Assassin's Simple/Beginner HTPC Buying Guide - Page 492

Try running one of the files thru handbrake and see if it works then.

Anything specific I need to do with handbrake? I've heard of it but since I've never needed it I don't know exactly what it does.

Thanks for the reply

Nope plus there is info in Assasins guides. It is for converting files for different devices. But it also seems to help fix video/audio issues that people have with files.

Thanks for the info. I really appreciate it. I'm running one of them through right now. I'll post the results tomorrow, too tired to wait up 45 more minutes for it to finish. Didn't think it would take quite so long, but oh well. Here's to hoping it works.

Well, it worked. Many thanks to you for the help. It even shrunk the size of the MKV down some, which is an added bonus. I also like how you can queue up a all of them and just let it go. Thanks again.

If you start doing lots of 1080p mkv's your going to need a nice CPU...

More importantly, more storage.

I'm rocking a Sandy Bridge i5 2500K. Should be good enough I think.

Yea, it's overkill for a HTPC but Microcenter had a great motherboard/CPU bundle at the time so I couldn't pass it up.

Yea, I only have 3TB at the moment. Looking to double that but I gotta wait until tax returns next year.

Nice. I have a setting I use for overclock when I do handbreak. It bumps the multiplier and provides a stable overclock. It cuts the time down significantly. I have a 2600k (which has hyperthreading) - and it just eats it up like that.

In comparison, my 3570k HTPC is much slower. CPU does indeed make a difference.

2500k is highly appropriate. Nice choice.

How fast does your system go through a movie using handbrake? I'm not overclocked or anything and it's taking about 45-60 minutes for a 8-9GB video. Does that sound about right? Also, some of them it has cut about half the size too. Video looks great still. Is that normal?

Mines much faster than that. But it really depends on the movie or file size and resolution and type.

For instance a 720p animation movie is very quick.

I full 45GB 1080p Bluray is much longer.

the end resolution and amount of calculated changes effect the time it takes.

My CPU is probably around 4.4ghz at a basic stable handbrake setting and your probably around 3.3ghz in CPU speak so... I guess I like 20% quicker. But your stats seem long so perhaps more.

What MOBO you got ??

Does it have an auto tune or auto overclock software feature?

Enable that to boost your turbo boost and multiplier settings. You can then turn on overclock on the fly when you need it. It sucks for saving energy though.. so disable it if you run 24/7

Some results of setting up files same on each pc for Handbrake -
==============================
The file was .46 GB.

AMD Athlon X4 620 OC'd 3.2
Encoding job completed: 0:15:24

AMD Athlon 1090t X6 stock 3.2
encoding job completed: 0:08:30
==============================
This 2nd file was 2.19gb

AMD Athlon X4 620 OC'd 3.2
encoding job completed: 1:22:20

AMD Athlon 1090t X6 stock 3.2
encoding job completed: 0:48:20
==============================
HP laptop Pentium DualCore- 1.72 - 2g
ENCODING WITH PROFILE 'ff_tivo_hd'
encoding job completed: 00:35:52


AMD Quad Core 260 – 4gb
ENCODING WITH PROFILE 'ff_tivo_hd'
encoding job completed: 00:09:54

I am confused. Using the middle example of the 2.19GB you saying you did the exact same file and settings on handbrake on both machines- and the X4 620 took 1:22.20 and the 1090t X6 took only 48:20 ??? So you saved half an hour on the X6 ???

Your total times seem strange to me.
That seems like an awfully long time. I'd expect that to take me 15 minutes.

I realize the 1090T x6 is a pretty decent CPU. isn't that like an i5 level 2500k ???

Actually it makes sense I guess...

MD Athlon II X4 620
Description: Socket: AM3, Clockspeed: 2.6 GHz, No of Cores: 4, Max TDP: 95 W
CPU Launched: Q2 2009
CPUmark/$Price: 33.44 Overall Rank: 416
Last Price Change: $89 USD (2010-08-25)
Average CPU Mark 2976

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Athlon+II+X4+620&id=166

AMD Phenom II X6 1090T
Description: Socket: AM3, Clockspeed: 3.2 GHz, Turbo Speed: 3.6 GHz, No of Cores: 6, Max TDP: 125 W
Other names: AMD Phenom(tm) II X6 1090T Processor
CPU Launched: Q2 2010
CPUmark/$Price: 18.42 Overall Rank: 160
Last Price Change: $304.92 USD (2010-07-04)
Average CPU Mark 5618

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+X6+1090T&id=393

So I am just now realizing that pentium based HTPC's might actually take hours do to things that take me minutes. Good explanation (unintentionally) of showing value in higher CPU power.

Intel Celeron G530 @ 2.40GHz
Description: Socket: LGA1155, Clockspeed: 2.4 GHz, No of Cores: 2, Max TDP: 65 W
Other names: Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU G530 @ 2.40GHz
CPU Launched: Q2 2011
CPUmark/$Price: 57.89 Overall Rank: 536
Last Price Change: $39.14 USD (2011-12-15)
Average CPU Mark 2266
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Celeron+G530+%40+2.40GHz&id=683


Intel Core i7-2600K @ 3.40GHz
Description: Socket: LGA1155, Clockspeed: 3.4 GHz, Turbo Speed: 3.8 GHz, No of Cores: 4, Max TDP: 95 W
Other names: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2600K CPU @ 3.40GHz
CPU Launched: Q4 2010
CPUmark/$Price: 29.88 Overall Rank: 57
Last Price Change: $289.99 USD (2011-01-10)
Average CPU Mark: 8665 (stock at 3.4ghz) It's really about 10,500 overclocked probably.

