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More => Old Versions => Media Center 11 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: JaredH on October 09, 2004, 03:06:20 am

Title: CPU usage increase
Post by: JaredH on October 09, 2004, 03:06:20 am

Something I noticed with todays build. I decided to check my CPU usage for the first time ever while running MC. The CPU was running at about 25%, 23% of which was MC. Now I've checked it before while playing MP3's on my old desktop system and I remember it staying at an average between 10% - 15% but never higher than 15. Now, this is actually a faster processor and theoretically, unless my theory is wrong, should actually be running at a lower percentage. Now, if I'm wrong, all of this will show my ignorance, but I just found it odd that MC was taking up such a large chunk of CPU when all it was doing was playing an MP3 in standard view, nothing else special was going on.

Im sure you guys know this already, but down there in my System Info, the processor is a Intel Mobile 1.7 processor (the Centrino technology).

Media Center Registered 11.0.98 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 11\

Microsoft Windows XP 5.1 Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Intel Unknown 595 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 523 MB, Free - 314 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2900.2180 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) / Shlwapi.dll: 6.00.2900.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) / Shell32.dll: 6.00.2900.2180 (xpsp_sp2_rtm.040803-2158) / wnaspi32.dll: N/A
Ripping /   Drive D: HL-DT-STDVD+RW GCA-4040N  Mode:Normal  Type:Auto  Speed:Max
  Digital playback: Yes /  Use YADB: Yes /  Get cover art: No /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767
  Eject after ripping: Yes /  Play sound after ripping: No  

Burning /  Drive D: HL-DT-ST DVD+RW GCA-4040N   Addr: 1:0:0  Speed:4  MaxSpeed:16  BurnProof:Yes
  Test mode: No /  Eject after writing: Yes /  Direct decoding: Yes /  Write CD-Text: Yes
  Use playback settings: No /  Normalization: None

Title: Re:CPU usage increase
Post by: Veazer on October 10, 2004, 05:24:17 am

That seems pretty high for your machine. My slowest machine has a transmeta crusoe processor and doesn't go above 16%. Are you using any DSP plugins or anything else (EQ, resampling) that might be increasing the workload for MC?

Remember also that the mobile processor you're using is adjusting the CPU speed based on CPU load (depending which power scheme you are using and if you are on AC or battery). Therefore, basing total CPU load on task mananger isn't accurate since the OS can increase your CPU speed as demands increase.

Try changing your power scheme to "Always on", this will lock your cpu at full speed and then task manager will reflect the true cpu load. XP power schemes are more than simple time settings to dictate how many minutes your computer will wait before screensaver/standby etc.  I made the following graphic from information found in an MS document about power management, it might be useful to decide which you want to use:

(http://www.davenicolai.com/images/misc/XP_Processor_Control.gif)

As you can see, some of the schemes are redundant and poorly named as well. The last thing I would want while giving a powerpoint or video presentation is the worst performance!

And remember that using 'always on' is not a good choice if you are concerned about battery life, it should only be used when maximum performance is needed.