MKV Full HD Stutter

[#1]

I only refer to blu-ray’s (full HD). I only rip via mkv.remux , or m2ts passthrough (IE no compression / re-encode),  to maintain the best possible quality with no compromise. I never re-encode in any way preserving the original AVC or VC-1 transfer. I only play via a WD HDD directly connected via USB.

I prefer ripping to MKV as the WD media player (current & previous devices) is smoother to FF, or RW a MKV, & additionally I have more success when forced subs are required in the rip (ripping just the forced subs to external file) with MKV.

For some time now I have noticed some (normally minor) skipping, or stutter when watching some MKV’s. This is not a regular timed event (not a frame mismatch), & just intermittent, dependant on the scene in the transfer. I think I mostly see it on VC-1, & I read this can happen if the bit rate is too high.

My friend has this exact same issue too hence it occurs on his set up & mine which totally differ (IE we have different TV’s, & rip via different computers, & view via our own separate HDD’s whicj are USB connected. We both have our media library function disabled. Naturally he has WD media players too (including New Live).

Following are some facts I have noticed-

1/ MKV stutter occurs on new WD Live on latest firmware (again, only minor, dependant on the scene & only on some rips)

2/ If I rip to m2ts stutter does not occur

3/ MKV stutter WILL NOT occur on Old WD live on FW 1.04.17 & all earlier firmware’s

4/ Similar point to above, but MKV stutter WILL NOT occur on older WD HD TV player

5/ Interestingly, or coincidentally, this issue started when WD FW introduced “auto, match FPS”

6/ MKV stutter WILL NOT occur via my Seagate GoFlex media player (Realtek chipset)

7/ as a test I ripped a VC-1 blu-ray to MKV H.264 (which is very time consuming compared to straight MKV remux) & this fixed the stutter.

 I will not pretend to know half as much as most people on these forums. But points 1 to 7 are known facts to me (& validated by a second “tester”). And, I only raise this as WD Old Live 1.04.17 & prior was fine. This minor bug has just crept in with 1.04.22 (old Live), & still remains in New Live player on latest firmware, still today.

QUESTION – Are WD aware of this?? Can it be rectified considering earlier firmware’s / devices were immune to this ?? 

Many thanks, Wayne.

Extra Info As Requested -

Which Firmware??    WD TV Live Streaming 1.01.43 & 1.03.10. WD Live (old) all firmware from 1.04.22 to current (IE all firmware including & before 1.04.17 there is no fault)

What Happened??   minor stutter when playing some full HD MKV. Explained in more detail as above.

What Were You Doing??   Watching full HD MKV

Does This Happen Every Time??   Yes on the same files, but only effects some MKV rips (assume depending AVC vs VC-1, & the bit rate) - but only talking main stream popular blu-ray releases that i have personally purchase then ripped to the HDD

What Harware & Media Were You Using??   WD Live Streaming Player. WD  Elements 2TB HDD, USB connected. Problem also validated by my friend with same issue at different location. I have 10 different 2TB WD HDD's, all the same....

Did This Happen With Previous Firmware??   Yes on some, no on others IE  WD Live Streaming both 1.01.43 & 1.03.10. And, FYI on WD Live (old) all firmware from & inc 1.04.22 (on Old Live, 1.04.17 & earlier  do not have this issue)

Does Power Cycling the unit solve this??   No

Does resetting to factory defaults solve this??  No

Have you tried this on other devices??   Yes. I have no problmen with the Old Live on firmware 1.04.17 & earlier. Problem started on Old Live player on 1.04.22 & has remained even now in New Live Streaming player. Note - older WD HD TV has no problem either (1.01.77) Also please note Seagate GoFlex media player does not have this same problem either.

[#2]

Please edit your post to add the missing information while adhering to the specified guidelines on the right panel in order for this issue to proceed from "New" to "In Review".

This Issue shall remain frozen until this has been done.

Regards,

Trancer.

[#3]

Issue Report submitted.

[#4]

deleted

[#5]

After further testing I now believe it is only full HD MKV files with a VC-1 video stream that will micro stutter. I believe bit rate is irrelevant in this issue (after testing smaller & larger bit rate VC-1 MKV’s). Note, i only have 1080P MKV's so can not comment on lower resolution transfers.

I believe this is a WD issue as –

1/ Old Live did not have this issue on & before 1.04.17 (& does since 1.04.22, as does New Live)

2/ Seagate GoFlex does not have this issue

3/ I have verified this same issue via a 3rd party with his New Live with his separately ripped movies on his own different set up to mine

4/ When I remux a VC-1 blu-ray to a H.264 (MKV) micro stutter disappears

[#6]

Thankfully someone else has seen the same issue as I have!

I've been testing this for a while and have found that the MKV stuttering occurs after 1.02 on the WDTV Live firmware. I thought it was the autores that caused this but apparently not. Remuxing the problem MKVs to TS using TSMuxer fixes the stuttering. I'm testing these all at 24p (23.976) on a Panasonic Projector and LG TV.

I'm wondering if this started happening when the changes to support MKV header compression were implemented after 1.02? I've found this stuttering on any MKV x264/h264, low bitrate & high bitrate, 720p&1080p - they are all L4.1 compliant. A good test is the opening scene of Return of the Sith due to the smooth panning and lots of action.

I was hoping that the WDTV Live Streaming would fix this issue, but the problem is still there.

[#7]

Hi blinketyblank, please click on the arrow & give this issue a vote. More votes (if any) more weight added to issue....... Wayne.

[#8]

Hi, I have this problem with all my mkv files working in 24 hz mode (x264/h264). Random stuttering every few minutes of less than one second.

That happens in WD tv live and WD tv live streaming and doesn't happens in other players (XBMC, Samsung media play ...)

[#9]

I hade stutering in many different files. Both 720p and 1080p. If i turn om the WLAN connection it dissapears. I don't know why.

[#10]

I got very bad stutter/pause, and fixed it by turning Network Share Server to 'Off'. Steve W

[#11]

Have the same problem with my 1080p mkv...

Read from shared folder (Samba) on my "WD MyBook World Ed." through LAN (gigabit network so not a bandwith issue).