INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: nathanchavez on February 29, 2008, 09:16:54 pm

Title: MC and the CPU
Post by: nathanchavez on February 29, 2008, 09:16:54 pm
I've been using MC/MJ for a very long time.  I've noticed something that kind of disturbed me a little; MC 12 is very CPU intensive.  It is very difficult for me to listen to music while I'm surfing the web because music constantly skips.  I've tried other player (such as foobar, spider player, winamp, media monkey, and jet audio and none of them have this problem.  I'm sort of a minimalist, of so I've been told, and I watch what I use as far as system resoures are concerned so I think the issue is with MC.  What can be done to reduce MC's impact on CPU cycles?  As you can see I have only one active plugin.  Also, I never view visualizations.


Quote
Media Center Registered 12.0.428 -- C:\Program Files\J River\Media Center 12\

Microsoft Windows XP  Workstation 5.1 Service Pack 1 (Build 2600)
AMD Athlon 1638 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 1048 MB, Free - 660 MB

Internet Explorer: 6.0.2800.1106 / ComCtl32.dll: 5.82.2800 / Shlwapi.dll: 6.0.2800 / Shell32.dll: 6.0.2800 / wnaspi32.dll: 4.71 (0002) , ASPI for Win32         DLL, Copyright ᄅ 1989-2002 Adaptec, Inc. / Aspi32.sys: 4.71 (0002)

Ripping /   No CD drives found.
  Digital playback: Yes /  Use YADB: Yes /  Get cover art: Yes /  Calc replay gain: Yes /  Copy volume: 32767
  Eject after ripping: Yes /  Play sound after ripping: No 

Burning /  No burners found.
  Test mode: No /  Eject after writing: Yes /  Direct decoding: No /  Write CD-Text: Yes
  Use playback settings: No /

Portable Device Info
  Removed devices:


Interface Plugins:
  EQdb (Active)
  last.fm
  Library Server
  TiVo Server
  UPnP Server
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: JimH on February 29, 2008, 09:23:51 pm
Take a look at the thread called "Weird Problems" in my signature.  Start at the bottom.
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: Matt on March 01, 2008, 09:29:39 am
Disable DSP plugins and interface plugins.  MC should use very little CPU when playing audio minimized.
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: datdude on March 01, 2008, 11:49:38 am
Playing any visualizations?
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: nathanchavez on March 01, 2008, 01:16:36 pm
Playing any visualizations?

I answered this in my inital post. 

Quote from: JimH
Take a look at the thread called "Weird Problems" in my signature.  Start at the bottom.

I have looked at those thread.  They recommend disabling the 802.11a protocol.  The problem is that I don't htink my wifi network adapter utilizes that protocol; I have an D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DWL-G520 Adapter that utilizes 802.11g.  In the thread you mentioned there was a post that gave instructions on how to disabled it but they did not work for me as my options are different.
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: Listener on March 01, 2008, 09:04:56 pm
I answered this in my inital post. 

I have looked at those thread.  They recommend disabling the 802.11a protocol.  The problem is that I don't htink my wifi network adapter utilizes that protocol; I have an D-Link AirPlus Xtreme G DWL-G520 Adapter that utilizes 802.11g.  In the thread you mentioned there was a post that gave instructions on how to disabled it but they did not work for me as my options are different.

That thread has lots of reports of problems and solutions.  I saw several about high CPU loads. Keep reading.

Bill
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: datdude on March 02, 2008, 04:40:36 am
I answered this in my inital post. 

Ok, just trying to help...

Have you tried disabling the EQdb plugin?
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: drc on March 18, 2008, 12:05:36 am
I'm having the same problem, I'm hoping someone has come up with and answer.  Actually, I had not noticed that other players don't skip music while opening other programs.  Yet, I agree this is the best I've seen so far.  With that said, how can this be resolved? Would lessening the priority change anything? Sometimes it gets so bad and you can't do anything but "open Task Mgr and stop the other programs or MC.


Microsoft Windows XP 5.1 Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
Intel Pentium M 832 MHz MMX / Memory: Total - 1564 MB, Free - 782 MB

Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: Frobozz on March 18, 2008, 01:06:51 am
One thing to try is to set Windows to optimize CPU scheduling for background services.

Go to the start menu, right-click on Computer or My Computer, select Properties.
Go to Advanced System Settings (for Vista, could be different for XP)
That will get you the System Properties dialog.
Select the Advanced tab
Click the Settings... button for Performance
Select the Advanced Tab
Set Processor scheduling for either "Programs" or "Background services"

For ASIO it is recommended to set it to "Background services"
Could help with other playback methods as well.
Title: Re: MC and the CPU
Post by: JimH on March 18, 2008, 06:52:21 am
Take a look at the thread called "Weird Problems" in my signature.  Start at the bottom.
This is very likely a virus checker or similar program.  Make sure you're not constantly checking the MC library and data folders.