D-Link Forums
The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => D-Link Multimedia and USB => DSM-750 => Topic started by: djloewen on September 09, 2008, 10:10:18 PM
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The problem:
When watching videos in Media Center mode, occasionally (typically between 10mins and 2hrs) the video playback will suddenly stop and show the Media Center “Finished” screen, as though the end of the file had been reached. It did this with both the 1.00.36 and 1.01.16 firmware. What makes this really frustrating is that to return to my place in the video stream I have to restart the video file and then hit the fast-forward button on the remote repeatedly, moving the stream in 25 second increments.
Here's my setup:
I use the DSM-750 exclusively in MCE mode. It is connecting wirelessly (n, 5ghz) to a Linksys WRT600N router, however the problem was also occurring with a DIR-655 (2.4ghz) router. The Media Center host computer (laptop) is plugged directly into the router, as is an HP MediaSmart Home Server, which is where I keep all of my video files. The video files are .avi, with DivX or XviD video and mp3 audio (1000kbps + 128kbps. No non-standard DivX features are used, so they conform to the MPEG4 Part 2 (ASP) profile. They play back flawlessly everywhere else.
Some troubleshooting attempts:
Playing directly from the computer's hard drive works perfectly. I can’t even get it to skip. I put it on a busy 2.4ghz channel, taxed the computer to the utmost, etc... It just played perfectly for hours. So, bravo there. The problem is that I have 15GB free on my laptop hard drive, which is hardly enough for my personal music and video collection. I have terabytes of space on my Windows Home Server, and three different computers regularly accessing it, and so I really don’t have a better solution than to use it. And so, I very very badly want to get the 750 to work just as well from the Home Server as it does from the computer's local drive.
Medialounge mode is essentially unwatchable, playing back (the one video I tested) consistently at perhaps 10-12 frames per second. I didn’t stick around to see if it would quit on me. This isn’t a problem for me, as have no intention of ever using Medialounge. I bought this device for its Media Center capabilities.
I emailed DLink about this problem earlier, and was told "I discussed this issue with Microsoft and they are looking into it. They feel the root cause is the PC (which completely controls the Extender experience) and not the DSM-750 device." I asked to be put in touch with the particular people at Microsoft who are looking into it, and received no reply. I do not want to let this issue drop and just hope that it eventually gets solved, I want to solve it. I'll be happy to troubleshoot if anyone has any ideas.
So does anyone else have this issue, with Windows Home Server, or another NAS device, or anything else? Help!!!
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Have you tried it with the DSM-750 wired not using the wireless function?
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I strung an ethernet cable across the living room and proceeded to play a four-hour movie twice (from the Homer Server), just to be really sure. Three hours into the second time, it "Finished" prematurely. So it's not a wireless issue. I've sort of suspected that it occurs when the stream gets interrupted and/or the buffer runs out, since it happens most often on 2.4ghz wireless, then 5ghz, then even occasionally on ethernet. And it does only happen with videos from the Home Server, not from the host computer.
In fact, in my first email to DLink I was assuming that this was simply the way the machine handled an interrupted stream, and mentioned (for a future firmware update) that it would be far preferable to simply have the playback pause or skip. I was surprised to discover that I was the only one who had uncovered this unfortunate behaviour. The fact is, I have still never, ever seen the video pause or skip on the 750 - it either plays perfectly or it cuts early to the "Finished" screen.
EDIT: I am currently in the habit of copying videos to my laptop before watching them, so that I don't have to deal with this issue. Well, tonight, about 1 hour into a 2 hour video the screen went black for maybe 2 seconds, and then cut to the "Finished" screen. So it turns out this problem is not just with the Home Server. It is not surprising that it would happen more often with the Home Server since it is a less powerful machine which generally keeps itself busy performing various tasks. But yeah, the problem occurs wired or wireless, computer or home server, in varying degrees of frequency. And it's driving me insane! It would be far, far better for it to just pause/skip than to do this. Please tell me what else you need to know to identify/solve this issue.
And seriously, is anyone else having this problem, or has anyone at least seen their playback pause/skip?
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Was the DSM-750 the only wireless connection within your connection to the Windows Home Server PC?
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I don't understand exacty what you are asking, and so I will be as detailed as I can. As a note, all of this information is in my previous posts:
-the Home Server does not have a wireless card in it, it is connected via ethernet to the router.
-the laptop (Media Center host) is connected to the same router via an ethernet cable.
