Kodi Community Forum

Hi all,

I have a problem with a new install. I'm running 18.7 on an i5 7400/1050Ti/ 8 Gb RAM on Windows 10.

I recently did a clean install of Windows and Kodi, using up to date graphics drivers.
I have the system running through a current model Denon amp, through to an LG OLED, using brand new premium high speed HDMI cables with ethernet (HDMI 2.1 capable).

Periodically, Kodi (and at least one other app) will cut video/audio signal for about 2-3 seconds causing HDMI to reestablish handshake. During that period, my TV even displays 'no signal'. This happens regardless of whether video is currently playing, or whether or not the UI is idle, and whether or not Kodi is displaying in a window, fullscreen window, or fullscreen. It doesn't even matter if the Kodi window isn't in focus, the entire video signal of the desktop is lost temporarily, causing HDMI to reestablish handshake.

This only occurs when:
- Kodi is open, regardless of which external app/player I'm using.
- Playing back videos through Windows default 'Films and TV' app, even when Kodi is closed.

When I close Kodi and run MPC-HC using MadVR, no signal cut occurs while playing the same videos across a variety of codecs (and I've played these videos in MPC for hours without interruption). I can also confirm it doesn't happen while playing intensive games for hours. For instance, I played Doom Eternal for 4 hours straight last night without a single hiccup. 

At first, I thought it had something to do with Steam running in the background, so I killed the process, and stopped it from starting with Windows, and restarted - no change.
I have no additional third party programs running in the background.

I've also done clean installs of Kodi numerous times with different versions - no change.

At this point I'm completely stuck. I have no idea what to do, and it's making my HTPC essentially useless. I'm really hoping someone here can help me out.

Here is my log. During this record, the described phenomenon happened twice during playback.

https://paste.kodi.tv/ibotahebef.kodi

EDIT: More comprehensive log attached in below replies.

Considering this is only happening when Kodi is open or when playing back using Windows Media player (even when Kodi is closed), could this be a codec issue?

I'm really hoping someone here can help me out, because otherwise my HTPC may as well be an expensive paperweight.

I note you have MPC-HC defined as an external player, how did that work out? Once you've lost the HDMI connection, Kodi defaults and doesn't try and re-establish handshaking, a restart would be needed. This is a perplexing issue, key is 'only happens with Kodi'. Sounds like standalone players work fine, and hence me query of the external player. My hunch is that the brand new premium high speed HDMI cables with ethernet (HDMI 2.1 capable) might have something to do with this, playing a movie some background task might be sending a packet through the port which in turn disrupts the HDCP handshaking link, Ok: so I admit that's a wild conjunction. 

Your log is clipped at the beginning, so I presume windowed fullscreen) with size 3840x2160, refresh 60.000000, might want to test desktop res at 1920x1080x60 and use Kodi at fullscreen.

(2020-05-11, 20:39)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]I note you have MPC-HC defined as an external player, how did that work out? Once you've lost the HDMI connection, Kodi defaults and doesn't try and re-establish handshaking, a restart would be needed. This is a perplexing issue, key is 'only happens with Kodi'. Sounds like standalone players work fine, and hence me query of the external player. My hunch is that the brand new premium high speed HDMI cables with ethernet (HDMI 2.1 capable) might have something to do with this, playing a movie some background task might be sending a packet through the port which in turn disrupts the HDCP handshaking link, Ok: so I admit that's a wild conjunction. 

Your log is clipped at the beginning, so I presume windowed fullscreen) with size 3840x2160, refresh 60.000000, might want to test desktop res at 1920x1080x60 and use Kodi at fullscreen.

MPC-HC works fine if started separately to Kodi (while Kodi is not running), but as soon as it's started from within Kodi, it's still susceptible to the signal loss issue - as is *any* program running while Kodi is running.

I'm not sure what sense changing the resolution will make, since it makes the Kodi UI looks blurry on my 4K TV, and I was able to run this setup fine with Kodi running fullscreen at 2160p60 before I did a clean install of windows. Likewise, I cannot possibly see why a *better* cable would somehow introduce this issue.

Any other suggestions?

If I can't get you to try 1920x1080x60 and use Kodi at fullscreen for a test to see if the issue might have to do with gfx resources, and you're unwilling to entertain 'the better cable' as less than; it doesn't leave me much other than unnecessary add-ons and to suggest a portable installation, without extras default skin.

(2020-05-12, 05:06)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]If I can't get you to try 1920x1080x60 and use Kodi at fullscreen for a test to see if the issue might have to do with gfx resources, and you're unwilling to entertain 'the better cable' as less than; it doesn't leave me much other than unnecessary add-ons and to suggest a portable installation, without extras default skin.

Can I ask... If I can watch hours of movies in MPC-HC in 4K HDR with MADvr without a single interruption (including various post-processing filters which require *more* GFX resource use), and if Kodi worked fine on exactly the same hardware before my clean Windows install (including the same GPU and same cables), what is your reason for suspecting that it has anything to do with GFX resources?
Are you saying that Kodi playing back a 1080p video without any additional post-processing somehow uses more GFX resources than a 4K video played through MADvr with post-processing filters enabled?
Keep in mind that this issue also occurs even just browsing the Kodi UI, without playing any videos whatsoever.

I mean let's just say that I change it to 1080p and the issue stops occurring... How does that in any way show that it's due to not enough GFX resources when playing the same videos back with extra post processing filters in another program works flawlessly?

