i5-7500.... 4K HEVC buffering issue

[eoniverse]

So.... I have this little PC. Specs are:

Fractal Design Node 202 with included Integra SFX 450w Power Supply.
Intel i5 7500 Kaby Lake 3.4Ghz Processor 7th Generation
Noctua N-HL9i Cpu Cooler
Gigabyte GA-H270N- Wifi Motherboard.
Hyper X Fury 8gb (two 4gb sticks)2133mhz Ram.
Sandisk ssd plus 240gb Hard-drive.

I'm choosing to stream (no transcoding) to Ethernet and then through to an Nvidia Shield (and Kodi). Except for high bitrate HEVC UHD media files (60GB - 80GB) it plays flawlessly. Given the reputation of the chip to handle 4k I'm not sure whats going on and I'm coming here for advise.

I'm using on-board video

To help eliminate some questions about the software or hardware being an issue....I can successfully stream/play EVERYTHING flawlessly using my main rig - hooked up the same way - which has an i7-5960x (no issues at all).

Is it a matter of horsepower? Is the i5-7500 simply not robust enough? Are there any settings to look for in Windows?

Would you think a i7-7700 or i7-7700k would solve the issue given the cpu boost? (Trying to minimize cost since I have everything for this rig vs. investing in a newer generation or flipping to Ryzen)

 

[Kartajan]

You need software decoding for any HEVC other than YUV 4:2:0. I know of no SoC that supports hardware decoding for HEVC profile 2. Software decode of 4:2:2 uses a lot of CPU power.
<This info from various NVidia postings>

resolutions:
re- encode your UHD media to YUV 4:2:0.
or use Plex to transcode at the PC for your media

 

[eoniverse]

You need software decoding for any HEVC other than YUV 4:2:0. I know of no SoC that supports hardware decoding for HEVC profile 2. Software decode of 4:2:2 uses a lot of CPU power.
<This info from various NVidia postings>

resolutions:
re- encode your UHD media to YUV 4:2:0.
or use Plex to transcode at the PC for your media[/

You need software decoding for any HEVC other than YUV 4:2:0. I know of no SoC that supports hardware decoding for HEVC profile 2. Software decode of 4:2:2 uses a lot of CPU power.
<This info from various NVidia postings>

resolutions:
re- encode your UHD media to YUV 4:2:0.
or use Plex to transcode at the PC for your media

Appreciate you confirming its an issue of CPU power (which explains why my 5960x can do it).

Not wanting to transcode and lose another gen of quailty from the original encode.

I'll see if the 20% gain from an i7-7700k does the trick. If not then I'll sit tight. Hopefully that will work and I'll be here selling the i5-7500.

Thank you.

 

[Kartajan]

You misunderstand me...
The PC is not the CPU at issue.
If the PC was transcoding vice direct streaming, the lack of HW decode for non 4:2:0 content on the Shield would be irrelevant.
The Plex transcode in my response would convert on the fly from a format the Shield cannot decode in HW to one that it can decode in HW.

 

[eoniverse]

You misunderstand me...
The PC is not the CPU at issue.
If the PC was transcoding vice direct streaming, the lack of HW decode for non 4:2:0 content on the Shield would be irrelevant.
The Plex transcode in my response would convert on the fly from a format the Shield cannot decode in HW to one that it can decode in HW.

Sorry I wasn't clear.

But the Shield (and Kodi) are completely capable of processing the codec that the i5-7500 also plays (but continually buffers).

I know this because when I change and use my i7-5960x cpu all media files play without buffering including the HEVC 4k UHD using the Shield and Kodi (Same 4K HEVC UHD file).

No transcoding needed at all.

Doesn't that mean the issue is the i5-7500?

 

[Kartajan]

So I misunderstood your initial question. I will restate based on your last post.

For the problematic video files:
1) Main PC= perfect (What video card? This is doing the decoding)
2) Shield=perfect (This does great until you get to the higher HEVC stuff that is not decoded in HW- Which based on your last post is not your issue- so your 4k is likely 4:2:0)
3) SFF PC= Buffers

If my assumptions are correct, possible causes:
-RAM not configured in dual channel; this would starve the onboard GPU causing issues
-Misconfigured network; either the NIC or router could be starving your bandwidth to the SFF

To test if the network is the issue, copy your file to the local HDD on the SFF- if no more buffering, you know it is not the CPU
If you still are seeing buffering, then check that RAM is in dual channel mode.
If with a local copy you still see buffering I would lean more towards a discrete video card to handle the HEVC issue than a CPU upgrade...
I do not believe the I5-7500 is the issue, but I could be wrong.

