Stuttering on G620 powered HTPC build

[Charlie98]

I've got my G620-powered HTPC pretty much up and running, the only thing I have left to do it swap out the system HDD for the 64GB SSD (still in my desktop while I load the new SSD for it.)

I'm using the integrated HD graphics, feeding the TV via HDMI (v1.3) cable.

The first time I hooked it up to preview the function, there was quite a bit of stuttering in movie playback using XBMC or WMC/MB (all MP4.) The TV is a Vizio 120Hz LCD... although I now understand it's a 60Hz with graphic acceleration (or whatever they call it.) I turned off any acceleration on the TV and that helped... but stuttering is still evident. I rolled it out to my wife and daughter last night and my wife noticed the stuttering right off... No, she is not happy.

Where do I need to go with this..? Are there other settings I need to tweak, or does someone know anything obvious I'm missing? I'd rather not have to get a GPU, but, obviously I'll do it if that will fix the problem.

One other problem I'm having is sound in XBMC... there isn't any. WMC runs and sounds fine, but when I open XBMC (within WMC) I can't get any sound, nor when I open it as a separate program. No function sounds, no video or audio stream sound... :\

 

[Durvelle27]

when watching HD movies is there anything running in the background as i believe the CPU is being taxed as the IGP isn't all that great which is causing the stuttering. I think you should try this just to rule out if its the GPU or not as that what i expect it to be.


Try putting your GTX 560 ti in the rig and run the same rig and watch for stuttering. If stuttering doesn't occur then you know you need a dedicated GPU like a HD 6450 or GT 210

 

[thestrangebrew1]

This should help you with some audio settings with xbmc:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=146911

Go through the steps to teak your audio settings and see if it helps. I'm having audio issues as well, although not like how you're describing.

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

The first thing you might want to check is the GPU settings to ensure that the resolution and refresh rate are native for the TV's output.

 

[Charlie98]

The first thing you might want to check is the GPU settings to ensure that the resolution and refresh rate are native for the TV's output.

That brings up something I forgot...

I've had it hooked up to my 20" Acer 1600x900 computer monitor for the past two weeks and I really didn't notice any stuttering... but I wasn't really paying attention to it, either. Let's put it this way, it wasn't obvious like it is on the big TV.

I did check the Intel HD settings... 1080 and 59i.

 

[Charlie98]

when watching HD movies is there anything running in the background as i believe the CPU is being taxed as the IGP isn't all that great which is causing the stuttering. I think you should try this just to rule out if its the GPU or not as that what i expect it to be.


Try putting your GTX 560 ti in the rig and run the same rig and watch for stuttering. If stuttering doesn't occur then you know you need a dedicated GPU like a HD 6450 or GT 210

I also have a GPU useage gadget running so I can see what's going on, WMC doesn't hardly tax the system even when streaming. There isn't really anything else substantial running anytime... MSE, SAS, RealTemp, IRST and whatever is running hidden in the background.

Try putting your GTX 560 ti in the rig

If it works, that'll give me a good excuse to get a new GTX670... :awe:

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

That brings up something I forgot...

I've had it hooked up to my 20" Acer 1600x900 computer monitor for the past two weeks and I really didn't notice any stuttering... but I wasn't really paying attention to it, either. Let's put it this way, it wasn't obvious like it is on the big TV.

I did check the Intel HD settings... 1080 and 59i.

59i? If you are running an interlaced refresh rate you probably don't want to be doing that. It could be causing your problem.

Edit: To be correct I should have said that you are running an interlaced resolution - 1080i - not an interlaced refresh rate. Use a 1080p resolution instead.

 

[Dirigible]

Did you try it with/without dxva enabled in xbmc?

 

[Ventanni]

Shouldn't that be 60hz and not 59?

 

[piasabird]

I have a 60 Hrtz Samsung and I watch stuff from the Internet all the time. That really is not full HD. However, have you researched doing custom settings on the TV???

These new TV's have software built in to smooth out video and it adds extra frames sometimes. Most people turn this down or off. If the TV is trying to reach 120 hrz, then it is doing something caused by some of the settings.

Take your TV model and use a search engine and look for custom settings.

Maybe look here for your specific model:
http://www.avsforum.com/f/166/lcd-flat-panel-displays

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Shouldn't that be 60hz and not 59?

It doesn't matter. For both 59Hz and 60Hz the actual refresh is 59.94Hz. One or the other is used purely for EDID compatibility.

 

[LoveMachine]

This should help you with some audio settings with xbmc:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=146911

Go through the steps to teak your audio settings and see if it helps. I'm having audio issues as well, although not like how you're describing.

I was having issues similar to the OP, and used this very guide. Changing to WASAPI from DirectSound did the trick for me. ISO movies always started very choppy, and changing audio settings fixed many an issue.

 

[Charlie98]

Did you try it with/without dxva enabled in xbmc?

Assassin recommended disabling DXVA and that helped quite a bit.

I did use the AVS thread to reaquire audio on XBMC... and still have the RealTek drivers installed. (I'm using analog out to my analog receiver, primarily, with the HDMI audio to the TV when I'm lazy and don't want to get up and turn the volume knob on the receiver... )

I switched to 59p refresh and it helped even further... We are getting there!

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

Have you tried other test files that have been ripped with different parameters like 1080p24 vs. 1080p60? The reason I ask is because I'm wondering if what you are actually seeing are truly dropped frames vs. some sort of pull-down issue.

 

[Alamat]

Did you try it with/without dxva enabled in xbmc?

Did this when I was having some trouble with XBMC and everything's been fine since. Worth checking out.