Stuttering video

[ac3h]

i read through a post in the MAC OS section about this. I had this problem a long time ago and the problem then was the indexing service in windows causing the video to stutter. I re-installed windows less than a week ago and it is stuttering again, but indexing service is off and disabled. The stuttering doesnt happen in a pattern or at a frequent rate, sometimes is stutters constantly for 10 seconds and sometimes only stutters once in 10 mins. The video file is a recorded hdtv avi file, but i have this problem with all video files. All my drivers are up to date and installed.

Comp spec:
3200+ AMD 64
512 RAM ddr400
Winfast mobo (novatech match for processor and ram)
Nvidia geforce 5500 256mb
200gb SATA HD (172gb unused space)
80gb External USB HD (i have tried files on and off this hd problem is still there)
Networked to another computer using ICS (tried with connection switched on and off).

I have tried different graphics settings, installed different codecs (Currently have ACE MeGa codecs pack proffesional edition - if u know of any codecs i should have switched on/off etc...).
Ive tried turning every program off. I have turned off all non essential processes and startup programs in msconfig. My computer is virus free and adware/spyware free.

EDIT: I have just noticed that when in statistics, everytime it stutters it adds to the lost frames. Why am i loosing frames?

I dont have a clue anymore as to what it could be, so any help is appreciated.

[DJ]

Video jitter and or stuttering is generally and audio card problem. Could be drivers or the chip set (card).

[ac3h]

ive checked the audio drivers, i have a realtek AC97 onboard and the SiS controller is up to date as well. Ive tried rool backs on the drivers as well but the problem remains. After more testing i have found that the External hard drive doesnt have the problem, i thought i did but i was downloading at the time of testing(to the external). So it is a hard drive related problem. I have checked the hard drive for anything out of the ordinary and i have found nothing. but any more suggestions are welcomed.

[ac3h]

*bump*
Still have the problem :'(

[DJ]

Have you tried a different audio card? Some on board chip sets just don't control the video well and or take control well. If you shut down DirectX for the audio and still have the problem (Win32 waveOut extensions output) and have updated the driver the chances are good that it's the audio chip set. Could also be a heat related problem as computers do not use PLLs to lock clocks.

For reference only see ReClock on the web.

BTW Audio Stutters and Video Jitters or skips frames. So this post has been a bit confusing anyway.

[ac3h]

Ok well let me tell you this, i did write "the video stutters" so im pretty sure i made it clear. And the audio is onboard and its not the audio card. Im sorry i didnt say 'jitter' but im sure i still made it clear. But that doesnt matter anyway, because the audio stutters and the video jitters and everything stops. I was very descriptive, i even used the words skips frames.

[DJ]

And I took this into account as most people are not very clear or descriptive. In any event the answer is the same.

[ac3h]

i tried putting a sound card in and it didnt make a difference, i also checked the temp of my comp and it was no where near a problem level. Im still confused why it only happens on one of my hard drives. but i will keep trying to see if changing different audio settings solves anything.

[DJ]

i tried putting a sound card in and it didnt make a difference, i also checked the temp of my comp and it was no where near a problem level. Im still confused why it only happens on one of my hard drives. but i will keep trying to see if changing different audio settings solves anything.

It only happens on one of the hard drives?? Why didn't you say so before?? Ah! you did and I didn't see it! Check that the DMA is proper for all your drives. I just said the the audio card is the most common problem not the only problem. It is a system timing issue where clocks are not locking properly or locking in the wrong place.

[davbren]

I have a similar problem, how do i check the DMA settings and if that isn't the problem then what is?

[DJ]

It rather depends on which Windows operating system. In XP it is in the controllers section of system, hardware, device manager.

http://www.digital-digest.com/dvd/artic ... ide6a.html
DVD Drive setup

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/817472/en-us
Possible mode problem for drives.

[ac3h]

ok my DVD drive is using DMA Ultra mode 6 and my HD is using DMA Ultra mode 2. So they both seem to be using DMA.

