Video stutter 25Hz Videoplayback with Hardwaredecoding Libreelec 9.0

NDTradd · August 2, 2019 at 11:11 AM

Yes, everything is removed from the Whitelist. When I enable the video's native resolution in the Whitelist (720x480p) the problem goes away and video is smooth, but then I don't get any upscaling. Like I said, I've tried practically every combination of video and display settings in Kodi, but nothing works. It's obviously something that's gotten broken or changed in Leia

GUI refresh rate is 60

bossanova808 · August 3, 2019 at 6:42 AM

Well, I guess we can conclude you have another issue!

I had the same behaviour pretty much, (basically that 24p was ok, everything else stuttery) - but in my case the GPU thing solved it completely. The trick with that it to test the is actually scaling up to 750 during the playback (to make sure the fix is actually kicking in), but I presume you did that. Sorry I couldn't help fix it for you!

NDTradd · August 6, 2019 at 11:07 AM

So, I decided to play around with settings a bit more. It turns out that the problem was in the individual media video settings. The problem setting was the Video Scaling Method. It was set at "Spline36," and when I changed it to auto, everything went back to smooth, smooth, smooth. Problem solved with a simple fix.

bossanova808 · August 8, 2019 at 4:07 AM

Well, glad you got there! Some scaling methods are intensive, so it makes sense.

PANiCnz · August 29, 2019 at 8:02 AM

Quote from bossanova808
Ok, more experimenting...and I think I have beaten it (or more to the point Ross Nicholson has it cracked, here: 111032 – Need to set gt_min_freq_mhz to max value to avoid sync issues on Gemini Lake N5000/J5005)

It seems this is (still) the problem. The GPU clock speed is not scaling up as it should under load.

With a NUC 2820, I added this `autostart.sh` script:
Bash
(
echo 750 > /sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/gt_min_freq_mhz
) &
nohup script.sh &
The 750 comes from the output of this command (you should check if you have a different NUC)
Bash
cat /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000\:00\:02.0/drm/card0/gt_max_freq_mhz
This results in immediate playback improvement - the stutter is gone from all my 25p stuff.

(I updated the bios to 68, and I am in this test using the 9.2 alpha release but it was only this specific fix that had any impact on the issue).

If I test the GPU (i.e., specifically while playing a hardware decodedc video), with
Bash
cat /sys/bus/pci/devices/0000:00:02.0/drm/card0/gt_cur_freq_mhz
...it now shows 750 during playback (187 during the Kodi GUI still, though, which kinda surprises me but I guess the GPU is idle until playback occurs maybe?)

I shall report back if testing shows any/more issues, but I think that's a solid fix, if anyone is still following along.
Display More

Thanks for sharing. Recently bought a Gemini Lake ITX board so this is helpful.

Jesco · September 2, 2019 at 11:19 AM

Quote from bossanova808

Ok, more experimenting...and I think I have beaten it (or more to the point Ross Nicholson has it cracked, here: 111032 – Need to set gt_min_freq_mhz to max value to avoid sync issues on Gemini Lake N5000/J5005)

It seems this is (still) the problem. The GPU clock speed is not scaling up as it should under load.

With a NUC 2820, I added this `autostart.sh` script:

...

Just registered to say thanks for this fix! Finally got my 25fps video's running smooth on the Intel NUC 2820. Seems my tv doesn't support 25fps but it does support 50 so LibreElec picks 50 for 25fps material.

bossanova808 · September 5, 2019 at 9:05 AM

Good to hear!

Menrad · November 18, 2019 at 10:27 AM

Just wanted to give my thanks for this thread. The "autostart" fix also work on my Intel J3455 (Apollo lake) setup. No more stuttering on 25fps material.

Amby · November 18, 2019 at 9:27 PM

Hi. Will this be fixed in later releases of Libreelec or do I have to do this workaround? Thanks

darkside40 · December 26, 2019 at 10:38 PM

Unbelievable, i poked around since months with different values for allowed resolutions etc. till i finally found that fix for my NUC.

wormvortex · January 10, 2020 at 10:12 PM

Quote from DaVu

I'm using the same test videos you do and I can't see any problems with it.

