T428 ALPHA TEST ROM - Frame skipping testing

[grindy]

so what is it that is causing this problem Bob? i have run through every option on pimp my rom and some settings make it a little better, but always smoother when moving the mouse. i am a source code android rom developer and am very curious what your prognosis is...

[Finless]

From what I can tell it has to do with input and frame buffer refresh.
When you are moving the mouse the kernel / Android system knows it needs to update the frame buffer due to input. When a movie is playing and the mouse drops to the background, for some reason some process in not letting Android know to keep updating the frame buffer. This would seem very reasonable on a phone or tablet to save battery life. But for a TV stick it needs to be updating the buffer every time period! We are not trying to save power. This is the part that is missing or not coded correctly. It is almost like they have some forced timer telling the frame buffer to update and that timer is either getting out of sync (can’t stay in sync say at 60hz), or it is a timer hack that just won’t work.

My 3 cents.,......
I thought I had this nailed but apparently not as some still report the skipping and for me it looks and plays as well as any of my 3066 devices but again others say it is still there


Kong76, yes you can write to FB0 a resolution. That is well documented. But based on my playing with that and doing so, it does not appear to do anything. FB0 is usually for a LCD screen on a tablet. It does not appear to effect HDMI.
You can also use the am command from a terminal emulator > am display-size 1280x800. But again, I have tried that and am accepts that command with no issue but it does not seem to effect anything.

Bob

[fwupow]

Sure does make one wonder

OK folks.... So when I got the CX-919 and started playing with it I could not believe how fast this ROM operates. When I fired up Netflix, BAM I could completely see it was much smoother and I could not find a hint of frame skipping. BUT... you guys with the good eye's, you have to tell me....


.....Notes:
Wifi works so good on this I cannot believe it. It picks up routers in my neighborhood that none of the T428 ROM have. Data rate over wifi is the best I have seen yet.

Bob

You gotta wonder how great the T428 could be if the manufacturer just had a good firmware developer.

The T428 has 2.4 & 5GHz WiFi though. Does the CX-919 have the same WiFi chip? Just confused to how WiFi can be so much better if the firmware is targeting a different chip altogether. Geekbuying only mentions 2.4GHz for the CX-919, but they goofed that up in the T428 listing as well, so I've no idea.

[geekbuying]

You gotta wonder how great the T428 could be if the manufacturer just had a good firmware developer.

The T428 has 2.4 & 5GHz WiFi though. Does the CX-919 have the same WiFi chip? Just confused to how WiFi can be so much better if the firmware is targeting a different chip altogether. Geekbuying only mentions 2.4GHz for the CX-919, but they goofed that up in the T428 listing as well, so I've no idea.

CX-919 just support 2.4Ghz, no 5GHZ, now only T428 support 5ghz in market.

it depends on the wifi chipset.

[Molle]

You gotta wonder how great the T428 could be if the manufacturer just had a good firmware developer.

Patience. I think we'll get there eventually. But I fully symphatize. There is so much potential in this device waiting to be unleashed.

[lukacszs]

CX-919 just support 2.4Ghz, no 5GHZ, now only T428 support 5ghz in market.

it depends on the wifi chipset.

Unfortunatelly 5Ghz results in much inferior speed on finless 1.5a ROM. I got 5Mbps while I got 30-35Mbps on 2.4 Ghz.

[fwupow]

Screen refreshing

CX-919 just support 2.4Ghz, no 5GHZ, now only T428 support 5ghz in market.

it depends on the wifi chipset.

Thanks for the clarification. So I guess these chips must be very similar if the CX-919 firmware WiFi works on the Tronsmart T428, but I'm guessing that it only provides 2.4GHz connections?


On another note: If the stuttering problem is related to screen refreshing as Bob has postulated, could it be as simple as battery conservation? What I mean is that these devices typically spoof a 50% battery level don't they? Has Google implemented some sort of battery saving scheme that limits screen refreshes on video depending on battery level? Is Android OS capable of recognizing "Plugged In" power? What if a 90 or 100% battery level were spoofed? Of course I don't know that limiting screen refreshes even conserves much power, usually it's screen dimming or backlight shut-off that's most effective for that.

[fwupow]

Using this ROM right now

I see what you mean about the WiFi performance and surprised to discover that it supports the 5GHz functionality of the T428 as well. I'm on 5GHz right now in fact. Netflix works great, but I expect that from 4.1.1 Jelly Bean anyway.
I think this ROM may work as a basis for the future, but lack of screen zoom adjustment is the 1st thing that has to be fixed.
My mouse pointer disappears entirely in MX Player so I can't make any settings changes or adjustments in that app.

I still need to test a lot of stuff, but I concur that the WiFi is amazing.

[fwupow]

Update

OK, so I've tested the following:

1. Netflix works as good as I've seen. I've no complaints
2. Hulu Plus works well, no complaints
3. Game controller via USB works
4. Beach Buggy Blitz plays fine
5. Antutu score 15560 (typical) you don't get 18000+ unless the graphics runs in Portrait mode but many people don't actually set in front of their monitor and watch to see if Antutu automatically flips into portrait mode during the 2D & 3D graphics tests, so they think that they ran it in landscape when they didn't.
6. USB mass storage devices are recognized and read.
7. Logitech C170 webcam from Geekbuying works but I haven't discovered an app that records video that I can playback. I don't know what the exact codec used is. I know that the file extension is mp4 but the video will not playback.

On a side note: I looked up and saw that the light on my C170 was on and started closing down apps and when I clicked 'STOP' for a running 'Google Services' app, the light went out! Another case of Google spying on us now and planning to apologize later? If that's what they are doing, they should be sued 50 ways from Christmas. Disgusting! How many people are walking around with Android Smartphones not knowing that Google is turning on their built-in cams and recording them and their surroundings?

