Wicked Stutter in Vista MCE Build 5728

I have had stutter before in MCE 2K5 with SDTV and I was able to correct it. In that case it seemed to be a dual core + configuration issue and some updates fixed it (.net 2.0 and some others). Setting the Processor affinity to use only one core on the “ehRecvr.exe” service (using Processor Explorer) worked as a workaround before I was able to permanently fix the issue.

In Vista MCE beta 2 there was no stutter. The stutter began in Vista build 5600 but would only last for a few minutes. It would last in live TV and recorded TV only for the first few minutes of play. Once it subsided it wouldn’t reoccur unless MCE was restarted. Recorded TV didn’t record the stutter and WMP11 never exhibited a stutter of any kind.

Vista Build 5728, unfortunately, has the stutter 100% of the time and so to does recorded TV played in WMP11. The stutter occurs every 5 or 6 seconds like clock work in both Vista MCE and WMP11 without fail and without end.

At first I suspected the decoder so I downloaded and installed the Cyberlink PowerDVD 7 trial. I used the “Microsoft Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility” to assign the Cyberlink decoder but it didn’t help in Vista MCE or WMP11. I then reassigned the default Microsoft decoder.

I tried older video drivers (the beta 2 Catalyst drivers) and that didn’t work either. I then reinstalled the newer RC1 drivers.

I fired up PowerDVD 7 and loaded a variety of DVR-MS files and not one,….NOT ONE,….had a single stutter in it.

And that’s were I am now,…..

Anyone have any ideas?

I have the same problems with 5600 and now 5728 not sure of a fix, but I do know that the Microsoft Windows XP Video Decoder Checkup Utility does not set the decoder in Vista correctly there is another one you can download that does work in Vista.  There's a thread for it here, just do a search for VMCD (Vista Media Center Decoder Utility). 

Not sure what the problem is with the stutter though,  I've tryed afew decoders too but it didn't help either.

Thanks for the response and the VMCD recommendation.

Let me add, that the periodic stutter goes beyond TV and recorded TV in Vista MCE build 5728. If the full guide is open or the mini-guide is on screen, using the remote to scroll through the listings quickly (up or down) exhibits the same exact periodic pause,…its like the entire PVR application just seizes up for a fraction of a second,…then its OK for another 5 or 6 seconds,..

Also let me just add that the system specs have changed a little since I added another Theater 550 Pro for a total of 2x Theater 550 Pro cards and I uninstalled the Kram MCEE pack to disable the HDTV Wonder analog tuner. I had an AIW X1900 card installed before too in another build but I had to install it because it caused issues with the other tuners.

Just a little update:

All DVR-MS files play fine in PowerDVD 7.

All MPEG videos play fine in PowerDVD 7, WMP11 and Vista MCE.

All Preloaded DVR-MS files (sample files) play fine in PowerDVD 7, WMP11 and Vista MCE.

Apparently, only Live TV and recorded TV (with either Theater 550 Pro card or HDTV Wonder) play with the stutter in WMP11 or Vista MCE,…again all DVR-MS files play fine in PowerDVD 7.

Changing the decoder using the Vista Media Center Decoder Utility suggested had no effect.

Opening one of these stuttering recorded TV files in WMP11 and checking its file>properties displays the following:

Audio codec: Decrypt/Tag

Video codec: Decrypt/Tag 0002

This is odd IMO and I have never seen the like before.

The Microsoft preloaded DVR-MS files displayed nothing for Video decoder and Audio decoder under file>properties in WMP11 and as stated before, they play fine. MPEG files that are played in WMP11 which all seem to play fine displayed “MPEG decoder” for both audio and video under file>properties.

Also, this may be of no consequence but DVDs don’t play in Vista MCE but they do in WMP11

Just another quick update for those of you that may be seeing the same issue:

I tried disabling the Aero Glass effect and it made no noteworthy difference.

I tried viewing Vista MCE in a window and again, no noteworthy difference.

I tried opening a DVR-MS file recorded on another MCE PC on the Vista system in question, again, no noteworthy difference.

Opening “task manager” yielded some oddities. Under the “Performance tab / CPU Usage History” the stutter in Vista MCE and WMP11 coincided with a sharp spike in CPU usage when watching Live or recorded TV. The spike was from about 10-to15% to ~35-to-40%. The spike was harmonic, occurring about every 6 seconds and was plainly visible in the graph. Setting the processor “affinity” for processes related to Vista MCE and WMP11 to run on one core only resulted in the same behavior,….on one core rather then both,…as was evident by the CPU Usage History graph in Task Manager.

Using Vista MCE or WMP11 in a window and moving said window with the mouse around the screen constantly would show a screen freeze coinciding with the spike. So again it’s more of a system wide freeze rather then being limited to live TV or recorded playback within Vista MCE.

