Problems with video playback while utorrent loaded

[lilralphie]

Hello,

I've read the FAQ and hopefully will provide the adequate info for diagnosing the problem.

I'm using utorrent 1.7.7. When I play a movie file (any file) while utorrent is downloading, the playback is poor: choppy and sometimes has loss of audio. The file will play OK and then skip forward a second or two. The audio loss seems unrelated to this skipping and occurs seemingly randomly (audio will resume if the file is paused and then played again). I think *maybe* that audio loss occurs sooner after utorrent has been downloading for a while.

This is *not* dependent on a particular file. Playback with utorrent not running is excellent. I'm using the latest version of K-Lite Mega Codec Pack.

ISP: Charter

Connection speed: 1487 down, 234 up

Router make and model, firmware version: Linksys WRT54GL firmware version 4.30.11

TCP/IP patch: Not patched, but did change net.max_halfopen to 80 in preferences

Software firewall: Outpost 2008 6.0.2284.253.0485; previously had problems with slow system performance but turning logs off fixed that. I have blocked content filtering on utorrent. Windows firewall is off.

Antivirus software: Symantec 10.1.7.7000

I have an NVidia NForce 780i SLI motherboard but did not install that crappy Nvidia firewall.

Here's my HiJackThis log:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.2

Scan saved at 9:16:03 PM, on 4/7/2008

Platform: Windows XP SP2 (WinNT 5.01.2600)

MSIE: Internet Explorer v7.00 (7.00.6000.16608)

Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:

C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe

C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe

C:\Ralphie\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe

C:\Ralphie\PeerGuardian\pg2.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

C:\Ralphie\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe

C:\Program Files\Common Files\Logitech\KHAL\KHALMNPR.EXE

C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe

C:\Ralphie\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe

C:\Ralphie\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe

C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe

C:\Ralphie\Firefox\firefox.exe

C:\Ralphie\K-Lite Codec Pack\Media Player Classic\mplayerc.exe

C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe

C:\Ralphie\HijackThis\HijackThis.exe

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896

R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=54896

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=69157

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Local Page =

R1 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings,ProxyOverride = *.local

O2 - BHO: Adobe PDF Reader Link Helper - {06849E9F-C8D7-4D59-B87D-784B7D6BE0B3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelper.dll

O2 - BHO: SSVHelper Class - {761497BB-D6F0-462C-B6EB-D4DAF1D92D43} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] nwiz.exe /install

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Logitech Hardware Abstraction Layer] KHALMNPR.EXE

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [ccApp] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccApp.exe"

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [vptray] C:\Ralphie\SYMANT~1\VPTray.exe

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OutpostMonitor] C:\Ralphie\OUTPOS~1\op_mon.exe /tray /noservice

O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [OutpostFeedBack] "C:\Ralphie\Outpost Firewall\feedback.exe" /dump:os_startup

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [PeerGuardian] C:\Ralphie\PeerGuardian\pg2.exe

O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [ctfmon.exe] C:\WINDOWS\system32\ctfmon.exe

O4 - Global Startup: Logitech SetPoint.lnk = C:\Ralphie\Logitech\SetPoint\SetPoint.exe

O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Sun Java Console - {08B0E5C0-4FCB-11CF-AAA5-00401C608501} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre1.6.0_05\bin\ssv.dll

O9 - Extra button: Outpost Firewall Pro Quick Tune - {44627E97-789B-40d4-B5C2-58BD171129A1} - C:\Ralphie\Outpost Firewall\ie_bar.dll

O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe

O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe

O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/wuweb_site.cab?1206916106984

O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/V5Controls/en/x86/client/muweb_site.cab?1206916047828

O17 - HKLM\System\CCS\Services\Tcpip\..\{D7EF3ACA-5EC8-4C51-88D2-D2F3321D0E1F}: NameServer = 129.176.171.5,129.176.199.5

O20 - AppInit_DLLs: c:\Ralphie\outpos~1\wl_hook.dll

O23 - Service: Agnitum Client Security Service (acssrv) - Agnitum Ltd. - C:\Ralphie\OUTPOS~1\acs.exe

