[p_turner_uk]

Thanks guys.

I hadn't considered it would be an add-on issue. And this problem has only been occurring recently in the last couple of months. I do now wonder if it is caused by an add-on I use called CinemaVision, so i will uninstall that and see if it makes any difference.

For info I have 3 ATV1200s..... all of them have this problem, and all of them are set up the same way with the same add-ons...... so it does make sense to me that an add on might be the root cause here. Watch this space!

[p_turner_uk]

I can do you a setup for free that will have everything you could want. PM me if your interested.

Thank you, that is a very kind offer. I will try to troubleshoot a bit further but thanks much appreciated.

[Grand Total]

I hadn't considered it would be an add-on issue. And this problem has only been occurring recently in the last couple of months. I do now wonder if it is caused by an add-on I use called CinemaVision, so i will uninstall that and see if it makes any difference.

I use only one add-on, not CinemaVision, and I still have the problem .The same add-on on my laptop does not have the problem.

[p_turner_uk]

I hadn't considered it would be an add-on issue. And this problem has only been occurring recently in the last couple of months. I do now wonder if it is caused by an add-on I use called CinemaVision, so i will uninstall that and see if it makes any difference.

I use only one add-on, not CinemaVision, and I still have the problem .The same add-on on my laptop does not have the problem.

Yeah uninstalling that add-on had no effect at all. And tonight I sat down to watch a downloaded program and it just stuttered all over the place. Very frustrating...... I don't get it, my system never used to do this, it's fairly recent but I have no idea what is causing it.

[raymw]

I hadn't considered it would be an add-on issue. And this problem has only been occurring recently in the last couple of months. I do now wonder if it is caused by an add-on I use called CinemaVision, so i will uninstall that and see if it makes any difference.

I use only one add-on, not CinemaVision, and I still have the problem .The same add-on on my laptop does not have the problem.

Yeah uninstalling that add-on had no effect at all. And tonight I sat down to watch a downloaded program and it just stuttered all over the place. Very frustrating...... I don't get it, my system never used to do this, it's fairly recent but I have no idea what is causing it.

Have you carried out the Factory Reset from teh recovery screen and restored your add-ons and configurations from your backup, I hope using RobWeber's Backup add-on?? Uninstalling the add-on won't cure the problem if there is, as it seems, a corruption in the system. Follow my suggestion in my earlier email. The ATV1200 box is a very capable well made unit indeed and with a good internet connection (recommended minimum of a 10 Mbps download which should be pretty much the minimum offered these days in almost all countries in the civilised world) it should give you little or no problems once properly set up and in my experience works as good as any other dual core box.and indeed better than almost all the others.

[p_turner_uk]

Thanks raymw, I will test this tomorrow. I have an mkv file which I know hangs in a particular place so I can factory reset and then play this file almost immediately to see if it still happens. By Robweber's backup I assume you mean the backup tool in the kodi repository, which I do always use and used to setup all 3 boxes. I do however wonder if the error or anomaly was backed up and I just transferred it to all the boxes which would explain why I have this problem on all of them.

Will test tomorrow and let you know.

[raymw]

Thanks raymw, I will test this tomorrow. I have an mkv file which I know hangs in a particular place so I can factory reset and then play this file almost immediately to see if it still happens. By Robweber's backup I assume you mean the backup tool in the kodi repository, which I do always use and used to setup all 3 boxes. I do however wonder if the error or anomaly was backed up and I just transferred it to all the boxes which would explain why I have this problem on all of them.

Will test tomorrow and let you know.

Yes indeed that is the RobWeber Backup add-on I was referring to and you can see in the add-on information screen his name is marked under Author.

Bear in mind that if the mkv file hangs in the same place every time that would indicate to me that it is more likely to have a corruption in the file itself at the point where if fails. But of course it could be in combination with a box system corruption so worth trying the run it straight away before restoring your back up.

The installed add-ons themselves I have found are rarely the cause of the problem, unless it only happens with the one particular add-on, as for some reason maybe during an auto update it seems a corruption has occurred in other areas of the system files and/or permanent memory. That is purely a logical hunch though and not a definite and could be possible say if the box crashes or is turned off during an auto update. Anyway whatever the cause I find with boxes exhibiting the error you are seeing, this factory reset and restore of the last complete backup procedure, usually does do the trick.

