Recorded Program Playback Issue

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    • Official Post

    No i don`t think so, because you have already recorded with other app on same box and if not MOL plays the video file correctly from sd card , right?


    I would try something more:

    1. Format the sd card with FAT32 and test, if same, then with exfat ( i still see the problem here!)

    2. Deinstall MOL and install new one. Test again without changing some settings in MOL

    3. Try to test with other free portal or test account

    4. Before you test some recordings -> home screen -> press Menu button more then 2sec. and close all open apps -> then start MOL and recording

  • 1, 2 and 4 I have already done more than once (I test so many things as I am quite computer savvy).


    3. I have tried three different portal setups with the same provider.


    MAC address

    Portal url and login details

    m3u line


    It made no difference to the recording issue.


    The only thing I have left to try would be a second provider. I’ll see if I can get a free trial and let you know.


    By the way, I edited my last post and not sure if you saw all of my comments.


    The one difference I see between recording with the other app and MOL is that the other app isn’t tying up resources constantly creating a timeshift file. MOL has more things impacting the box performance.

  • I tried with a free trial from another provider. Surprise surprise it worked !!! I was able to record and playback with no jumping or freezing...and the timeshifting also worked.


    The main difference is the stream quality. The provider with the free trial had both a lower bit rate and lower frame rate than my main provider...along with quite a few other issues.


    Looks like my main provider has much higher quality streams in comparison. I did find another subscriber who has the exact same issue.


    Perhaps when the issue with “timeshifting running even when turned off in settings” is resolved (in the next MOL update) I can re-do all the tests.


    Thanks for all your help and patience 😀.

    • Official Post

    Hi Tiukgirl,


    did you already read Robbos post -> Recorded Program Playback Issue

    When the recording storage is formatted well, then is the problem only the stream with provider. In all my test recordings i can not see any jumps or freezes.

  • Hi Robbo, I tested everything on this post and others and I believe I have the exact same issue you have. I have an extreme Scan disk card as well and really high quality ISP so it must be the same issue you are having.


    Does it affect your timeshift too?

    Let me know if meanwhile you find the solution for this other than using an external app.

  • Same issue happening to me. Everything was working OK when I first had the Z7+ (last year). Seems the update has caused the issue as past recordings still play on my installed micro SD card. Any new recordings freeze and stutter for Video, but audio is OK. How long must we wait for the fix????

  • Just discovered this thread. I'm having the exact same issues and, as others reported, playing recordings was fine when I first got the STBs (Z7+ and Z+). Starting a few months ago I get freezes every few seconds (on timeshift and recordings). I see no problems when playing the recording files on a computer straight from the same memory card.

    I tried to format the cards in every configuration possible but the problems remain. Something seems to be broken on the embedded player.

    • Official Post

    Don`t know if you have done factory reset yet but it is worth to try. Also, to format the memory card like in this article ->How to format Micro SD card, USB flash drive, pen drive, hard drive or SSD for use with Z and S Boxes.

    • Official Post

    Just discovered this thread. I'm having the exact same issues and, as others reported, playing recordings was fine when I first got the STBs (Z7+ and Z+). Starting a few months ago I get freezes every few seconds (on timeshift and recordings). I see no problems when playing the recording files on a computer straight from the same memory card.

    I tried to format the cards in every configuration possible but the problems remain. Something seems to be broken on the embedded player.

    Which method are you using to playback the recordings?

  • Which method are you using to playback the recordings?

    Go to playlist and choose a recording. Same thing happens on the timeshift recording. It worked fine when I got the STBs with the same microSD cards.

    • Official Post

    Go to playlist and choose a recording. Same thing happens on the timeshift recording. It worked fine when I got the STBs with the same microSD cards.

    Remove the sdcard and retry with a usb flash disk or external hard disk.


    Also post which firmware version you are using.

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  • Remove the sdcard and retry with a usb flash disk or external hard disk.


    Also post which firmware version you are using.

    Already tried with a fast USB flash drive. Same problem. It happens with some channels, not all.

    My guess is that it's something to do with the player's capacity to read some files/how it saves that files. Either because of the bitrate or the codec settings for some channels. Viewing the files with MX Player creates a similar issue: instead of the freezes it slows down the image in regular intervals. This "slow motion" effect was also visible on some live channels some time ago but it seems to have been fixed with an update.


    Here is the codec information for 2 recordings: codec details

    One has no issues and the other has the freezes when playing in the Formuler STB. Both files play fine on a computer directly from the SD card.


    The firmware is the last one. I have no updates pending (both on the Z+ and the Z7+).