Downloading causes flashing/strobing text and timeline: Bug or design decision?

zapt

I'm reposting this entry from feature requests because--although I've assumed it was a design decision--it may actually be a bug (perhaps a software memory leak?).

When downloading, eliminate the Analyzing text that appears both during the video/audio download and when finalizing the video.
It makes the important info (download speed, progress, and remaining time) for the current movie or episode extremely difficult to read,
For those of us who are trying to monitor download progress, the flashing text and progress bar can cause eyestrain and headaches.
It adds absolutely no useful information. Displaying the progress bar and numerical data already shows whether the download is progressing or stalled. Otherwise, we can safely assume that StreamFab is doing something useful such as analyzing the current video or audio, or it's attempting to finalize the download.
Actually, the issue is simply this... Please make the download timeline and text stop flashing!
zapt

Although this has been occurring for the majority of my downloads for 4-6 months, it didn't happen once yesterday when testing it with the latest update (6.1.6.5 for Windows). Today, the flashing resumed (see attached .mp4 video) on the same episodes (Salem tv series now available as 1080p from Hulu) that didn't have the flashing problem yesterday. However, quitting and restarting StreamFab seems to eliminate the issue.

One thing I'm doing that may be different from other users is that I often just leave StreamFab open between sessions, seldom quitting it and seldom restarting or shutting down my PC. Is anyone else experiencing this problem?

2024-02-12_8-58-44.mp4
StreamFab.log

JeffDavis

I don't get any flashing. The displayed info goes through 4 stages: Analyzing, Downloading, Processing, and Remuxing. During the first "Analyzing" stage, the progress bar below the text has the green highlight moving back and forth. But in none of the 4 stages does the text flash. I also leave StreamFab open for days at a time. I can't view your attachments so I don't know if you are seeing something different.

Germania

Is anyone else experiencing this problem?
zapt

Never seen flashing - only on Hulu? (I've not)

I can't view your attachments so I don't know if you are seeing something different.
JeffDavis

I hope it's okay (for two days - If not, I will remove it immediately): https://streamable.com/29o4t2

zapt

The first link is an MP4 video file. If you don't have a player installed, you can download a free one (such as VLC Media Player for Windows) so you can see what I'm experiencing.

Note that this issue might be specific to the particular media I'm downloading, the streaming service(s), or even an issue with my particular PC. I enclosed today's StreamFab log so the developers can examine it for clues, if they wish.

Cats4U

I've never seen any flashing, either. Are you prone to photosensitive epileptic seizures or migraines? Some believe there is a link between "flicker vertigo" (the name for this condition) and Asperger's Syndrome and autism. You might want to consult your doctor.
In the meantime, make sure that your computer monitor is at its highest refresh rate possible for it.

zapt

@Cats4U No, that's not it. Watch the MP4 video clip that's in my first post to see what I've been seeing. That's why I posted it.

Germania

I recently had seen that Amazon call up the analysis dozens of times (before dl) ..
.. so it would be possible that the analysis to be called again and again.
(Flash = switching between download and analyzing)

You should then be able to see this under Home, if so

Cats4U

The first link is an MP4 video file. If you don't have a player installed, you can download a free one (such as VLC Media Player for Windows) so you can see what I'm experiencing.
zapt

While I do acknowledge that your .mp4 does show some flicker in the form of alternating between Analysis and Download, I've never seen this happen in real time. And I do a lot of Hulu downloading. This is not normal. The other thing is that download is recognized during one part of the display but not the other.

Note: 23.10 MB/s download speed.

Same frame of your .MP4, no download speed. Very, very strange. I've never seen that happen, either.

I don't see anything abnormal in your StreamFab.log, although you cut it off before the session finished. I would have liked to see the full session.
As for your .mp4 example, I'd have to take that with a grain of salt. It only had a framerate of 10.015 FPS. You are asking for flicker at that framerate.

I will make a personal note to myself to ask you after our DRM problems are over whether you are still seeing the flickering. If you are, at that point, I will pass that on to the Developers.

jpp72

That episode downloads fine for me without any flickering between the phases.

Try to logout from within StreamFab and log back in.

