MKV Playback on Pana stops every few seconds (Synology NAS)

Hi,

first of all a big thanks for this nice piece of software to it's creator!

But...

I have an annoying problem with all MKV videos which I want to stream from a Synology NAS to my Panasonic DMP-BDT300 Blu-Ray Player over DLNA.
Using the Sony Bravia profile all MKVs are discovered properly and they will start after a few seconds. But then about every 2 to 5 seconds the playback stops for approx half a second an then continues. I've checked the log file but found nothing abnormally looking except a recurring

[Web Server] I/O Error: Connection reset.

But the frequency of the log error entries doesn't matches with the occurrence of the short lacks so I don't think it has anything to do with this problem. Sometimes I manage to play a few minutes without stops but then it starts again halting for a few hundred milliseconds.

The MKVs are encoded using AC3 audio and AVC video, are in 720p format and they have a total (video 3169/audio 448) bit rate of 3618 (MediaInfo). Playing other video format like mpeg4 or VOB files and all other types which are recognised works fine, no lacks or stops.

My Synology NAS is a DS411+ with a dual core 1.6 GHZ Atom CPU and 1GB RAM which is pretty idle when transcoding. I'm using 4 cores but tried 2 cores also which makes no difference. DSM Version is 3.2 (3.1 doesn't work either), serviio is 5.2 and ffmpeg is the one delivered with the DSM software:

  Code:

ffmpeg version UNKNOWN, Copyright (c) 2000-2011 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Sep  4 2011 02:23:49 with gcc 4.2.1
  configuration: --arch=i686 --target-os=linux --cross-prefix=/usr/local/i686-linux-gnu/bin/i686-linux-gnu- --enable-cross-compile --enable-optimizations --disable-yasm --disable-altivec --enable-pic --enable-shared --disable-static --disable-swscale-alpha --disable-ffserver --disable-ffplay --enable-libmp3lame
  libavutil    50. 40. 1 / 50. 40. 1
  libavcodec   52.120. 0 / 52.120. 0
  libavformat  52.108. 0 / 52.108. 0
  libavdevice  52.  4. 0 / 52.  4. 0
  libavfilter   1. 77. 0 /  1. 77. 0
  libswscale    0. 14. 0 /  0. 14. 0


I followed the installation description on the pc load letter blog except that I doesn't downgraded the ffmpeg version.
I doubt that my system isn't able to playback or that the ffmpeg version causes the problems because following the pc load letter description it will even work on a DS111 from which I have just migrated and where I had the same problems with the ffmpeg version named in the installation description (they were just a little bit worse because CPU load was always around 100% when transcoding).

BD Player and NAS are in the same wired Gigabit network, connected directly over a Linksys WRT610N router.

Has anyone any idea what the problem could be? I searched all sources and found no similiar problems yet...

Many thanks for any hints,
Markus

[Cerberus]

you must follow the instructions to the letter or you WILL run into problem, FFmpeg has to be exact version specified or it will not work as later version of ffmpeg use command messages that are NOT supported by 0.52 of serviio.

you must follow the instructions to the letter or you WILL run into problem, FFmpeg has to be exact version specified or it will not work as later version of ffmpeg use command messages that are NOT supported by 0.52 of serviio.

Cerberus, thanks for your reply.
I know about the ffmpeg issues and I followed the instruction the first time when I installed serviio on the Synology DS111. I used exactly the ffmpeg version noted and I ran into the same problem. One reason why I upgraded to the 411+ was because I thought the reason is the smaller CPU. So I assumed now when I have the same problems on the DS411 with a slightly newer ffmpeg that it doesn't have to do with the ffmpeg version.

But, to exclude also this last possible cause I will downgrade ffmpeg now... and I will come back with the results later...

In between I post a log entries for this issues, maybe there is a hint for that in the log... in case it's not the ffmpeg version.