-the DSM-750 has been tested with both a wired and wireless (2.4 and 5ghz) connection, and the problem occurs in all three scenarios (so, it even occurs when EVERYTHING is connected via ethernet to the router). So, the problem appears to have nothing to do with wireless connections - it's just more common on a wireless connection.
-the problem has also occured when watching a video stored on the laptop itself. This scenario does not involve the Home Server at all. So, it appears to have nothing to do with the Home Server - it's just more common from the Home Server.
To try to answer your question more directly:
-At any given moment, the laptop may be accessing files on the home server (but not wirelessly), and two other computers may be accessing files on the home server (through a wireless connection to the router). However, the problem has occured when no computer appears to be accessing anything (I guess I can't speak for under-the-hood processes...)
-When the 750 is on the 5gz wireless connection, it is the only device using that connection. The problem still occurs in this situation.
ECF, I understand that you are a busy individual, and I appreciate you taking the time to try to help us out here on this board. From looking at the other topics on the board I understand that you generally come along for a brief period every day or three and post 1-2 line answers on the recent topics, often asking a clarifying question (such as you have with me). As such, I am trying to be as detailed as I can in an effort to shave off the number of questions you will need to ask me before we identify the problem.
So, without meaning to sound rude, I am concerned that your last question referred to 1) wireless and 2) the Home Server, when I mentioned in my previous post that the problem has occured 1) wired, and 2) from the host computer itself. It's certainly possible that you have a better understanding of what's going on than I do, and it is true that the problem is more common when watching both wirelessly AND from the home server, but I'm wondering if you simply didn't read my previous post thoroughly enough.
Here's a not-very-statistical breakdown of how often the problem occurs, in case it helps to identify the problem:
-when the 750 is connected wirelessly AND streaming from the home server, the problem occurs regularly, perhaps every 10 minutes to 2 hours. Although I can't be sure, it seems to happen more often on my (busy) 2.4ghz connection than on my (empty) 5ghz connection. It really depends on the night, some are worse than others. Since I live in an apartment in the heart of a major city, the airwaves can tend to be rather crowded, some nights more than others.
-when the 750 is connected wirelessly, but streaming from the laptop, the problem is less common. I have watched perhaps 10 videos in this fashion, all between 20 minutes and two hours. The probem has only happened once, one hour into a two hour video.
-when the 750 is connected to the router via ethernet, and streaming from the home server, the problem also occurs, but it seems to be less common than with a wireless connection. I have only tested this once, by playing a four-hour video twice in a row, and the problem occured three hours into the second time.
-When the 750 is connected via ethernet, and the video is on my laptop... this combination I have not tested. I suspect, given the results of the other combinations, that it would eventually happen - it just might take a few repetitions of a long video. This isn't practical from a testing/troubleshooting standpoint - although if you insist, I will try it.
-One more point that may be relevant: sometimes before cutting to the "Finished" screen, the screen goes black (and silent) for just a second or two. Sometimes, however, it just cuts straight from the video to the "Finished" screen, with no black screen in between. I haven't noticed a pattern in it doing one versus the other.
So, once again... (help!)
Also, could you please answer me this? When I had suggested to DLink in an email that the problem was perhaps occuring when the video stream was interrupted (say, long enough for the buffer on the 750 to run out), the reply indicated that this is not the way the 750 behaves in such a situation. However, as I mentioned I have never seen the device skip, pause, or do anything else that might indicate an interruption in the stream. So my question is, what exactly does the 750 do in such a situation (in MCE mode)? Particularly, of course, I am curious about DivX/XviD/Mpeg-4 ASP .avi files.
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I have the same exact issue with my unit. I blamed my wireless setup, but apparently it is also a problem with wired setups.
My setup is as follows:
Wireless N router (Office)
Wired File/UPnP server connected to the router (Office)
Wireless Vista Media Center PC with TV Tuner (Living Room)
Wireless DSM-750 (Bedroom)
1. I have absolutely no problems watching Live/Recorded TV. Note: Live/Recorded TV video is sent *wirelessly* to the router, and then again *wirelessly* to the DSM-750 (2 wireless hops total).
2. As stated by the original poster, the MediaLounge mode is barely watchable. When watching a video off the UPnP server, there are many skipped frames. There is no FF or REW functionality. Note: There is only one wireless hop here (from the router to the DSM-750) as the server is wired to the router. So, the wireless performance should not be any worse than in the first scenario.
