[wilco1uk]

Hi

I'm streaming using PS3 media server on my Windows home server to my PS3. I've been getting the stuttering issue and am almost certain its down to the CPU (An Athlon 4850e). I'm using wired gigabit network, and have been through umpteen versions of PS3 media server, and tried loads of settings after spending months reading forums and help topics.

MKV 1080p +DTS always starts stuttering within mins of playing.
MKV 720p +DTS is hit and miss, but rarely plays all the way through without some stuttering.
MKV 1080p + AC3 is usually OK with only an occasional stutter
MKV 720p + AC3 (and DVD / SD) is always fine.
M2ts is always fine

I've started recoding the DTS tracks to AC3 and then remuxing to M2ts but occasionally this results in lip sync issues and I have to start again. The whole process can take 4-5 hrs on a big file.

So I was thinking why not just put a more powerful CPU in there. I'd still like a reasonably energy efficient one (the server is on 24/7) and would like to spend less that £90, so can anyone recommend one that should have enough oomph to transcode the 1080p +DTS MKV's on the fly. Its an AM2+ motherboard btw. Not sure if a faster dual core phenom would be better than a slower triple / quad core.

Thanks in advance.

I should add the wife has bought me an Acer Aspire revo (atom 330 chip) for Xmas, I was toying with the idea of putting XBMC on that and using it as a media centre PC to replace the PS3 for streaming - would that be a better solution, ie can it play streamed mkvs + DTS without the need for transcoding.

[Axum]

To be honest, if media playback is so important to you, which it looks like it is, why not spend the £90 on a dedicated streamer ? Xtreamer/WD TV etc....?

Or you could pre-convert with mkv2vob, especially if you're server is on 24/7.

Or, depending on your net connection, it may be easier to drop MKV's altogether, but that has implications/cost..

Or, you could alter the transcode settings in PS3MS so it's not so intensive.

Or i guess you could try and get a new processor and hope for the best.

You'll always get some stuttering on a 1080p mkv with DTS, and with £90 to spend, i doubt you'll get a processor beefy enough to ensure no stuttering at all...

[wilco1uk]

Thanks for the quick response. The clincher to make me buy the Ps3 over a conventional Blu-ray player was its media streaming capabilities (should have read up more in advance, but hindsight is a wonderful thing )

I have o say that PS3 media server rocks, especially as its free - big thumbs up to the programmer

I have considered an xstreamer, but its more wires and to be honest I'm running out of HDMI sockets in the amp (Sky HD, Oppo 980 DVD and PS3, + potentially the revo)

I've tried lots of transcode settings, also using various codecs, as well as the AVI synth transcoder. The only improvement was reducing transcode settings, but stuttering was still present on the 1080 mkvs although not as bad however there was a noticeable reduction in quality (particularly with regard to colour banding and jaggy edges).

Am I correct in thinking that either XBMC and or Win 7 MCE will play these natively so if I was to use the Revo its just an issue of whether the Revo has the power (I'm assured it does) and whether the network has the bandwidth (its gigabit so it should do).

Is mk2vob any better than Popcorns audio converter + TSMuxer as thats what I'm using at the moment that occasionally results in lip sync issues?

[Axum]

I don't know the chip you're talking about but i think i'm right in saying that if you start introducing a PC into the equation then mostly all streaming issues will disappear due to it's vastly superior codec support. I guess all that it depends on is the quality of the gfx card and that the processor is good enough, because yes, mkv's are natively supported.

I don't know how you "source" your mkv's, and that's probably not a conversation to go into here, but if i was taking it as seriously as you seem to be (in terms of obviously wanting the best playback possible) i'd bypass mkv's altogether, thus ensuring no transcoding or stuttering issues, but that's my personal preference.

But to be honest, it sounds like you've got a solution with your pc replacing your ps3 as the streamer...

[albal]

I use mkv2vob on my WHS (an ex470 with LE-1640 CPU - so not enough power for on the fly transcoding) and it just repacks the video. Sometimes takes only 5 or so minutes, if you opt to transcode DTS and it's present in the stream it will take longer.

mkv2vob remembers the directory paths you were last using so it's a pretty simple to fire it off from time to time.

Alternatively the revo should support all HD Codecs in hardware but personally I prefer to use my PS3 and it's remote for media playback.

[Axum]

Yeah, but you're talking about 720p files i suspect where around 95%+ only require a remux of the sound (to patch the DTS or remux to AC3) and a container change, not 1080p files where 50% or so require a transcode as well as a sound patch, which will take hours on even the most beefy machines...