Problem with playing a few ripped HD-DVD's over GB network

[roog]

did you play the movie all the way thru? it only freezes at about 10 mins into the movie

I'm happy to see that you seem to have solved the problem already. I don't think anyone should buy Vista Ultimate unless they need the file encryption.

Just to let you know, I went back and tested King Kong, Happy Gilmore, and Batman Begins using both an XP and a Vista Premium server streaming to a Vista Premium client and I played the files for 15 minutes.

Initially I was doing a massive file copy from the XP server to the Vista client at the same time I was trying to play the files. This caused the playback from both servers to stutter occasionally.

After the copy was complete, I tested again and everything worked fine with no stutters.

In previous testing, I have been able to play 3 standard DVD streams from an XP server without stutter. I haben't tried 2 simultaneous HD streams yet.

FYI, I am using D-Link Gigabit routers and switches.

 

[colinhunt]

I'm using D-Link Gbit switches as well. My PCs are Core 2 Duo based with 2 gigs of RAM each and equipped with Nvidia 7900 display cards. Using updated PDVD 7.3 every single HD DVD rip I've tried stutters so badly they're unwatchable. The RAID arrays I use are able to stream over 15MB/s (that's megabytes, not bits) over CIFS/SMB.

 

[roog]

I'm using D-Link Gbit switches as well. My PCs are Core 2 Duo based with 2 gigs of RAM each and equipped with Nvidia 7900 display cards. Using updated PDVD 7.3 every single HD DVD rip I've tried stutters so badly they're unwatchable. The RAID arrays I use are able to stream over 15MB/s (that's megabytes, not bits) over CIFS/SMB.

Your setup is very much like mine except that I am using ATI 1950s.

Have you mapped the server drives to the client pc?

After that, to play the title, you need to use the PowerDVD 7.3 "Open movie file on hard disk drive" option to select the mapped server drive and movie folder.

If this doesn't help give me more info about your setup.

 

[colinhunt]

Have you mapped the server drives to the client pc?

Yes.

After that, to play the title, you need to use the PowerDVD 7.3 "Open movie file on hard disk drive" option to select the mapped server drive and movie folder.

Tried that way every time.

If this doesn't help give me more info about your setup.

Files reside on Infrant ReadyNAS NV+ and on a 3ware-based RAID array on a Windows XP64 server. Both are capable of streaming bitrates far above the requirements of Blu-ray and HD DVD.

 

[bachuka]

what core 2 duo do you have? what 7900 do you have, gs/ gt? try hitting ctrl alt del while watching the movie and see how much cpu utilization you have, while watching over the network it takes up a little more cpu power

 

[colinhunt]

while watching over the network it takes up a little more cpu power

Good point. The C2D in my primary playback PC is a slightly overclocked E6400. Display card in that PC is actually a 7950GT. Playback from HD DVD and HDD uses well below 50% with Hardware acceleration switched on in PDVD. I don't think cpu load is the problem here, but I'll check performance manager the next time I test playback over LAN.

 

[roog]

Yes.


Tried that way every time.


Files reside on Infrant ReadyNAS NV+ and on a 3ware-based RAID array on a Windows XP64 server. Both are capable of streaming bitrates far above the requirements of Blu-ray and HD DVD.

Are any other computers connected to your network that might be generating traffic?

Are any other programs running on the server or client that are using a significant amount of CPU and memory or generating traffic?

Also, how many switches and routers are connected between the server and the client?

If there are more than one, can you connect the server and client to the same switch for testing?

 

[colinhunt]

Are any other computers connected to your network that might be generating traffic?

Of course, but the traffic generated is usually below 10% of the bandwidth Gbit switches can deliver. Plenty of overhead there.

Are any other programs running on the server or client that are using a significant amount of CPU and memory or generating traffic?

Client, no. XP64 server is running Slimserver, but it's using miniscule amounts of mem and cpu. The load it generates is usually displayed as zero.

Also, how many switches and routers are connected between the server and the client?

One switch. Client, server and NAS box are all connected to it.

 

[roog]

Of course, but the traffic generated is usually below 10% of the bandwidth Gbit switches can deliver. Plenty of overhead there.


Client, no. XP64 server is running Slimserver, but it's using miniscule amounts of mem and cpu. The load it generates is usually displayed as zero.


One switch. Client, server and NAS box are all connected to it.

Have you disconnected the other clients and tried it?

Also can you try to use one of the other clients as a server?

 

[colinhunt]

I tried pretty much everything I could think of, but HD DVD playback just stutters over LAN. Then I purchased Nero Reloaded and the HD DVD/BD plugin. (The BD plugin doesn't actually work yet!) Started Showtime, selected "Play files from folder..." and hey presto, stutter free playback over LAN.

 

[roog]

I tried pretty much everything I could think of, but HD DVD playback just stutters over LAN. Then I purchased Nero Reloaded and the HD DVD/BD plugin. (The BD plugin doesn't actually work yet!) Started Showtime, selected "Play files from folder..." and hey presto, stutter free playback over LAN.

Perplexing isn't it. It must be a PowerDVD/NVidia problem. I have the opposite problem from you though, PowerDVD works fine for me across my network, but the Nero Showtime plugin doesn't work at all with my ATI video cards.