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I'm streaming flawlessly from locally stored video via SMB on Kodi 18.2 running on an Amazon Firestick v2. Since upgrading to Kodi v18, my AVI's "stutter" on playback - the video looks like it's playing at under 5 frames per second. On a hunch, I used ffmpeg and converted one of these stuttering videos to mp4 - no other changes. Streaming this mp4 results in normal, smooth playback.
I have 2 Firesticks, both with Kodi 18.2, and both Firesticks exhibit this saem behavior.

The AVI that stutters has this video:

ID                                       : 0
Format                                   : MPEG-4 Visual
Format profile                           : Advanced Simple@L5
Format settings, BVOP                    : 1
Format settings, QPel                    : No
Format settings, GMC                     : No warppoints
Format settings, Matrix                  : Default (MPEG)
Muxing mode                              : Packed bitstream
Codec ID                                 : XVID
Codec ID/Hint                            : XviD
Duration                                 : 42 min 18 s
Bit rate                                 : 955 kb/s
Width                                    : 624 pixels
Height                                   : 352 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.174
Stream size                              : 289 MiB (83%)
Writing library                          : XviD 1.1.0 (UTC 2005-11-22)

The converted video, that plays correctly, has this video:

ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : High@L3
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, ReFrames                : 4 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 42 min 18 s
Bit rate                                 : 570 kb/s
Width                                    : 624 pixels
Height                                   : 352 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.104
Stream size                              : 172 MiB (81%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 155 r2901 7d0ff22
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:0:0 / analyse=0x3:0x113 / me=hex / subme=7 / psy=1 / psy_rd=1.00:0.00 / mixed_ref=1 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=1 / 8x8dct=1 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=1 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=6 / lookahead_threads=1 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=1 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=3 / b_pyramid=2 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=1 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=2 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=40 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=40 / rc=crf / mbtree=1 / crf=23.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=0 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00

I have no desire to re-encode my entire library. Any help would be appreciated.

This is a known, enduring issue, which hasn't been resolved. Last time I looked it was being blamed on encoders not sticking to spec, which doesn't really cut it as an excuse:

Upshot is Kodi 18 is essentially broken on Android:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=332945

There is a partial workaround that involves editing the decoderfilter.xml file. It will help for most files:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?pid...pid2840569

My advice is either remux all your AVIs or get fresh encodes.

(2019-06-18, 09:50)FireInMyHole Wrote: [ -> ]This is a known, enduring issue, which hasn't been resolved. Last time I looked it was being blamed on encoders not sticking to spec, which doesn't really cut it as an excuse:

Upshot is Kodi 18 is essentially broken on Android:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=332945

There is a partial workaround that involves editing the decoderfilter.xml file. It will help for most files:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?pid...pid2840569

My advice is either remux all your AVIs or get fresh encodes.

First, thank you so much for your reply. I had done a little research, but the threads were so long, I just gave up and posted here. Your links helped tremendously. I did have to figure out how to edit the decodefilter.xml file on the FireStick (I had no idea that ES File Explorer had a built-in FTP server!!!), but once I made the changes suggested by @rainman74, it was much, much better. Still not as smooth as the mp4 playback, but much, much better. It's watchable now.

(2019-06-18, 16:38)TanMan1217 Wrote: [ -> ]

(2019-06-18, 09:50)FireInMyHole Wrote: [ -> ]This is a known, enduring issue, which hasn't been resolved. Last time I looked it was being blamed on encoders not sticking to spec, which doesn't really cut it as an excuse:

Upshot is Kodi 18 is essentially broken on Android:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=332945

There is a partial workaround that involves editing the decoderfilter.xml file. It will help for most files:

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?pid...pid2840569

My advice is either remux all your AVIs or get fresh encodes.

First, thank you so much for your reply. I had done a little research, but the threads were so long, I just gave up and posted here. Your links helped tremendously. I did have to figure out how to edit the decodefilter.xml file on the FireStick (I had no idea that ES File Explorer had a built-in FTP server!!!), but once I made the changes suggested by @rainman74, it was much, much better. Still not as smooth as the mp4 playback, but much, much better. It's watchable now. 

ADBlink is the preferred software for uploading files to your FireTV Kodi folders.

http://jocala.com

Here's a guide:

https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/instal...n-fire-tv/

(2019-06-18, 19:44)FireInMyHole Wrote: [ -> ]ADBlink is the preferred software for uploading files to your FireTV Kodi folders.

http://jocala.com

Here's a guide:

https://www.smarthomebeginner.com/instal...n-fire-tv/ 

I actually use ADBLink to install Kodi onto my firesticks, but I hadn't realized it had a File Manager. Thanks for the heads up.

Try SPMC. It is no longer updated but works much better than kodi on Android TV

(2019-06-18, 01:51)TanMan1217 Wrote: [ -> ]I'm streaming flawlessly from locally stored video via SMB on Kodi 18.2 running on an Amazon Firestick v2. Since upgrading to Kodi v18, my AVI's "stutter" on playback - the video looks like it's playing at under 5 frames per second. On a hunch, I used ffmpeg and converted one of these stuttering videos to mp4 - no other changes. Streaming this mp4 results in normal, smooth playback.
...

 FYI, I just upgraded to 18.3, and the stuttering video problem is gone. All the video now plays properly.