Streaming Help! MP4 Files Stutter When Streamed!

VisibleGuy

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Hi,

When streaming MP4 files to my PS3 they all stutter. I have been streaming videos to my PS3 for some time now inlcuding MKV's remuxed to MPG's and Divx and WMV etc. I have tried these same files on my 360 and they all stream fine.

What I think the problem is is that for some reason the file is being streamed to the PS3 at a higher than needed bitrate. I found this out by using a wireless bandwidth meter which checks how fast my PC is uploading to my PS3 when I am straming videos e.g. when I press select and I am streaming 720p MPG it says 6Mb per second and it also says 6Mb per second on the PC. However, when I am straming MP4 files to the PS3 when it says 1Mb on PS3 it says 10Mb on PC which is probably why it is stuttering as my PC is connected wirelessly and can not handle 10mb. Then streaming the same file to the 360 it says 1Mb on PC while when streaming to PS3 it would say 10Mb. PS3, 360 and PC are all connected wirelessly and I know that there is more than enough bandwidth available as average bitrate is 2Mb.

I have tried PS3 media server and Tversity and same problem on both. The PS3 is on the latest firmware. The same file copied to the PS3's hard drive works flawlessly although I do not want to have to keep doing this so I would appreciate any help guys.

Thanks.

Format : MPEG-4
Format profile : Base Media
Codec ID : isom
File size : 299 MiB
Duration : 23mn 4s
Overall bit rate : 1812 Kbps

Video
Format : AVC
Format/Info : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile : [email protected]
Format settings, CABAC : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames : 8 frames
Codec ID : avc1
Duration : 23mn 4s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 1650 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 8099 Kbps
Width : 1280 pixels
Height : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio : 16/9
Frame rate mode : Constant
Frame rate : 29.970 fps
Colorimetry : 4:2:0
Scan type : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame) : 0.060
Stream size : 272 MiB (91%)
Writing library : x264 core 66 r1093M 1df50b9

Audio
Format : AAC
Format/Info : Advanced Audio Codec
Format version : Version 4
Format profile : LC
Format settings, SBR : No
Codec ID : 67
Duration : 23mn 4s
Bit rate mode : Variable
Bit rate : 157 Kbps
Maximum bit rate : 164 Kbps
Channel(s) : 2 channels
Channel positions : L R
Sampling rate : 48.0 KHz
Resolution : 16 bits
Stream size : 26.0 MiB (9%)
 
1. Burn to DVD (DL if required)
2. Use mkv2vob (if files are mkv/ts) to make files into AVCHD compliant folders, transfer to USB stick or HDD, and play (thus keeping any DTS sound)
3. Transfer file onto USB stick/HDD directly and play off that once connected to PS3
4. Buy some homeplugs to increase your available bandwidth.
5. Wire the PS3.
6. Get lower-bitrate versions.

Pick one of the above...
 
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1. Burn to DVD (DL if required)
2. Use mkv2vob (if files are mkv/ts) to make files into AVCHD compliant folders, transfer to USB stick or HDD, and play (thus keeping any DTS sound)
3. Transfer file onto USB stick/HDD directly and play off that once connected to PS3
4. Buy some homeplugs to increase your available bandwidth.
5. Wire the PS3.
6. Get lower-bitrate versions.

Pick one of the above...

Is there really no other option as I have more than enough bandwidth to stream this file and I usually stream 720p movies perfectly fine. It is only MP4 container files that stutter and not MP4 files in a MPG container.

I have also read up and apparently 2.20 broke MP4 streaming for a lot of people, do you thnk that this is why it is stuttering?
 
Maybe, i seem to remember some people complaining about having to stop and start playback or something to get their sound working correctly.

If you have more than enough bandwidth then i'd ignore all my options :)
 
I have exactly the same trouble, and always have.

I have used Tversity, MediaTomb, FreeNas, WMP and now PS3 MediaServer. All MP4 files stutter badly when streamed to the PS3 on all of the above.

I have copied some to the PS3 direct and they play 100% OK. All other media types work fine streaming, MPG, AVI, VOB, VIDEO_TS etc. Only MP4 suffers!

I dont want to copy all the MP4s to the PS3 HDD as there is around 13gb so far, and i just cant be bothered copying them to USB HDD then copying them to PS3. Nor can i be bothered to convert them to a different format.

I presume its something to do with the PS3 firmware, as i have also read that the 2.2 update broke mp4 streaming for lots of people. I hope that Sony fix this in the next firmware release, but dont hold my breath.

Cant be a bandwidth issue, as all other media is a-OK.

tl;dr Me too.
 
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I may or may not have just had a breakthrough!

Was flicking through the PS3 system settings and noticed "Enable ATRAC". Didnt know what it was so clicked it, ATRAC enabled. Thought i'd try playing one of my MP4 files and lo and behold it played without stutter!

