[Bug Report] buffer cache too small

Issue: Endless spinning circle resulting in no playback (left for 30s or so) I have noticed that after a reboot it works. It’s intermittent.

Server: Remote server with mounted cloud storage via plexdrive. (works fine via plexkodiconnect or another client) WIRED
TV: Pansonic TX-P65VT50B
AVR: Yamaha RX-V675 with 5.1 (via HDMI)
Device: Nvidia SHIELD (2015 model)
Client: Plex for Android 6.14.0.3665-beta

DIRECT PLAYING ALL THE THINGS. :slight_smile:

Logfile attached.

I’ve also noticed the initial buffer isn’t quite large enough to maintain steady playback initially and you get a buffering popup. (a client problem, not a cloud drive issue given pmp starts and does not buffer even with 50Mb files)

This might be a asusmerlin fw issue as I’ve been noticing indirect connections randomly appearing.

Not noticing this problem via the Xbox app though. Thinking it might be an unintended bug.

Looks like the indirect problems were caused by merlinfw 369_2, back to 369_0 and none of that.

Buffer cache size problem is still an issue though. It’ll usually play for a second or two, then buffer for 5 then be fine after that for the rest of the file. (Wired btw)

Maybe when using remote servers the client should have a larger / buffer more in the first few seconds of playback to mitigate this when direct playing?

EDIT: @sixones are you able to reproduce this with a remote server? It’s very annoying particularly after it buffers fine. There’s just enough data cached initially.

@sixones @ManuelPG this is still a problem in the latest beta.

Buffer cache doesn’t load enough data quickly enough to prevent a skip at start of playback.

@MediaHorder said:
Looks like the indirect problems were caused by merlinfw 369_2, back to 369_0 and none of that.

Buffer cache size problem is still an issue though. It’ll usually play for a second or two, then buffer for 5 then be fine after that for the rest of the file. (Wired btw)

Maybe when using remote servers the client should have a larger / buffer more in the first few seconds of playback to mitigate this when direct playing?

EDIT: @sixones are you able to reproduce this with a remote server? It’s very annoying particularly after it buffers fine. There’s just enough data cached initially.

Interesting, so by downgrading the SHEILD’s firmware you were able to get playback to work without constantly buffering?

Are you sure the remote server has enough upload speed on it’s internet connection to provide smooth streams?

@sixones said:

@MediaHorder said:
Looks like the indirect problems were caused by merlinfw 369_2, back to 369_0 and none of that.

Buffer cache size problem is still an issue though. It’ll usually play for a second or two, then buffer for 5 then be fine after that for the rest of the file. (Wired btw)

Maybe when using remote servers the client should have a larger / buffer more in the first few seconds of playback to mitigate this when direct playing?

EDIT: @sixones are you able to reproduce this with a remote server? It’s very annoying particularly after it buffers fine. There’s just enough data cached initially.

Interesting, so by downgrading the SHEILD’s firmware you were able to get playback to work without constantly buffering?

Are you sure the remote server has enough upload speed on it’s internet connection to provide smooth streams?

No forget SHIELD firmware, I thought asusmerlin router firmware was messing it up. Turned out it wasn’t as stock firmware is the same.

I have Gigabit connection to a remote server and have no issues filling the cache immediately via PMP, Kodi with PlexKodiConnect etc. It’s connected via a wired connection and as I said there’s no buffering issue after the initial 1 - 3 second pause at the start of playback throughout whole episode regardless if the media is 50Mb video bitrate or 15Mb.

I will provide logs this evening.

Is there any particular video container or codec being used with the videos that fail or do videos of different type have the same issues?

@sixones said:
Is there any particular video container or codec being used with the videos that fail or do videos of different type have the same issues?

Sorry I forgot to provide logs sooner. I have PM’d you them as I’d rather not have my IP public.

No particular pattern no. SD content is usually fine but it’s anything HD i.e. 5Mb or above seems to play for 2 seconds, pause for a bit (in this case 3-5s) then resume and have ample buffer for the rest of the episode.

@sixones did my logs prove any insights?

Saw your link in the other thread.

@MediaHorder said:
No particular pattern no. SD content is usually fine but it’s anything HD i.e. 5Mb or above seems to play for 2 seconds, pause for a bit (in this case 3-5s) then resume and have ample buffer for the rest of the episode.

That description does not sound like a buffer size issue, but more how long it’s taking to fill that buffer. The buffersize is allocated based on the bitrate of the file, assuming your device has enough memory. From your earlier log, your device appears to have enough memory and the buffersize is the size it should be. Your file was direct playing, so it’s basically a file transfer from the server to the client. We don’t have a way to measure the speed of the file transfer, but it could be that there is a ramp-up to your internet speeds so the first chunk of the file went slow, then speeds up so the rest of the video plays fine.