CPU utilization at 100% for post-1.2 versions of the firmware. Buffering every minute or so conincides with CPU maxig out.

Michael Rose added a comment - 23/Oct/11 3:11 AM - edited I have not observed similar buffering on 1:1 blu-ray .mkv, but have not specifically tested with higher bitrate mkv files. What I have observed is that I cannot play files back without buffering that are > 45Mbps from these constant bitrate files using SMB. Similar CPU utilization as observed above. https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B4ntknOqXQN6YTdjYzlkMGUtOGY2Yy00ZmIzLThmZWMtMzM5ZDFmZjAzMmNm&hl=en_US This was true from either source below Environment: unRAID server--->D-Link DGS-2205---->Boxee Box and Synology DS-210j---->D-Link DGS-2205---->Boxee Box unRAID - Asus M4A785-M, Sempron 140, 4GB Ram Also have a Asus RT-N56U connected to the D-Link DGS-2205. Edit: Tested with higher bitrate mkv files, and observed the same buffering.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 23/Oct/11 4:54 AM Mike and Michael, Please attach a Debug log to this issue. Settings > System > Debug > Debug Level = Debug ReStart Boxee, and after experiencing the problem, close Boxee and attach your log file to the bug. DEBUG log slows down the performance. so afterward, switch the log level back to NONE Boxee Box log may be found at * http://boxeebox:8080/ under 'Boxee Logs', click on the "Get latest " link. (*boxeebox =ip address of the box) more information at http://support.boxee.tv/entries/329278-i-ve-been-asked-by-boxee-support-to-send-debug-logs-how-do-i-do-that

Michael Rose added a comment - 23/Oct/11 5:23 AM Buffering with 45 Mbps and up.

Michael Rose added a comment - 23/Oct/11 5:23 AM Added log. Noted that buffering occurred with "DEBUG" enabled @ 45 Mbps.

Mike Scattergood added a comment - 23/Oct/11 10:50 PM Added log. Yesterday I went ahead and dropped a cat6 cable to the Boxee Box and now the buffering seems to be gone. The CPU is still maxing at about 99.8% at about 33mb/s, but I am not experiencing any performance degradation. Any idea why the CPU utilization is so much higher in the newer versions of the firmware? As I posted above the pre-1.2 versions only show about 70% utilization for the same scenes in the same movie. If you are not seeing anything in particular in the logs I will revert back to the powerline adapters for connectivity. This of course would lead me to believe at least part of the issue may be bandwidth related, but my powerline tool shows available bandwidth of greater than 150mb/s. I can also copy files at a sustained rate of at least 12-13MB per second, which would indicate the powerline utility is probably a little off, but 12-13MBs per second should be sufficient for 1080p video.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 24/Oct/11 8:53 AM @Michael, can you please upload the mpg files to boxee ftp server? upload the files to the "incoming" directory at ftp://ftp.boxee.tv user: dropbox pass: swA4EQAt Before uploading, Rename the file to include the issue number in its file name. This is a write only FTP, and other people will not see your files. You can use the FTP client from http://filezilla-project.org/

Michael Rose added a comment - 24/Oct/11 9:05 AM I'll upload when I get home. Just a note, these files are provided to me by Synology to test their NAS.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 24/Oct/11 9:07 AM we can also test them using a synology NAS, thanks for the help :)

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 25/Oct/11 6:39 AM Michael, can you please re-upload mire+txt_25Mb_11540.mpg again? the file is corrupted. thanks

Michael Rose added a comment - 25/Oct/11 8:34 AM - edited No problem. Last night, Filezilla kept sending an error after completion of each upload. Then I let it attempt only the 25Mb upload overnight, then I cancelled the 25Mb halfway through this morning -before realizing that the error was likely because the directory was "write only". Were the other files ok?

