[logan_x50]

I've tried the Apple TV default settings in Handbrake to backup some DVDs that take a hammering by the sprogs but they just don't playback via XBMC (juddering playback, buffering etc) and in my experience this is a problem with the Apple TVs lack of processing power.

Anyway, I wondered if anyone out there had ideal settings for Handbrake that will playback smoothly through XBMC?

Handbrake's ATV settings are

MP4
H.264
FPS same as source
Constant Quality 59%
output 720 x 576
Anamorphic: 768 x 576 loose

[davilla]

I've tried the Apple TV default settings in Handbrake to backup some DVDs that take a hammering by the sprogs but they just don't playback via XBMC (juddering playback, buffering etc) and in my experience this is a problem with the Apple TVs lack of processing power.

Anyway, I wondered if anyone out there had ideal settings for Handbrake that will playback smoothly through XBMC?

Handbrake's ATV settings are

MP4
H.264
FPS same as source
Constant Quality 59%
output 720 x 576
Anamorphic: 768 x 576 loose

If you have problems playing ripped DVDs on the AppleTV, you have some other problem. The XBMC on the AppleTV has plenty of ponies to handle ripped DVDs. I bet you are wireless. Try playing a ripped DVD moved to the local drive. That will eliminated any network issue.

[logan_x50]

If you have problems playing ripped DVDs on the AppleTV, you have some other problem. The XBMC on the AppleTV has plenty of ponies to handle ripped DVDs. I bet you are wireless. Try playing a ripped DVD moved to the local drive. That will eliminated any network issue.

Davilla, you're spot on as always. I am trying to play these ripped DVDs wirelessly from a share. Given the 40gb hdd ATV though, playing locally isn't a long term workaround so is there another solution like increasing the buffer or cache or whatever on the ATV?

[davilla]

Davilla, you're spot on as always. I am trying to play these ripped DVDs wirelessly from a share. Given the 40gb hdd ATV though, playing locally isn't a long term workaround so is there another solution like increasing the buffer or cache or whatever on the ATV?

The long term solution is to find out why wifi performance is crap and fix it

Say more about your wifi setup.

[logan_x50]

I hear what you're saying.

OS X10.6.2
1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo
2GB SDRAM

Media held on External HDD connected to iMac via USB2
Media Shared with XBMC via SMB

I have a wired connection to my router (INVENTEL version : v5.10)
Router connects to ATV. I think the Router only supports G standard
ATV shows the wireless connection at full strength

[davilla]

I hear what you're saying.

OS X10.6.2
1.83 GHz Intel Core Duo
2GB SDRAM

Media held on External HDD connected to iMac via USB2
Media Shared with XBMC via SMB

I have a wired connection to my router (INVENTEL version : v5.10)
Router connects to ATV. I think the Router only supports G standard
ATV shows the wireless connection at full strength

Humm, OS X10.6.2 and smb. I've heard of issues with 10.6 and smb shares.

[logan_x50]

Hello Davilla. I think the issues have been trying to get the SMB shares working in the first place. Once in place I've not heard of any issues and I've been copying files from Windoze to OSX and back quite happily using SMB & 10.6.

Anyway, is there an alternative to SMB? UPnP but then the scrapers won't work will they? I'll try playing via UPnP and see whether it improves playback performance....

[logan_x50]

OK just tried UPnP using EyeConnect as the media server and the playback was a whole lot worse. No movies will playback at all without breakup and juddering+ no audio etc.

I guess we're back to wireless speed for streaming being the issue.

[logan_x50]

Update:-
I've found that if I split the file into two parts, playback works just fine. For anyone else having a similar issue I just used the "Trim" option in QuickTime v10

[dan1son]

I've found, in the past, that under certain circumstances (mainly 802.11g) the Apple TV works better with these tweaks.

http://devroot.org/2007/05/01/optimize-n...r-appletv/

Basically my entire collection is handbrake ripped dvds. They playback wonderfully on the AppleTV. Try the above out, it might be all you need.

[logan_x50]

Thanks Dan1son.

OK I know I should be calling my village to find out if there's an idiot vacancy but I can't find a copy of /etc/sysctl.conf. I have /etc/syslog.conf so I think I'm looking in the correct place.

[agehring]

From the linked webpage:

"that can be done as in Mac OS X editing the file /etc/sysctl.conf which in the Apple TV version of Mac OS X does not exist by default"

[dan1son]

As agehring mentioned that file isn't there by default on the ATV. Just edit it "sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf" and save it, that'll create it for ya.

Or if you're doing it remotely, just create the file first as root and you'll be good to go.

[logan_x50]

As agehring mentioned that file isn't there by default on the ATV. Just edit it "sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf" and save it, that'll create it for ya.

Or if you're doing it remotely, just create the file first as root and you'll be good to go.

Oh geez sorry but I've fallen down the tech (don't-know-how) gap.

So from the link I understood that the file doesn't exist in ATV but my post referred to the fact that I can't find it in Snow Leopard either.

So your instructions are beyond me I'm afriad. I don't see how I can "edit"
something if its not there and I don't know what "create the file first as root..." means. I know this is a big ask but any chance if an idiots guide on this?

[TeknoJnky]

open a command/terminal prompt

type

Code:

sudo nano /etc/sysctl.conf

then paste the commands in the article, exit nano, pressing yes to save it

Code:

kern.ipc.somaxconn=512
net.inet.tcp.mssdflt=1460
net.inet.tcp.sendspace=98304
net.inet.tcp.recvspace=98304
kern.ipc.maxsockbuf=1048576
net.inet.udp.maxdgram=57344
net.inet.udp.recvspace=42080
net.local.stream.sendspace=98304
net.local.stream.recvspace=98304
net.inet.tcp.delayed_ack=0
net.inet.tcp.rfc1323=1
net.inet.tcp.rfc1644=1
net.inet.tcp.newreno=1

reboot


on the ATV, I found out that xbmc can not be running or you will get access denied messages (even with sudo).