EDIT: Just changed it to 1080p for kicks. It only fills the screen if I select 'fullscreen window', otherwise it only shows Kodi in the top left hand corner of my TV. Anywho, After running a few videos, I can safely say that this issue still persists. Not only that, but when I stop playing the video (within Kodi using built in VideoPlayer), it reverts back to 2160p fullscreen on its own.

So I think we can say beyond a reasonable doubt it's got nothing to do with GPU resources, right?

Edit: Here's a fresh (uncut) log.
https://paste.kodi.tv/ixahobuzib.kodi

NEW DEVELOPMENT:

I can now replicate the issue by playing videos in the Windows default 'Films and TV' app. This is NOT just a Kodi issue.
The same videos still *play flawlessly* in MPC-HC.

Could this be a decoder issue?

I'll add this to the OP.

(2020-05-12, 07:41)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]I can now replicate the issue by playing videos in the Windows default 'Films and TV' app

Previous information was that it was only with Kodi, focusing on the cable (which I have no experience with) or some gfx memory issue with the drivers.

As I said perplexing for sure, we can't rule out the gfx engine or for that matter a heck of a lot at this point. It wouldn't be a codex or decoder
issue if you can get into a video before random cuts (unless it's a corrupt file in some unusual way). I've had to re-read your org post a few times to see if there was a clue and thank-you for your new complete log. Looking at the log there seems to be some issue with TheMovieDb Helper but shouldn't causehis situation. This could be hardware overheating, use some desktop monitors and of course the fetch bandwidth can be monitored using the Kodi internal osd looking for bottlenecks.Setting up a portable default Kodi will at least get us to a point that proves out the hardware and doesn't effect your present set up at all.

(2020-05-12, 05:48)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]It only fills the screen if I select 'fullscreen window', otherwise it only shows Kodi in the top left hand corner of my TV

This is a clue, refresh rate and sync off, whitelist the resolutions you use. (you might try software rendering) and try to stay away from full-screen window. but wouldn't explain the same issue with the o/s player and let's use the default Kodi player until we see the issue clearly.

(2020-05-12, 19:08)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-05-12, 07:41)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]I can now replicate the issue by playing videos in the Windows default 'Films and TV' app

Previous information was that it was only with Kodi, focusing on the cable (which I have no experience with) or some gfx memory issue with the drivers.

As I said perplexing for sure, we can't rule out the gfx engine or for that matter a heck of a lot at this point. It wouldn't be a codex or decoder
issue if you can get into a video before random cuts (unless it's a corrupt file in some unusual way). I've had to re-read your org post a few times to see if there was a clue and thank-you for your new complete log. Looking at the log there seems to be some issue with TheMovieDb Helper but shouldn't causehis situation. This could be hardware overheating, use some desktop monitors and of course the fetch bandwidth can be monitored using the Kodi internal osd looking for bottlenecks.Setting up a portable default Kodi will at least get us to a point that proves out the hardware and doesn't effect your present set up at all.

(2020-05-12, 05:48)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]It only fills the screen if I select 'fullscreen window', otherwise it only shows Kodi in the top left hand corner of my TV

This is a clue, refresh rate and sync off, whitelist the resolutions you use. (you might try software rendering) and try to stay away from full-screen window. but wouldn't explain the same issue with the o/s player and let's use the default Kodi player until we see the issue clearly.

So I set up another Kodi install on USB? And then what?

(2020-05-13, 00:54)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]So I set up another Kodi install on USB? And then what?

As suggested (you don't explicitly have to use a USB, you could use a root folder) , totally default... ensure it's functionality. set a source & scraper to a folder with a video...and let's see if you have the issue with some of the settings parameters previously mentioned. If you do, then something in the hardware is likely at issue, If you don't then something in Kodi is the trigger.

(2020-05-13, 04:55)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-05-13, 00:54)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]So I set up another Kodi install on USB? And then what?

As suggested (you don't explicitly have to use a USB, you could use a root folder) , totally default... ensure it's functionality. set a source & scraper to a folder with a video...and let's see if you have the issue with some of the settings parameters previously mentioned. If you do, then something in the hardware is likely at issue, If you don't then something in Kodi is the trigger. 

I see what you mean - although since I've confirmed that it's happening with at least one other player unrelated to Kodi, what will this determine exactly?
Does this narrow it down to hardware in that case?

(2020-05-13, 09:13)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]Does this narrow it down to hardware in that case?

It still can be software, but unrelated to Kodi, likely suspect would be the gfx engine. (temps, driver, cache, memory allocation) In this respect I see these issues as hardware related even though 99% of hardware issues are software embedded into chips.

(2020-05-13, 16:41)PatK Wrote: [ -> ]

(2020-05-13, 09:13)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]Does this narrow it down to hardware in that case?

It still can be software, but unrelated to Kodi, likely suspect would be the gfx engine. (temps, driver, cache, memory allocation) In this respect I see these issues as hardware related even though 99% of hardware issues are software embedded into chips. 

Right, but even if it's software embedded into chips, that's kinda semantic right? It's still a hardware issue for all intents and purposes. :-\

I've switched the HDMI output to the onboard Intel graphics. Played one of the culprit videos on loop for 3 hours - not a single glitch.
I guess that pretty much nails it down to a video card issue right?

(2020-05-14, 03:53)djcorvus Wrote: [ -> ]pretty much nails it down to a video card issue right?

Could be the settings of the driver or the iteration of the driver, it is interesting that without Kodi running you seem to have success with some players as if there is some sort of gfx memory limitation. I'm using an Nvidia 1060 and haven't seen this, you might want to peruse the Nvidia forums for a fix.