AVI playback issues using KODI v18.4 and v19.1 on NEO-U1

I tried playing some AVI (480p, XviD and MP3) files and they start out fine, but about every seven and a half minutes or so the video starts playing like it is fast forwarding, but the audio plays normal. Using KODI v18.4 all I had to do was press left on the directional pad to rewind a little and playback would resume fine, but I would have to do that every seven and a half minutes until reaching end of video. With KODI v19.1 that doesn't work.

Are there any settings that could remedy the problem? x264/x265 play back fine at all resolutions. Will try more AVIs to see if this is just an isolated situation.
 
Your Avi files are maybe miscoded.
Try to play them with another app to test them. You can try VLC for Android to help you.
 
I tried playing some AVI (480p, XviD and MP3) files and they start out fine, but about every seven and a half minutes or so the video starts playing like it is fast forwarding, but the audio plays normal. Using KODI v18.4 all I had to do was press left on the directional pad to rewind a little and playback would resume fine, but I would have to do that every seven and a half minutes until reaching end of video. With KODI v19.1 that doesn't work.

Are there any settings that could remedy the problem? x264/x265 play back fine at all resolutions. Will try more AVIs to see if this is just an isolated situation.

Try disabling HW acceleration.

Kodi does struggle with older Divx/Xvid at times, regardless of v 17, 18 or 19.
 
Your Avi files are maybe miscoded.
Try to play them with another app to test them. You can try VLC for Android to help you.
The files play fine on my other Android TV device.

I watched the AVIs before, a couple of years ago, without a problem. Just can't remember if it was on the U1 or my other Android TV device. That's why I was thinking of trying KODI v17.6, since that was the best (trouble free) version I've used.
 
Well, I was able to play back the files without issue using XBMC For Minix on the U1. Problem is I can't use SMB to add the shared folder where the files are located. "Connection Timed Out" comes up instantly when trying.

I was also able to play the files on an older PC (i5-3570K, Z77 chipset) using KODI v17.6 on Win 10. Will install KODI v19.1 on PC and see what happens.

It doesn't seem to matter which version of KODI used on my other Android TV device, playback is fine. On MiNiX Neo-U1 playback gets worse the newer KODI is. PC still undetermined.

BTW, I had the same issue trying to play some other AVIs on U1 with KODI v19.1, but some other AVIs played fine. They all work fine on my other Android TV device with KODI v19.1.
 
How do you disable HW acceleration? Is that a setting for KODI or Android?
its in Kodi settings >
codec .PNG

Problem is I can't use SMB to add the shared folder where the files are located. "Connection Timed Out" comes up instantly when trying.
You dont say where your files are located. You may have to enable SMB v1 on Windows 10 ( google search)
and suggest in Kodi settings you do this >
smb.PNG

its also a good idea to set up a reserved IP for your U1 in your router and add the source using Kodi network ,location >> https://kodi.wiki/view/SMB
 
Do I need to disable both "Allow hardware acceleration"? Why is there two?

I already have SMBv1 set to minimum in KODI. My media server is running Windows 7 Pro. The older PC running Win 10 Pro I was playing around with different versions of KODI to see if there were any differences in playback.

BTW, the videos are located on internal HDDs on Win 7 Pro PC wired to router (ASUS RT-AC86U). Using WiFi for U1. Everything used to work fine until KODI updates happened. I assume when the SMB was updated, that broke stuff. All of the SMB shares that were added when using XBMC For Minix and KODI before v18 stopped working. Nothing changed on my end.
 
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its also a good idea to set up a reserved IP for your U1 in your router and add the source using Kodi network ,location >> https://kodi.wiki/view/SMB

I don't want to do it this way. I have to manually enter everything in to share a single folder. I have 10 HDDs on the Win7 PC. There are 15 folders I would need to share.

It was much easier to just browse SMB and select the computer and all shared folders get added automatically.
 
Well, I disabled both "Allow Hardware Acceleration" options and that seems to have fixed the AVI playback issue. Will having those disabled cause issues with other videos? Especially for large high resolution, high video bit-rate files using x264/x265?
 
I don't want to do it this way. I have to manually enter everything in to share a single folder. I have 10 HDDs on the Win7 PC. There are 15 folders I would need to share.
I think if you add the network location as a source in Kodi file manager then you should still be able to easily navigate to your HDD's. Really though you should be using a NAS these days.;)
Well, I disabled both "Allow Hardware Acceleration" options and that seems to have fixed the AVI playback issue. Will having those disabled cause issues with other videos? Especially for large high resolution, high video bit-rate files using x264/x265?
Probably.
 
