[DantePL]

Hi,

I installed v20.2 on top of v20.1 and noticed poor playback performance with high quality 4K HDR HEVC 10b movies. Lower qualities/bitrate work fine but I haven't searched for the exact quality/type combination that start showing such symptoms. I haven't changed a single setting and such movies started to be played very poorly: low FPS, jitters, pauses, scrambled image and other nightmares. Also the menu navigation performance in the Estuary skin deteriorated.

All this went away the moment I reverted back to 20.1.
I couldn't believe it was it so I installed 20.2 again and nightmares returned. Then reverted to 20.1 and all was perfectly fine again. So this seems like a 20.2 thing, strictly.

I have read the changelog and didn't really notice anything that could explain this. Has something been done to 20.2 that it's more demanding/resource consuming compared to 20.1??
I know my HTPC is not a performance monster but it manages these hefty files just fine. Or it used to till 20.2.
Specs:
CPU: Intel Core i3-4130T (3M Cache, 2.90 GHz)
RAM: 4GB Kingston HyperX 1600MHz DDR3
GPU: ASUS Nvidia GT1030 2GB version - it's the GPU doing hardware decoding
Might something be not enough anymore for 20.2?

[Hitcher]

To receive meaningful assistance you will need to provide a full debug log.

The instructions are here... debug log (wiki)

If you are using the Basic Method, then ensure the following is applied...
1.Enable debugging in Settings>System Settings>Logging,
2.Restart Kodi
3.Replicate the problem.
4.Upload the log to Kodi Paste Site manually or use the Kodi Logfile Uploader. (wiki) With either method post the link to the log back here.

If you are using the Advanced Method ensure you have correctly created and applied the advancedsettings.xml file (wiki)

In both instances, you should see the word DEBUG throughout the log.

Note: Full logs only. No partial or redacted logs
Do NOT post your logs directly into the forum. Use the Kodi Paste Site. Post the link to your pasted log in the forum

[Klojum]

All this went away the moment I reverted back to 20.1.

Without the log outcome from Kodi 20.2, it's pretty impossible to find the differences with 20.1.
Saying that "It works poorly" is not enough.

[DantePL]

Sorry guys, I didn't want to sound like "my Kodi is not working, help". I was rather expecting to hear that a new rendered method was implemented and my toaster is not up for the task anymore, or something of this sort.

I did some testing and here are the logs from 20.1 and 20.2:
20.1 - moheloyujo.kodi (paste)
20.2 - ukiharonub.kodi (paste)

I tested different methods of running Kodi, so to speak.
1. the usual way - Launcher4Kodi prevents loading Windows Shell, Kodi is set to autostart so when I turn on the HTPC I see a Windows boot and logon and then Kodi after a few seconds. This way obviously saves the most resources.
2. close Kodi (after method 1) and return to Windows, Shell loads consuming some resources, Steam autostarts but I close it and then I run Kodi again
3. same as point 2 but I do not close Steam, which takes another 500MBs of precious RAM

Observations:
method 1. Kodi 20.1 runs smoothly but 20.2 does not
method 2. Kodi 20.1 runs smoothly but 20.2 does not
method 3, Kodi 20.1/20.2 slideshow like hell, which is to be expected from a toaster with 65% RAM used already. 

More observations:
I do not think it's the RAM or any other resource limitation but rather a Vsync problem I encounter in 20.2.
When I press Ctrl+Shift+O in 20.1 I get VsyncOff between 2 and 14 or so, and the skip parameter between 2 and 8 or something like that.
But in 20.2 VsyncOff is negative like -16 and skip ranges from 28 to 60. FPS seems OK but the out-of-sync clipping is noticeable.

I was just installing 20.1 on top of 20.2 and vice versa without changing any setting, resetting PC and starting Kodi the usual way. 20.1 is butterly smooth but 20.2 not really because of the sync problems.

If I can provide anything more then please let me know. Hopefully what I provided will give you some idea.

I appreciate the time and effort you put into Kodi development. I don't want to waste your time but if you manage to have a look at it I would be greatful.

Below are the stats of the movie file causing trouble:
Format/Info                 : High Efficiency Video Coding
Format profile              : Main [email protected]@high
HDR format                  : SMPTE ST 2086, HDR10 compatible
Bit rate                    : 30.6 Mb/s
Width                       : 3 840 pixels
Height                      : 2 160 pixels
Frame rate mode             : Constant
Frame rate                  : 23.976 (24000/1001) FPS
Color space                 : YUV
Chroma subsampling          : 4:2:0 (Type 2)
Bit depth                   : 10 bits
Color primaries             : BT.2020
Transfer characteristics    : PQ

[CrystalP]

What happens if you turn off "Adjust refresh rate"?

[Klojum]

I was rather expecting to hear that a new rendered method was implemented and my toaster is not up for the task anymore, or something of this sort.

Changing render methods would be considered major surgery in Kodi's video/audio engines.
This would only be done between major versions, and never between minor versions such as .1 and .2 .

[jogal]

Seems the same issue as https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=373108

Already fixed: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid3159910


@DantePL
Test this version:
KodiSetup-20230724-b7edacb0-Nexus-x64.exe

Is the same version number 20.2 but including latest changes in Nexus branch (git b7edacb080c22cd04aa0b4e74e414222c82b6090)

[DantePL]

What happens if you turn off "Adjust refresh rate"?

I was normally using VSync on in Nvidia Control Panel and Adjust refresh rate set to 'on start/top' in Kodi. After disabling the latter I get:
In 20.1 - some skipped frames, not great yet not terrible playback. Annoying but watchable. Certainly not as painful as what I described I face in 20.2
In 20.2 - it gets even worse. I tested all combinations including disabling Vsync in NVCP and I not only did I get even more jitter but also screen tearing in Estuary.

[DantePL]

Seems the same issue as https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=373108

Already fixed: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid...pid3159910


@DantePL
Test this version:
KodiSetup-20230724-b7edacb0-Nexus-x64.exe

Is the same version number 20.2 but including latest changes in Nexus branch (git b7edacb080c22cd04aa0b4e74e414222c82b6090)

Yooooooo butterly smooth again using this .. nightly? Is it what we call nightlies? Regardless, the playback looks great again. I would have to place 2 identical TVs side-by-side with 2 identical PCs (one with 20.1 and the other with this updated 20.2) and compare simultaneously to tell whether there is any difference between these versions. So even if there is any difference it's virtually unnoticeable.

Thank you very much for your support and for the fix! I assume 20.3 will already include it, right?

[jogal]

Yooooooo butterly smooth again using this .. nightly?

Yes, is the nightly... of tomorrow