Ruling Out TrueNAS As Cause of Pixelated Video

[SoonerLater]

I'm 99.99999999% that this problem has nothing to do with TrueNAS (or even my network), but here goes.

Since I deployed my new TrueNAS (11.3-U5) Mini-XL+ server as the SMBserver for all of my media, I have been getting pixelated video so bad that sometimes it freezes and even causes the app playing it to crash. Weird, huh? For 8 years prior I used a FreeNAS / TrueNAS server (running on an HP N40L Microserver that had less than 5% of the CPU power and half the RAM of my new Mini-XL+) and the old system never, ever had a hiccup. I don't run Plex (or any jails) on my TrueNAS server. It's just a SMB server and nothing else. Until this morning, I used an Apple TV 4K (using the MrMC app) to play video files on the SMB share on my TrueNAS. Just to see if it was the Apple TV, I got an nVidia Shield Pro for testing. I connected the Shield using the same ethernet and HDMI cables as the Apple TV had used for years (with 0% problems) until I deployed the new Mini-XL+). Although the Shield did a better job (less pixelation and fewer freezes, but still very noticeable). Next I tried moving the Mini-XL+ to a new location in the house where it would be farther from any nearby electrical equipment. Nothing improved. Oh... and all of my video content is 1080p or less.

So... how can I rule out the Mini-XL+ as a source of the problem? More importantly, how can I find the problem?

I realize that this isn't a video help problem, but I'm really struggling to isolate the problem. Again, I never had any problems whatsoever before I moved my video library from old TrueNAS (11.3-U5) to new TrueNAS (11.3-U5).

 

[GBillR]

I would start with a list of all potential causes and start checking them off one-by-one. It sounds like you've started that, but you did not talk too much about your network configuration. What type of hardware lives between your NAS and the video player? Have you thought about literally just using 1 switch, same subnet, static IP addresses and new network cables and that's it? That should rule out virtually all remaining HW except the NAS, especially if you have extra cables and second network switch to try.

I personally have had good SMB performance from FreeNAS 11.3-u5. I have always been able to saturate a 1 GbE link during large file transfers both to and from the NAS and my PC, with no dips in performance through the entire file. My next step, if you rule out network HW, would be to look at your dataset and network share settings...

 

[SoonerLater]

>>> What type of hardware lives between your NAS and the video player? Have you thought about literally just using 1 switch, same subnet, static IP addresses and new network cables and that's it? That should rule out virtually all remaining HW except the NAS, especially if you have extra cables and second network switch to try.

I have tried this with the [nVidia Shield or Apple TV] connected to the same Netgear gigabit switch as the TrueNAS server. The Shield reports that it has a gigabit connection (Apple doesn't say). The TrueNAS server reports that it has a gigabit connection. I've replaced all the ethernet cables. I've replaced the HDMI cables. I've taken the JBL 9.1 soundbar out of the equation, by cabling the Shield directly to the tv (instead of Shield->soundbar->tv). When playing, the I watch the dashboard on the TrueNAS and the NIC never shows it's sending more than 1000 KiB/sec (usually half that). When using the Shield, I use Kodi as the player app and set debug logging on, which superimposes network saturation and cpu usage date on screen. It never shows anything unusual, even when the video stutters or pixelates. I've tried playing the same video on my PC (using VLC) and it pixelates and stutters in the same places.

>>> My next step, if you rule out network HW, would be to look at your dataset and network share settings...

Which settings? The ACL for the dataset/share?

 

[GBillR]

I've tried playing the same video on my PC (using VLC) and it pixelates and stutters in the same places.

This is interesting. If you put a copy of the file on your PC and play direct, do you see the same? I am just surprised that you are able to recreate the issue with that degree of predictability.

I will have to defer to those who are smarter than me at this point with regard to your share setup.

 

[SoonerLater]

>>> If you put a copy of the file on your PC and play direct, do you see the same? I am just surprised that you are able to recreate the issue with that degree of predictability.

I downloaded the video in question to my local computer, then played it via VLC. It pixelated and stuttered in all the same places. Clearly the file has some issues that are unrelated to TrueNAS or my network. I may have just a little egg on my face.

And although I've had trouble with several files over the last week, I don't think that I'll need to test every one of them to find a common factor: excretive encoding.

I wonder if there are any benchmark test videos using different resolutions and encoding methods which one can load on a network share, then stream, as a method of determining the resiliency of one's server + network infrastructure + player hardware and app combination?