A NAS is expensive and I assume I would need two or more. Plus, I haven't seen a NAS that properly cools the HDDs. I have a Corsair Obsidian 800D that has 9 HDDs in it that all get active cooling (140mm fans). I have yet to have a HDD die on me. Some of them are 8+ years old. Heat kills HDDs.

Thanks for the help, BTW.

I did notice some slight stuttering when playing some 1080p x264 videos with HW Acceleration off.
 
A NAS is expensive and I assume I would need two or more. Plus, I haven't seen a NAS that properly cools the HDDs. I have a Corsair Obsidian 800D that has 9 HDDs in it that all get active cooling (140mm fans). I have yet to have a HDD die on me. Some of them are 8+ years old. Heat kills HDDs.

Thanks for the help, BTW.

I did notice some slight stuttering when playing some 1080p x264 videos with HW Acceleration off.

I might just have to buy another Shield.

I have different models of Synology NAS (4, 5 & 6 bay) that have more than adequate cooling from dual 120mm fans on the minimal settings, let alone cranking the fans up to maximum. The other top NAS producers are also equally as good. (I'd be wondering at which NAS you've been looking at or the details supplied if the respective manufacturer was unable to adequately cool a few HDD's in their products!!!???) They certainly provide considerably more cooling than a simple external drive enclosure that's reliant upon passive cooling alone.

With regards to the HW acceleration, turn it off for viewing the .avi files you know to be problematic but otherwise re-enable the HW acceleration again for all other media.

I don't want to do it this way. I have to manually enter everything in to share a single folder. I have 10 HDDs on the Win7 PC. There are 15 folders I would need to share.

It was much easier to just browse SMB and select the computer and all shared folders get added automatically.

Like everything else & especially with IT security, things inevitably move on or change. Change with them & adapt to the updated protocols or put up with the known issues of using an older version of XBMC/Kodi.

Your choice at the end of the day as to which suits your needs best vs the issues you potentially face :)
 
I have different models of Synology NAS (4, 5 & 6 bay) that have more than adequate cooling from dual 120mm fans on the minimal settings, let alone cranking the fans up to maximum. The other top NAS producers are also equally as good. (I'd be wondering at which NAS you've been looking at or the details supplied if the respective manufacturer was unable to adequately cool a few HDD's in their products!!!???) They certainly provide considerably more cooling than a simple external drive enclosure that's reliant upon passive cooling alone.

I haven't looked at NAS(s) in a while (NewEgg and Amazon). Most likely they were Synology. I think I read a few reviews on them also. I think the price turned me off the most. I'd rather use the money to upgrade or build a new PC (buy more HDDs). Plus, would a NAS fix my SMB share problem? Are there any models you would recommend to look at?

With regards to the HW acceleration, turn it off for viewing the .avi files you know to be problematic but otherwise re-enable the HW acceleration again for all other media.

That is what I am doing. Just a pain to remember whether it's enabled or disabled, sometimes.

Like everything else & especially with IT security, things inevitably move on or change. Change with them & adapt to the updated protocols or put up with the known issues of using an older version of XBMC/Kodi.

I have no problem adapting to change. I just don't like it when things stop working and/or are much more difficult to use with the changes. The upgraded security is not a concern for me. I didn't have any issues running the older KODI where SMB worked (the way I and many others wanted it to).

Your choice at the end of the day as to which suits your needs best vs the issues you potentially face :)

Probably why many people still use Windows 7. I have started to upgrade to Win 10, but my media server will be last. Down-time is not an option right now.
 
I'd rather use the money to upgrade or build a new PC (buy more HDDs).
You could always build your own NAS !

That's what I did originally, but have since also bought a Synology.

The hardware can be as cheap as chips. It can even be an old PC. The OS is free. The HDDs cost the same as they would if you had to furnish a branded NAS. Or you can just use the HDDs you already have.
 
We wouldnt have suggested it if it didnt work :rolleyes:;)(y)
I'm sure it works, but would it be much different than what I'm already doing now? I have 15 HDDs that store media files. Two 8-bay NASes is not cheap. If money was no object, I would have probably tried a NAS by now, and bought larger HDDs to consolidate a few of the smaller ones. Just trying to make do with what I have.

Having no experience with a NAS, I have no idea how it works. What would things look like in KODI trying to add all my media files? What's the best way to add the NAS to my network?

I like to keep things simple. It might not always be the best way to do something, but it is what I know and am comfortable with. But, I am always willing to try/learn something new.

Thanks for the ideas.
 
You could always build your own NAS !

That's what I did originally, but have since also bought a Synology.

The hardware can be as cheap as chips. It can even be an old PC. The OS is free. The HDDs cost the same as they would if you had to furnish a branded NAS. Or you can just use the HDDs you already have.

Sounds interesting. That might be something I could try.
 
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