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 25/Oct/11 9:05 AM yes, the other files are ok, thanks a lot Michael :)

Tomas Eriksson added a comment - 31/Oct/11 6:27 AM - edited Any progress here? I have a handfull of movies that plays just fine on 1.1.x but stutters and max out the cpu on 1.2 (on the boxee box). Im playing files locally of a usb-harddrive.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 31/Oct/11 6:42 AM @Tomas, do you still experience this issue with the latest boxee version? http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=45670

Michael Rose added a comment - 31/Oct/11 12:35 PM Ami...I'm observing similar results with the latest. I'll post new logs.

mrjohnyblaze added a comment - 31/Oct/11 2:17 PM - edited I am experiencing the same. Extreme buffering on all 1.2 releases with >25Mbps 1080p mkv files via SMB wired. No problems with 1.1 releases.

Michael Rose added a comment - 07/Nov/11 6:54 PM - edited Latest fw 1.2.2.20482 debug log Buffered @50mbps <wired/Synology/DGS-2205 switch> Edit: noticed my debug log didn't include the root-boxee.log file. Will fix later.

Michael Rose added a comment - 12/Nov/11 10:19 AM Added new log. Ran files from unRAID and Synology with similar results. Added screen shot from Syno displaying network traffic and CPU% of the server during playback.

Michael Rose added a comment - 12/Nov/11 10:39 AM - edited Also....during playback of Star Wars: A New Hope.2011 blu ray (1:1 rip of disc), if I selected "info" from the remote, the audio would begin to dropout. Once I deselected "info", audio playback resumed as normal. Note vq% and CPU%.

Michael Rose added a comment - 14/Nov/11 8:07 AM While watching "The Tree of Life"; significant buffering; combined with the fact that it was a terrible movie. I shut it off. :-/ I have NFS available, but would prefer just to use SMB.

Eric Brenner added a comment - 14/Nov/11 8:17 AM Same issue watching mkv files greater than 30mbps or so. I will try to attach a log file later this evening. Using D link dir 655, gigabit from a usb 2.0 hard drive connected to a win 7 machine.

Michael Rose added a comment - 14/Nov/11 9:41 AM I believe we have provided enough information to have this issue moved from "support", but if not let me know what else you need.

Christian Knutsson added a comment - 16/Nov/11 6:03 PM I can confirm that I have the same issue as well. My source is a Synology DS212j. While I'm not sure about the bitrate of the files I've tried, it happens every few minutes on some 720p files I'm currently watching and more often on a 1080p bdrip of Final Fantasy Advent Children Complete. Note that 1.1 versions were the only ones that consistently worked with that same file without any buffering.

Christoph Hagemeier added a comment - 22/Nov/11 6:46 AM I can confirm this issue as well.

Christian Knutsson added a comment - 01/Dec/11 1:10 PM Having done further testing with various files and setups, I can now verify that this occurs very frequently with high-bitrate material even on a Cat5e connection from Boxee Box > Router > DS212j NAS using NFS. Basically the connection between the Box and the source can't get any faster than this and it's still re-buffering every other minute on 1080p material. How is this still not assigned to anyone?

Eric Vallee added a comment - 13/Dec/11 8:38 PM Is it me or did the last firmware update say something about resolving issues for network streamers...seems to have done the exact opposite. Hey Boxee, why haven't you roled back this release??

juice juice added a comment - 21/Dec/11 2:34 PM I'm also seeing this issue. Playing files that worked great on previous firmwares now seem to be dropping frames and appear choppy. Sound is fine however. over a month now and this issue is not yet assigned. Does the boxee team plan to look into this?

Michael Rose added a comment - 06/Jan/12 8:17 AM Assigned on this ticket: http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-11913

Peter Lewis added a comment - 06/Jan/12 9:00 AM I also have this problem. My boxees are connected view a Powerline (200Mbps) system, and prior to the latest FW release I never had any problems, but now I get this one all boxees that are connected via Powerline but not on the Boxee that is connected directly into the same switch as the NAS (I'm using SMB). At first I was noticing it with new media so i thought I was perhaps maxing out the powerline bandwidth, however over time we have been noticing this on older media which used to play perfectly well. Its definitely an issue with the FW update. I also can see the CPU level creeping up to 99% when this happens. If its not a bandwidth issue however, I do not understand why the locally connected Boxee is fine. Is it just that this Boxee can recover better from the problem so that combined with an internal buffer (which I presume Boxee has) we do not see any disruption to the video playback? ...Peter

