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[Baldy]

Mediacenter since ver. 20 is using around 15% CPU even if i close the program, I must force close it from taskmanager to get the CPU usage down. Before ver. 20 the CPU usage was around 1-2% when I listened to music (FLAC).

[JimH]

It may just be analyzing files.

[DocLotus]

Mediacenter since ver. 20 is using around 15% CPU even if i close the program, I must force close it from taskmanager to get the CPU usage down. Before ver. 20 the CPU usage was around 1-2% when I listened to music (FLAC).

It may just be analyzing files.

Don't think so. I reported on this issue earlier on in v20. Am so glad to see someone else is having similar problem.

My high CPU usage is slightly different (and worse) it comes in two flavors...

• Have seen very high CPU usage randomly (up to 90% on six cores). This seems to come & go over a period of several days. Have seen it at least a dozen times over a one month period and started in MC 19.
• MC may play for hours with no problems than all of a sudden the CPU usage will jump and the music will immediately start skipping and distorting very badly. Under this condition the CPU use will not be as high as the first example but all six cores will be much higher than normal like 40-70%. This can happen as often as several times a day or not at all; occasionally it will happen several times in a row. I think this started with v20 but may have been in late v19 also.

With both situations the only way I can get MC working again is to simply stop playing music & restart playing; no need to close & reopen MC.

This seems to be two separate issues as they are similar but different.

[JimH]

There are many other background processes that can use the CPU in bursts.  Thumbnailing, for example.

Antivirus programs can do this, too.

[6233638]

I would suggest manually running auto-import (Tools → Import  → Run Auto-Import Now) as that will display a status window showing what MC is doing.
I believe that Thumbnail generation is also displayed in auto-import, but you might want to run Tools → Options → Tree & View → Build missing thumbnails… to force it to generate any thumbnails which it may not have already done.
 
Media Center really needs to be better about informing the user of what it's currently doing in the background for things like this and downloading files, even if it's just a minimized-by-default action window in the tree.

[JimH]

Media Center really needs to be better about informing the user of what it's currently doing in the background for things like this and downloading files, even if it's just a minimized-by-default action window in the tree.

Services & Plugins > Reporter

But there is a limit to how much we can explain about the internal workings of MC.

[6233638]

Thanks - I've managed to miss this the entire time I've been using MC.
However, rather than having to seek it out, MC should actually be informing the user of what it's doing.
 
If my internet connection suddenly slows to a crawl, it's probably MC downloading stuff via RSS - but without seeking it out, Media Center gives me no indication that it's downloading files.
 
Without manually running auto-import, I have no idea whether Media Center is currently importing, analyzing, or building thumbnails for new files.
 
 
Media Center can already display this information - it's just hidden from the user unless you manually run auto-import, start a download, analyze files etc.
Even when it started automatically, the status should be displayed in the lower left of the window - but perhaps minimized by default.
 
Then the user could actually check and see whether MC is currently importing files etc. and what its current progress is.

[JimH]

However, rather than having to seek it out, MC should actually be informing the user of what it's doing.

I don't agree.  MC should be as unobtrusive as possible.  The focus should be on the media. 

The user should never need to know what's going on behind the scenes.  Most aren't computer enthusiasts.

[6233638]

I don't agree.  MC should be as unobtrusive as possible.  The focus should be on the media. 

The user should never need to know what's going on behind the scenes.  Most aren't computer enthusiasts.

Perhaps we could have an option?
 
If I've added new films or a new album to my music folder, it's nice to have some indicator about whether Media Center is currently importing them or not.
Half the time I end up running auto-import manually instead.
 
For downloads, I feel that Media Center should always inform the user about whether that's happening or not. (but again, having it as an option would be fine)

[ferday]

I don't agree.  MC should be as unobtrusive as possible.  The focus should be on the media. 

The user should never need to know what's going on behind the scenes.  Most aren't computer enthusiasts.

