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[lonchaney]

I built a server to store all my movies/tv shows on and am running windows home server. I can copy files from my server to my main computer (running xp sp3), which also runs xbmc, at good speeds. When trying to watch HD movies/tv shows there are times when the picture messes up (hard to explain the problem, looks like giant pixels are showing up on the screen) and the network activity when watching shows/movies spikes up and down. I've attached pics to show you what I'm talking about.

the server is using this mobo http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128395&Tpk=GA-MA785G-UD3H
and my main computer is using a bfg 680i sli mobo

i have them both hooked up to a dir-655 router with cat6 cables.

i read somewhere i should add the server to the DHCP Reservations List and forward tcp 80, 443 and 4125 so i've done that already.

when copying files
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/5453/copyingfile.jpg

when watching media over xbmc
http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2748/streamingmedia.jpg

i know the problem isn't with xbmc since i get the same issue when watching hd movies with vlc...also i know it must be a network problems since watching the same movies locally works fine.

any help would be appreciated

[onebyside]

I would guess your using gigabit nic cards

[lonchaney]

thanks for the reply...

i'm using the gigabyte GA-MA785G-UD3H and bfg 680i sli mobo's on board network adapter with the newest drivers...they're both gigabit

[ttmcmurry]

I saw you mentioned gigabit nics.. should u be using wireless at all with this setup..

Using the DIR-655 for Wireless HD streaming is not that great as it wasn't really designed for that purpose.  Yes, theoretically the bandwidth is there, but in practice it doesn't work well.

For example, it's highly likely that as the action on the screen increases, so do the skips.  This is due to the quickly changing demand for large amounts of bandwidth.  It's possible for HD video to go from 3mbps to over 68mbps within a 3-5 frame range of video playback. 

If there are any competing 802.11 devices within range of the 655, that will also eat into the its ability to provide large amounts of bandwidth.

Now if you had the DIR-855, which uses the 2.4ghz & 5ghz channels, then you're talking about reliable HD streaming.  Naturally you'd need to have the appropriate WNICs for that (DWA-556 and/or DWA-160).  The Intel 4965 & 5xxx series Wireless-N WNICs also support the 855 fully if you have a laptop. 

To give you a real-world example of my experience, I live in New York City.. Wireless Routers everywhere.  But my PS3 sits 3' away from the DIR-655.  I know the PS3 is wireless-G, but hear me out.  I wasn't able to stream even a DVD or DivX video without it skipping.  So I tried using my laptop with the DWA-652 WNIC to stream the video from 6' away.  DVD-quality was fine.  HD video is an impossibility.  Works when motion is slow, then skips a lot when motions speeds up.. wash, rinse, repeat.  Didn't matter if it was a HD .wmv or a transcoded Blu-Ray disc.

Now that you've your investment in the 655 and associated hardware, you're best of going wired if possible.  Wired will work, guaranteed.  Since I wired my PS3, it has never had any trouble streaming even Blu-Ray discs from my NAS.  I'm more impressed with the NAS being able to keep up than the 655.

If you want wireless HD, take it all back and get the DIR-855 and the appropriate WNIC:  DWA-556 and/or DWA-160.

Having said that-- you may want to check to see what the MTU setting is for your NICs.  If *all* (and I can't emphasize "ALL" enough) support jumbo frames, find out the largest possible setting and change the MTU of your NICs in the windows device manager.  The DIR-655 supports jumbo frames as of .. guessing .. the 1.2x series firmware, maybe earlier.  Make sure you have the most up-to-date firmware.

Also, check out the Advanced -> QoS engine in the web config and disable it, see if it improves performance.  If you're not using WISH, you can leave that setting alone.

[lonchaney]

thanks for the reply.  i'm not using wireless at all.  i've got everything wired with cat6 cables.  i have jumbo frames enabled already (9000 on both computers).  i'm using the 1.21 firmware because i've heard really bad things about the newest firmware.  do you really think i should update to the newest? 

i've disabled QoS.  I'm not sure what WISH is but i disabled QoS anyway and haven't seen any improvement.

again, thanks for the help and do you have any other suggestions?

[thecreator]

thanks for the reply.  i'm not using wireless at all.  i've got everything wired with cat6 cables.  i have jumbo frames enabled already (9000 on both computers).  i'm using the 1.21 firmware because i've heard really bad things about the newest firmware.  do you really think i should update to the newest? 

i've disabled QoS.  I'm not sure what WISH is but i disabled QoS anyway and haven't seen any improvement.

again, thanks for the help and do you have any other suggestions?

Hi lonchaney,

When you are watching the shows, make sure that no Anti-Virus is running. No Indexing is taking place from other programs, not just Windows. These other actions can consumed the CPU Cyles reducing transmission speed of the recorded programs.

Watch a show for an experiment. Have the Windows Task Manager running and on top or off to the side. View the Processes tab. Click on the CPU Header and sort, so you can view the active processes. See which process is running which causes the dropouts.

Try doing the same on the Server side as well, if possible.

[lonchaney]

thanks for the suggestions.  it doesn't look like there's a spike in any process's cpu usage when i get the problem.  i've turned off indexing on both my computer and server but i still get the issue.

