NowTV not playing some files

[Swynol 375]

seem to have issues with mb on my nowtv recently. it plays most HD files no problem but the sub HD stuff it starts to load "retrieving" gets to the end and goes back to the movies poster screen. it does this on both the official app and roku ++ app. i have 2 nowtvs and it does it on both. 

 

streaming to webclient and idevices work fine. 

 

any ideas i can try?

[gcw07 347]

We would need to see some logs.

[Swynol 375]

i've attached the log files. cant work it out myself

transcode-60197208-0da6-4d17-9b94-d33d0ad29d78.txt

server-63533907900.txt

Edited April 23, 2014 by Crazypete00

[Tikuf 663]

Ya not sure what is happening there. Can you try running

C:\Users\Swynol\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\ffmpeg\20140304\ffmpeg.exe -fflags genpts -i file:"\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005).avi" -map_metadata -1 -threads 2 -map 0:0 -map 0:1 -map -0:s -codec:v:0 libx264 -preset ultrafast -crf 23 -b:v 1168531 -vsync vfr -profile:v high -level 4.0 -force_key_frames expr:if(isnan(prev_forced_t),gte(t,.1),gte(t,prev_forced_t+5)) -vf "scale=trunc(min(iw\,1920)/2)*2:trunc(min((iw/dar)\,1080)/2)*2" -sc_threshold 0 -codec:a:0 aac -strict experimental -ac 2 -ab 128000  "\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005).mp4"

From a cmd prompt and try playback of the resulting mp4 file in roku. (let me know if you see any errors while it is converting).

 

The now tv version of the official client is a little behind in bug fixes atm. So that may be partly to blame. 

 

Thanks.

[gcw07 347]

 

The now tv version of the official client is a little behind in bug fixes atm. So that may be partly to blame. 

 

Those bugs that were there shouldn't cause any problems with actual playback. They were causing it to crash prior to even attempting playback. If it is making it to the retrieving screen, then everything in the latest version is exactly the same as it was with the last Now TV release.

[Swynol 375]

thanks both, i will give it a go when i get home

[Swynol 375]

didnt see any errors and that now plays fine on the NowTV. 

 

so is it just avi files that dont work?

[Swynol 375]

here is the log of the successful playback

transcode-4936285a-fd0f-45c9-8315-bd6d97b4b227.txt

[gcw07 347]

didnt see any errors and that now plays fine on the NowTV. 

 

so is it just avi files that dont work?

It could just be the file itself and that the transcoding process doesn't like it.

[Swynol 375]

ok thanks, it does it with quite a few of my files. if i substitute the path of the file i want to convert into the CMD code you gave me above will that convert them to mp4 keeping the quality as good as the original?

[Swynol 375]

sorry double post

Edited April 24, 2014 by Crazypete00

[gcw07 347]

ok thanks, it does it with quite a few of my files. if i substitute the path of the file i want to convert into the CMD code you gave me above will that convert them to mp4 keeping the quality as good as the original?

Tikuf will have to answer that one as I have no idea what that command line is doing.

[Tikuf 663]

I suspected that the header for the mp3 audio on that file was actually damaged (or there was some other issue with as ffmpeg threw a buffer error in your log)

 

to use that command line and get same quality you would have to make a couple of adjustments. 

 

I did see one other thing that i have to look at in the server so I would hold off converting all your problem files at this time.

 

But if you could try one more test for me.

 

This one will re write the file using exactly the same codecs and settings.

C:\Users\Swynol\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\ffmpeg\20140304\ffmpeg.exe -i file:"\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005).avi" -c copy  "\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005)-new.avi"

We have established that the file is convertible. Hopefully this one will give me a better idea.

 

Lmk how you go thanks.

[Swynol 375]

thanks again, will try it when i get home. 

[Swynol 375]

hey Tikuf.

 

i tried the code you  gave me and that also worked on the roku. 

[Tikuf 663]

Ok cool it appears it is the actual file that is causing the issue rather than the server/roku. I think it maybe something to do with the headers in the file (but not 100%).

 

That second command line will give you exactly the same quality as the original file and will only take a few seconds to run on problem files.

 

However if you want to make your files more mb friendly h264/aac mp4 is probably the best format across the board (it will direct play on most devices)

 

If you want some help converting them let me know.

[Swynol 375]

thanks Tikuf, so is there differences in the web client streaming and the roku streaming? 

 

also is there a generic command line that i can use to convert files to mp4? i probably have 300+ in the format that chicken little was in from when i ripped them from DVD many moons ago.

[Tikuf 663]

Ya  there is a little difference between the two the webdash is either playing directly or converting to a progressive stream where as the roku and most other clients are using hls i suspect the full buffer from the audio stream was delaying the creation of the first couple of segments so the roku was giving up (not something we can control)

 

If you are going to mp4 i would suggest you also go to h24/aac.  If the bitrates/audio chanels etc in the files are similar to chicken little you can use the first one.

 

C:\Users\Swynol\AppData\Roaming\MediaBrowser-Server\ffmpeg\20140304\ffmpeg.exe -fflags genpts -i file:"\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005).avi" -map_metadata -1 -threads 0  -codec:v:0 libx264 -preset ultrafast -crf 23 -b:v 1168531 -vsync vfr -profile:v high -level 4.0 -force_key_frames expr:if(isnan(prev_forced_t),gte(t,.1),gte(t,prev_forced_t+5))  -codec:a:0 aac -strict experimental -ac 2 -ab 128000  "\\SWYNOL-SERVER\Media\Movies\D\Disney Classic Collection\Chicken Little (2005)\Chicken Little (2005).mp4"

 

 

For the most part you could leave it alone but if you need to change the bitrates etc

purple = number of threads (0 is auto ffmpeg will use what ever is available to it you can sub it out to 2,4,6 etc depending on how many cores your cpu has and how many you want to use)

green = video bitrate (in bits 1168531 = 1168kb/s)

blue = audio channels

red = audio bitrate again in bits (128000 = 128kb/s)

 

I have edited out a few bits that you won't need for what you are planning.

[Swynol 375]

thanks again, do i need to change the audio and video bitrate for each film im changing to mp4? 

[Tikuf 663]

The audio bitrate will be fine @ 128000 for 2 channel.

 

If you want to match the bitrate from the existing file yes you will need to change it (or if the resolution is higher than that of chicken little)

 

I would suggest b/w 1000000- 1500000 for sd.  Without going into the 10000000000 different variables in ffmpeg remember there is little point in putting extra bitrate into a file once it has initially been compressed.