Weird Pause in Sound while playback

I've done some research on this and found that it's files that use DTS Audio, there is lots of talk about issue with this but no fix...

The work around would be to REMUX your movie using something like MKVtoolnix, this takes around 10mins at the most!

It seems to me that the problem is related to 5.1 channel audio. All the 2.0 content streams fine, only DTS and AC3 have the same sound issues: the (in)famous weird pause in sound while playback!.

Maybe a wrong/old ffmpeg version/configuration?

This is mine...

  Code:

FFmpeg version 0.5, Copyright (c) 2000-2009 Fabrice Bellard, et al.
  configuration: --prefix=/opt/cross-project/arm/marvell/arm-none-linux-gnueabi/libc/marvell-f/usr --enable-cross-compile --cross-prefix=arm-none-linux-gnueabi- --disable-static --enable-shared --arch=arm --disable-optimizations
  libavutil     49.15. 0 / 49.15. 0
  libavcodec    52.20. 0 / 52.20. 0
  libavformat   52.31. 0 / 52.31. 0
  libavdevice   52. 1. 0 / 52. 1. 0
  built on Aug  4 2011 02:15:48, gcc: 4.2.1


I have noticed that for nearly all shows i stream with serviio at some point(s) the sound will pause for about a second to resume normally and in sync.

Similar problems appear on my TV (see footer for model).

So far, I have come to the following conclutions:
1) Problem occurs only upon streaming mkv files.
2) Problem may occur upon several audio formats (AC3, DTS, MP3) both 2-channel and 6-channel audio.
3) Problem usually don't appear when video average bitrate is < 1 mbps
4) If i remux the same streams into MPEG TS container using tsMuxeR (I know, abandonware ) both audio and video will stream smoothly.
5) When I disable feature "Edge Enhancement", the problem seem to diminish a bit but far from acceptable.

Of course I can configure Serviio to always rewrap mkv into MPEG TS, but then FF/REW and position seek will be disabled.
My guess is that firmware for Samsung UExxD500x (MStar CPU) has som kind of flaw. Perhaps it is wasting CPU cycles when interpreting matroska container.
I have filed this problem at two different Samsung support centers, but so far they have not understand the problem.

Of course I can configure Serviio to always rewrap mkv into MPEG TS, but then FF/REW and position seek will be disabled.

Can you tell me how to do that?
I mean how to remux all the mkv's into m2ts?
that container should solve some problem with Samsung TV

This is how I have configured Serviio to always rewrap mkv to MPEG TS: (fixing audio problems on UE46D5005)

profiles.xml:

<Profile id="7" name="Samsung TV / player (C/D-series)" extendsProfileId="2">

<snip... (general profile elements omitted)...>

<Transcoding>
<!-- Transcode all h264 video with HIGH/MAIN > Level 4.1 on MPEG-TS stream with MPEG2VIDEO and ac3 audio transcoding -->
<Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetVCodec="mpeg2video" targetACodec="ac3" aBitrate="192">
<Matches container="avi" vCodec="h264" profile="high" levelGreaterThan="4.2" />
<Matches container="avi" vCodec="h264" profile="main" levelGreaterThan="4.2" />
<Matches container="matroska" vCodec="h264" /> <!-- attributes profile and levelGreaterThan are blanked out -->
<Matches container="matroska" vCodec="h264" /> <!-- attributes profile and levelGreaterThan are blanked out -->
<Matches container="mp4" vCodec="h264" profile="high" levelGreaterThan="4.2" />
<Matches container="mp4" vCodec="h264" profile="main" levelGreaterThan="4.2" />
<Matches container="mp4" vCodec="mpeg4" aCodec="lpcm" />

<snip... (other transcoding rules omitted)...>

</Transcoding>
</Profile>


Actually I had to make a copy of Samsung C/D profile and rename it to Samsung D, leaving C/D profile unchanged. My C6500 BluRay player still uses original C/D profile without audio problems.

I'll try that.

Yesterday I tried to use the <Transcoding> part from the PS3 profile into Samsiung C/D.
Some mkv now are perfect, audio problem solved, but with some mkv's the problem is worse than before.

