mp4 playback

WD Legacy Products WD TV Live Hub Discussions
1

I have noticed that playback of mp4 files via my WDTV Live Hub is not as smooth as it should be.

A number of downloaded files that play just fine on my old laptop appear to have a slight “judder” to them when played on my HDTV via WDTV Live Hub.

At the moment I am watching the Giro d’Italia and the problem is quite noticeable.  Checking the same files on my laptop shows them playing perfectly.

All other file types, including MKV, play as they should.

I would be grateful for any advice on this matter.

Thank you.

2

Composter wrote:

I have noticed that playback of mp4 files via my WDTV Live Hub is not as smooth as it should be.

 

A number of downloaded files that play just fine on my old laptop appear to have a slight “judder” to them when played on my HDTV via WDTV Live Hub.

 

At the moment I am watching the Giro d’Italia and the problem is quite noticeable.  Checking the same files on my laptop shows them playing perfectly.

 

All other file types, including MKV, play as they should.

 

I would be grateful for any advice on this matter.

 

Thank you.

If you download files you get what you get. Just because they play on your laptop is not relevant.

Post the mediainfo of the movie which is causing the problem.

PS. All of my MP4 files, which I encoded, play without problems.

3

Agree, downloading from the internet is kind of a swarling pot of randomness. no telling how it was encoded and if it will work well or at all. Post the mediainfo can help find out why.

4

Thread moved to WD TV Live Hub Media Player: General Discussions.

Regards,

5

Thank you  for the reply and the link.

Here’s the details that Mediainfo came up with - I hope it all means something to you! 

General

Complete name : H:\Inside The Team.mp4

Format : MPEG-4

Format profile : Base Media / Version 2

Codec ID : mp42

File size : 189 MiB

Duration : 5mn 21s

Overall bit rate : 4 946 Kbps

Movie name : Inside The Team

Performer : Giro Stage 20 Inside The Team

Genre : TV Shows

Recorded date : 2011-05-28

Encoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Cover : Yes

stik : 10

tvsh : Giro Stage 20 Inside The Team

tven : 28 May 2011 13:21 Clip

tvnn :

iTunMOVI : / / / / asset-info / / file-size / 198377663 / flavor / 7:720p / high-definition / / screen-format / widescreen / soundtrack / LC / / cast / / codirectors / / copy-warning / / directors / / producers / / screenwriters / / studio / / /

Video

ID : 1

Format : AVC

Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec

Format profile : Main@L3.1

Format settings, CABAC : No

Format settings, ReFrames : 2 frames

Codec ID : avc1

Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video Coding

Duration : 5mn 21s

Duration_LastFrame : -4mn 45s

Bit rate mode : Variable

Bit rate : 4 822 Kbps

Maximum bit rate : 14.0 Mbps

Width : 1 280 pixels

Height : 720 pixels

Display aspect ratio : 16:9

Frame rate mode : Constant

Frame rate : 25.000 fps

Standard : PAL

Color space : YUV

Chroma subsampling : 4:2:0

Bit depth : 8 bits

Scan type : Progressive

Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.209

Stream size : 185 MiB (97%)

Language : English

Encoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177

Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361

Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177

Audio

ID : 2

Format : AAC

Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec

Format profile : LC

Codec ID : 40

Duration : 5mn 21s

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 109 Kbps

Nominal bit rate : 128 Kbps

Channel(s) : 2 channels

Channel positions : Front: L R

Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz

Compression mode : Lossy

Stream size : 4.16 MiB (2%)

Language : English

Encoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08

Text

ID : 3

Format : Timed text

Codec ID : tx3g

Duration : 5mn 21s

Bit rate mode : Constant

Bit rate : 2 bps

Stream size : 68.0 Bytes (0%)

