Incredibly slow performance when encoding from my most capable PC - Packet Loss 50%+?

[DarkAegis]

I've been using Steam In-Home Streaming for some time now, mostly with success, but recently (I can't exactly pinpoint when), I started having major problems streaming from my main and most capable PC.

Regardless of what I game I play, I get 40% or more dropped frames/packets, tons of audio errors, and general lag when streaming from my main PC to either of my secondary PCs. All of my PCs are on a wired network using the same router and I even tried plugging the ethernet cable from my media center PC into my main with the same result.

Main PC is running with a GTX970 and an i5 3570k overclocked (stable with aftermarket cooler) to 4 ghz. Secondary is a GTX 670 and a less capable AMD processor.

Weird thing is, when streaming from my much less powerful media center PC, framerate is quite decent and I don't get dropped frames or literally any packet loss.

In the log, I'm seeing an absolute ton of "Bad CRC on message" errors, which I assume are the cause of the packet loss issues. Problem is that I can't seem to find a single instance of someone else having this error with Steam in-game streaming. I have no idea where to go from here.

You can find the full logs here: https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B0P9KYrJetNoc3RZdnlubjIzVkE&usp=sharing

Here's a small excerpt from the log. There is about 4 megs more of pretty much the same stuff, but I can't imagine it helping anyone much to see a million more repeated "bad CRC" errors.

[2015-05-09 16:25:39] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:39] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:39] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] Changing record window: 0004043A
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetTitle
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlShowCursor
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursor
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlSetCursorImage
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Got control packet k_EStreamControlShowCursor
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:40] >>> Switching video stream from NONE to Desktop_MovieStream
[2015-05-09 16:25:41] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping
[2015-05-09 16:25:41] CLIENT: Bad CRC on message received from 192.168.0.109:27031, dropping

[kreiselhoschi]

I´d first check if this happens with other ports of the router and if that´s negative change the cable to your main rig. Sometimes a cable gets bent or receives too much pressure, which COULD lead to above situation. Just a guess, though.... Good luck!

[DarkAegis]

Originally posted by kreiselhoschi:

I´d first check if this happens with other ports of the router and if that´s negative change the cable to your main rig. Sometimes a cable gets bent or receives too much pressure, which COULD lead to above situation. Just a guess, though.... Good luck!

Thanks for the guesses, but unfortunately I've done the equivalent of both of those things minus a few variables, even - I plugged my main PC into my router using the same cord and port as my less capable media center PC (they're right next to each other). Same problem, same errors.

Thanks for the attempt though. It's been at least a month and I still haven't figured this out, so it's nice to get some external input.

[Macrodon]

Maybe your network card is broken, do you have another PCIe ethernet card to test this? Or maybe an usb 3.0 ethernet dongle? An usb wifi stick may also help.

[DarkAegis]

I might try it, but I'd imagine that internet speeds and connection/latency/ping would suffer in other programs and not just Steam streaming. Wifi isn't a great option because the two computers have enough walls in between them to degrade my WiFi performance significantly.

I'll see if I can dig up another network card.

[Macrodon]

I know that wifi isn't great, I only ask for that to check if your network card is the problem in case that you don't have another one or an usb ethernet dongle.
So that you can replace it if you don't have so much packet loss with that (if your wifi connection is that bad that might not be significant so an usb ethernet dongle would be better to test i think).
If your networkcard is the problem a new one is only about 10$ i think.

[DarkAegis]

Yeah, that's smart. I've been busy all day today, but I'll try a dongle in my main PC and see if it works any better. Thanks!

[DarkAegis]

Nope, no dice. Tried it with a wireless N dongle about 10 feet from my router with full signal and throughput and still had the odd packet loss issues, so it's not my network card. I was doubtful that would be the case in the first place because I do plenty of streaming to and from this particular PC with no issues.

I also tried putting in my old router to the same effect. No clue what's going on or how to solve it. I feel like I've tried literally everything. Maybe there's an issue with the GTX 970 drivers or something? I have no clue.

[Macrodon]

hmm very weird. Did you try to disable hardware encoding? I don't think that that will solve the problem but maybe its some kind of black OS magic... If that doesn't work, you could try to install a linux (ubuntu would be the easiest one i think) to an usb drive and try to stream from it. If that helps, something is messed up with your OS and maybe reinstalling would help.

[DarkAegis]

It's cropped up again - I think that first day was just lucky. Packet loss is 5-10% causing tons of audio clipping. Running from the same network and the same wires from my secondary PC the loss is fine (0%) I can't play any games on my remote PC because the sound skips and regular jitters are just too annoying. I'm desperate here.

Maybe a full reinstall with Windows 10 will eventually fix the issues with my main PC, but I just can't figure this out. It's infuriating. It's bothering me that it manifests as a network problem but it's showing up regardless of my network situation and with variables switched around.

Edit: Thanks for the suggestion macro - I have tried turning on and off hardware encoding throughout. Nothing.

Ok, yet another bizarre update - when streaming from my bedroom PC to my main (most capable) PC, packet loss bounces between 0 and 1% - perfectly acceptable. Literally seconds later streaming that same game from my main PC to the bedroom PC, packet loss is 15-20% and stuff is stuttering like mad.

The weird thing is that I know that my hardware and connection are up to task - I can stream wirelessly using Nvidia Gamestream - which presumably uses the same encoder - at 1080p60 with absolutely zero loss in framerate or lag.

[wilk0076]

Only one way to be certain it's actually using the Nvidia encoder/decoder -- turn on the on-screen stats on the client and hit F6 -- do you see NVFBC or NVIFR?

I read someone else on these forums a ways back that the Nvida hardware encoder will sometimes shut itself off during in-home streaming if it's not set to "manual" in the Nvidia control panel. Don't quote me on that, though.

[DarkAegis]

Yep, it's working. That's one of the first things I checked. Nvidia Shadowplay is activated and on manual and it's properly encoding using the platform. Still no idea what's causing this.

[DarkAegis]

I'm resurrecting this post from the dead, if possible, because I'm still having the CRC issue nearly a year later, now with my Steam Link.

The packet loss issue has, mostly, stabilized - aside from a few jitters, but the CRC errors are going strong - an hour long play session will make 100 meg log file.

Since my last post, I bought and re-ran Cat6 ethernet from a reputable dealer and bought a new network card for my main PC - neither helped.

[(੭•̀ω•́)੭✧(๑˃᷄ᗜ˂᷅)ﾉ♪]

I´d first check if this happens