Stuttering and audio sync problems with MPEG2's - RESOLVED!

[MediaHome]

I am a new Echo owner and am pretty happy with it except for movie playback. I have some MPEG2 movies that were processed by VideoReDo and I have problems with stuttering, dropped frames and bad audio sync problems. These movies play fine on the MCE server and on an Xbox extender. How can the Echo have problems with simple MPEG2 content?

The move spec's according to VideoReDo are:

File Size: 6856230912 ( 6.39 GB )
Program Duration: 01:47:42.09
File Type: PS - MPEG2
Encoding: MPEG2
Video stream Id: xE0
Encoding Dimensions: 720 x 480
Display Size: 720 x 480
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Frame Rate: 29.97 FPS
Bit Rate: 9.800 Mbps
VBV_Buffer: 224 KB
Profile: Main@Main
Progressive: Prog or Int
Chroma: 4:2:0
Audio Format: 5.1
Audio Stream Id: AC3: 0 (x80)
Audio Bit Rate: 448 Kbps
Audio Sampling Rate: 48000 Hz
TS Mux Rate (bps): -1

Can anyone suggest a solution to this problem? I hate to think that the Echo is just inherently bad at playing a simple MPEG2 video file.

Mediahome

[Sammy2]

This looks to be interlaced content, no?

What f/w are your using?

Have you installed the settings app?

What do you have the audio and video output set to on the echo?

What is your HTPC specs? What about your network specs? What is your echo connected to? (AVR and TV Make and model). You can put this in your profile so that appears over on the left side so you only have to do it once.

I suggest trying it with bitstreaming off and with the video set to 480p to begin with.

[MediaHome]

The content is generated using DVDFAB by doing a DVD Copy - Main Movie. This results in a half dozen or so VOB's. VideoReDo is then used to QuickSteam Fix them into a single .mpg file. No other adjustments are made along the way.

The Echo is running 2013.211.1642 firmware.

The settings app is installed and settings are normally HDMI audio with Dolby Digital AC-3 streaming turned on. Video is set to NTSC 720p to match the display. Setting this to 480p with bitstreaming off does not improve the symptoms.

The specs are added to my profile. Both the XBOX and the Echo are connected to the Denon and JVC using HDMI. These devices are connected to a Gig Ethernet wired network. Brand new ASUS GX-D1081switches are in the cabinets with the extenders downstairs and with the HTPC upstairs. The content is stored on a WHS with a HighPoint hardware based RAID 5 array that resides in my office. The main Ethernet switch tying this all together is a brand new ZyXel GS1100-16 in my office.

This is really driving me nuts. The same content, from the same server, across the same network to two extenders connected to the same Denon receiver and TV. The XBOX plays the content just fine. The Echo playback is so bad that it is unusable. I have even tried swapping the extenders on the AVR inputs. Still, it is the Echo that cannot play the content. It really points to the Echo device.

[Sammy2]

There is a new f/w out today. IDK if it will fix your issue but download it and install it then report back. Also verify the NIC drivers for the HTPC and search here for appropriate router settings.

[MediaHome]

Updated to the latest firmware and it did not improve the symptoms.

Have already confirmed that all drivers are up to date on both the WHS and HTPC.

This is a LAN node to LAN node conversation so the router to the Internet is not involved.

It would sure be helpful to know if anyone out there can successfully play similar MPEG files on the Echo.

anyone?

[Sammy2]

I successfully play them every single day via LiveTV and RecordedTV in *.wtv container.

In what container is the MPEG2 file you are trying to play?

[MediaHome]

Not entirely sure how to answer that. It is a .mpg file created by VideoReDo when running QuickStream Fix on a set of VOB files. VideoReDo says that the file type is PS - MPEG2.

Does that answer your question?

[Sammy2]

Okay. MPEG-PS (Program Stream). That is DVD program. The echo shouldn't have an issue with it. Mine doesn't but I don't have a lot of content in that container. I use mkv almost exclusively.

[MediaHome]

Yes, pretty much a DVD saved as a .mpg file. It is good to know that you can play such files on the Echo. I gave Ceton a clip of a movie that consistently plays with the audio out of sync. It will be interesting to hear back from them as to whether it is the content or the player that is the source of the problem.

[MediaHome]

Ceton staff has confirmed that the Ecco has a problem with audio sync when playing such files. Hopefully we will see a fix in the next firmware release.

Mediahome

[MediaHome]

The 3/20 release appears to have resolved the audio sync problem. There is still an anomaly where the video and audio stutter and stop for a few seconds and then it starts up again. This seems to occur once per movie and it occurs within the first couple of minutes of starting up the movie. Audio and video are still in sync after the stuttering clears up.

Does anyone else experience this occasional stutter and stop problem?

Mediahome

[mldenison]

I'm in the process of converting a number of videos in various formats to mpg, which the Echo almost handles correctly. The video is fine however, the audio is out of sync by a second or two.

All play fine in WMC on my HTPC.

Any ideas about getting a correct audio/video sync?