Problems with MKV / H.264 on Sony BDP-S370 Bluray-Player

Hello,

my Sony Bluray player BDP-S370 just received a firmware update to enable DLNA support. So I went ahead and tried several DLNA servers... Serviio is my favourite so far. But I can't get my player to play anything with a H.264 video stream (MKV, MPEG2TS, AVI). All the others servers I tried failed also...

I tested this with four files:

1) MKV (H.264) with AC3 sound
2) MKV (H.264) with DTS sound converted to M2TS
3) AVI (H.264) with MP3 sound
4) AVI (DIVX) with MP3 sound

All this files play perfectly fine (even with subtitles embedded in the MKVs) from DVD or USB, but I only got the fourth one playing without transcoding using DLNA. After trying around I came up with this configuration:

  Code:

<Video targetContainer="mpegts" targetVCodec="mpeg2video" targetACodec="ac3">
   <Matches container="matroska" vCodec="h264" />
   <Matches container="mpegts" vCodec="h264" />
   <Matches container="avi" vCodec="h264" />
</Video>


If I disable transcoding, the H.264 files don't show up at all on the player. Only a message pops up after selecting the folder stating "No playable files found". Omitting the "targetVCodec" also let's them disappear. Not setting "targetACodec" gives no sound at all with DTS. But the converted AC3-Stream has a bitrate of only 192 kbit/s according to the player. That's not nice, because the DTS had 640...

I tried getting the ProtocolInfos via Device spy, but this method doesn't appear. The player is listed, but all I could invoke are the methods "X_GetStatus" and "X_SendIRCC". The detailed log file is quite huge (100 kb) and I can't attach it to the post, so I uploaded it: http://pastebin.ca/OCNxGKfo - PASSWORD: serviio .

Any help to convince the player to play H.264 would be greatly appreciated... Converting to MPEG is just senseless

unbekannt

[zip]

Is there an official list of what formats the player should support?

Hi,

I found no list in the FAQs, but just realizied that the spec's on the product site have been updated: http://www.sony.co.uk/product/blu-ray-disc-player/bdp-s370/tab/manual#pageType=TechnicalSpecs.

DivX HD (which is H.264 in MKV) is listed as "YES" for DLNA, so it should work?!

unbekannt

[zip]

I'd say H264 is AVC HD, which says NO for DLNA. It also doesn't list MKV at all so I presume you'd have to transcode those anyway (at least remux into mpeg2ts).

Hi,

isn't AVC-HD the stuff you get if you have a camcorder? From what I've read this doesn't even seem to work properly from disc. DivX Plus HD is indead MKV with H.264, but AAC audio - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DivX_Plus_HD. So I could try to convert the sound to AAC (or let serviio do this). I'll see if I can get it work...

unbekannt

[zip]

ah, ok. It might be the mime-type the player is expecting for the mkv files. Try some other profiles (in the console).

Hello,

I downloaded an official DIVX HD sample file from http://www.divx.com/en/electronics/solutions/high-definition/divx-plus-hd/video - the "Up in the Air Trailer". I added it to the library as a .MKV, as .DIVX and a converted MPEG2TS. If I access the server using the Generic Profile, the player states that he found no playable files if I enter the folder.

So I created a profile that puts out a different mime-type for MKV as stated here.

  Code:

<Profile id="7" name="Sony BDP-S370" extendsProfileId="1">
   <Detection>
      <X-AV-Client-Info>.*Blu-ray Disc Player.*</X-AV-Client-Info>
   </Detection>
   <MediaFormatProfiles>
      <MediaFormatProfile mime-type="video/divx">MATROSKA</MediaFormatProfile>
   </MediaFormatProfiles>
     
      <Transcoding>   
      </Transcoding>
      <AutomaticImageRotation>true</AutomaticImageRotation>
</Profile>      


If I now try to look into Video/All titles/ serviio crashes as soon as I selected the starting letter folder:

  Code:

