[nekrosoft13]

I'm running Kodi 18 RC2 on windows 10 1809, few days ago my kodi audio started stuttering.

I tried changing:
from from directsound to wasapi, no change
tried increasing video cache no change
tried changing audio quality in windows, from 24bit 48hz to 16bit 44hz no change

any ideas?

[Karellen]

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

[nekrosoft13]

here is the log
https://paste.kodi.tv/tuguhobise.kodi

[PatK]

"DXVA: Unsupported profile 2 for HEVC variable-length decoder, main." desktop display: 3840x2160 Intel® Core™ i5-8259U CPU @ 2.30GHz [Primary mode: 2560x1440@ 60.00]  further on we find device "ASUS PB258 (Intel® Display Audio)" seems to be not supported in waspi (line 244). while trying to open device WASAPI:{F4624B14-5099-47EA-9375-22B2E234FB10} which appears to be your designated device "OpenSink - WASAPI Initialized:"

From the log "Stream #0:0: Video: hevc (Main 10), yuv420p10le(tv, bt709), 3840x2160 " Looks like a 4K h265 encode (10 bit?) that would be quite the task. With most of the mechanics of Kodi taken over by Plex, it becomes more difficult to pin point subtleties such as audio stutter. I suggest using some of the trouble shooting tools and monitor your systems bandwidth looking for bottle necks, with an eye towards a networking problem.

[nekrosoft13]

Yes its 10 bit HEVC, but that can't be a problem as i'm halfway in season 5 and all other seasons are encoded in same format, and they played just fine, no stutter, stutter started few days ago, and now everything does it.

[nekrosoft13]

here is another log
https://paste.kodi.tv/akugeqavaq.kodi

this time playing 1080p h264, and audio still stutters

[PatK]

It does appear Plex might be at the root of this issue "ERROR: PLEX.plex_functions: Error while downloading chunks:" I would suggest a plain no add-on Kodi default skin 'portable install', https://kodi.wiki/view/Windows_FAQ#Portable with a local video, and check CPU/GPU usage, checking for fundamental flaws in playback including stuttering.

[nekrosoft13]

somehow I don't believe thats it, I have 3 similar systems all using plex and only 1 is having the issue.

Plus that line that used only showed up at the very end of the log, right when I hit ALT-F4 to quit the program.

[PatK]

Consider that your log has 6939 instances of the word 'Plex', you might want to try the Plex forum for some suggestions, if portable mode isn't to your taste. If it's not Plex, then networking issue is likely; outside of 3 systems and 2 work, hardware rears it head then drivers become in focus.

Looking over your log, there is just too many sources that would need exploration, (read weeks of testing). Reducing the Kodi install to it's simplest form (portable install) and proving out the configuration of hardware and software combinations that support Kodi without the issue, we build from that point, and somewhere in this effort the problem will be self evident. (some would say a proper back-up might have saved the day).

[nekrosoft13]

finally found the cause to the issue...

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/downloa...CH-Drivers
 
Its the new Intel DCH drivers 
 

Introducing Intel’s Windows DCH Driver. Intel and Microsoft have worked together to make this transition as seamless as possible. There shouldn't be any impact to your everyday experience. We recommend getting the graphics driver updates directly from your computer manufacturer. Updates for your Intel® Graphics driver can also be downloaded automatically and installed through Windows Update. Alternatively, you could use the Intel® Driver and Support Assistant (iDSA) tool to automatically scan your computer for the latest Graphics driver from Intel. Find more information on  Intel® Graphics Controllers supported.
This Windows DCH driver requires an internet connection for Windows to automatically download the Intel Graphics Control Panel from the Microsoft Store.

Going back to the "Legacy" Intel driver and the problem went away

https://downloadcenter.intel.com/downloa...uct=126140

[nekrosoft13]

I wonder if any of the Kodi devs have tried the new Intel DCH drivers? according to Intel all future video drivers from them will be DCH, they are calling them the modern windows 10 driver.


Introduction of Windows DCH Drivers for Intel Products
 
Documentation
Content TypeProduct Information & Documentation
Article ID000031572
Last Reviewed12/04/2018
What is changing?
Microsoft is changing the way that hardware drivers work on the Universal Windows Platform (UWP), Windows® 10 (and later), and Microsoft Windows* Server 2019 (and later). Hardware running on these operating systems can use Windows DCH Drivers. Intel will begin distributing Windows DCH Drivers for its products beginning in November 2018.
How do these changes affect driver updates for Intel products?
As of November 2018, driver updates for Intel products on these operating systems will begin transitioning to Windows DCH Drivers. After a driver has been updated to a Windows DCH Driver, it's possible to roll back to a legacy driver; however, rolling back isn't recommended as it involves a complex process that could result in system instability. This system instability is especially pertinent to graphics drivers. You can find more information on this subject.
How do I load Intel® driver updates?
You can load most Intel® driver updates using the Intel® Driver and Support Assistant (Intel® DSA), which will:
Detect your machine’s configuration.
Identify your current Intel® drivers.
Notify you of any drivers that need updating.
Give you the opportunity to update those drivers.
Note that the Intel® DSA tool doesn't currently work for Windows* Server. For these customers, and customers who prefer to manually identify and load a specific driver, these customers can use Download Center.
More detailed information on DCH Windows Drivers can be found on the Microsoft site.

https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/...ation.html