Can't test any others at the moment as i havent shared off the folder they are all in, but it worked on the one i tested which didnt work previously.

Can anyone else test to confirm this helps?

:smashin:
 
Ignore me, just shared off my mp4 folder and they all still stutter. Seems that the one i tested it on before doesnt stutter as much unless you try to skip through. Balls.
 
I've reported similar issues with x.264 mp4 encodes of DVD's done with handbrake. They work fine locally on the PS3 HDD.

The bitrate is 2.5Mbps but I see network usage of 25Mbps. If I encode them with web optimized enabled the stutter normally goes away but I still see higher network throughput than is required?!

HD movies I have transcoded using mk2vob with High Bitrates of 10-20Mbps work fine, and only use the correct amount of bandwidth on the network.
 
What I think the problem is is that for some reason the file is being streamed to the PS3 at a higher than needed bitrate. I found this out by using a wireless bandwidth meter

Can't really help with your problem I am afraid. :(

Could you tell me which wireless bandwitdh monitor you use on the PC though please?

Thanks

The bitrate is 2.5Mbps but I see network usage of 25Mbps. If I encode them with web optimized enabled the stutter normally goes away but I still see higher network throughput than is required?!

Hmm, could it be wireless errors and resending the data although to be honest 10x seems a bit excessive for that, is the meter reporting correctly?
 
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Can't really help with your problem I am afraid. :(

Could you tell me which wireless bandwitdh monitor you use on the PC though please?

Thanks



Hmm, could it be wireless errors and resending the data although to be honest 10x seems a bit excessive for that, is the meter reporting correctly?

It's a wired connection and I'm using iftop on a mac.
 
Reading up online and it seems that 2.20 broke MP4 streaming for a lot of people. It seems that it is up to Sony to release an update to fix it now.
 
Reading up online and it seems that 2.20 broke MP4 streaming for a lot of people. It seems that it is up to Sony to release an update to fix it now.

Yeah I can confirm this. My mp4s have never worked since 2.20. I've tried them at every new PS3 update and still no joy.
 
My conclusion is indeed, that the PS3 player has a bug.

And yes, after eliminating other possiblities:

  • IP connection (wireless / wired), bandwidth, latency
  • Media server, type, configuration
  • MP4 file itself
Observations:

  • The stutter starts at 3 minutes at 6Mb/s avarage -> 128 Mbyte of data.
  • Starts with video only, audio fails tens of seconds later.
  • At the moment the stutter starts, the displayed bitrates on the PS3 triples.
  • Shown Bitrate Media Server is 6 Mbs; on the PS3 17Mbs (see attachments
Has Sony Playstation been made aware of this bug? What was their reaction?
 

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Has this been fixed in the latest firmware?
 
Thats not the answer though... Yes there are other formats you can use that will play as they should. But sony market it as a media player that can play mp4's, this was true and is now not... so they've obviously broken something.

I have over 100 of my dvd's ripped to mp4 (im pretty sure other people have way more than me), and I refuse to go through again converting them to a format just because sony cant fix something.

I tested it last night, and it's still broken which just means my ps3 will gather dust until sony can sort it I guess.
 
Just avoid MP4. there are plenty of other formats that are so much better that are well supported by the PS3.

Problem is that this also affects xvids too. See attached for the bandwidth used by both a x264 .mp4 run from 15:30-17:30 and a xvid .avi run from 21:00-21:50.

.m2ts and .mpg files work correctly, using only the bandwidth shown by the PS3.

Very disappointed v3.00 didn't fix this. :mad:
 

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Problem is that this also affects xvids too. See attached for the bandwidth used by both a x264 .mp4 run from 15:30-17:30 and a xvid .avi run from 21:00-21:50.

.m2ts and .mpg files work correctly, using only the bandwidth shown by the PS3.

Very disappointed v3.00 didn't fix this. :mad:

I never get stuttering on Xvid avi's using wired.
 
I never get stuttering on Xvid avi's using wired.

I only rarely get stuttering on mp4's and never on xvids. However, both of them use considerably more bandwidth than they used to. I have 2 PS3s and used to be able to stream to both of them simultaneously over my homeplug network. My homeplug network gives about 30Mb/s bandwidth so simultaneous streaming is no longer possible :(

Just wish they'd fix it. Native MKV support would be nice too but we can live in hope...
 
I've found a workaround for this.

If you stream your media with ps3 media server, you can force it to transcode mp4s and it plays flawlessly even at high bitrates (this does, however, use some processor power). In the "transcoding settings" tab, under "misc options" type "mp4" in the box beside "force transcode for following extensions".

Should be fixed.
 
Sorry to "p1ss on your first post" as it were, but that's kinda old news, it's all in the new Media Guide now, widely known that PS3MS is capable of sorting most unplayable formats...

No worries. Just figured I'd document it, as google hits this thread when you search "mp4s stutter when streamed".
 

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