2010-06-13 18:05:37,912 DEBUG [VideoDeliveryEngine] Retrieving resource information for item 6 and profile Sony BDP-S370
2010-06-13 18:05:37,912 ERROR [ContainerNode] Cannot retrieve results of action command: Cannot execute library command for list: null
org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.CommandExecutionException: Cannot execute library command for list: null
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.AbstractCommand.retrieveItemList(AbstractCommand.java:117)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.definition.ContainerNode.executeListAction(ContainerNode.java:198)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.definition.ContainerNode.retrieveContainerItems(ContainerNode.java:96)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.definition.ActionNode.retrieveContainerItems(ActionNode.java:127)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.ContentDirectory.Browse(ContentDirectory.java:154)
   at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
   at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at org.serviio.upnp.protocol.soap.ServiceInvoker.invokeOperation(ServiceInvoker.java:253)
   at org.serviio.upnp.protocol.soap.ServiceInvoker.invokeService(ServiceInvoker.java:93)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.ServiceControlRequestHandler.handleRequest(ServiceControlRequestHandler.java:73)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.AbstractRequestHandler.handle(AbstractRequestHandler.java:50)
   at org.apache.http.protocol.HttpService.doService(HttpService.java:293)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.ServiioHttpService.doService(ServiioHttpService.java:58)
   at org.apache.http.protocol.HttpService.handleRequest(HttpService.java:212)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.WebServer$WorkerThread.run(WebServer.java:166)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
   at java.util.Collections$UnmodifiableCollection.<init>(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.Collections$UnmodifiableList.<init>(Unknown Source)
   at java.util.Collections.unmodifiableList(Unknown Source)
   at org.serviio.delivery.resource.transcode.TranscodingConfiguration.getDefinitions(TranscodingConfiguration.java:36)
   at org.serviio.delivery.resource.VideoDeliveryEngine.getMatchingTranscodingDefinition(VideoDeliveryEngine.java:248)
   at org.serviio.delivery.resource.VideoDeliveryEngine.fileCanBeTranscoded(VideoDeliveryEngine.java:112)
   at org.serviio.delivery.resource.VideoDeliveryEngine.fileCanBeTranscoded(VideoDeliveryEngine.java:52)
   at org.serviio.delivery.resource.AbstractDeliveryEngine.getMediaInfoForProfile(AbstractDeliveryEngine.java:66)
   at org.serviio.delivery.MediaResourceRetrievalStrategy.getMediaInfoForAvailableProfiles(MediaResourceRetrievalStrategy.java:67)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.ResourceValuesBuilder.buildResources(ResourceValuesBuilder.java:43)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.AbstractEntityItemCommand.generateResourcesForEntity(AbstractEntityItemCommand.java:128)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.AbstractEntityItemCommand.retrieveList(AbstractEntityItemCommand.java:55)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.command.AbstractCommand.retrieveItemList(AbstractCommand.java:111)
   ... 16 more
2010-06-13 18:05:37,912 WARN  [ContentDirectory] Browse for object id V_T#INI_U failed with exception: null
java.lang.NullPointerException
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.definition.ContainerNode.retrieveContainerItems(ContainerNode.java:98)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.definition.ActionNode.retrieveContainerItems(ActionNode.java:127)
   at org.serviio.upnp.service.contentdirectory.ContentDirectory.Browse(ContentDirectory.java:154)
   at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
   at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
   at org.serviio.upnp.protocol.soap.ServiceInvoker.invokeOperation(ServiceInvoker.java:253)
   at org.serviio.upnp.protocol.soap.ServiceInvoker.invokeService(ServiceInvoker.java:93)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.ServiceControlRequestHandler.handleRequest(ServiceControlRequestHandler.java:73)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.AbstractRequestHandler.handle(AbstractRequestHandler.java:50)
   at org.apache.http.protocol.HttpService.doService(HttpService.java:293)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.ServiioHttpService.doService(ServiioHttpService.java:58)
   at org.apache.http.protocol.HttpService.handleRequest(HttpService.java:212)
   at org.serviio.upnp.webserver.WebServer$WorkerThread.run(WebServer.java:166)
2010-06-13 18:05:37,912 DEBUG [ServiceControlRequestHandler] Returning error SOAP message


This behavior disappears, as soon as I remove the empty:

  Code:

<Transcoding>   
</Transcoding>


And then the files show up at the player! Both the MKV and the DIVX. I can start playback, the video codec is displayed as AVC, but the trailer begins to stutter as soon as the (low bitrate) part with the "approved for..." blabla screen ends and the actual content begins. The bitrate then is (according to the player) around 10 mbit/s.

EDIT: Others MKVs, even those with AC3 sound now show up and I can start playback. But they all stutter. The transcoded version of these had a mpeg-2-bitrate of over 10 mbit/s - in the same range than the now "working" H.264 stream... So why oh why does it stutter The progress indicator in the time bar jumps back and forth, looks like the player is not receiving enough data?!

EDIT 2: While playing the cpu usage of ServiioService.exe surges to 90+% (on one of my two cores). I've set the logging level to "ERROR", so the generated logfile is empty, but still the cpu usage is this high...

unbekannt

[zip]

the playback stuttering should be fixed in 0.4.1. The transcoding block should not be there if there is not definition, so you're right to remove it.

Do other MKVs play now for you? They will all be getting the same mime type. If yes then great.

Hi,

I can now see and start playback with all my MKVs Even those with DTS sound work. But they all suffer from video stuttering. So I hope 0.4.1 will be released shortly. I've just donated 10 EUR to speed that up a little bit I'd be happy to test a beta version as soon as it becomes available!

Thanks for your help, or should I say guidance

unbekannt

I've been struggling for days of installing and testing quite a bunch of DLNA servers on windows and running testfiles against my S370 and a Samsung C5500. The C5500 played more of them right from the start, but i was rather going for the Sony as I think it's the better player all over.