3. If I try to watch videos off the server routing them through the Media Center PC and using the Extender mode, I run into the same problem as the original poster. The video plays for few minutes and then stops. Note: there are three wireless hops here (router to Media center, Media Center to router, router to DSM-750). So, I blamed it on the wireless connection. However, as indicated by the OP, he has the same issue in a wired environment.
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sofla, thank you for your response. The problem is certainly not unrelated to the wireless connection, in the sense that it is responsible for a less robust video stream to begin with. As you say, your connection has three "hops" in it, and it only plays for a few minutes. Mine lasts longer with one hop, even longer with 5ghz, and even longer with ethernet. The ACTUAL problem, of course, is how the device handles such a stream. It should not, under any circumstances, cut to the "Finished" screen until the video is actually finished - I think we can all agree on that. If it has to freeze for a few seconds and rebuffer or something, so be it. That would be far preferable.
I noticed that you also stream video from a uPnP server - technology is a wonderful thing :). That did make me worry that DLink might want to point the finger elsewhere (as they did in my first email), so I performed one more test to add to the "statistics" paragraph from my previous post. I once again played a 4-hour video from the host computer's local drive, twice. The first time it "Finished" after two hours, the second time after only one. This is clearly a simple matter of ".avi + DSM-750" - it has nothing to do with wireless (other than wireless being a less robust stream of course), or uPnP servers such as my Home Server.
Anyway, if it's possible for someone to change the title of this thread to "Problem with .avi playback" that would certainly be more appropriate that the current title.
Any word on pinpointing/duplicating the problem? Any word on the ETA of a fix in a firmware update? I'm really fed up with it, to the point that I'm no longer using my device. Yes, it's a paperweight. On top of that, I just bought another 750 for my sister - she uses it only for live/recorded TV. I set it up for her yesterday and she loves it. So what I'm thinking is that if in the next 15-20 days or so I don't see any hope for a resolution, I'll simply return her device and give her mine. I don't want to have to do that though, I really just want this device to work. Help...
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I did another test. I limited the number of wireless hops to one by trying to stream AVIs from the file server via the wired Vista PC sitting next to it.
So, I have:
1. W-Fi Draft-N Router
2. File Server connected via Ethernet
3. Vista PC connected via Ethernet
4. DSM-750 over Wi-Fi (the only wireless hop in this setup)
The PC was setup to stream video files off the server via the Vista PC's Windows Media Player. DSM-750 was in the MediaLounge mode. Most of the time, I couldn't even get DSM-750 to show the list of videos from the file server. Occasionally, it would show me the list, but most of the time it just gives me an error message (something like "This directory is empty" - I don't remember the exact verbiage).
Yes, wireless may be a factor, but over a one-hop wireless link I would at least expect to see a list of files. I *am* able to stream files from the server to the wireless media center PC downstairs. I am able to stream Recorded TV and Live TV from the media center PC downstairs to the DSM-750 wirelessly all the way. So, there shouldn't be an issue with getting a list of files off a PC to DSM-750.
Again, Live TV / Recorded TV works without a glitch. It is totally awesome. But AVI streaming, both in the Extender mode and the MediaLounge mode needs to be fixed.
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Have you tested this with files other then .avi, with DivX or XviD video and mp3 audio (1000kbps + 128kbps. No non-standard DivX features are used, so they conform to the MPEG4 Part 2 (ASP) profile as you mentioned was used? and I believe it would be a good Idea to try it will a connection directly to you PC to see if this is with you DSM-750 or router. Does you sister have any of these same issue.
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1.) I will try to dig up some other video file types, and report back.
2.) I will try a direct connection with no router, and report back.
3.) My sister only uses the device for live/recorded TV. I will certainly report if she has any problems with that.
ECF, you didn't respond to my question about what the DSM-750 is supposed to do if it doesn't get the stream fast enough and runs out of buffer. I ask because I sort of suspect that the answer is "cuts to the Finished screen". Have you guys even tried duplicating this issue? I'll try anything you ask, but it's a serious inconvenience for me to do: to test a wired connection I have to drape a 25 foot network cable across a room where people can trip over it, then balance my laptop precariously at the edge of a desk to make it reach. Then I have to play a video in the background for hours on end, waiting for it to skip. This means my girlfriend can't use the TV during that time, which she's not thrilled with. So I'll keep testing things that you ask, but given the hours that I've already done, maybe you guys could just try duplicating it yourselves...
