HEVC Main 10 1080p Stuttering on Roku Ultra

Plex Players Streaming Devices
1

Server Version#: 1.18.9.2571
Player Version#:6.4.15.6286-2729b7728-Plex Preview
Roku Ultra

Regular/Random/Consistent stuttering.
PMP also does the same.
Plex For Windows - smooth as glass.

Here is the original file - I have remuxed to MKV and converted the audio to AC3 5.1 with the exact same results:
(I can also provide a ‘Sample’)

General
Complete name                            : D:\Acquisitions\Signs (2002) [1080p]\Signs (2002) [1080p HEVC].mp4
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/mp41)
File size                                : 1.66 GiB
Duration                                 : 1 h 46 min
Overall bit rate                         : 2 231 kb/s
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
Writing application                      : Lavf58.20.100

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : HEVC
Format/Info                              : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile                           : Main 10@L4@Main
Codec ID                                 : hev1
Codec ID/Info                            : High Efficiency Video Coding
Duration                                 : 1 h 46 min
Bit rate                                 : 2 000 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 036 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 1.85:1
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 10 bits
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.042
Stream size                              : 1.49 GiB (90%)
Writing library                          : x265 3.3+4-rarbg-30eb4de83092:[Linux][GCC 8.3.1][64 bit] 10bit
Encoding settings                        : cpuid=1111039 / frame-threads=4 / wpp / no-pmode / no-pme / no-psnr / no-ssim / log-level=2 / input-csp=1 / input-res=1920x1036 / interlace=0 / total-frames=0 / level-idc=0 / high-tier=1 / uhd-bd=0 / ref=4 / no-allow-non-conformance / no-repeat-headers / annexb / no-aud / no-hrd / info / hash=0 / no-temporal-layers / open-gop / min-keyint=23 / keyint=250 / gop-lookahead=0 / bframes=4 / b-adapt=2 / b-pyramid / bframe-bias=0 / rc-lookahead=25 / lookahead-slices=4 / scenecut=40 / hist-scenecut=0 / radl=0 / no-splice / no-intra-refresh / ctu=64 / min-cu-size=8 / rect / no-amp / max-tu-size=32 / tu-inter-depth=1 / tu-intra-depth=1 / limit-tu=0 / rdoq-level=2 / dynamic-rd=0.00 / no-ssim-rd / signhide / no-tskip / nr-intra=0 / nr-inter=0 / no-constrained-intra / strong-intra-smoothing / max-merge=3 / limit-refs=3 / limit-modes / me=3 / subme=3 / merange=57 / temporal-mvp / no-frame-dup / no-hme / weightp / no-weightb / no-analyze-src-pics / deblock=0:0 / no-sao / no-sao-non-deblock / rd=4 / selective-sao=0 / no-early-skip / rskip / no-fast-intra / no-tskip-fast / no-cu-lossless / no-b-intra / no-splitrd-skip / rdpenalty=0 / psy-rd=2.00 / psy-rdoq=1.00 / no-rd-refine / no-lossless / cbqpoffs=0 / crqpoffs=0 / rc=abr / bitrate=2000 / qcomp=0.60 / qpstep=4 / stats-write=0 / stats-read=2 / cplxblur=20.0 / qblur=0.5 / ipratio=1.40 / pbratio=1.30 / aq-mode=3 / aq-strength=1.00 / cutree / zone-count=0 / no-strict-cbr / qg-size=32 / no-rc-grain / qpmax=69 / qpmin=0 / no-const-vbv / sar=1 / overscan=0 / videoformat=5 / range=0 / colorprim=2 / transfer=2 / colormatrix=2 / chromaloc=0 / display-window=0 / cll=0,0 / min-luma=0 / max-luma=1023 / log2-max-poc-lsb=8 / vui-timing-info / vui-hrd-info / slices=1 / no-opt-qp-pps / no-opt-ref-list-length-pps / no-multi-pass-opt-rps / scenecut-bias=0.05 / hist-threshold=0.01 / no-opt-cu-delta-qp / no-aq-motion / no-hdr10 / no-hdr10-opt / no-dhdr10-opt / no-idr-recovery-sei / analysis-reuse-level=0 / analysis-save-reuse-level=0 / analysis-load-reuse-level=0 / scale-factor=0 / refine-intra=0 / refine-inter=0 / refine-mv=1 / refine-ctu-distortion=0 / no-limit-sao / ctu-info=0 / no-lowpass-dct / refine-analysis-type=0 / copy-pic=1 / max-ausize-factor=1.0 / no-dynamic-refine / no-single-sei / no-hevc-aq / no-svt / no-field / qp-adaptation-range=1.00 / no-scenecut-aware-qpconformance-window-offsets / right=0 / bottom=0
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
Codec configuration box                  : hvcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 1 h 46 min
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 224 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 6 channels
Channel layout                           : C L R Ls Rs LFE
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 46.875 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 171 MiB (10%)
Language                                 : English
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1
Encoded date                             : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
Tagged date                              : UTC 2020-03-26 19:53:38
2

… I enabled the DLNA server and used Roku Media Player - smooth as glass.

I have no idea what that means, but I can guess (and probably will at some point).

3

It’s sounding like a Plex profile issue

4

I have the same issue on a TCL 5 series Roku TV. Same problem while playing same file with Emby on that TV. Files play fine on the Roku Smart Soundbar though. TCL plays 4k HDR fine as well.

