network streaming uPnP vs. NFS, which has best performance

[Loewe81]

Yesterday I tried to stream 1080p via 2,4GHz 802.11n. My test films where Gladiator Extended edition and Avatar. Both movies played fine, only if the data rate where to high it beguns stuttering.
I first tried with a NFS-share on a QNAP 109Pro II connected on a Fritzbox 7270, because I though this is the best option. After it I started the Twonky Media server on the QNAP and tried it via uPnP. It also beguns stuttering at the same scene but not that much and also some seconds later. Maybe this comes from buffering of the Twonky, I don't this server.
Later I made an update from 2.0.1 to 3.0.2, because I want to check if maybe the performance is a little bit better with the new version. But it looks that it was a little bit slower, because the stuttering via uPnP beguns earlier than with the older version.

Now I want to ask, which method is best to use for streaming? I know, that 1080p isn't working smoothly at the moment. I want to try it again via 5GHz the next days. So this is maybe only some theoretical question.

Does anyone has experiences with 5Ghz? If I'm right there is only the Apple Airport Express and the Buffalo WLI-TX4-AG300N as a possible solution for 5GHz and 802.11n. Does someone use one of these two methods?

Ciao Stefan

[jer1956]

You can improve the speed of the connection all you like. The bottleneck will still be the med500x pulling in the data. Can you play these files without stuttering from the hard drive?  If they stutter from the hard drive then the lan speed may not be the issue.

A cynic might argue that the only reason for offering a wireless-n dongle was so that  the REST of the network could continue to  work at the maximum speed!

[Maasbommel]

You could try to use a lan cable temporay to check if Wifi is the limiting factor, or not.
And ofcourse you could try to play the same movie from (external) disk to check where is the bottle neck.

Personally I use for wifi connection a Linksys WET610N ethernet-wifi bridge and am very happy with it.
Bandwith is better then with the mede8er dongle, because its on 5ghz and uses its own processor in stead of a dongle that needs some processor power from the mede8er.
Avatar MKV 1080p plays fine with this solution without stutter.
Also a filecopy over samba gives almost the same speed as with a fixed lan cable, around 5MB/s average.
But I have to remark that this is not a garanty that this same setup will play fine at your place.
Wifi bandwith is very dependant on local environment, like how many walls to cross, signal strength and quality of used router, iron in the walls and floors, etc.

regards,
Maasbommel

regards,
Maasbommel

[Loewe81]

My environment regarding wireless is optimal, about 7m without any kind of walls inbetween.
Yes I also will try the Airport Express (from a friend) with the 5GHz features the next days to see if this hopefully gives the necessary improvements for 1080p streaming.
I will let you know.

Ciao Stefan

[Gilly]

You might want to try a pair of Homeplugs rated at 200mb/s (though they never reach that theoretical speed). I have used ho,eplugs for a couple of years with no problems streaming. I have to admit I have only recently started encoding bluray to mkv (all my other stuff is DVD to Divx). Although I have never tried them with just a full bluray rip.

I have to say I am a big fan of the Airport Extreme as I use them in work and find their range better than that of more expensive wireless routers.

[Loewe81]

Today I tested the Airport Express and my two 1080p movies were very well streamed. No stuttering anymore. 5GHz rules 
2,4GHz with about 20 visible WLANs in comparison to 5GHz with me alone.

Ciao Stefan

[jer1956]

I notice your using 720p with your panasonic. I have found that the med500x dosn't downscale as well as my Panasonic 720p TV.  So use 720p for SD, and the native format for HD media.