 

[eoniverse]

1. CPU (The 630) in the case of the i5-7500. (None on the i7-5960x either... all media being sent to the router as data.) The cpu's only job it to make the data available to the ethernet and then on to the Shield. It's only streaming.

2. Same file using Shield with i7-5960x streaming = perfect playing. With the i5-7500 plays perfect - but then buffers, then plays, then buffers. All using the Shield and Kodi

3. Not sure what this means.

I'll check out the RAM to verify how it;s configured. (Hope it's that easy)

Using a video card would bypass the Shield. I do believe that would work but given the 'extras' the Shield provides over a video card and given it all functions fine with the i7-5960x....I'm going to also persue it as a CPU issue (I can always return it within 30 days if it doesn't solve the issue).

Thanks

 

[Malogeek]

Using a video card would bypass the Shield. I do believe that would work but given the 'extras' the Shield provides over a video card and given it all functions fine with the i7-5960x....I'm going to also persue it as a CPU issue (I can always return it within 30 days if it doesn't solve the issue).

I don't understand this. Is your problem when streaming from the i5-7500 or when playing on the i5-7500 PC? The Shield has nothing to do with the PC's capabilities to play the video on that PC, irrespective of whether you use a GPU or no.

 

[Kartajan]

well, at least I am finally getting to understand what you mean to say...

New version of your situation:

With Main PC (i7-5960x) acting as the server, the shield plays everything fine.
With SFF PC (i5-7500) acting as the server, the shield has issues with your HEVC encoded files.

If I finally understand your situation, you are not suffering from a lack of CPU, but either a Network, HDD, or RAM problem...
For example, if you have a 5400 RPM HDD in the source of buffering, but a 7200 RPM drive in the no problem source...
The RAM could still be the issue (look in BIOS to confirm if RAM is in dual channel mode) p.24 in the manual.... file:///C:/Users/don_d/Downloads/mb_manual_ga-z(h)_270n-wifi_e.pdf

 

[eoniverse]

I don't understand this. Is your problem when streaming from the i5-7500 or when playing on the i5-7500 PC? The Shield has nothing to do with the PC's capabilities to play the video on that PC, irrespective of whether you use a GPU or no.

Streaming from i5-7500 to Shield (using Kodi) then to TV buffers playing 4K HEVC UHD, Not playing on.

To clarify that it is not a Shield issue, codec issue or other pc component issue ....the same media file plays fine streaming from an i7-5960x to Shield (using Kodi) to TV

 

[eoniverse]

well, at least I am finally getting to understand what you mean to say...

New version of your situation:

With Main PC (i7-5960x) acting as the server, the shield plays everything fine.
With SFF PC (i5-7500) acting as the server, the shield has issues with your HEVC encoded files.

If I finally understand your situation, you are not suffering from a lack of CPU, but either a Network, HDD, or RAM problem...
For example, if you have a 5400 RPM HDD in the source of buffering, but a 7200 RPM drive in the no problem source...
The RAM could still be the issue (look in BIOS to confirm if RAM is in dual channel mode) p.24 in the manual.... file:///C:/Users/don_d/Downloads/mb_manual_ga-z(h)_270n-wifi_e.pdf

Thanks. Can't be network. Both use the same and both are running ethernet (not wifi). Can't be HDD because I'm using the same 7200 RPM HDD that has the file on it and playing it INTERNALLY (yes - not enclosure) successfully when in the i7-5960x and only see the buffer when playing in the i5-7500.

Might be RAM. Will look into it.

 

[Malogeek]

Use task manager to monitor network usage and try it on both machines. See how fast it is going over the network from either.

Just because they're on the same network doesn't mean they operate the same.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yeah, maybe different NIC chipsets on each machine?

 

[eoniverse]

May end up being basic. Uninstalled Kodi, cleared cache, reset device (just to be certain all remnants were gone), reinstalled and so far all is OK. It's playing 4k UHD files it could not before.

Never had what may have been a corrupted version of Kodi before. Still have not finished running it through it's paces - but so far so goood