Remember after the restore is finished you should immediately remove the power plug, wait say 15 seconds or so and then boot it back up again, as that way it should keep all your restored configurations settings like screen calibrations and even the short-cut icons will be there too. So that will save you a lot of time and effort.

[p_turner_uk]

Thanks raymw, your help and advice is very much appreciated, and I think I am making some progress..... if you can call it that.

I am now exploring the possibility it is not the box at all. After doing a factory reset as you suggested it didn't make any difference and I started to think about my set up. I use a wired connection but that is delivered through a powerline system (I would be interested to know if Grand Total also uses a wired system and if so whether direct or via powerline).

Anyway I changed the ethernet cable.... it still stuttered. Then I reset all 4 of my powerline adapters and whether it's coincidence I'm not sure but the specific video file I was using as a test is now working. Time will only tell if this is a long term solution.... I will keep an eye on it.

What puzzles me, is if it was the powerline adapters why the video file always faltered in the same place.

[Grand Total]

(I would be interested to know if Grand Total also uses a wired system and if so whether direct or via powerline).

I use wireless. I don't think it is my wireless because the ATV1200 is the only device affected in this way, three other different devices work perfectly, but it may be the wireless of the ATV1200 itself.

Unfortunately I cannot easily move my router or my TV to enable a wired connection test, but even if I could it is not a permanent solution for me, while I think different hardware may be.

[p_turner_uk]

(I would be interested to know if Grand Total also uses a wired system and if so whether direct or via powerline).

I use wireless. I don't think it is my wireless because the ATV1200 is the only device affected in this way, three other different devices work perfectly, but it may be the wireless of the ATV1200 itself.

Unfortunately I cannot easily move my router or my TV to enable a wired connection test, but even if I could it is not a permanent solution for me, while I think different hardware may be.

Ah I see..... that probably means if we do have the same issue then I haven't solved it and it will happen again.

[p_turner_uk]

Yep... failed tonight. Once on a movie for a few seconds then multiple times on a tv show. I think it might only be on mkv's..... but I could be wrong on that too.

[raymw]

The wifi on the atv1200 box is fine unless internally the antenna small wire has become disconnected from the small WiFi daughter board, which can happen sometimes if the box has been in say heavy handed transit.

As to mkv files well I have no problems I have ever noticed, though have not tested it for ages as no need to ever watch my many mkv or other stored movies and TV shows as I watch them on-line as needed on my personal ATV1200 running Ember 3, and in HD too. So see no point in storing anything much, except for if the internet goes down which is pretty rare for me. I do have many saved and unwatched mkv files though I keep just in case I have no internet, and last time I was many many months ago.

So I find storing movies and TV shows and indeed using DVDs and BDs very old fashioned now with superb video on demand that KODI now gives us. My quite massive DVD/BD collection is certainly gathering a lot of dust now

[raymw]

p_turner_uk you might consider trying a completely fresh EmbER install as something is certainly far from usual there. With a good internet connection you should have no problems at all.

Try playing that mkv file form a USB stick or a USB hard drive is it still no good ?? Try playing it on another suitable media player device. maybe a friends and see if it still has a problem as it may be a corrupt file or two you have. How does your box stream with live UK TV from say FilmOn add-on or catchup from BBC iPlayer add-on ??.

What I am saying is that the ATV1200 box should work perfectly for you as there is absolutely nothing wrong with this excellent box itself, and arguably the best dual core KODI streaming box ever made IMHO..

[p_turner_uk]

Hi Raymw

I had exactly the same thought and copied the same files I was having problems with to a sd card..... and exactly the same happened which I guess rules out my network. The file plays fine on my pc through vlc player.

One thing I have done which seems to have made a difference (although I have not extensively tested this yet) is in the Ember settings I have changed the CPU Governor from "Performance" to "lagfree" ..... I did this literally a few minutes ago, played the same file and now it's fine. Again it could be co-incidence, but I will keep testing and fingers crossed this maybe the answer.

[Grand Total]

One thing I have done which seems to have made a difference (although I have not extensively tested this yet) is in the Ember settings I have changed the CPU Governor from "Performance" to "lagfree" ..... I did this literally a few minutes ago, played the same file and now it's fine. Again it could be co-incidence, but I will keep testing and fingers crossed this maybe the answer.

Unfortunately I cannot load Ember onto my ATV1200. It bricks every time I try. But it sounds like maybe they know something.