1 Like
5

Yea, and here I was thinking of ‘Re-Tooling’ the Plexiverse to take advantage of HEVC while using Plex’s Flagship UNO App - and Boom!

Never fails, does it?

:wink:

6

Tried DLNA & Roku Media Player, same stutter. Leads me to believe that it’s a problem with the TV and it’s processing

7

Hard to say.

Roku Media Player plays everything smooth as glass over here on this Ultra.
Both in Direct Play, of course - soooo…

8

A sample would help a ton @JuiceWSA. It’s also super interesting it works in RMP if they are in fact both direct playing. That’s the firmware handling it in both cases. :man_shrugging: happy to troubleshoot this week once we have a sample.

2 Likes
9

It just so happens a ‘Sample’ is waiting for you - PM sent.

Yes… I NEED my Roku UNO App to play these files.
PfW does.
PMP doesn’t.
FireTV (my old one) won’t.

I’m runnin’ outta stuff over hea!

:wink:

1 Like
10

Was able to run through a quick test on my Ultra 4660x, and I’m currently unable to replicate the issue. Does the entire video stutter, or specific parts?

Two different scenarios I tested this morning:

  • Transcode session is started due to the AAC 5.1 audio, to convert it, but the video is copied.
  • Force Direct Play, to ignore the audio incompatibility.

Both of these scenarios work well on this Ultra, but possibly another model may be having issues.

@JuiceWSA can you supply the following info and I’ll take another look.

  • Roku Software version
  • Roku Ultra model number
  • “Stream Info” during playback from within the video settings in the OSD (all fields listed)
  • Any specific part, or is the entire video stuttering all the time?

side note: I’d suggest to use MKV for the container, and use AC3 for multi-channel audio when it;'s AAC. (not that this will fix the issue on your side, but that is just better supported in general on the Roku). MP4 may be better supported around all clients, unsure, but we have better support to selection audio streams on the Roku if it’s in an MKV container. I know… but Roku.

11

Ok, scratch that. My brain may have been unable to detect the stutter immediately :coffee: I can see it pretty easily now with the touchstone intro.

12

Here’s the killer:

at 36:20 when our intrepid hero steps out of the corn into the ‘Sign’, the camera pans right - and have your barf bag ready…

Oh yay, oh yay - we need this fixed…lol

13

Thanks for the scene info. Easy to see the stutter there as well as the intro.

Are you sure DLNA w/ RMP is Direct Playing? For me, it’s transcoding and converting the video and it doesn’t stutter. I can also replicate this in Plex using the original file, and disabling Direct Play and Direct Stream. That is, it looks like the H265 10bit video is not compatible with the Roku as-is.

I have also copied this file to a USB stick, and have the same stutter results if I use RMP to play it back using Direct Play.

I can provide a sample to Roku to see if there is something they can better handle in their firmware. We’ll need to investigate what specific bits are in this file that the Roku cannot currently handle so we can possibly force a transcode. That isn’t great though obviously. Only an assumption, but I’m guessing if this was 8bit all would be ok.

14

… and that 6.5 hour 8 bit encode overnight bears that out - but we don’t want to have to do a 6.5 hour encode… we really, really don’t.
(and REALLY makes ya long for those 10 minute 480s)

I’m checking RMP again - for some reason I thought DLNA wouldn’t transcode… stand by… Oh yea… I was wrong.

Not only is it transcoding - it has it’s fist up my CPU’s backside doing a ventriloquist act while drinking a glass of water.

Let’s see if we can do something about that…

:wink:

15

I fiddled with the settings in PMP - and got that working. No clue what I did.
Between PMP and PfW - those are my only two HEVC main 10 players.

Do we know if one of ‘The Latest’ Ultras behaves any differently?

Mine and @ljunkie have 4660x
Anyone with a 4670x wanna throw the hat in?

I got a sample… say the word.

16

Bored and annoyed, but found this:

They say Main 10 - no problem.
Have you informed them about ‘the problem’?

:wink:

Also - seems to be showing up here and there:

Crickets here so far:

1 Like
19

Those are my posts. Just doing the shotgun approach.
Seeing the problem on an Ultra puts the suspicion back on Roku then. But it doesn’t affect the Smart Soundbar, which reviews say has “an Ultra inside” but some differences still. Like no headphone jack remote.

1 Like
20

Fire Away Grizzly.

I intend to be a very squeaky wheel and have people throwing grease at me from all directions. Better get some goggles.

:wink:

BTW: Your Redit post has a request for MediaInfo.
Use mine above in a pinch.
and if you need the file, so it won’t be a lie - say the word.

21

They do mention Main 10, but it’s alway more nuanced and they don’t include specifics. We will share a 1080p HEVC Main 10 sample with and patiently wait for a response.

UPDATE: I have passed a 30 second sample to Roku exhibiting the stutter. :crossed_fingers:

2 Likes
22

Awesome really hoping there’s a solution!! Experiencing the same stuttering frame rate with motion and camera pans with these files on all my Roku devices Plex apps. The Xbox one X Plex app was the same. My LG OLED Plex app plays them so smooth. I went out and bought a 4K fire stick and a shield, they were better but still didn’t look as smooth as the LG.