[DJ]

Really there is nothing else that should effect where the video exists and or plays from except perhaps the pinning if the drive and or the position in relationship to optical drives. For example: IDE in most machines these days have 2 ports that support 4 drives. The main hard drive is most generally on the Primary port as device 0 and the connector used should be at the end of the cable. Many drives will be pined as Master only or no slave present. When a second hard drive is added it should be under the first hard drive, using the primary port, device 1 and in many cases both hard drives may have to be repined. Hard drive 1 to be a master with slave present and hard drive 2 to be a slave to hard drive 1. The slave drive must use the connector in or near the middle of the cable. Positions of the drives are also a pin selection.

Optical drives should be placed on the secondary port with a burner taking precedence over a reader or the burner as device 0 and is the master on the secondary port. Where as the reader would be device 1 and be the slave. The pinning for these drives is similar to the hard drives as well as there relative positions on the ports cable.

If this exists any differently than what has been described here Windows may recognize the drive in the proper place but it will NOT work correctly. I have seen many errors in this regard causing a myriad of problems for lots of programs. I have even seen errors by so called professionals.

At this juncture, this is the only other possibility I can think of. Also be aware there is no way to check this without taking your computer apart as Windows XP may show this to be correct even when it isn't. I would suggest down loading and printing all the pin outs for the drives before you start and when you finish you will need to check bios to be sure the drives are being recognized properly. Sometime changes need to be made here if the bios is not set to auto recognize the drive. In any event for some bios to update for Windows you must save the settings even if you didn't make changes here.

Now the last time I wrote this for a user (s)he shrugged it off as being to much work that was well over the head. But it is the only way to know and to resolve any issues. Another user came back and said that the machine was built by a major manufacture and couldn't be the problem. Yet this machine had 2 hard drives and 2 optical drives that I know was not installed by the manufacture.

[NosferatuAlucard]

I'm having the same problem. What I don't understand is why my file works in all of the other programs I have and not VLC. It's an .mkv file, and I have a subtitle file that I want to use with it, and none of my other programs can load the subtitle file as far as I know, so I need to use VLC.

The video skips and for some reason the mouse cursor stutters. I dunno. How can it be an audio card problem/other computer problem if the file works in other programs? This is confusing me. I read all of the other topics on this issue and I'm still stuck.

It worked before (a while ago...) with everything I played. Now it doesn't. Sorry if I can't give specifics here and/or I'm missing the big picture/there's a reason for it that someone posted already, I'm computer retarded.

[DJ]

ok my DVD drive is using DMA Ultra mode 6 and my HD is using DMA Ultra mode 2. So they both seem to be using DMA.

I do find this statement interesting in that while Bios will tell you this Windows will not and the first step is finding out if the DMA is turned on in Windows not what the Bios says. But then a gain I did provide references in the way of links to follow.

[ac3h]

Ok, first off, no i found that info in windows not the bios, so im unsure what you mean. the file does work in other programs for me too but it is slow, it doesnt run at the normal frame rate, which is wierd. Its not a mkv, its just a avi. And there are no subs. i will try the directx runtime update as im not sure its 08/06. thats a good suggestion so thatnk you for that. Also DJ My HD is SATA and i only have one SATA connector coming from my PSU so it cant change.

[DJ]

I'm having the same problem. What I don't understand is why my file works in all of the other programs I have and not VLC. It's an .mkv file, and I have a subtitle file that I want to use with it, and none of my other programs can load the subtitle file as far as I know, so I need to use VLC.

The video skips and for some reason the mouse cursor stutters. I dunno. How can it be an audio card problem/other computer problem if the file works in other programs? This is confusing me. I read all of the other topics on this issue and I'm still stuck.

It worked before (a while ago...) with everything I played. Now it doesn't. Sorry if I can't give specifics here and/or I'm missing the big picture/there's a reason for it that someone posted already, I'm computer retarded.

You seem to have some unrelated issues.

