintaining as much quality as possible, take a few minutes and use MKV2VOB (fastest) or TSMuxer (best option, IMO) to remux the streams and then just stream it with the transcoder turned off.
And then send a complaint to Sony and tell them it's about time to support .mkv like the rest of the free world.
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