[matt48]

Hi,

I'm having some issues with streaming from a Debian-based NAS device to a Windows Kodi box (Isenguard beta) over a powerline wired connection.

My connection speed is fine, and can have a very large buffer filled, but the player has a tendency to crash after about 5-10 mins of play. The crash will either be a total freeze or video freeze with audio continuing (don't know whether it will continue indefinitely, or whether it's just playing out the buffer). After these events the keyboard is unresponsive and I have to Ctrl-Alt-Del to kill Kodi from task manager. CPU and RAM load are fine from what I can see on the on-screen logging display.

Playback is fine from local HDD files, appears fine over DLNA connection (but I don't get a lot of the Kodi benefits of scrapers via this method). SMB unfortunately is a no-go due to known issues with speed of the SMB implementation on this NAS - it can almost keep up with 720p playback but not quite. I'll give FTP a go later on.

Some logs:

Video freeze, audio continues: http://pastebin.com/HdYK24UN

Crash where I returned to title page but was unable to play anything else without a restart: http://pastebin.com/K8FeddrH

I've a suspicion I may be caching too much so that the NAS goes to sleep waiting for the next request and the NFS connection gets lost somehow, but that's a total hunch (I left a large cache setting when playing with SMB previously)

[matt48]

Other bumpf:

Win 7 SP 1 64 bit
AMD A4-3400 using onboard graphics
4GB RAM

NAS is a WD MyCloud running OpenMediaVault 1.19 on Debian Wheezy

[BatterPudding]

Can you do a test without the powerline kit? Yes, I realise this means moving the NAS for the test but we want to be sure your Powerline adapters are not to blame here. (They are not all built to the same quality)

If you think this is caused by the NAS going to sleep - then do a test with all the Sleep settings OFF on the NAS. (Or keep pinging it \ harassing it in other ways to keep it awake during a test)

[matt48]

I don't think it is the powerline, as it's working fine with DLNA (and the test with the FTP worked fine too), but I'll try and give it a shot this evening

[BatterPudding]

The reason I suggested that test is just to eliminate a few of the potential variables. I've had knackard or intermittant powerline adapters, and even cheap\old\damaged Ethernet cables cause odd hiccups. Nothing worse that trying to diagnose a network fault that turns out to be a frayed cable. A cable that moves position on each test changing that connection state constantly. Troubleshooting with a minimal setup takes away those possible headaches.

[matt48]

Had a short test (it's problematic to do, as it leaves the rest of the house without an internet connection). It seemed to play about an hour and a half's worth of 720p video without issue. It's not conclusive, as I've had it behave for that long going via the powerline, but I'll try and have another experiment the next time I have the house to myself for a bit.

And Monkey Dust <3 ;-) preferred the Paedofinder general though.

[BatterPudding]

Mmmm... interesting that you didn't get any problems. But then that could be Sod's Law in operation.

Is your NAS also your home router? I don't quite get the reason why it cuts the rest of the house off of the internet. What else is that NAS box handling? is that load interfering with the disk access via NFS? Or is the powerline kit getting flooded by other people within your house?

Time to lock the family in the coal shed so you can have a bit more peace to do some full testing.


As to Monkey Dust... one of the brilliant gems so few people are aware of. They never did release the later series onto DVD. Had to find them "elsewhere". Though I notice much of it is now on YouTube.

Funny how they could see into the future with characters like Paedofinder General. And they got those cyclists so perfectly. I'll have to sling this on to watch tonight now.

[rlg6767]

Just my 2 cents but I had issues with 200 Mbps powerline adapters. Tested with 500 Mbps and that solved my issue. This was using SMB not NFS.

I have also noticed that download/transfer speeds over powerline do vary quite a lot depending where in the house it's plugged in. Which is logical, and could be a factor.

[BatterPudding]

Have you checked for firmware updates for those Powerline adapters? Almost each set I've installed has had firmware updates waiting at the manufacturer's website.

Are these Powerlines in the wall socket or an extension lead?

[rlg6767]

Good shout on the firmware update, will check. I always connect them directly to wall sockets as I know that connecting to extension leads isn't supported (although it does work in my tests).

[matt48]

No firmware updates (that I could see) for Zyxel PLA4101 200mbps powerline adapters, only software for configuring the network. Both powerline adapters are connected to the wall socket, though the socket near the router is quite old-looking, so wiring there may not be so good.

The setup of the network is:

• cheapo ISP-supplied ADSL router in upstairs room connected to NAS and powerline adapter 1 (10/100)
  
• powerline adapter 2 plugged in to media PC downstairs
  
• There is a 3rd wi-fi booster powerline adapter in another bedroom.
  

Moving the NAS downstairs requires me to bring down the router so I can connect the two devices (tried a direct connection PC to NAS hoping that they'd figure out they needed to cross over, but it didn't work). Could also try a wireless connection if I can dig out my wifi adapter, but I recall the transfer speed being worse than the powerline when I first upgraded.

I am looking to move my telephone socket next to the Kodi PC at some point, which will let me move the router and NAS downstairs and result in a straight gigabit connection between the NAS and Kodi. If this is a bandwidth issue then this should solve the problem. I'm just a little surprised that NFS is playing up when DLNA and FTP aren't. Maybe NFS can't recover from an interruption in connection like the other two?