Freezing on high bandwidth 4k content

I decided to run a few tests just to provide a point of reference with what I have. The files are being served from an old Sandybridge Win10 Pro box with a single gigabit NIC. The network between devices is a couple Unifi gigabit switches. The OSMC device is Vero 4K (not plus) running 3.14 staging with relevant settings, including the buffers, in a stock configuration.

Iperf tests

Built-in fast ethernet adapter

Summary
osmc@Vero:~$ iperf3 -R -c 192.168.254.201
Connecting to host 192.168.254.201, port 5201
Reverse mode, remote host 192.168.254.201 is sending
[  4] local 192.168.254.106 port 36281 connected to 192.168.254.201 port 5201
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec  11.5 MBytes  96.6 Mbits/sec
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.7 Mbits/sec
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   114 MBytes  95.2 Mbits/sec                  sender
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   114 MBytes  95.2 Mbits/sec                  receiver

iperf Done.
osmc@Vero:~$ iperf3   -c 192.168.254.201
Connecting to host 192.168.254.201, port 5201
[  4] local 192.168.254.106 port 36283 connected to 192.168.254.201 port 5201
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth       Retr  Cwnd
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec  12.5 MBytes   105 Mbits/sec    0    215 KBytes
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec  11.6 MBytes  97.5 Mbits/sec    0    269 KBytes
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  95.1 Mbits/sec    0    269 KBytes
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec  11.4 MBytes  95.4 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec  11.2 MBytes  94.1 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  95.1 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.8 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  95.0 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec  11.3 MBytes  94.9 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec  11.3 MBytes  95.2 Mbits/sec    0    271 KBytes
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth       Retr
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   115 MBytes  96.2 Mbits/sec    0             sender
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   113 MBytes  95.1 Mbits/sec                  receiver

Amazon USB 3.0 gigabit adapter

Summary
osmc@Vero:~$ iperf3 -R -c 192.168.254.201
Connecting to host 192.168.254.201, port 5201
Reverse mode, remote host 192.168.254.201 is sending
[  4] local 192.168.254.190 port 34395 connected to 192.168.254.201 port 5201
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec   451 KBytes  3.70 Mbits/sec
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec  20.0 MBytes   167 Mbits/sec
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec  25.4 MBytes   213 Mbits/sec
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec  25.8 MBytes   216 Mbits/sec
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec  25.7 MBytes   216 Mbits/sec
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec  25.8 MBytes   216 Mbits/sec
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec  22.6 MBytes   189 Mbits/sec
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec  19.7 MBytes   165 Mbits/sec
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec  17.8 MBytes   149 Mbits/sec
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec  25.2 MBytes   212 Mbits/sec
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   209 MBytes   175 Mbits/sec                  sender
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   209 MBytes   175 Mbits/sec                  receiver

iperf Done.
osmc@Vero:~$ iperf3  -c 192.168.254.201
Connecting to host 192.168.254.201, port 5201
[  4] local 192.168.254.190 port 34397 connected to 192.168.254.201 port 5201
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth       Retr  Cwnd
[  4]   0.00-1.00   sec  22.1 MBytes   186 Mbits/sec    0   69.9 KBytes
[  4]   1.00-2.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   72.7 KBytes
[  4]   2.00-3.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   72.7 KBytes
[  4]   3.00-4.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   72.7 KBytes
[  4]   4.00-5.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   75.6 KBytes
[  4]   5.00-6.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   77.0 KBytes
[  4]   6.00-7.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   77.0 KBytes
[  4]   7.00-8.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   81.3 KBytes
[  4]   8.00-9.00   sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   84.1 KBytes
[  4]   9.00-10.00  sec  22.3 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0   84.1 KBytes
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[ ID] Interval           Transfer     Bandwidth       Retr
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   223 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec    0             sender
[  4]   0.00-10.00  sec   223 MBytes   187 Mbits/sec                  receiver

Playback tests

To evaluate playback I used the 10 bit HEVC jellyfish bitrate test files and watched Kodi’s video debug display to find when skipped frames started occurring and when the buffer had issues staying full. As such tweaking buffer settings may lead to better results, but this was the least subjective, and easiest repeatable way I could think to run this kind of test.

Built-in NIC Kodi SMB path: Perfect up to 40mb/s jellyfish. 60mb/s jellyfish inconsistent (sometimes played perfect, sometimes lots of skipped frames), 90mb/s jellyfish skipped frames.

Built-in NIC SMB system mount: Perfect up to 60mb/s jellyfish, but had trouble maintaining buffer. 90mb/s jellyfish skipped frames.

Amazon USB 3.0 gigabit adapter Kodi SMB path: Perfect up to 60mb/s jellyfish. 90mb/s jellyfish skipped frames.

Amazon USB 3.0 gigabit adapter SMB system mount: Perfect up to 90mb/s jellyfish. 120mb/s jellyfish almost perfect, had trouble filling buffer, sometimes a couple skipped frames.

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