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I have not personally tested this issue I do not really know how to create the environment to have control over the stream flow to test it out but I do know that the device will buffer the stream and if it runs out or is not getting data it may studder or pause for a few seconds and if it not getting a stream typically it is a sign you are disconnecting from the media server you will get a disconnected from the media server message. There is typically about an 8 second buffer on videos depending on the video and about 30 for MP3's
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I have the same issue with videos as the original poster. Therefore, it is not an isolated issue. Have you tried a setup similar to his in the lab at all? Probably not.
He has
1. A router
2. A wired PC.
3. A wired server.
Pretty standard setup.
I tried this setup too, and it is not working. Wired vs. wireless, most likely, is not a factor as he tried it both ways.
So, if you have more than one PC and/or more than one router and more than one DSM-750 unit (and you should), you should have no problems reproducing the issue. If you can't, then perhaps we should be given an RMA.
Or, take an easy way out: blame his router (actually, both of them) and mine as well.
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Um yeah, thats is pretty standard and it has been tested alot although I have not tried it with Windows Home server but you mention it does this without it as well. I am using it right now as are many people not having this issue or I'm sure this would blow up on the forums and in Technical support cases. I believe it may be due to the file type and properties. If you would like to email me some file I will gladly test these files and see if I can replicate this issue with this AVI type and to be fixed in future firmware updates.
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OMG!!! Your going to slap yourself silly when I give your the solution. I was having the same issue. The solution is, or your problem is the result of the HDDs going into Idle or Off mode. Change their timeouts to Never and you won't have anymore problems. My DSM-720 kept stopping video at exactly 20 minutes. I could resume play but again in 20 minutes it would stop. I thought it was so strange...20 minutes...20 minutes. Then it hit me like a fat girl showing some love, the hard drive time out. BAM!!! I changed that setting and (this is the critical step) reboot the computer. Now, no more stopages and no more expected fat girls waiting to hit me.
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OMG!!! Your going to slap yourself silly when I give your the solution. I was having the same issue. The solution is, or your problem is the result of the HDDs going into Idle or Off mode. Change their timeouts to Never and you won't have anymore problems. My DSM-720 kept stopping video at exactly 20 minutes. I could resume play but again in 20 minutes it would stop. I thought it was so strange...20 minutes...20 minutes. Then it hit me like a fat girl showing some love, the hard drive time out. BAM!!! I changed that setting and (this is the critical step) reboot the computer. Now, no more stopages and no more expected fat girls waiting to hit me.
Wow. I hope you are right. It does make sense (although you would think that streaming a video would keep the server/computer from sending the HDs into Idle). Not that I want to keep my HDs spinning 24/7, but I will try this over the weekend and post the results.
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Unfortunately that is not related to this problem. I emailed tech support (again), and they have simply said that they cannot duplicate the problem in the labs. I am going to start a new post, to try to find out how widespread this problem actually is.
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Yeah, I tried that too. It did not help. Sometimes a video gets to the "Finished" screen within a couple of minutes. Definitely not related to disk spindown in my case.
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You state that DVR-ms files playback fine with no issues so you power management setting would not be the issue. It looks to be in the file recoding. Did you create these files yourself? If so what software was used and what settings? Also have you tried mpeg or mpeg2 videos at all. Do you have any issues with playback?
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I just want to emphasize that when I refer to DVR-MS playback, I mean Live TV and Recorded TV menu options.
When I talk about Videos going to Finished mode prematurely, I mean Video Library functionality. I have not tried playing DVR-MS files from the Video Library menu option.
Was that your understanding as well?
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I was referring to video file types when you watch a video. Also have you tried this in Media lounge mode using Windows media player 11 as your media server as well as an Media Center Extender mode?
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I was referring to video file types when you watch a video. Also have you tried this in Media lounge mode using Windows media player 11 as your media server as well as an Media Center Extender mode?
I have not tried playing bare DVR-MS files outside of Recorded TV. I have always gone through the Recorded TV menu for that.
I have tried playing Videos in MediaLounge mode using WMP11 and got nowhere. I don't even get a directory listing. Occasionally, I do get a directory listing of my videos, but most of the time I only get a "This diectory cannot be accessed" error on the DSM-750.
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Hmm There is definitely something wrong with the device being able to access your PC properly through your network configuration. Do you have the option to test it without using the wireless option of the DSM-750?
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Hmm There is definitely something wrong with the device being able to access your PC properly through your network configuration. Do you have the option to test it without using the wireless option of the DSM-750?
I don't have a network cable long enough. If I move the DSM-750 near the router, there is no TV there to display the DSM-750's output.