O23 - Service: ##Id_String1.6844F930_1628_4223_B5CC_5BB94B879762## (Bonjour Service) - Apple Computer, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Bonjour\mDNSResponder.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Event Manager (ccEvtMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccEvtMgr.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Settings Manager (ccSetMgr) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\ccSetMgr.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus Definition Watcher (DefWatch) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Ralphie\Symantec AntiVirus\DefWatch.exe

O23 - Service: Contivity VPN Service (ExtranetAccess) - Nortel Networks NA, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Nortel Networks\Extranet_serv.exe

O23 - Service: FLEXnet Licensing Service - Macrovision Europe Ltd. - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Macrovision Shared\FLEXnet Publisher\FNPLicensingService.exe

O23 - Service: LiveUpdate - Symantec Corporation - C:\PROGRA~1\Symantec\LIVEUP~1\LUCOMS~1.EXE

O23 - Service: NMIndexingService - Nero AG - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Nero\Lib\NMIndexingService.exe

O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (NVSvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\system32\nvsvc32.exe

O23 - Service: Pml Driver HPZ12 - HP - C:\WINDOWS\system32\HPZipm12.exe

O23 - Service: SAVRoam (SavRoam) - symantec - C:\Ralphie\Symantec AntiVirus\SavRoam.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec Network Drivers Service (SNDSrvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SNDSrvc.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec SPBBCSvc (SPBBCSvc) - Symantec Corporation - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Symantec Shared\SPBBC\SPBBCSvc.exe

O23 - Service: Symantec AntiVirus - Symantec Corporation - C:\Ralphie\Symantec AntiVirus\Rtvscan.exe

Download speeds/upload speeds are acceptable and utorrent itself seems to function OK.

Any ideas?

Thanks!!!

[GTHK]

Content issues aren't supported as per the announcement, Symantec's anti-virus sucks, Nero Scout is known to interfere, and check to see if your HDD controllers are in PIO mode, if they are, uninstall them to kick them over to DMA/UDMA, raising the media players priority may also help.

[lilralphie]

Thank you for the response.

I'm not sure that I understand what you mean about "content issues". I believe that this is a system issue with utorrent, not a content issue with the file.

Nero is installed, but scout is disabled, as per the HiJackThis log.

HDD controllers are in DMA mode.

I'll try raising the priority on the player. Any other thoughts?

Thanks again.

[GTHK]

Try Winamp or Windows Media Player, if you still have trouble, get the log in the second step of this.

[jewelisheaven]

It doesn't sound like uT actually. It sounds more like the hardware is having trouble keeping up with the seeking, or that bloated codec pack is causing incompatibilities. By content issues GTHK means you won't get any in depth answers about what happens after the torrent's data finishes in uT around here. Also please understand the judgment on software does not reflect on you... it's that these "suites" usually install/run features people don't need and to be honest cause much more trouble than they're worth. Thank you for the elaborate description of your computer

I too would suggest an alternate player, and see if the file is too fragmented to seek (see if defragmenting that file helps). VLC Player or Media Player Classic would be my choices actually. Winamp used 80 MiB of RAM last time I used it, and I don't touch WMP even on a default install of XP. This seeking could definitely be an issue if you download, upload and try to play the video (especially a HD resolution > 640x480) simultaneously on one hard drive.

After that, I would try turning off your running non-windows programs and see if the problem still persists. One other nifty thing is to use Process Explorere's Find function (Ctrl-F) to search for the file you're watching and see if something unexpected is hooking it... perhaps causing the slowdown.

[GTHK]

VLC is a little too spartan for my tastes and lacks functions I like . Also, if that codec pack is a little chunky as suggested by jewelisheaven (and I think it is, based on my experience with it 2 years ago), you could uninstall it and try FFDShow Tryouts, being sure to enable whatever you need. I think jewelisheaven covered everything else.

Oh and, if I'm reading PE right, 160+ MiB, Big Bento skin... I'm gonna look at this Media Player Classic.