1. Your system once worked. Try to erase the preferences directory. C:\Documents and Settings\Owner (this is you)\Application Data\VLC Erase VLC, Application Data is a hidden directory so you will need to make it visible.

2. The problem may be Sub related. Some subs were not made for the video or are lacking the FPS specification and actually cause problems. Try shutting off the subs and or look at Messages for errors and there causes.

3. Also MKVs are capable of HD resolutions that many machines have trouble with, so open your Task Manager and look at CPU usage.

4. If you have recently updated from VLC 0.8.2 or earlier to 0.8.4 or higher you very well may need to update your audio and video drivers. DirectX runtime wouldn't hurt either (8/06 release).

If you have more questions please note here the formats and resolution within the MKV container and if there are any other file types that cause problems. Information for formats can be gained by pressing ctrl i while watching a video and going to the Advanced Information tab.

[DJ]

Ok, first off, no i found that info in windows not the bios, so im unsure what you mean. the file does work in other programs for me too but it is slow, it doesnt run at the normal frame rate, which is wierd. Its not a mkv, its just a avi. And there are no subs. i will try the directx runtime update as im not sure its 08/06. thats a good suggestion so thatnk you for that. Also DJ My HD is SATA and i only have one SATA connector coming from my PSU so it cant change.

I'm not quite sure where you would have found this in Windows. System Information possibly. But this is NOT where you need to look. If you would have read the links it referred you to your control panel, system, hardware, device manager and under controllers (assuming XP) Advanced settings is where you will find the current state of recognition for your drives. System information reports what Bios says the drives are. Not what windows has done to them.

As far as SATA connectors go I don't have one but of those I have seen it still supports a loop through but you may not have one of those cables. The same thing was true for the older ide drives. So if you have a second hard drive or optical disk where are they? And have you checked them?

Also when you say slow in other players what are the formats and video resolution in the container (AVI)? Have you checked your Task Manager for CPU usage?

I truly hope you realize that if you are not having problems with commercial DVDs and or other files or types of files that this file may be the only and sole problem and you are searching for ghosts in your system.

[ac3h]

Ok, your wrong when it comes to the looking in the wrong place. In device manager under controllers and properties it shows the DMA mode. I dont know why you dont have this. Also i havent tried DVD's all the files i have tried at either AVI's or WMV's on the HD. My other HD is an external that connects through USB 2.0. I only have one SATA connector so i can't change that. When i say slow in the other media players, it is only the AVI that is slow. Also there isnt anything in Task manager. i have sat there watching it and when it hits a jitter point in the video nothing special has happened in task manager and the cpu usage isnt anymore than usual. The AVI in question is the same as the other AVI's and its a 624*352 resolution MPEG layer-3, with a bit rate of 132kbps and a frame rate of 23 fps and a data rate of 141kbps. Now these types of files did work before i had to reformat. I am probably missing something obvious. but maybe the reason i had to reformat, which was being unable to load windows. Has made a problem with my HD but it was unable to find anything wrong with the HD when i scanned it.

[p_nochio]

I am not sure if it's the same problem but I noticed an annoying stutter with the latest version of VLC and I was about to search the forum when I noticed this thread.

The stutter that I noticed happens when I pause and then hit play. The transition from pause to play is not as smooth as it used to be in the previous version that I had (0.8.0). I noticed it almost immediately when I upgraded to 0.8.5 and I dug around the menus to see if I was missing anything.

At first, the stutter did not happen all the time so I guessed it might be a timing issue but no matter how long or how short I paused I coulnd't recreate it on a regular basis until I just kept the space bar pressed to make it pause/play continuously. Then the stutter becomes apparent. It feels like someone is shaking the monitor.

I went back a couple of versions until 0.8.2 where the stutter doesn't happen anymore even with the space bar pressed continuously - it just looks like regular, smooth slow motion.

Again, I am not sure if it's the same problem but it's deffinitely a problem. I will stay with version 0.8.2 until there is a fix.