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Okay, ECF, the problem has nothing to do with the codec.
The longest .mpg or .wmv I could find was about 40 minutes. I played a 40 minute .mpg (1000kbps) through three times with no problems. Now, you can imagine at this point how sick I am of just playing back videos waiting for one to quit. So I brought out the big guns. I ripped a Superbit DVD (Hook) to my hard drive as a single .VOB file, and renamed it to .MPG. So that's a MPEG-2 video codec, Dolby Digital 5.1, a nice high bitrate, 2 hours 22 minutes. It lasted about 15 minutes before "finishing". No skips, no stutters, no pauses, just perfect playback, and then it quits.
So to summarize:
-it has notihng to do with UPnP servers.
-it has nothing to do with wireless connections.
-it has nothing to do with video codecs.
-it is not limited to my device.
-it is more common on slower wireless connections, or with more wireless "hops".
-it is more common with higher bitrate videos.
-to the best of my knowledge, no one has ever seen this device skip/pause/rebuffer.
To me, it is glaringly obvious that this problem occurs when the device isn't getting the stream fast enough. At this point, I would think that DLink could fix the problem even if they can't replicate it, because it has been quite pinpointed. PLEASE, PLEASE FIX THIS SOON. And please, stop making me test things. Just do something about it.
PS some tips if you insist on trying to duplicate:
-try video with a very high bitrate
-maybe try forcing your wireless router to a slower connection speed, so that it couldn't possibly keep up with the video stream. If you can get it to pause/rebuffer without cutting to the "Finished" screen, I'll eat my router.
I am in an apartment in the heart of a major city, and the wireless channels are very crowded, so I don't have to go to so much trouble do "duplicate" it myself.
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PS some tips if you insist on trying to duplicate:
-try video with a very high bitrate
-maybe try forcing your wireless router to a slower connection speed, so that it couldn't possibly keep up with the video stream. If you can get it to pause/rebuffer without cutting to the "Finished" screen, I'll eat my router.
I am in an apartment in the heart of a major city, and the wireless channels are very crowded, so I don't have to go to so much trouble do "duplicate" it myself.
Well you have to look at the bitrate being too high and using wireless is not a good combo you may have an unreliable wireless environment or just not have the bandwidth if it is a high bitrate video and if you connecting at 802.11g you may see issues. Also there is no way for us to fix a problem if we cannot replicate it
Keep in mind Mpeg-2 is supported up to 8Mbps as stated in the manual.
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Well you have to look at the bitrate being too high and using wireless is not a good combo you may have an unreliable wireless environment or just not have the bandwidth if it is a high bitrate video and if you connecting at 802.11g you may see issues. Also there is no way for us to fix a problem if we cannot replicate it
Keep in mind Mpeg-2 is supported up to 8Mbps as stated in the manual.
Didn't djloewen state it was NOT related to wireless. I think he tested enough times using a wired Ethernet connection. At this point you have to admit that it is convenient for you to blame everything on wireless even if it is not the case. Every other response from you to every question/issue is "Have you tried wired/wireless"? You just refuse to do ANYTHING about ANY problems users report.
I have a wireless setup. I have NEVER had issues with streaming Recorded or Live TV from a wireLESS Media Center to a wireLESS DSM-750. Never-ever. That's two wireless hops: 1) from the Media Center PC to the router: 2) from the router to DSM-750. I can even do that same Recorded TV stream to DSM-750 while watching a Video off a wired server on the same wireLESS Media Center PC. So, that's an additional wireless hop streaming in the other direction.
So, how do I have a wireless issue when DSM can't display a single non DVR-MS video without ending prematurely but works perfectly with DVR-MS files?
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ECF, we seem to be going around in circles here. I obviously agree that high bitrate + poor wireless = "issues". If "issues" meant that the device pauses and rebuffers, that would be fine. But "issues" means that it quits to the Finished screen. THAT is the problem.
Now, since you have pointed out that high bitrate + poor wireless = "issues", you now have the magic formula for replicating the issue. Please find yourself a high bitrate video, set your router on low-speed settings, and wait for the "issue" to occur. Then please change how the DSM-750 handles that "issue".
PS As I stated, my test involved a DVD rip. DVD specs don't allow for more than 8Mbps either, so it was obviously within that.
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djloewen
Did you ever report back if your sister was having this same issue you mentions you were going to find out? Also What software is used to create these files and what settings are used in recoding?