Also, are you using a VPN, DNS or Proxy?

When this is happening, if you go to that episode in your regular browser, does it play and can you fast forward/skip through the file all the way to the end?

zapt

The Total Speed indicator was another thing I was going to report at some point. When it begins flipping between Analysis and Downloading, the Total Speed indicator at the top of the screen eventually stops updating and just reports a constant 0.00. However, as you can see in that same clip, I was actually getting 23MB/s for the active download. At no time (according to the figures above the Timeline for each download in the queue) did StreamFab stop downloading. That is, the total 0 MB/s was incorrect. It would never be zero overall unless the downloads froze for a pretty long period.

Also, rather than choosing non-standard dimensions for episode or movie downloads, I always leave it at the default that StreamFab presents. (I am attempting to download as much as possible at 1080p (specified in my Settings). But everything isn't available at 1080p in Hulu and Max, so I just leave it set to the highest resolution that StreamFab presents.) And although this flashing issue may, in fact, be DRM related, it's been happening for months--long before the recent streaming DRM changes. The only unusual thing I've noticed is that with the last update, closing and restarting StreamFab seems to correct the problem--at least for awhile. Previously, it didn't.

Finally, I don't know if this is related, but I've noticed that at least one VIP Setting is routinely resetting itself to the default: "Set Default Name Template." That is, it isn't sticking. At first, I thought that applying an update was causing that setting to be overwritten, but it reset itself both yesterday and again today. I can't predict when it'll reset. Just happens periodically, (The changes I made were substituting a dash for each underscore, as shown below.)

If either you or the developers want additional information, files, video captures, etc., let me know.

zapt

@jpp72

That episode downloads fine for me without any flickering between the phases. Try to logout from within StreamFab and log back in. As mentioned, I can't make this happen (so far) unless StreamFab has been running continuously for a day or so. Restarting 6.1.6.5 currently stops the issue. I'll try this when the flashing reappears.

Also, are you using a VPN, DNS or Proxy? Nope. Going straight in.

When this is happening, if you go to that episode in your regular browser, does it play and can you fast forward/skip through the file all the way to the end? It plays fine. However, because I restarted StreamFab today and it isn't currently experiencing the flashing at the moment, I'll test this again the next time StreamFab flashing resumes.

Cats4U

The "Set Default Name Template" was a known issue prior to the DRM calamity. It was scheduled to be worked on just as the DRM problem happened, and put the fix on the back burner. I, personally, am very anxious for that fix because one new feature of it will be to allow you to place all downloaded videos into a single folder, if you want. By that, I mean that the videos won't be listed by show name or season, like they are now. Again, this is completely optional, but for me this will be very much welcomed because then I can automate the further processing of the files much more easily. Once file(s) land in a monitored folder, scripts can automatically be run, and the files can be processed in a number of ways.

plybyplyaz

Just to back up Zapt, I have noticed this a few times on downloads. I don't remember which service(s), but I have seen it a half dozen times or more. It hasn't bothered me and the downloads still work, so I didn't think to report it.

zapt

@plybyplyaz Glad to learn a couple other users having seen this flashing issue. One never knows whether it's something the developers need to look into or it's just a "me" problem. I assume that it's occurring because StreamFab is having to continuously analyze a download while it's occurring rather than just at the start because it's having some difficulty. When there are no issues, you only see Analyzing at the start of each download, but--unfortunately for me--it flips between Analyzing and Downloading continuously because there's an issue.

@Cats4U I'm the one who posted the issue with the Set Default Name Template. Reverting to its default settings isn't the end of the world. I can fix the downloaded file names using the Replace command on my Mac (swapping underscores for hyphens, as I've had to do for the last two years or so), but it's a time waster and definitely a bug. Glad to hear the developers are going to look into it.

AGuyWithAComputer

I hope it's okay (for two days - If not, I will remove it immediately): https://streamable.com/29o4t2
Germania

Honestly, to me looks like your download stalled and SF is trying to re-analyze the video before proceeding. Thinks it has it, fails and does it again.

Personally, I've never had this happen, but I'd use task manager and system monitor to see if there was any file or internet activity going on when this happens.