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=Intel+Core+i7-2600K+%40+3.40GHz&id=868


Encoding video is probably one of the main reasons you would want a higher CPU. The difference really shows.

For just making a HTPC- a cheap $35 G530 is fine to playback 1080p videos.

The files I'm encoding are between 3-9 GB. Some 720p others 1080p. I have a Gigabyte Z68 motherboard. I'm not sure about any of the OC stuff, never thought I'd use it so I never even looked into it at all. I think it has a OC software feature now that I think about it. I co-worker of mine has the same MOBO/CPU and I remember him mentioning something about it before. It's not a real big deal either way. I'm just glad I found a way to get these to play through WMC.

If your having to convert 1080p mvk's to get them to play in WMC then there is another issue that's easier to fix than encoding all your movies.

Handbrake is usually used for shrinking file size to save space.. Not get movies to play.

Did the video play on external players like VLC and just not WMC ?? Or on no other players too ?

Yes, that is the gist of it. Cable/phone to your modem. Then connect the modem to your router (make sure it is 10/100/1000) connect all you PCs to that router. If the router does not have enough gigabit ports add an unmanaged gigabit switch in there for more runs.

The router can be your wireless one you already have, doesn't have to be separate, just make sure the ports on it are gigabit. That way your wireless clients can connect to your network, also.
Edited by Wilky13 - 11/23/12 at 11:00pm

That's exactly what my initial problem was. MKVs that will play using VLC but not through WMC, some 1080p and some 720p. I had thought about trying the Shark Codecs but the first response said to try handbrake first. So, you're saying there is something easier I can do instead of using Handbrake?

Yea, I figured it was something like that. All the MKVs I've ever created myself have had no issues.

On a different note, I've been going back through your guides the last few days and have found some more information that I didn't know was there before. Definitely the best $25 I've ever spent. I know I've said this numerous times before but thank you very much for making these.

Yes.

Fixing that issue with handbrake is like fixing jewlery with hammer. A hammer is the wrong tool. Handbrake is a hammer.

You should uninstall everything with a deep root uninstaller like REVO UNINSTALLER.

Reset your PC. Follow Asassin guide step by step. You should be good.

Do you use mediabrowser?

have you considered just setting to use external player like VLC or like ?

It could be possible your video files are crappy too.

I set everything up with Assassin's guides from the start. Would redoing everything make a difference? It took awhile to get everything set-up correctly. Yea, I use Media Browser. Don't want to use VLC since my WMC is already set up how I like it. Assassin's previous post makes me think it's a issue with the files.

yeah. I have my Mediabrowser set to launch VLC as the player.

You can retain your existing mediabrowser set up and just set the external player to be VLC.

I only do this because I like how VLC sounds in stereo mixdown. In the living room- I run stereo as a limit of my set up. I have two HDMI outs from my Denon 3312 but it only sends out stereo in the hdmi pass through. I run 6.1 in the theater but only stereo on the second display.

Just go into your mediabrowser and set it to use VLC for whatever video files your having issues with. When you close VLC it defaults back to your Mediabrowser. It's pretty easy to bypass WMC player and still use mediabrowser.

Anyone using Live TV and Cable Cards? I'm having an issue when I shut my system down, meaning turn off my AVR and HDTV, then cut it back on for Live TV I either get stuttering on the sound for 2 minutes then it cuts off and display VIDEO ERROR or I don't get sound at all. Actually the HDMI sound out is disabled/missing under Playback devices under Windows settings. I'm sure it is something to do with EDID of the AVR. Anyone experience this? Any suggestions for a solution outside of purchasing a Gefen HDMI Detective Doctor

Sorry for the late reply guys. With Thanksgiving Day and all, Im sure you understand.

I just got done watching a Bluray 3D ISO (Prometheus) streamed over the network flawlessly... Why would one movie play good, and another wont??

Am I using the correct terminology?? ISOs arent exactly streamed are they?? The image is loaded onto a virtual drive which then mimics an actual disk... But I have noticed with certain movies (Immortals 3D), the playback is choppy, but when playing on the HTPC (not streaming), playback is fine.

Here is a map of my network...



Which is odd... My other HTPC is not shown on the map, its should be because I just woke it up. Down below the map, there are a few items that were "discovered but can't be placed on the map". My other HTPC is one of these items.

Both my HTPCs are exact builds utilizing the Asus P8Z68-M Pro motherboard equipped witha Realtek 8111E Gigabit LAN controller. Looking at the map, the two PCs should be communicating via a gigabit network connection... The router (which you guys stated is only 10/100) should only be limiting the internet speed correct??

Any more help would be greatly appreciated. By the way, Im glad you guys like my icons.

Xzener

Right. If your switch is gigbit you should get giga speeds between pc's. The router feeds the switch and the comptuters all run to that switch right ??

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1419935/help-i-only-get-11mb-sec-transfer-speeds-to-and-from-my-whs2011-media-server-what-should-i-do/0_40


been there and done that. read that.