Also tried the TV's "Game mode" but still have to investigate any effect. It should disable all the unnecessary cpu load on the tv.

One question: how do you check that the file is actually rewrapped when the problem seems not solved?

Check for the presence of a file C:\temp\Serviio\transcoded-temp-xxx.stf (xxx may differ from time to time).

Date and time of that file will be from the moment you start viewing and the file will stay in that folder until next time Serviio needs to transcode/rewrap.

Yes, found a 2,5GB file thanks
However during transcoding no service (ffmpeg?) was consuming cpu. possible?

Oh- of course, the file is created at the beginning, so after first minutes cpu is not used.

This file still has pause sound problems:

  Code:

Writing application              : mkvmerge v5.0.1 ('Es ist Sommer') built on Oct  9 2011 11:55:43
Writing library                  : libebml v1.2.2 + libmatroska v1.3.0
Cover                            : Yes / Yes / Yes / Yes / Yes

Video
ID                               : 1
Format                           : AVC
Format/Info                      : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                   : High@L4.1
Format settings, CABAC           : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames        : 10 frames
Muxing mode                      : Header stripping
Codec ID                         : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                         : 1h 33mn
Bit rate                         : 3 695 Kbps
Width                            : 1 280 pixels
Height                           : 536 pixels
Display aspect ratio             : 2.35:1
Frame rate                       : 25.000 fps
Original frame rate              : 23.976 fps
Color space                      : YUV
Chroma subsampling               : 4:2:0
Bit depth                        : 8 bits
Scan type                        : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)               : 0.215
Stream size                      : 2.42 GiB (89%)
Language                         : English

Audio
ID                               : 2
Format                           : AC-3
Format/Info                      : Audio Coding 3
Mode extension                   : CM (complete main)
Muxing mode                      : Header stripping
Codec ID                         : A_AC3
Duration                         : 1h 33mn
Bit rate mode                    : Constant
Bit rate                         : 384 Kbps
Channel(s)                       : 6 channels
Channel positions                : Front: L C R, Side: L R, LFE
Sampling rate                    : 48.0 KHz
Bit depth                        : 16 bits
Compression mode                 : Lossy
Video delay                      : 16ms
Stream size                      : 258 MiB (9%)

this file was not playing fine before transcoding, but now the sound pause problem is much worse!

[Illico]

Muxing mode : Header stripping

Header compression not supported: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1132

Ah!
In this case Serviio transcoding can't help? do i have to manually "mkvmerge" the movie?

Also, i was noticing

Format settings, ReFrames : 10 frames

Isn't too much?

Illico,

Muxing mode : Header stripping

Header compression not supported: viewtopic.php?f=6&t=1132

Fixed the file according to your instructions.
Nothing has changed, i mean the video plays compressed or uncompressed the same way.
the same about the sound problem.

I'll try reducing Reframes, i think 10 is too much.

I've the same problem, using a Samsung LN40D550...

I've been having the same sound issues on a Samung D6400 TV. The files are mkv DD 5.1

I noticed there is a Dec. 11/2011 release of ffmpeg. I'm new to this encoding/decoding stuff, so I'm not sure if the latest version of ffmpeg would help.

confirm this issue on various high quality mkv's. Samsung d550

this isn't limited to Serviio, also happens with Samsung Allshare and Twonky.

any ideas or is TV firmware going to be our only fix?

[Cerberus]

its possible this is either an FFmpeg or firmware issue, now if its a ffmpeg issue then we ae liekly to get a fix sooner or later if it is however a firmware issue we have two hopes of a fix bob hope and no hope .

LOL

whats strange is the file plays fine (no pause in sound) from a connected USB stick/drive.

so the possibilities are ffmpeg like you mentioned, or the TV doesnt have enough processing power to stream on a wired network and play the high quality mkvs?

[Cerberus]

firmware for usb and dlna are differeent and cant be compared.

Bump.
I know 4 years have passed, but I have the exact same issue. I just bought a home theatre system and 5.1 movies are suffering this symptom.
Any fixes, advices?

I'm fairly noob with serviio.