Playstation 3 MKV Stutter

Hello. I've tried to find a solution to this problem elsewhere, but couldn't find anything.
My entire media library is stored in MKV format. Most of the files stream fine to the PS3, no problems. However, those that I have encoded with Handbrake will start playing, then stutter through the video while the audio works fine. Eventually, the PS3 gives up on playing the file and closes it.

The ffmpeg output for the working file:

  Code:

ffmpeg version N-54096-ge41bf19 Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jun 18 2013 10:49:28 with gcc 4.7.2 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libass --enable-librtmp --enable-fontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-zlib --enable-libx264 --extra-libs='-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm -lexpat -lfreetype -lfribidi -lz' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --enable-gpl --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil      52. 37.101 / 52. 37.101
  libavcodec     55. 16.100 / 55. 16.100
  libavformat    55.  9.100 / 55.  9.100
  libavdevice    55.  2.100 / 55.  2.100
  libavfilter     3. 77.101 /  3. 77.101
  libswscale      2.  3.100 /  2.  3.100
  libswresample   0. 17.102 /  0. 17.102
  libpostproc    52.  3.100 / 52.  3.100
Input #0, matroska,webm, from 'E:\Silver Overture.mkv':
  Metadata:
    title           : Kanon - 01.mkv
    creation_time   : 2010-07-01 04:19:04
  Duration: 00:24:13.47, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 3165 kb/s
    Chapter #0.0: start 0.000000, end 100.517000
    Metadata:
      title           : Prologue
    Chapter #0.1: start 100.517000, end 190.232000
    Metadata:
      title           : OP
    Chapter #0.2: start 190.232000, end 686.728000
    Metadata:
      title           : Part A
    Chapter #0.3: start 686.728000, end 1331.373000
    Metadata:
      title           : Part B
    Chapter #0.4: start 1331.373000, end 1421.422000
    Metadata:
      title           : ED
    Chapter #0.5: start 1421.422000, end 1453.472000
    Metadata:
      title           : Preview
    Stream #0:0(jpn): Video: h264 (Main), yuv420p, 1280x720, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 47.95 tbc (default)
    Metadata:
      title           : Silver Overture
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 160 kb/s (default)
    Metadata:
      title           : AC3 2.0
    Stream #0:2(jpn): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, 5.1(side), fltp, 640 kb/s
    Metadata:
      title           : AC3 5.1
    Stream #0:3(eng): Subtitle: ssa (default)
    Metadata:
      title           : Signs/Songs
    Stream #0:4(jpn): Subtitle: ssa
    Metadata:
      title           : Dialogue
Codec 0x18000 is not in the full list.
    Stream #0:5: Attachment: unknown_codec
    Metadata:
      filename        : MTCORSVA.TTF
      mimetype        : application/x-truetype-font
Codec 0x18000 is not in the full list.
    Stream #0:6: Attachment: unknown_codec
    Metadata:
      filename        : Quadrat-RegularEclipse.ttf
      mimetype        : application/x-truetype-font
Codec 0x18000 is not in the full list.
    Stream #0:7: Attachment: unknown_codec
    Metadata:
      filename        : segoeprb.ttf
      mimetype        : application/x-truetype-font
Codec 0x18000 is not in the full list.
    Stream #0:8: Attachment: unknown_codec
    Metadata:
      filename        : AVGARDNEclipse.ttf
      mimetype        : application/x-truetype-font
Codec 0x18000 is not in the full list.
    Stream #0:9: Attachment: unknown_codec
    Metadata:
      filename        : epgyosho.ttf
      mimetype        : application/x-truetype-font


And the ffmpeg output for the stuttering file after encoding:

  Code:

ffmpeg version N-54096-ge41bf19 Copyright (c) 2000-2013 the FFmpeg developers
  built on Jun 18 2013 10:49:28 with gcc 4.7.2 (GCC)
  configuration: --enable-static --disable-shared --disable-ffplay --disable-ffserver --enable-memalign-hack --enable-libmp3lame --enable-libass --enable-librtmp --enable-fontconfig --enable-libfreetype --enable-zlib --enable-libx264 --extra-libs='-lrtmp -lpolarssl -lws2_32 -lwinmm -lexpat -lfreetype -lfribidi -lz' --arch=x86 --enable-runtime-cpudetect --enable-pthreads --target-os=mingw32 --cross-prefix=i686-w64-mingw32- --enable-gpl --pkg-config=pkg-config
  libavutil      52. 37.101 / 52. 37.101
  libavcodec     55. 16.100 / 55. 16.100
  libavformat    55.  9.100 / 55.  9.100
  libavdevice    55.  2.100 / 55.  2.100
  libavfilter     3. 77.101 /  3. 77.101
  libswscale      2.  3.100 /  2.  3.100
  libswresample   0. 17.102 /  0. 17.102
  libpostproc    52.  3.100 / 52.  3.100
Input #0, matroska,webm, from 'E:\Series\Mr Butler.mkv':
  Metadata:
    TITLE           : mr butler
  Duration: 02:12:04.83, start: 0.000000, bitrate: 1623 kb/s
    Stream #0:0(eng): Video: h264 (High), yuv420p, 1280x720, SAR 1:1 DAR 16:9, 23.98 fps, 23.98 tbr, 1k tbn, 180k tbc (default)
    Stream #0:1(eng): Audio: ac3, 48000 Hz, stereo, fltp, 256 kb/s (default)