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As I mentioned before, my sister doesn't watch videos from the video library. She only uses the device for live and recorded TV.
Regarding the file types: My video library has all been encoded by myself. I can be as specific as you want, but it's beside the point because this problem is not specific to any container or codec. Since you're asking anyway: I encode videos through AVIsynth and VirtualDub using the DivX or XviD codecs, at 1000kbps, into an AVI container. BUT, as my previous posts stated, the problem also occured with an MPEG-2 codec in a .mpg container, pulled straight off of a DVD (not recoded at all).
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ECF, in reply to your private message, I uploaded a sample video to sendbigfile.net. I have not heard from you in some time, and I see that the file has not yet been downloaded. Did you receive the link?
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It looks like the problem may be the file type and codec. Its looks the software used to recode your files installs the codec to the PC to allow playback on that computer. I was not able to play it in WMP11 or MCE alone not to mention the DSM-750 it was seen as an unsupported file. Without this codec the files is useless I can see playback of this file type being an issue for the DSM-750.
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The codec is MPEG-4 ASP. Specifically, I used DivX to encode the file. And you're right, Windows Media Player does not play this format natively. To watch it, you will need to install an MPEG-4 ASP codec (either, DivX, XviD, FFDshow, or any number of others). The DSM-750 claims to be able to play this file type. And it's right, it does. In fact, the DSM-750 can do a lot of things that Windows Media Player can't do, including Dolby Digital audio, and .mp4 video.
Also, this is NOT, I repeat NOT, a codec problem. As I mentioned earlier, it has occured with an MPEG-2 file as well, straight off a DVD. I will upload such as file and send you the link, but as I mentioned iin my private message it is less practical for troubleshooting because the 1gb limit on the upload site only allows me to upload a 25min video.
And just to update everyone, I have now actually seen the device skip. If I crank the router settings right down, I can make it skip without "finishing". So, yeah. *shrug*
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I did that I am still unable to play the files sent to me. They may be getting corrupt somehow. That is odd MPEG-4 ASP should not have an issue playing or MPEG-2 especially It seems like an issue specific you or the few on here maybe its the software used to create these files or your network configuration because alot of people are using this device and I have checked with the call centers and there are not reports of this as a problem with the DSM-750. I would recommend testing the unit in another environment and try other software for creating your videos. There are just so many codecs and softwares for creating videos that there are just so may different ways to encode and tweak the same file type that it can be very hard to support everything, however we are always working to improve the codec support with firmware updates. There is alot of fee software online please just try another recoding software and try again. People on the forums can probably help you out with what they use and work really well for them.
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ECF, thank you for your continued efforts. It sounds like the upload website you suggested is corrupting the files somehow.
I have downloaded a number of videos online in various codecs, including MPEG-1, WMV, and MPEG-4 ASP (Mostly XviD). I have had videos playing in the background throughout this week, and I have seen the problem occur in all of the MPEG-4 videos. These are made by different people using different programs, and they couldn't possibly all be corrupt. Also, I am positive that mine are perfectly within specs, and are not corrupt at all. The other (MPEG-1 and WMV) videos, I have been unable to make quit. So I think it is a codec problem, but there's no way that it's limited to my files.
The reason I thought it wasn't a codec problem is that I saw it happen with an MPEG-2 video, but it happened around the 20-25 minute mark, which on the original DVD would have been where the first 1gb file break occurs. So I'm wondering if it had something to do with the transport stream having a break in it at that point. I tried once more with that file (only once) and it didn't quit at that point. I was going to upload a 1gb 22min sample of that movie for you, but I actually haven't been able to make the sample skip (hence my theory about the transport stream having some weirdness at the 1gb mark).
So to summarize, it probably is a codec problem, and I strongly doubt that it is isolated to my encodes. To test this, please upload an MPEG-4 ASP video that you think works perfectly and PM me the link, and I'll see if I can get it to quit on me.
In the meantime, I am continuing to test the MPEG-1 and WMV videos that I have to see if it will ever happen with them.
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I have played the MPEG-1 files over and over, and it seems that they will not quit.
ECF, I still have not heard from you. This is absolutely not limited to my files. Please do one of the following two things:
1.) Get the tech guys to test a long MPEG-4 ASP file (in a wireless environment, although it may be unrelated), find the problem, and release a firmware fix.
2.) Please send me a link to an MPEG-4 ASP file that you think doesn't have a problem. The longer the better, it is very hard to test on a 5-20 minute clip because I have to sit there restarting it over and over waiting for it to skip.