Language : English

Encoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:09

Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:09

General
Complete name : H:\Inside The Team.mp4Format : MPEG-4Format profile : Base Media / Version 2Codec ID : mp42File size : 189 MiBDuration : 5mn 21sOverall bit rate : 4 946 KbpsMovie name : Inside The TeamPerformer : Giro Stage 20 Inside The TeamGenre : TV ShowsRecorded date : 2011-05-28Encoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08Cover : Yesstik : 10tvsh : Giro Stage 20 Inside The Teamtven : 28 May 2011 13:21 Cliptvnn : iTunMOVI : / / / / asset-info / / file-size / 198377663 / flavor / 7:720p / high-definition / / screen-format / widescreen / soundtrack / LC / / cast / / codirectors / / copy-warning / / directors / / producers / / screenwriters / / studio / / /
Video
ID : 1Format : AVCFormat/Info : Advanced Video CodecFormat profile : Main@L3.1Format settings, CABAC : NoFormat settings, ReFrames : 2 framesCodec ID : avc1Codec ID/Info : Advanced Video CodingDuration : 5mn 21sDuration_LastFrame : -4mn 45sBit rate mode : VariableBit rate : 4 822 KbpsMaximum bit rate : 14.0 MbpsWidth : 1 280 pixelsHeight : 720 pixelsDisplay aspect ratio : 16:9Frame rate mode : ConstantFrame rate : 25.000 fpsStandard : PALColor space : YUVChroma subsampling : 4:2:0Bit depth : 8 bitsScan type : ProgressiveBits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.209Stream size : 185 MiB (97%)Language : EnglishEncoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08Color primaries : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4, SMPTE RP177Transfer characteristics : BT.709-5, BT.1361Matrix coefficients : BT.709-5, BT.1361, IEC 61966-2-4 709, SMPTE RP177
Audio
ID : 2Format : AACFormat/Info : Advanced Audio CodecFormat profile : LCCodec ID : 40Duration : 5mn 21sBit rate mode : ConstantBit rate : 109 KbpsNominal bit rate : 128 KbpsChannel(s) : 2 channelsChannel positions : Front: L RSampling rate : 48.0 KHzCompression mode : LossyStream size : 4.16 MiB (2%)Language : EnglishEncoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:08
Text
ID : 3Format : Timed textCodec ID : tx3gDuration : 5mn 21sBit rate mode : ConstantBit rate : 2 bpsStream size : 68.0 Bytes (0%)Language : EnglishEncoded date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:09Tagged date : UTC 2011-05-28 17:31:09

6

What frame rate are you watching it at?

7

The frame rate is 25fps. 

Is that the problem?

I’ve just had a look at some mp4 files that do play perfectly and see that they are all 23fps.

8

Yes, 25fps is PAL, 23fps is NTSC. 

9

Well, 24 fps (or 23.976) is the film rate… it has nothing to do with NTSC or PAL.

But, what I’d meant was what display frame rate is your WDTV set to when you’re watching the 25fps file?

10

“… what display frame rate is your WDTV set to when you’re watching the 25fps file?”> I’m not sure.  At set-up the Reginal TV Standard  was set to PAL. > How do I find out what frame rate the WDTV is set to when I’m watching the 25fps file? There doesn’t seem to be any facility for accessing detailed information.>  

11

Well, if you’re watching over composite, then setting “PAL” should be all you need, and it should be playing at 25fps.

But, if you’re watching over HDMI and have it set to an NTSC setting (or one was auto-negotiated for you), then the 25fps file being “expanded” out to 30fps (or 60fps) could easily explain the “judder” you see.

12

My WDTV Live Hub is connected to my HDTV via HDMI.

It’s not set to NTSC. At set-up PAL was chosen as the regional option. 

Is there any way I can check the settings?

13

What HDMI mode is selected in the Settings?

If it’s set to “Auto”, the Hub could very easily be selecting a 30/60 mode, regardless of your region.

Or, if you’ve manually selected 720p60 or 1080i60 or 1080p60 the Hub will be doing framerate conversions.

14

It is set to “auto”.  Thanks, I’ll have a play around with that and see what happens.

15

Ya… please try one of the 50Hz modes, instead of “Auto”, and see if that’s better. :smiley:

1 Like
16

RoofingGuy wrote:

Ya… please try one of the 50Hz modes, instead of “Auto”, and see if that’s better. :smiley:

Excellent! That seems to have done the trick.

Thank you very much.