Again,…

Vista MCE and WMP11 will not incur this behavior by simply being open. Live TV or recorded TV must be playing in Vista MCE or WMP11 for this to happen. The sample preloaded DVR-MS files and any MPEG file does not cause this issue in either program. PowerDVD 7 can play all files without issue but changing the decoder has no effect on this problem in Vista MCE or WMP11.

I feel like the answer is in the back of my head trying to make its way to the front,….

If anyone wants to add something it would be much appreciated,…

Thanks Oct.

I have tryed all the things you have listed also in the last few days, which is kinda funny.  I see the same cpu spike when the stutters take place, I have also tryed to lower the prioity of some processes without any difference either.  I did notice that you also have a AMD X2 cpu and wondering if its a X2 issue maybe,  makes me wonder if single core users are having this problem.  I did install the AMD dual core optimizer for XP and it did seem to make the pauses/stutters less noticable but never the less they are still there. 

Hopefully RC2 has this fixed, or AMD has something in the works.  So if any single core users have this issue please speak up.

I've had issues with 5728 that I didnt have with 5600 while using the RC1 drivers.  It may be that the build changed enough that the drivers now have issues with certain activities (hardware accelerated exclusive mode being the issue here with you).   Check power dvd to see if hardware acceleration is turned on or not. If not, turn it on and see if you get the stutter again. Same thing with WMP11; Turn on High quality mode and see if the issue shows up.

 

 

I've had this issue since 5536 cause Beta2 did not have the problem, thats whats really weird. Thought it would be fixed by now but maybe RC2 will have a fix, just have to wait and see.  I don't use the ATI RC1 or Beta2 drivers at all nothing but problems with them so just using the "in the box" drivers.  I have used Nvidia Purevideo and had the Hardware acceleration box checked and makes no difference but not sure where "high quality mode" is in WMP 11.  I do have the directX video acceleration box checked in WMP11 if thats what you mean.

I really have a feeling its a dual core issue, I'm about 80% sure of that.

Yeah, Directx acceleration is what I meant, i said the wmp10 setting my mistake ><

 

It is quite possible that it may be the dual core issue,  but i still wouldnt rule out the drivers since video rendering in media center is alot more intensive than in other programs. using the unoptimized, generic drivers installed with vista would further compound it since they are not optimized nor have hardwarre acceleration.

 

With any luck RC2 will come out today and possibly fix this for you. only 1400 bugs left in that build, so almost ready for RTM.

Yep, I noticed that you had a dual core Athlon 64 X2 based system too.

And as I said before, a quick fix for my MCE 2K5 stutter issue was to set the processor “affinity” for the “ehRecvr.exe” service to run on only one core but that required the use of a utility “process explorer” which incidentally doesn’t work in Vista.

However, with the MCE 2K5 stutter issue the frequency was erratic and in vista 5728 it is a steadfast 6 second interval.

I have tried both ATI beta 2 drivers and ATI RC1 drivers. I need to test a video card in another system before making a decision to RMA back to the manufacturer. Therfore, I’ll likely install a few different sets of Vista drivers in this Vista 5728 system.

BTW,…

This wasn't a freash install but rather an upgrade from Vista build 5600. Also, I have an ATI HDTV Wonder and was using the Kram MCEE mod pack to enable the analog tuner on said HDTV Wonder. I uninstalled the MCEE and deleted the tuners key in the registry,....in part becasue I added another T550P (PCIe) tuner card for a full 2x analog + 1x digital config.

The HDTV Wonder is another common hardware component to our respective systems.

Also, Dracko and BSOD, thanks for the input.

I’ll let you know if I come up with something,…

Hopefully I can get my hands on RC2 build 5744 but unless Microsoft makes it widely available I wont likely be able to get it.

I also did a fresh install and also using the Kram MCEE for the analog tuner, Hummmm kinda got me thinking here....it may very well be the kram drivers making this happen since they are very old and for XP.  Not sure if there's anything else out there to use..

Gonna check something out and see what happens.

Cool,…

Keep me posted if you please,…

I’m trying to download Vista RC2 build 5744 now,…with any luck it will make a difference,…maybe,...

I'm getting ready to install RC2 right now and see if the problem is still there, if so then I will carry on where I left off with 5728...hopefully RC2 is fixed but I'm kinda doubtful.

Octavean,

 

I too have the same problem as yours. TV stutter every 6 seconds! My config is as foloows:

Pentium D 2.8 + 1GB RAM + ATI X300 + ATI 550 card + Vista 5278

Please let me know if you figure out a fix for this one. And btw if you want to try and set affinity for a process the task manager can do it as well. It did not fix it for me though....

Good news, no more stutters with RC2!!!  It seems perfect so far except for the audio drivers windows installed constant BSOD's from them and they where dated 2004...not sure how those slipped in windows update,lol.  Installed newer drivers and all is good.

Did a clean install using the Kram drivers MCEE and Ehome set ups, the picture quality is very good and smooth as silk.