After adding the above code snippet as a profile, serviio is the only software i've tested that makes the S370 display MKV files in its list of network videos. And the S370 starts to play them, I just can't believe it. Some are stuttering though, some look more like a really slow slideshow. I do trust serviio so much indeed that I've sent the Samsung back and keep my fingers crossed that the next release will make mkv fluent.

Brief additional question: The S370 plays all networked content in 60Hz mode and does not even switch to 50Hz for 25fps DVB streams (like the Samsung did). Is that something the DLNA server can influence, another profile matter?

Hi,

I tested MKV playback with 0.41 beta and it wasn't stuttering anymore, so give the new version a go, it's now available for download. After using fast forward it stuttered with the beta, I'll see if the release version solved this this evening.

Regarding the 60p issue: Isn't there a setting in the Settings menu regarding what resolution to output. Have you tried setting this to "Original" or "Like source" or w/e the englisch version is named

unbekannt

Brief additional question: The S370 plays all networked content in 60Hz mode and does not even switch to 50Hz for 25fps DVB streams (like the Samsung did). Is that something the DLNA server can influence, another profile matter?

I'm going to buy the S370 and I'd like to know if it is capable of playing this DVB stream through DLNA. Could you test it?

Thanks in advance.

Hello,

just added the stream to my library after updating to 0.41 - It doesn't show up in the folder, the player filters it out. Probably another MIME-type problem. The file plays (without sound) from USB. It's shown as AC3 but there is just silence. Remuxxing the file to MKV brings the audio back, but I can't get the video framerate right, so it also doesn't work :S

unbekannt

Many thanks for trying

Hi,

I did some testing with 0.4.1 and can confirm that MKV files actually play smoothly now (yeah!), but: after fast forwarding MKV, playback resumes fine for a few secs and then starts to stutter, from which it doesn't ever seem to recover. In fact the audio is stuttering, the video looks somewhat slightly accelerated. If you pause playback while stuttering and press play again, it plays fine for a few secs, starts stuttering, and so on. Which makes it quite impossible to resume viewing after having actually stopped playback. You can reach the spot where you left off in FF, but can't continue to watch from there.

The 1080/60 issue: I found that some divx/avi files do make the player switch to 1080/50, TS and MKV files apparently don't. My TS files are DVB recordings and are as 25fps as they can be. I think we could have a player issue here, where the S370 just does not detect the files' framerates correctly/at all or just doesn't adjust to it (properly). The player's video settings just seem to change resolutions, not framerates (apart form the 24p auto/off setting of course, but that doesn't apply here). The Samsung C5500 was a lot more lively when it came to switching framerates between my testfiles.

I think that 0.4.1 is a vast improvement, and if you keep improving Serviio in the same pace, I'm sure it will become one of the leading products in the market. Keep up the good work, zip!

Yeah,

I can confirm the stuttering after using fast forward (or jumping to the next chapter). If I start playback again, the player will report the file as unplayable. Try to play it again and the player will hang up and restart itself after a minute

Additional issue: If I jump to the next chapter and the file has no chapters, it will jump to the end of the file and thus endeth playback. Could serviio just "block" the jumprequest or something like that?

unbekannt

Hey guys,
I'm going crazy with this thing.. I've tried just about every server I can find and can't get ANY videos to show up.

I have some AVI, some MP4, some MKV... nothing shows up, just says there's no playable files.
I tried the suggestion in the beginning of this thread and still get nothing, I can't see any files in there.

The only thing I've ever been able to see on my player was two .flv file that I forgot I even had.. that's two files out of several hundred in my media share.

I don't know if I'm missing something, but if anyone has any suggestions I'd really appreciate it.
Thanks.

The only thing I've ever been able to see on my player was two .flv file that I forgot I even had.. that's two files out of several hundred in my media share.

Serviio will take some (could read "a lot" ) of time to scan all your media files if you have several hundreds of them. Are you sure the scanning is done? Using the extended logging you should see what's going on. If scanning isn't done, simply copy a selection of files to a new folder, add that to the library and remove the original.

Also, do you try to play the files from the "Video" section in the player's menu ?

unbekannt

Also, do you try to play the files from the "Video" section in the player's menu ?
unbekannt

Thanks, I didn't realize it had to completely finish before anything would show up, I thought they'd show up as they were scanned.

I didn't try playing them from the 'Video' section because, unfortunately, the server is only showing up under music and photos.
I have music, video and photos added within serviio, but there's nothing under the video 'menu' off the home screen on the player.

Sorry,

you misunderstood me: The files will show up as they are scanned. But you can't really tell you far the scanning is progressed if only looking in the player menu. That's what I meant

The server not showing up unter "Video" is really strange. Have you tried the following?

Delete server in player setting
Stop server, shutdown player
Start player, wait till it has loaded
Start server

Now serviio should appear "magically", otherwise try a scan in the options... If this doesn't help, you should open up a new thread. Normal behaviour would be to appear under "Video" (and the to other menu points) even if there are no absolutely no files...

unbekannt