[DenyAll]

MKV files are either remuxed or transcoded in order to play on the PS3 (the PS3 cannot play MKV files natively). I suspect the files that play fine are simply being remuxed, while the one that is stuttering is being transcoded and that the PC that Serviio is on cannot transcode fast enough. Can you please:

• Look at your CPU usage while playing the stuttering movie;
• Can you post MediaInfo details for the file that does not play

When encoding with Handbrake, have you considered encoding to an MP4 container - this will enables the files to be played natively on the PS3 (this assumes the PS3 is your only/main playback device). For best compatibility, keep your H264 level at or below 4.1. If you go down this path, you can also remux your existing MKV to MP4 if you want.

The CPU usage when streaming any of the problem files barely reaches 30%, with Serviio making up about 2-3% of that.
Here's the mediainfo for one of the problem files:

  Code:

General
Unique ID                                : 26538869214864792054056850593335080124 (0x13F7334647308C1D6F540B16DB19F4BC)
Complete name                            : E:\Anime\Movies\Howl's Moving Castle (2004)\Howl's Moving Castle (2004) x264-720p AAC-2ch.mkv
Format                                   : Matroska
Format version                           : Version 2
File size                                : 1.97 GiB
Duration                                 : 1h 59mn
Overall bit rate                         : 2 373 Kbps
Writing application                      : HandBrake 0.9.9
Writing library                          : libmkv 0.6.5

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L4.0
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 6 frames
Codec ID                                 : V_MPEG4/ISO/AVC
Duration                                 : 1h 59mn
Width                                    : 1 280 pixels
Height                                   : 720 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 fps
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Writing library                          : x264 core 130 r2273 b3065e6
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=6 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=umh / subme=9 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=32 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=9 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=5 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=2 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=240 / keyint_min=24 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=20.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec
Format profile                           : LC
Codec ID                                 : A_AAC
Duration                                 : 1h 59mn
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel positions                        : Front: L R
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 KHz
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Forced                                   : No

Text
ID                                       : 3
Format                                   : UTF-8
Codec ID                                 : S_TEXT/UTF8
Codec ID/Info                            : UTF-8 Plain Text
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : No
Forced                                   : No


I cannot store the files in MP4 for a few reasons (one being SSA/ASS subtitle support). I have four other devices that can play the files just fine, the PS3 is not my only playback device.

[DenyAll]

When playing on the PS3 do you use subtitles? What are your settings in Serviio Console, Delivery, Subtitles. If you uncheck "Enable Subtitles" does it still stutter?

In your CPU usage (enable "Show processes from all Users") does ffmpeg run while streaming?

Can you also check the drive where temporary transcoded files are stored (Serviio Console, Delivery, Transcoding). Has it plenty of free space. If an SSD try setting to a normal drive.

I do not use subtitles when streaming to the PS3. Disabling them in the Serviio console does not change anything either.
When I attempt to play a problem file, ffmpeg does not seem to run during the stream.
And the drive used has plenty of remaining space, about 350GB left.

[DenyAll]

ffmpeg must run as the PS3 cannot play MKV's natively, Serviio has to transcode them (you are using the PS3 profile - should have confirmed straight up). The only way it won't run is if it had been previously transcoded and a copy of the transcoded file still exists in the temporary folder. Restart your PC - this should clear out the transcode temporary folder.

This is a tricky one, so unfortunately more testing. Stuttering is generally caused by one of three things:

1. the PC that Serviio is on cannot transcode and/or serve the file fast enough (could be CPU, or disk space, which we have been looking at), or
2. the network between the PC and the PS3 is slow (if wireless try wired - but I don't think this is the case here as most MKV's play fine, however it could just be these particular MKV's are just pushing it over the edge), or
3. the device (PS3) cannot decode the movie fast enough/smoothly.

As a first up - can you use MediaInfo to look at a number of MKV's that stutter vs a number of files that don't. Pay particular attention to the H264 Format Profile (eg. High@L4.1) and see if there are similarities between those that fail and those that don't. If you cannot find similarities then proceed to the next bit (otherwise just let me know what they are - eg. all files that fail are High@L4.1 or higher).

My thinking is that the stuttering must be due to either points one or three above (given that your network should be Ok given that some MKV files play fine). It must be

• On the PC, the process of transcoding is making it stutter. The question then becomes - why is this transcode process different than for other MKV's which don't stutter? Monitoring ffmpeg usage may help, but also if you enable detailed logging and play a file that stutters and one that doesn't we should be able to look in the log file and see the ffmpeg command that gets invoked and compare them in each case.
• The resultant transcoded file has something in it that the PS3 doesn't like. To test this stream a movie that stutters. Allow it to stream until the ffmpeg process shuts down. Then before doing anything else on the PS3 copy the file from your temporary transcode folder (it will end with .stf) to your library, renaming it to test.mpeg. Refresh your library and play this file - if it stutters do a MediaInfo on it and post the details. You can also copy the file to a USB and see if it stutters from that on the PS3 if you like (to rule out the network).