Choppy video, all sources, 2 different PCs (long post)

cpmusic · 02 Feb 2016

NOTE: I apologize for the length of this post, but I wanted to include as much detail as I could.

I'm getting choppy video on two different PCs. It's mild and slightly inconsistent, just a mild stuttering as if random frames are missing. I saw it initially with streaming video on an older Dell PC I set up with our main TV. It came through all pay and free channel sources, so I thought the problem was in the Dell, the internet connection, or both. Then I started seeting it on my newer PC, which is much more robust, so I looked to the internet first.

Our internet connection is fast, with speed tests reporting above 200 Mbps reliably, so that's not it, and internet is via ethernet cable for both, so it's not a wifi issue.

I checked both PCs thoroughly, testing the CPUs with Intel's diagnostic tool and watching CPU usage while video is running. I also updated the video driver on each machine. Everything checks out. I had already limited startup apps as much as possible, so that didn't seem to be an issue. Both have Avast free, and both have Windows Defender turned off.

I called TWC's tech support and allowed them to view my PC with their live feed, and when they saw the problem they ran some tests and came to the conclusion that the problem is in the modem, so they're sending a new one.

Unfortunately, since then I've watched some video that didn't come from an internet stream, and the chop is milder, but noticeable. This includes recordings made from the DVR with a standalone recorder, and even DVDs. It's most noticeable on shots where the camera moved or panned slowly, and during slow-moving effects shots, but it can be seen virtually all the time.

Now, I know that film shot at 23.97/24 fps won't look perfect when converted to NTSC @ 29.97/30 fps, but I've never seen this kind of choppy playback before.

I appreciate any suggestions that can be offered. Here are the specs for the two PCs:

DELL INSPIRON 530
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E8600, 3.33 GHz
RAM: 4gb
Video: AMD Radeon, 1gb RAM
Power Supply: 500 watt
OS: Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, on a Crucial MX100 SSD
Monitor: Hitachi plasma via HDMI

B-I-Y on Gigabyte GA-Z77-DS3H motherboard
CPU: Intel Core i5-3570K, 3.5 GHz
RAM: 8gb
Video: Intel Graphics 4000 on board, 1gb RAM
Power Supply: 500 watt
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit, build 10586.71, on a Samsung 850 EVO SSD
Monitor: HP Pavilion 22bw via HDMI

cpmusic · 05 Feb 2016

Nothing yet? Sorry, I don't mean to be a pest, but this is making me a little crazy. I've been scouring the web and I've found several threads in various places (including Microsoft) that speak to the problem, but none of the tips and tricks I've found so far has made the slightest difference. That includes changing audio playback settings, rolling back video and audio drivers, increasing the monitor refresh rate (it tops out at 60 Hz), and some other things I can't recall in the moment. I switched back to my 7 SSD (unaltered) on my main PC, and playback is choppy with that, too.

I'm not sure, but I think this started with the 1511 update. How that might have affected any 7 installation is beyond me, though.

This may help: I have PlayOn, which can record streams from various sites. I don't know whether or how much PlayOn uses the video and audio drivers when it's only recording (the program does not appear on screen), but there's some chop in the recording. I copied a few to my Galaxy Pro 8.4 and played them back with MX Player and the stock Samsung video player, and while the effect is not as dramatic as with Windows, it is noticeable. Videos I created previously play back smooth as silk on the tablet.

I uninstalled PlayOn to see if that had anything to do with the problem, and then rebooted. But online streams were still choppy.

After careful viewing, it seems to me that Netflix and Hulu streams run more smoothly than those of the various network and cable channels.

Thanks again for giving this some time.

cpmusic · 05 Feb 2016

For what it's worth: I tried replacing the HDMI cable with DVI (I'm not using HDMI audio on this PC) and it didn't make any difference.

Windows Defender is turned off. I use Malwarebytes free and scan manually once a week.

cpmusic · 10 Feb 2016

The video problem persists. My ISP sent a new modem, but it made no difference on streaming video, so the problem must be somewhere in the computer. I just can't figure where. This is driving me crazy, because I can't watch any video on either computer because the choppy playback is too distracting.

I thought for a moment that the problem may be with the SATA driver or controller, as my Device Manager shows only the following, and if I'm not mistaken I'm supposed to see channels listed as well.

Choppy video, all sources, 2 different PCs (long post)-device_mgr_sata.jpg

But I just checked a video I recorded on my standalone recorder on a USB 3.0 flash drive, and it's choppy, too.

Doesn't anyone have any suggestions?

cpmusic · 12 Feb 2016

As a test, I switched back to a separate SSD that still has Windows 7 and updated it, and it's got the same problem.

I also installed an NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 730 video card with 2gb of RAM, on the chance that the problem lay in the onboard graphics, but it didn't change anything. I haven't tried it with 10 yet, but I don't expect it to make a difference with that OS, either.

I have noticed that I have a greater problem with MP4/AVC than with MPEG-2. It may be shades of difference, but it seems to me that MPEG-2 is smoother.

I downloaded and added Daum PotPlayer and MPC-HC 64, on the chance that WMP and VLC had problems, and PotPlayer, at least, seems to do a better job, but it's hard to tell.

Could there be a codec problem? I know next to nothing about codecs and could use some help.

Thanks again.