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If this issue is going to be ignored, I will need to return this device. Please tell me how to go about doing this.
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If this issue is going to be ignored, I will need to return this device. Please tell me how to go about doing this.
I have gotten rid of mine already. I replaced it with a DMA2200. I have not exprerienced premature stopping with it yet. Linksys's Extenders can be found dirt cheap now.
The main benefit of DSM-750 for me was the MediaLounge non-Extender mode, but it is very flaky. That was the single unique feature that differentiated the DSM-750 from other extenders. Now HP's x280n offers the same UPnP non-Extender capability. I have not tested the HP device, as I am so far happy with the D-Link.
In any case, there is now absolutely no reason to choose DSM-750 over a Linksys or an HP device. In terms of features, it does not offer any unique ones anymore. In terms of price, it is more expensive than others.
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sofla, there are three things that make the DSM-750 better for me. Two are temporary, on I'm not so sure about.
1.) The 750 can now play .mkv. HP will be supporting that shortly. No idea about Linksys.
2.) The x280n is not yet available in Canada. Otherwise, I would have bought one by now. I h a t e this 750 with a passion.
3.) The 750 can output 1080p - to the best of my knowledge, neither the Linksys or the HP can. I don't know if this will be changing or not. That is a big upside for the 750 IMO.
Anyway Dlink is refusing to give me my money back (thanks guys), so I'm still stuck trying to troubleshoot this paperweight. I came up with something interesting last night that I'd like to share, as I think it sheds some light on why Dlink can't duplicate the issue. I have uploaded a MS Word document with some screenshots in it, please download the file here:
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=L3ZLO9XX
The screenshots are of the Media Center "Network Performance Monitor", a tool which can be accessed in Media Center, both on the DSM-750 and on the host computer. (On your computer, open Windows Media Center, go to Tasks->Settings->Extender->DSM-750->Network tuner.) The advantages to doing it on the computer are that 1) I can take screenshots, and 2) I can run the graph while watching a video. Here's a summary:
1.) This shot was taken while the device is on and connected (obviously, otherwise there would be no line at all), but there is no video playing at this point. I am currently using the 5ghz band of my WRT600n router. As you can see the bandwidth is "maxed out" right at the top of the graph, but it is also full of spiky dropouts. This, ladies and gentlemen, is what my wireless environment looks like. I have no idea why it's so full of downspikes, or how common that is. I suspect that it is not very common. When I am connected on the 2.4ghz band (on either the WRT600n or the DIR-655) the bandwidith "ceiling" is lower, around the HDTV line, but it is just as spikey. If anyone else wants to check their computers and tell me what theirs looks like, please do.
2.) This shot was taken while I was playing a video. It looks basically the same as the first, but the bandwidth "ceiling" is lower. That missing bandwidth is being used to stream the video. It is, however, still full of downspikes.
Here come the fun ones:
3.) and 4.) are two separate examples of when the problem occurs. It's easy to spot: there's a big downspike, and then when it pops back up it goes back to maxed-out bandwidth like in picture 1. Now that downspike isn't even enough to make the buffer run out, but there's something about it that makes the MPEG-4 ASP codec say "hm, there's nothing coming, I guess the video's done".
5.) was taken while playing an MPEG-1 video. You can see a huge wide dropout in the signal, but the video kept playing with no problems. It didn't even need to pause and rebuffer. This is what the device needs to do for MPEG-4 ASP video.
6.) and 7.) were taken five minutes apart while playing MPEG-4 ASP again. The first shows a relatively big downspike that the video stream manages to survive. But then in picture 7 you can see a bigger one that makes the video quit.
So what I'm thinking is that anyone who has a nice smooth wireless environment won't be able to duplicate the problem. As far as why mine looks like that, I have no idea. I've tried a lot of different settings, different routers, different channels, it always looks like that. The only thing I can think of is that maybe the airwaves are just really crowded because I live in an apartment in the heart of a major city. The bottom line is, even though it looks really spikey, my network never gives me any problems: internet, file transfers between computers, video streaming from NAS to computers etc etc all work perfectly. I don't actually have a network problem. It's just this one thing that doesn't work.
(And yes, I'm running the new firmware. Problem not solved.)
FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT FIX IT
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D-Link should add you to their payroll. You have been doing the work they should have done in the lab themselves.
I do have a couple of suggestions.
1) When you take the screen captures, try using Alt+PrintScreen to capture the active window only and not the wholedesktop. This way it will be easier to see the relevant information.
