Less buffering!

[Didier]

Not sure what libraries are providing the streaming functionality, but the experience of fast forwarding and rewinding is pretty negative due to the excessive buffering.

[fishears]

@chad wrote:

Not sure what libraries are providing the streaming functionality, but the experience of fast forwarding and rewinding is pretty negative due to the excessive buffering.

Are you watching via SMB? I do and the buffering takes around 2-3 secs. Check your wireless connectivity, it may be weak.

[rodries]

That’s configurable. Check the cache options. Of course there’s a reason for buffering – stability.

[Didier]

Thanks Tantric, I’ll mess around with the settings. I understand the need for buffering, it just seems that there could be some optimization done in terms of leaving more in the buffer for faster rw/ff performance. Maybe not.. *shrug*

2-3 seconds of buffering whenever I hit the D-pad left makes having to jump back two minutes take an extra 10-20 seconds… that’s annoying. Going back 5 minutes would add ~30 seconds… not ideal at all. If that *is* desirable performance in your eyes, I’ll have to agree to disagree.

~c

[Mungali]

Can’t be instant!

[Didier]

I’ve been flipping back and forth between my XBMC and this, and watching how the buffering works. Theirs is definitely optimized and buffers very quickly, but I realized that the time difference isn’t the problem. It’s the way the buffering is presented to the user.

When I select a movie file from the list, and a small insignificant throbber starts pulsing off in one of the corners, and maybe says “buffering…” in really tiny letters next to it, I can see what’s happening during the unavoidable pause as the file is buffered. However, when there is suddenly a big BRIGHT WHITE, HIGH CONTRAST, message stating “Buffering” across the middle of the screen with a PROGRESS BAR the WIDTH OF my BIG ASS TV, I feel sort of inclined to think that I’ll be waiting a while.

I’ve read in various posts that it is a goal of this project to make a Wii media center application that is user friendly and approachable. I think putting extra effort into creating the perception of speed and fluidity would definitely be a huge step in that direction.

[asegura074]

… Get a better wireless connection. I buffer constantly over a wireless network using SMB shares for movies, music and tv shows and at most I wait around 2-3 seconds. When it comes to rewind or fast forwarding its usually 1-2 seconds. Think about it logically… your transmitting data over a wireless connection to another device. It keeps around 20sec or so locally on the Wii and the rest is a constant stream. If you cant wait that long improve your wireless router, move your wii closer to your computer or buy a network capable media center for a few hundred bucks. To say he has to trick you into thinking your not waiting that long is ridiculous. If the “big” bar is bugging you buy a smaller TV; problem solved. To Tantric keep up the good work.

[Didier]

OK, that’s a complete BS response. I switched off wiiMC and went back to my XBMC… I think tantric’s doing a find job of making mplayer look better on the Wii, I just think I’m looking for a more polished experience, and XBMC still has it.

As for saying that creating a user interface that hides the warts a little better is a bad idea, you’re obviously not in the software business. Definitely not in the UI design business anyway…

[Author]

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