  Code:

2011-09-09 19:46:46,570 DEBUG [WebServer] Incoming connection from /10.10.1.63:1148
2011-09-09 19:46:46,570 DEBUG [ServiceControlRequestHandler] ServiceControl request received for action '"urn:schemas-upnp-org:service:ContentDirectory:1#Browse"' from 10.10.1.63:
2011-09-09 19:46:46,571 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 10.10.1.63
2011-09-09 19:46:46,591 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Retrieving list of videos with initial R (from=0, count=5)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,599 DEBUG [SeriesDAOImpl] Reading a Series (id = 1)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,602 DEBUG [GenreDAOImpl] Reading a Genre (id = 5)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,604 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,605 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 28879
2011-09-09 19:46:46,606 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,607 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Retrieving resource information for item 28879 and profile Sony Bravia TV
2011-09-09 19:46:46,608 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Found Format profile for transcoded file Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv: AVC_TS_MP_HD_AC3_ISO
2011-09-09 19:46:46,608 DEBUG [CoverImageDAOImpl] Reading a CoverImage (id = 10078)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,621 DEBUG [GenreDAOImpl] Reading a Genre (id = 5)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,621 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 28881)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,622 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 28881
2011-09-09 19:46:46,623 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 28881)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,624 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Retrieving resource information for item 28881 and profile Sony Bravia TV
2011-09-09 19:46:46,625 DEBUG [CoverImageDAOImpl] Reading a CoverImage (id = 10080)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,640 DEBUG [GenreDAOImpl] Reading a Genre (id = 5)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,641 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 21841)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,642 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 21841
2011-09-09 19:46:46,644 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 21841)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,646 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Retrieving resource information for item 21841 and profile Sony Bravia TV
2011-09-09 19:46:46,646 DEBUG [CoverImageDAOImpl] Reading a CoverImage (id = 10008)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,649 DEBUG [GenreDAOImpl] Reading a Genre (id = 5)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,650 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 6208)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,657 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 6208
2011-09-09 19:46:46,666 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 6208)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,667 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Retrieving resource information for item 6208 and profile Sony Bravia TV
2011-09-09 19:46:46,668 DEBUG [CoverImageDAOImpl] Reading a CoverImage (id = 10005)
2011-09-09 19:46:46,670 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Retrieving number of videos with initial R
2011-09-09 19:46:46,678 DEBUG [LocalContentCacheDecorator] Stored entry in the cache (local_default), returning it
2011-09-09 19:46:46,711 DEBUG [ServiceControlRequestHandler] Returning OK SOAP message
2011-09-09 19:46:49,637 DEBUG [WebServer] Incoming connection from /10.10.1.63:1149
2011-09-09 19:46:49,637 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 11762
2011-09-09 19:46:49,639 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] GET /resource/28879/MEDIA_ITEM/AVC_TS_MP_HD_AC3_ISO$3 HTTP/1.1, headers = [TimeSeekRange.dlna.org: npt=0.000-,HOST: 10.10.1.101:8895,transferMode.dlna.org: Streaming,getcontentFeatures.dlna.org: 1]]
2011-09-09 19:46:49,640 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 10.10.1.63
2011-09-09 19:46:49,640 DEBUG [MetadataDescriptorDAOImpl] Reading MetadataDescriptor for MediaItem (id = 11762) and extractor COVER_IMAGE_IN_FOLDER
2011-09-09 19:46:49,641 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Resource request accepted. Using client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:49,642 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Request for resource 28879 and type 'MEDIA_ITEM' received
2011-09-09 19:46:49,642 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:49,643 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:49,644 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Delivering item '28879' for client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:49,644 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Delivering file 'Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv' using transcoding