2) DOCX file was a pain to view because I had to download a viewer. You may want to consider saving it to PDF in the future.
I also have a couple of observations:
1) I had a premature stop on my Linksys extender the other day. I guess I don't get to use it that often, otherwise I would see it more often. So, there may be a flaw in MS specifications/design that causes this kind of problem. On the other hand, D-Link and Linksys may be sourcing the product from a common supplier. If I understand correctly, the extender portion of all extenders is pretty much identical in terms of hardware. The bottom line is, there is a problem with AVIs located on a server and played in an Extender via a Vista PC.
2) I saw signal fluctuations when viewing network performance on my extenders. I am wondering if the routers are in fault, specifically their QOS features. Do you have QOS enabled? What if you disable it? Would it smooth out the spikes?
3) I have been looking at Netgear XAVB101 and HDXB111 Powerline Adaptors. The latter one is an HD-capable (on paper at least) and can be had for around $125/pair. The former one can be had for $80/pair. I saw one review where XAVB101 was about 20% faster at file transfer than an N-router. I might splurge on this to see if it improves the performance.
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Yeah what I find particularly frustrating is that, in all these months of me testing, I still have not seen any interest on Dlink's part in actually identifying and solving this problem. I always hit the "we can't duplicate it, so you're SOL" roadblock. I've even invited them over to my home to test it here (their Canadian office is about 20mins drive from where I live) - they didn't respond.
Thank you for the tips, I will do that in the future.
I've always wondered whether other extenders had this problem. Anyway that's the sort of thing that I need to rely on Dlink to determine. Also, if they did determine that it is a Microsoft problem, they'd be in a much better position to work with Microsoft and get it fixed than I would. As a reminder, the problem occurs for me even when the videos are stored on my local hard drive, not just a server.
Right now on my WRT600n I have the WMM QoS enabled, the others disabled. I've tried a lot of different router settings, and no, it always looks that spikey. Also, I really don't want this signal issue to pull focus away from the actual problem. If they can fix this bug then I've got no issues. IMO the device should work for me, I shouldn't have to work for it: I shouldn't need to transcode my videos, or buy new network equipment, etc.
On top of which, the bug is not limited to wireless anyway. It happened once for me over ethernet. I was serving from my Home Server at the time, which has a cheap AMD chip in it and it's terrible at doing two (or more) things at once. So I suspect that it briefly stopped streaming the video to do a file transfer or something, and the device interpreted that in the same way as a wireless downspike. The bottom line is, I don't want to fix my wireless signal (until this bug is fixed at least - after that, I'd love to discuss getting a nice smooth wireless signal).
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Yeah, I guess all signs do point to a flawed design by Microsoft and/or OEMs. I seriously doubt there would be any interest in fixing this issue as this whole technology generates about ZERO consumer interest.
When Dell was recently clearing out their DMA2100/2200 inventory, they were shipping units that were manufactured 9 months earlier. Nine months is an awfully long shelf time for a product like this. No wonder they don't bother to fix bugs: Consumers are not interested, period.
I wish there was a software-based MCX. You would get cheap HTPC and install the Extender software on it. Perhaps it would be more stable.
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Your testing prompted me to look into my network performance. Well, my network performance is not a problem. I did not do screen captures, but my wirless connection was hardly ever more than a couple of percent utilized.
I am leaning toward an explanation that the server/PC gets overwelmed and interrupts the stream.
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...except it doesn't happen with MPEG-1. And it doesn't happen at all in MediaLounge mode.
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...except it doesn't happen with MPEG-1. And it doesn't happen at all in MediaLounge mode.
MediaLounge mode (UPnP ? ) may be more forgiving, or the bufferring is done differently. I did have a feature-length movie cut out on me in MediaLounge mode 2 minutes from the end. Left me scrambling to get the laptop to finish watching it. (I had to get a laptop because DSM-750 never let me FF/REW in MediaLounge mode).
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I spent quite awhile testing MediaLounge mode, and it never quit on me (although it dropped frames left and right). The point that I am getting at is that it is clearly possible for this device to work with my network, no matter how spikey it looks. It can do it with MPEG-1 in WMC mode, and it can do it with MPEG-4 ASP in ML mode, there's no reason why it can't theoretically work with MPEG-4 ASP in WMC mode. What I need is for Dlink to identify the problem, and either fix it ASAP or, if the problem lies with Microsoft, report the issue to them (in my experience they are very good at fixing things in a timely manner).