I agree 95%

The other 5% really, really wants an option to see this info...like 6233638, I'm often wondering what's going on especially when I get some lagging or something. 

I didn't know about the reporter thing either, I'll check it out, thanks!

[JimH]

Reporter was added in MC19.
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=85890.msg587119#msg587119

[ferday]

Jim, (or anyone)

since this is somewhat on topic...(as in high CPU usage/slow MC)

is there a known anti-virus that seems to leave MC alone?  i've read through the weird & wonderful thread but never noticed a good recommendation...

[JimH]

JRiver doesn't offer advice on this.  

Please read the many antivirus topics here and other places.  

You could also read the thread on problems caused by antivirus programs.
http://yabb.jriver.com/interact/index.php?topic=86096.msg588759#msg588759

[DocLotus]

There are many other background processes that can use the CPU in bursts.  Thumbnailing, for example.

Antivirus programs can do this, too.

All my thumbnails are up to date (I manually ran it & it found very few to build.)

I never use any anti-virus program other than the default MS Defender for Win 8.1 update. Win 8.1 is kept up to date on a weekly basis.

This high CPU usage is relatively new as I never saw it before MC 19 (or possibly very late MC 18).

[6233638]

You haven't just started playing DSD tracks recently, have you?

[JimH]

I never use any anti-virus program other than the default MS Defender for Win 8.1 update. Win 8.1 is kept up to date on a weekly basis.

That could still do it.  Check the settings for it.

[DocLotus]

Have no idea which settings could cause the high CPU usage. It never happened before MC 19 (or very late 18).

I have NEVER received any messages from Defender about any virus, or other bad stuff. I have not had a virus in over 6 years.  I manually run Defender weekly just in case, plus Real Time Protection is turned on.

One other thing; I have not seen the high CPU usage when MC is not running, so if it is Defender it might be seeing something in MC that it thinks is a virus? I kind of doubt that as I never see any messages from Defender about any problems.  In fact, looking at the Defender log there is no virus or other stuff showing as being deleted, quarantined or otherwise. It shows everything as being clean.

Soooo... I'm at a loss on this problem.

Any ideas?

[JimH]

No.  The AV program may be checking every file every time it is opened.  It shouldn't do that for media files, at least.

[DocLotus]

It has not happened in the last day or two, when it does I will look at the MC Log & post here.

[DocLotus]

You haven't just started playing DSD tracks recently, have you?

Not sure if you are asking me but no, not at all.

[Vocalpoint]

is there a known anti-virus that seems to leave MC alone?  i've read through the weird & wonderful thread but never noticed a good recommendation...

We use ESET here on all PCs and it leaves MC alone - but I do force that by ensuring the entire MC folder structure and all media files are never part of any sort of ESET real-time or scheduled scan.

Haven't had a issue with it ever with MC.

VP

[DocLotus]

MC may play for hours with no problems than all of a sudden the CPU usage will jump and the music will immediately start skipping and distorting very badly. Under this condition the CPU use will not be as high as the first example but all six cores will be much higher than normal like 40-70%. This can happen as often as several times a day or not at all; occasionally it will happen several times in a row. I think this started with v20 but may have been in late v19 also.

Just got done doing a complete audio Analyze of all 24,000+ tracks with "Process 8 files at a time" turned on to really load all 6 CPU cores to 100% thinking that if it is a background problem that this would cause the skipping & bad distortion. I was also playing music at the same time.  Guess what... No skipping or distortion even under these harsh conditions.

So I'm beginning to believe it may not be a background running program problem.

Any thoughts?

[DocLotus]

Don't know what has changed but have not experienced the high CPU usage & skipping problem with very bad distorting since MC 20.0.13.

Only two things have changed on my end...
1: Have run every new version to date (currently 20.0.17).
2: Did a complete Audio Analysis of all 24,000+ files.

Any ideas what may have fixed the problem?

[JimH]

No.  It could have been something going on on your machine.  Who knows?