8. I had to install the 'Null Keyboard' app to keep the damn virtual onscreen keyboard at bay, but that's a common nuisance.
9. Still have the usual Jellybean 4.1.1 problem with my IronMan 3 Comicon video which is H.264 in an mp4 container. It's full 1080p and video plays slow and desyncs with audio.
10. My TV is only 720p. I can not say that I detect the video stuttering while mouse pointer not moving behavior that others complain about. I do notice some stuttering in high motion or camera panning shots but I attribute this to the video compression.
11. Network Streaming. I can access files on my Router USB port and some formats play well, but 1080p needs to stop & buffer every 5 to 10 seconds it seems and mp4 files even at 480p just aren't streaming good enough to say so.

[dbp]

OK, so I've tested the following:

On a side note: I looked up and saw that the light on my C170 was on and started closing down apps and when I clicked 'STOP' for a running 'Google Services' app, the light went out! Another case of Google spying on us now and planning to apologize later? If that's what they are doing, they should be sued 50 ways from Christmas. Disgusting! How many people are walking around with Android Smartphones not knowing that Google is turning on their built-in cams and recording them and their surroundings?

No worry, the light on is due to the camera is being accessed by the APPS. The access can be due to checking of the existence for the camera so that the app can configure itself accordingly. Say, disable certain features if no camera exist.

[Finless]

OK, so I've tested the following:

1. Netflix works as good as I've seen. I've no complaints
2. Hulu Plus works well, no complaints
3. Game controller via USB works
4. Beach Buggy Blitz plays fine
5. Antutu score 15560 (typical) you don't get 18000+ unless the graphics runs in Portrait mode but many people don't actually set in front of their monitor and watch to see if Antutu automatically flips into portrait mode during the 2D & 3D graphics tests, so they think that they ran it in landscape when they didn't.
6. USB mass storage devices are recognized and read.
7. Logitech C170 webcam from Geekbuying works but I haven't discovered an app that records video that I can playback. I don't know what the exact codec used is. I know that the file extension is mp4 but the video will not playback.

On a side note: I looked up and saw that the light on my C170 was on and started closing down apps and when I clicked 'STOP' for a running 'Google Services' app, the light went out! Another case of Google spying on us now and planning to apologize later? If that's what they are doing, they should be sued 50 ways from Christmas. Disgusting! How many people are walking around with Android Smartphones not knowing that Google is turning on their built-in cams and recording them and their surroundings?

8. I had to install the 'Null Keyboard' app to keep the damn virtual onscreen keyboard at bay, but that's a common nuisance.
9. Still have the usual Jellybean 4.1.1 problem with my IronMan 3 Comicon video which is H.264 in an mp4 container. It's full 1080p and video plays slow and desyncs with audio.
10. My TV is only 720p. I can not say that I detect the video stuttering while mouse pointer not moving behavior that others complain about. I do notice some stuttering in high motion or camera panning shots but I attribute this to the video compression.
11. Network Streaming. I can access files on my Router USB port and some formats play well, but 1080p needs to stop & buffer every 5 to 10 seconds it seems and mp4 files even at 480p just aren't streaming good enough to say so.

First good feedback I have heard on this ROM. I was about to give up

So you gave a Netflix eval which I agree with because for me... this was the best Netflix playback I have seen yet on any ROM. I think the frame skipping is gone!

But I do not have a bunch of movies made in different formats (MPEG, MKV, AVI, Etc), so I am waiting for some feedback on that.

I thank you for your input! Very concise and usable for me

Bob

[vnishimoto]

For me stil suttering

Hi Bob.

I tied Netflix with "Example Short 23.976", after 2:30 min, i have stutters.
For players I tried in this site http://www.auby.no/files/video_tests/ the movie "Birds" stutters a lot.

Thanks for your hard work.

[hochoch]

Re: T428 ALPHA TEST ROM - Frame skipping testing

So my unit finally arrived today! Been following things here for a few weeks now.

Is the consensus that this is the best rom to flash at the moment? Plan on using Netflix, plex, xbmc, etc....

Thanks for any advice on where to kick things off.

Sent from my Infected Rezound using Tapatalk 2

[fwupow]

You're probably onto something

First good feedback I have heard on this ROM. I was about to give up

So you gave a Netflix eval which I agree with because for me... this was the best Netflix playback I have seen yet on any ROM. I think the frame skipping is gone!

But I do not have a bunch of movies made in different formats (MPEG, MKV, AVI, Etc), so I am waiting for some feedback on that.

I thank you for your input! Very concise and usable for me

Bob

You're welcome Bob. Yes I think this could be the start of a very good ROM for the T428. As a matter of fact if you can get the Screen Settings & Zoom adjustments working, I'd flash this ROM and stay with it. I don't actually mind that it has problems with playback of certain video formats (mp4 especially). If I can have good Netflix, HuLu, WiFi and gaming on a single ROM, I'm good 2 go.

Thanks for your work on this

[Finless]

You're welcome Bob. Yes I think this could be the start of a very good ROM for the T428. As a matter of fact if you can get the Screen Settings & Zoom adjustments working, I'd flash this ROM and stay with it. I don't actually mind that it has problems with playback of certain video formats (mp4 especially). If I can have good Netflix, HuLu, WiFi and gaming on a single ROM, I'm good 2 go.

Thanks for your work on this

Zoom using the mouse wheel is there.... go into settings and accessibility. Turn it on. Now when you push down on the mouse wheel you will see the mouse pointer change. Rolling the mouse will zoom in and out.

Did that not work for you?

Bob