2011-09-09 19:46:49,645 DEBUG [AbstractTranscodingDeliveryEngine] Removing the client from transcoding job of file '/volume1/@tmp/Serviio/transcoding-temp-28897-MPEG2TS.stf'
2011-09-09 19:46:49,645 DEBUG [AbstractTranscodingDeliveryEngine] No suitable transcoding job exists yet, start one for client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:49,645 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Getting file of media item 28879
2011-09-09 19:46:49,647 DEBUG [FFMPEGWrapper] Invoking FFmpeg to transcode video file: /volume1/video/Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv
2011-09-09 19:46:49,648 DEBUG [ProcessExecutor] Starting ffmpeg -i /volume1/video/Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv -y -vcodec copy -vbsf h264_mp4toannexb -copyts -acodec copy -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -sn -f mpegts /volume1/@tmp/Serviio/transcoding-temp-28879-MPEG2TS.stf
2011-09-09 19:46:50,149 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Found Format profile for transcoded file Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv: AVC_TS_MP_HD_AC3_ISO
2011-09-09 19:46:50,149 DEBUG [AbstractTranscodingDeliveryEngine] Sending transcoding stream
2011-09-09 19:46:50,150 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Marking MediaItem (id = 28879) as read
2011-09-09 19:46:50,152 DEBUG [LibraryAdditionsCheckerThread] Looking for files to share in folder: /volume1/music/Doobie Brothers-14 cd/Doobie Brothers-Listen To The Music/@eaDir/The Doobie Brothers - Listen To The Music - 11 - It Keeps You Runnin'.mp3
2011-09-09 19:46:50,238 DEBUG [LocalContentCacheDecorator] Cleared cache (local_resetafterplay)
2011-09-09 19:46:50,239 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Creating stream entity with length: 9000000000
2011-09-09 19:46:50,239 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Creating entity with chunked transfer
2011-09-09 19:46:50,239 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Sending file back
2011-09-09 19:46:50,240 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] HTTP/1.1 200 OK, headers = [[Content-Type: video/mpeg,TimeSeekRange.dlna.org: npt=0.0-2580.0/2580,Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:46:50 GMT,Server: Linux, UPnP/1.0 DLNADOC/1.50, Serviio/0.5.2,Cache-control: no-cache,contentFeatures.dlna.org: DLNA.ORG_PN=AVC_TS_HD_EU_ISO;DLNA.ORG_OP=10;DLNA.ORG_CI=1;DLNA.ORG_FLAGS=01500000000000000000000000000000,transferMode.dlna.org: Streaming]]
2011-09-09 19:46:50,626 DEBUG [WebServer] I/O error: Connection reset
2011-09-09 19:46:50,653 DEBUG [WebServer] Incoming connection from /10.10.1.63:1150
2011-09-09 19:46:50,654 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] GET /resource/28879/MEDIA_ITEM/AVC_TS_MP_HD_AC3_ISO$3 HTTP/1.1, headers = [TimeSeekRange.dlna.org: npt=0.000-,HOST: 10.10.1.101:8895,transferMode.dlna.org: Streaming,getcontentFeatures.dlna.org: 1]]
2011-09-09 19:46:50,655 DEBUG [RendererDAOImpl] Reading a Renderer with ip address 10.10.1.63
2011-09-09 19:46:50,656 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Resource request accepted. Using client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:50,657 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Request for resource 28879 and type 'MEDIA_ITEM' received
2011-09-09 19:46:50,657 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Reading a MediaItem (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:50,658 DEBUG [VideoDAOImpl] Reading a Video (id = 28879)
2011-09-09 19:46:50,659 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Delivering item '28879' for client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:50,660 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Delivering file 'Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv' using transcoding
2011-09-09 19:46:50,660 DEBUG [AbstractTranscodingDeliveryEngine] A suitable transcoding job already exists, re-use it for client 'IPAddress=/10.10.1.63, Profile=Sony Bravia TV'
2011-09-09 19:46:50,661 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Found Format profile for transcoded file Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv: AVC_TS_MP_HD_AC3_ISO
2011-09-09 19:46:50,661 DEBUG [AbstractTranscodingDeliveryEngine] Sending transcoding stream
2011-09-09 19:46:50,661 DEBUG [MediaItemDAOImpl] Marking MediaItem (id = 28879) as read
2011-09-09 19:46:50,687 DEBUG [LocalContentCacheDecorator] Cleared cache (local_resetafterplay)
2011-09-09 19:46:50,688 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Creating stream entity with length: 9000000000
2011-09-09 19:46:50,688 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Creating entity with chunked transfer
2011-09-09 19:46:50,688 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] Sending file back
2011-09-09 19:46:50,689 DEBUG [ResourceTransportRequestHandler] HTTP/1.1 200 OK, headers = [[Content-Type: video/mpeg,TimeSeekRange.dlna.org: npt=0.0-2580.0/2580,Date: Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:46:50 GMT,Server: Linux, UPnP/1.0 DLNADOC/1.50, Serviio/0.5.2,Cache-control: no-cache,contentFeatures.dlna.org: DLNA.ORG_PN=AVC_TS_HD_EU_ISO;DLNA.ORG_OP=10;DLNA.ORG_CI=1;DLNA.ORG_FLAGS=01500000000000000000000000000000,transferMode.dlna.org: Streaming]]