[bluenote]

First, to summarize and paraphrase what ttmcurry was trying to say, which was ..
HD video is intensive for many different resources.  It is intensive for storage, for network, for CPU cycles for decoding, for memory, etcetera.

First I would suggest you go back and really stringently confirm that you aren't seeing this locally.  That means watching the *same portion* of the *same show* both locally and remotely.

If indeed it does only happen from remote, then I would eliminate the router from the equation by either putting a switch in place temporarily, or cabling the two machines directly together.  If it then doesn't happen , you know that router configuration is probably playing a role.  If it *does* happen in a simplified setup then you know you can forget about the router and concentrate on just the two PC configs.

I'm passing familiar with XBMC, but I haven't used it, so I can't say that I know how it operates real well.  I do have a multi-client SD pvr setup though, so I am familiar with the technologies anyways.  That is to say that I can't speak to any specific xbmc issues. 

I'd be interested in seeing the graph of your usage, with the bad area circled (ie: when your were experiencing pixelation or dropouts or what have you) very exactly to see if somehow it took a little longer for that "chunk" to be delivered. 

As an aside, its worth reading a little about vista autotuning? and see if thats affecting you.

I don't think anything I've suggested will be a silver bullet for you, but maybe something I've outlined will lead you to the fact that will lead you to the 'ah ha' moment.  One can hope anyways

good luck

[silvanet]

Just as a point of reference. I have been doing very heavy streaming video wirelessly from  Comcast through my DIR 655 with a Netgear W311B wireless adapter on the receiving computer (approximately thirty-five feet away in another room that has an ATI Sapphire HD 3870 video card connected to my wide screen TV's VGA port. I have seldom had any trouble streaming hours of video and movies. Usually, when the signal has been poor, it is traceable to a problem with the ISP, not my equipment.

[chaicka]

Here is my setup and HD streaming of animes from my server to laptop wirelessly via 655 works fine. Occasionally, pixelize issue if my server is busy with I/O activities (since it runs VMware with 4-5 guests power on).

Server: Intel E6750 (2 cores) with 8GB memory, 5 x 320GB HDDs on RAID5 (for data storage, OS on another set of RAID1), connected to core switch Cisco 2921 at 100Mbps Full Duplex.

Network: DIR-655 connects to core switch Cisco 2924XM at 100Mbps Full Duplex and with multi-VLANs segments, core switch Cisco 2921 connects to core router Cisco 2621 for inter-VLAN routing.

WLAN: 802.11g and 802.11n only mode, WPA2 Only, Channel 11 (static), Auto 20/40MHz.

Client: Dell Latitude with 3945ABG WLAN adapter.

Given the complexity/hops between server to client, the limitation of throughput on 2621, I am still able to get relatively stable HD streaming of anime. However, at times where my server's VM guests are taking up too much I/O activities, slight pixelization occurs. Otherwise, no issue at all. Animes I watch are either HD (13xx X 768) or Full-HD (1920 X 1080).

[silvanet]

Sorry guys, but I'm not the least bit convinced with your analysis of HD streaming with the DIR 655. I'm in Miami, Florida, using Comcast and I've been streaming wireless HD video to my TV for over a year with not the least bit of trouble. Hours and hours of video and movies with none of the skipping your mention. There must be some other reason.

[EddieZ]

Sorry guys, but I'm not the least bit convinced with your analysis of HD streaming with the DIR 655. I'm in Miami, Florida, using Comcast and I've been streaming wireless HD video to my TV for over a year with not the least bit of trouble. Hours and hours of video and movies with none of the skipping your mention. There must be some other reason.

Define "HD streamaing".

720p will work most of the times, but I am yet to see 1080i or 1080p HD streaming without troubles.
There are 1080i/p Hd streams with low bitrates, but the genuine high bitrate HD streams are a challenge even for N.

Editted small typo

[BillyG]

Define "HD streamaing".

700p will work most of the times, but I am yest to see 1080i or 1080p HD streamaing without troubles.
There are 1080i/p Hd dtreams with low bitrates, but the genuine high bitrate HD streams are a cheallenge even for N.

I've never heard of 700P. As a matter of fact, 700P doesn't exist.  Both 720P and 1080i both stream data at 1.5 G/sec. 1080P would be approximately at 3G which this router can't support either. With the use of a codec you can attain HD, but is nowhere near the real standards of HD. Companies like to advertise that they support HD but the fact is they barely support the standard. Todays HD standard is 1080P nothing less. When they say they can support HD they are referring to the old standard of 720P or less. Remember the data rate of uncompressed HD 1080P is 3G. That is 60 full frames per seconds of progressive scanned video, not interlaced or otherwise.
I have this router and it is not as good as it was advertised as. Buyer beware! It still works but...
If you need to stream HD....Real HD... Get the proper hardware.

[silvanet]

HD streaming: I have an ATI Sapphire HD 3870 video card connected via vga port to my Samsung TV. I stream HD video content like movies and YouTube content, often hours long, on my TV from the computer. I have never had the problems you describe...well, correction...I never had them over the past year...I am currently trying to re-configure my wireless network, but I never get any better than 270 MBps now.

[EddieZ]

I think 270 mbps is the max for 2.4 Ghz