Peter Lewis added a comment - 06/Jan/12 9:00 AM I also have this problem. My boxees are connected view a Powerline (200Mbps) system, and prior to the latest FW release I never had any problems, but now I get this one all boxees that are connected via Powerline but not on the Boxee that is connected directly into the same switch as the NAS (I'm using SMB). At first I was noticing it with new media so i thought I was perhaps maxing out the powerline bandwidth, however over time we have been noticing this on older media which used to play perfectly well. Its definitely an issue with the FW update. I also can see the CPU level creeping up to 99% when this happens. If its not a bandwidth issue however, I do not understand why the locally connected Boxee is fine. Is it just that this Boxee can recover better from the problem so that combined with an internal buffer (which I presume Boxee has) we do not see any disruption to the video playback? ...Peter

Josh Wells added a comment - 08/Jan/12 11:24 PM - edited I just wanted to comment on this as well. Throughout my own troubleshooting here is what I've come up with. I have 2 Boxees. 1 connected via HomePlug AV powerline networking (~100mbps), 1 wired to a gigabit switch. Anything 1.2 or later buffers like crazy on high-bitrate MKVs or BD ISOs. Any standard 2 hr movie over 15GB in size buffers like crazy on either box. CPU usage is always near maxed during movies, and just sitting at the UI. 1.1.3.19252 is the best release I've had luck with. I have even tried the 1.5 beta from Jan 6. 1.1.3 is the fastest responsive when it comes to the UI. I don't get buffer on either box with this firmware, even on BD's 40GB in size. CPU never goes crazy like newer releases. It seems like with each release, features get better, but the optimization of the software gets worse. Is there any resolution of this or ticket http://jira.boxee.tv/browse/BOXEE-11034 coming with the new 1.5 software? Edit: I have been using NFS because it's better than SMB. Unfortunately it still hasn't solved my issues with 1.2 or newer firmware.

digg added a comment - 09/Jan/12 2:02 PM I just updated to 1.5 beta and this is still occurring. My boxee box is connected via wired ethernet. When i copy the files to a usb drive and conenct it they play fine, well besides for the DTS-HD hdmi bug they are fine. Any updates on when this will be fixed?

Andy snider added a comment - 11/Jan/12 10:41 AM If you check the attached screenshot, the fps is 24.39. I've noticed the issue when the fps jumps from 23.8 (or 23.9) to ~24.4. Once the jump occurs, buffering occurs within 1 second, sometimes immediately. My CPU usage isn't as high though (70-75% consistently). for those seeing the issue, downgrade to 1.1.2.19250 so that you can at least watch movies. Vote/watch BOXEE-11913 to reinforce the severity of this issue.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 11/Jan/12 10:49 AM guys, please try using this version http://forums.boxee.tv/showthread.php?t=51098 and also, try not to use the DEBUG level to see the CPU status (you can see it when playing video and typing "i" in the keyboard). the DEBUG level slows down the boxeebox performance. thanks

mrjohnyblaze added a comment - 11/Jan/12 12:16 PM The problem is not resolved in 1.5.0.23422. It seems like the buffer cache size is too small to be able to handle sustained high bitrate spikes along with SMB performance being degraded since v1.2.x. A few seconds worth of extra cache capacity could help, but the real problem seems to be with the efficiency at keeping the cache full. Firmware v1.1.3 and older still provide superior SMB performance and no buffering is experienced.

digg added a comment - 11/Jan/12 2:10 PM - edited @Ami, i tried 1.5 without debug mode and the issue is still there.

Ami Ben-David [Boxee] added a comment - 12/Jan/12 3:33 AM - edited Thanks for the information, this is the same issue as BOXEE-11034 . please comment and vote on the linked issue.