So, during the weekend I downgraded to the ffmpeg version from the PC Load Letter description but nothing changed, same behaviour. Additionally I checked the new functionality in DSM 3.2 which now also supports different transcoder profiles and the behaviour was exactly the same (before and after downgrading ffmpeg), too (but it hasn't such a nice metadata extraction like serviio). So either there is another system component causing this lag or my Blu-Ray player has generally a problem playing the MKV files (when I play them from USB it's flawless).

Any other tips where I have to look for the cause of this? Could anyone read something from the log file I've attached?
Unfortunately I don't know enough about the different codecs and the DLNA implementation to create my own profile maybe changing some attributes. I tried all other profiles and so far the Bravia profile is the only one which shows most of my video stuff playable and also plays them well, except MKV.

Thx.
Markus

[zip]

it might be caused by:

1) slow ffmpeg performance. You could try running it manually and see what FPS it reaches. As it's remuxing, it should be in hundreds, but if you get anywhere near 25 it'll be buffering
2) slow disk I/O (that would cause ffmpeg to be slow)
3) slow network I/O (is the NAS and player on the same network, no wi-fi involved, etc)
4) high bitrate of the video, but it seems ok from what you're saying

Thanks for the fast reply Petr!

3) slow network I/O (is the NAS and player on the same network, no wi-fi involved, etc)
4) high bitrate of the video, but it seems ok from what you're saying

I can eliminate this because all devices are in the same wired gigabit network and the MKVs are only 720p, so no HD material is involved.

1) slow ffmpeg performance. You could try running it manually and see what FPS it reaches. As it's remuxing, it should be in hundreds, but if you get anywhere near 25 it'll be buffering

Could you give me a hint how to check this? I think I have to start ffmpeg from an SSH command line but which options I have to use to measure the output because I won't see any video on my NAS...

2) slow disk I/O (that would cause ffmpeg to be slow)

I thought about that before, but my disks are brand new WD20EARX SATA III Harddisks with 2 TB each. I run them in a RAID I configuration but I don't think thats causes performance issues, does it? Is there a good utility to check this and which runs on my NAS?

Thx again.

[zip]

in your log it says:

  Code:

ffmpeg -i /volume1/video/Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv -y -vcodec copy -vbsf h264_mp4toannexb -copyts -acodec copy -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -sn -f mpegts /volume1/@tmp/Serviio/transcoding-temp-28879-MPEG2TS.stf

I don't have the NAS but normally you have to login via SSH (like when you installed Serviio) and run this command. It'll be outputting information as it processes the file, on of those is fps.

okay, here's the result... think it's pretty much okay... fps is around 2.000 all the time

  Code:


[matroska,webm @ 0x8071620] Estimating duration from bitrate, this may be inaccurate
Input #0, matroska,webm, from '/volume1/video/Fringe.S03E11.720p.HDTV.X264-DIMENSION.mkv':
  Duration: 00:43:00.09, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 448 kb/s
    Stream #0.0(eng): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1280x720, PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1, s16, 448 kb/s (default)
[mpegts @ 0x80d0a80] muxrate VBR, pcr every 2 pkts, sdt every 200, pat/pmt every 40 pkts
Output #0, mpegts, to '/volume1/@tmp/Serviio/transcoding-temp-28871-MPEG2TS.stf':
  Metadata:
    encoder         : Lavf52.108.0
    Stream #0.0(eng): Video: [0][0][0][0] / 0x0000, yuv420p, 1280x720 [PAR 1:1 DAR 16:9], q=2-31, 90k tbn, 23.98 tbc
    Stream #0.1: Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1, 448 kb/s (default)
Stream mapping:
  Stream #0.0 -> #0.0
  Stream #0.1 -> #0.1
Press [q] to stop encoding

frame=56830 fps=1949 q=-1.0 Lsize= 1159069kB time=2370.20 bitrate=4006.0kbits/s

video:935479kB audio:129628kB global headers:0kB muxing overhead 8.821937%
Received signal 2: terminating.

DiskStation4>



I have the same problem with matroska files - playback stopping and continuing - with my Panasonic plasma TX-P42VT20E. The same was true when I tried minidlna which doesn't transcode at all. Other files with similar bit rate works ok, so I don't think it is due to wifi bandwidth or harddisk problems. I wonder if the problem is with the Panasonic

[zip]

does this happen with all mkv files or only HD (720p is HD, just not full HD)

Thats a good question... I don't have other mkv files, but i'll try to find some and will check that...

[Illico]

..but i'll try to find some and will check that...

Look at this : http://www.divx.com/en/electronics/solu ... on/divx-hd

so, I've tested some other MKV movies yesterday and it was all the same, except for this one:

http://divxtrailers.divx.com/Iron_Man_2-DivXPlusHD.mkv. This runs smoother without breaks, but all other MKV from the DIVX Demo Site stops every 2 to 3 seconds.

Additionally I tested some other movies I found like a Samsung Demo Video. With all the HD stuff (720p and up) I have the same problem, as soon as I play standard (DVD or less) resolution, it works flawless. At the other hand, playing AVCHD Full HD Movies from my camera, works perfect, no lags, pristine quality... VOB Files are also no problem. It seems to be a bandwith problem, but all system parameters are idle more or less and the network has no bandwith problems at all (looking at my PC, NAS etc.)...

Could it be a problem with the audio instead of video? I've played around with the downmix parameter in serviio configuration but it doesn't make any difference.

I'm running out of ideas...

[zip]

any chance to run serviio on a PC to see if it has the same problems as on your NAS?

Yes, I think a 3 year old windows 7 notebook will do good? I could try that...

[zip]

yep, it should have no problems

After an installation on my notebook the behavior is exactly the same. The same files play smooth and the same files stop, even at the same positions.

But when watching real movies (with actors) I noticed a strange coincidence: The stopping always occur just before a cut in the scene. Not before every cut, but when it stops it does it always exactly before and it continues with the next scene. But this is not true for animation films, with them I can't see any special situations for this to happen...

[zip]

could you turn on detailed log, find the ffmpeg command used for the transcode, run it manually, rename the output .stf file to .mpg and add it to the library, then try to play it natively and try to play it also in VLC.

hi,

i transcoded as described, the job was done in less than 5 minutes but unfortunately my BD Player won't play or recognize .mpg files. So the video has to be transcoded again but i found no profile which transcodes mpg files... DLNA sucks... at least on a panasonic bd player. Is it really that difficult to implement this capability? I've been frustrated.

[Cerberus]

hi,

i transcoded as described, the job was done in less than 5 minutes but unfortunately my BD Player won't play or recognize .mpg files. So the video has to be transcoded again but i found no profile which transcodes mpg files... DLNA sucks... at least on a panasonic bd player. Is it really that difficult to implement this capability? I've been frustrated.

does the file play in VLC ?