Make sure you have

- "sync playback to display" disabled

- "adjust display refreshrate" is set on "star/stop"

- matching whitelist options are set. e. g. 1920*1080: 60, 59.94, 50, 30, 29.97, 25, 24, 23.976 (if available)

If enabled, you don't need the "sync playback to display" option at all. That option is for Kodi on screens which aren't capable of a matching fps (e. g. PC Monitors which tend to support only 60fps). If your TV supports all those fps, the "sync playback to display" option isn't needed anymore.

If you don't set "adjust display refreshrate" to "start/stop" and leave it on off, then Kodi will use the FPS which is generally set to. Means if you set Kodis GUI to use 60fps, every video will be played at that fps, which could also cause stuttering.

Display More

This fixed it for my NUC. My TV refresh rate displays 25fps now and not 50fps for 25fps media and the stutter has gone

snoopy1978 · April 15, 2020 at 11:56 AM

Just want to say that the problem seem to exist till today. I also was searching for months for the solution of the 25FPS stutter problem, played around with each and every Kodi Setting. In another Kodi based Forum this thread was mentioned and brought me to the solution/workaround.

Are there any plans when this will be fixed? I could imagine as this is such a general problem many users are affected by it.

daghy · July 18, 2020 at 7:45 PM

I also want to say that the problem exists to this day. I am using a NUC6CAYH with the newest LE version. I tried everything from whitelisting to the automat.sh trick but nothing helps. I just try to avoid 25fps content because it is unwatchable. A couple of weeks ago I installed an old LE version with Kodi 17.6. It has absolutely no problems at all playing 25fps content stutter free which blows my mind...

I think there are just not enough NUC users at all to make this issue relevant.

**Klojum** · July 18, 2020 at 8:11 PM Official Post

Quote from daghy

I just try to avoid 25fps content because it is unwatchable.

"Unwatchable" is quite a strong term. It's probably also a case of "What has been seen, cannot be unseen".

I don't think it's NUC-specific but more Intel GPU specific. I'll try some videos on a J5005 machine.

**smp** · July 18, 2020 at 8:53 PM

Quote from daghy

with the newest LE version

Try the latest nightly/Milhouse build. If there were an issue with the stable build, it's more than likely been resolved.

**Nicolas** · July 19, 2020 at 2:27 AM

Hello daghy

Could it be your 25fps content ist interlaced?

Do you have Set a deinterlacer?

Also Viewing 25hz at 60hz Resolution will stutter.

I use VAAPI MCDI (MotionCompensation)

As HQ scaler for SD Lanczos3

As non HQ scaler next neighbor

HD 500+ GPU is also able to do Lanczos3 in HD.

And Set KODi refresh rate to 50hz for Europe or 60hz for US. It should Work.

No more troubles since this hint!

Running multiple n37xx j34xx j/n4xxx and 5xxx Mainboards and NUCs.

Regards

Nicolas

daghy · July 19, 2020 at 11:07 AM

Thank you for all your help.

Klojum As far as I know only Intel NUCs are suffering from this issue. And yea, it's kinda like "What has been seen cannot be unseen". Especially when I install Kodi 17.6 and run a 25fps video it's so smooth without tinkering around with all these different settings...It's so strange to me.

Nicolas These are my settings as well, right on the spot.

smp Milhouse is on Kodi 19 as far as I know but it's worth the shot I believe. Would there be any issues with older (official) addons from the Kodi repository?

darkside40 · July 19, 2020 at 3:14 PM

Just apply the workaround in this thread and the stuttering is gone: Video stutter 25Hz Videoplayback with Hardwaredecoding Libreelec 9.0

And it is not a Kodi issue, it is a Kernel issure afaik. And to be honest i would not switch to Kodi 19, its okay for testing but far away from a "daily driver" system.