High CPU Usage while Mediaportal is idle (1 Viewer)

[planb]

ok... am confused.. my specs are filled in so how they put on here..??

Arrr..... found it!!!

TV-Server Version: RC1 - SVN Update
MediaPortal Version: RC1 SVN Update
MediaPortal Skin: Blue wide
Windows Version: Vista x64 SP1
CPU Type: AMD Athlon 2.3G Dual Core BE2300
HDD: Hitachi 400G SATA2
Memory: 2 x 1G Crucial
Motherboard: Gigabyte 780G
Video Card: Onboard ATI HD3200
Video Card Driver: ATI Catalyst 8.5
Sound Card: Realtek HD Audio
Sound Card AC3: AC3 Optical out
Sound Card Driver: Unknown
1. TV Card: Dual USB
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T
1. TV Card Driver: Unknow
2. TV Card: Dual USB
2. TV Card Type: DVB-T
2. TV Card Driver:
3. TV Card: Technisat Skystar2 PCI
3. TV Card Type: DVB-T
3. TV Card Driver: 4.4.3 - Beta
4. TV Card: Technisat Skystar2 PCI
4. TV Card Type: DVB-S
4. TV Card Driver: 4.4.3 - Beta
MPEG2 Video Codec: ffdshow
MPEG2 Audio Codec: ffdshow
h.264 Video Codec: Cyberlink 8.0
Satelite/CableTV Provider: Freeview / Astra 28.2 E BSB
HTPC Case: Silverstone
Cooling: 2 x 80mm and 1 x 92mm Fans for Case, 1 Processor Fan 80mm
Power Supply: iCute 450W Silent
Remote: MCE
TV: Samsung 32" LCD
TV - HTPC Connection: Sub-D

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

Yep, a real bummer if you do not activate system specs in user cp (left, top of page)

Then you get a pretty "my system" showing and it auto fills in the template.

Either use MPV as video mpeg codec or download powerdvd 8 trial, FFDShow is not a mpeg2 codec.

Did i mention activate in user cp

 

[planb]

Hmmm, I have powerdvd 8 installed for doing HD decoding in hardware, FFDShow has been working fine tho before this latest SVN update using a bit more cpu.

I was going to change the codec to the AVI or Cyberlink anyway as i want the GPU to take the decoding rather than the processor, so i'll change it tonight...

 

[skvortsov]

i have the same problem. just after media portal is loaded CPU usage goes up to 8-10% and GPU load up to 15-18%. If MP window is inactive CPU and GPU usage goes down to 2-4%. after MP is closed both CPU and GPU are almost zero.

TV-Server Version: 1.0 RC1
MediaPortal Version: 1.0 RC1
MediaPortal Skin: BlueTwo wide
Windows Version: Windows XP SP2
CPU Type: Intel E2160 @1800MHz
HDD: WD 5000AAKS 500GB
Memory: 2GB DDR2
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-73PVM-S2H
Video Card: HIS ATI HD 2600XT
Video Card Driver: ATI Catalyst 8.2
Sound Card: Onboard Realtek HD
Sound Card AC3: no
Sound Card Driver:
1. TV Card: Gotview Hybrid PCI
1. TV Card Type: DVB-T + Analog
1. TV Card Driver:
MPEG2 Video Codec: MPV Decoder
MPEG2 Audio Codec: ffdshow
h.264 Video Codec: Cyberlink
Satelite/CableTV Provider:
HTPC Case: 3R Systems
Cooling: CoolerMaster Vortex 752
Power Supply: FSP BlueStorm 450W
Remote: no
TV: Pioneer PDP-427XA (1024x768)
TV - HTPC Connection: HDMI 1080i + VGA 1360x768

 

[tourettes]

i have the same problem. just after media portal is loaded CPU usage goes up to 8-10% and GPU load up to 15-18%. If MP window is inactive CPU and GPU usage goes down to 2-4%. after MP is closed both CPU and GPU are almost zero.

When MP has no focus the GUI rendering is done on on the full FPS rate that has been configured. Also when MP is minimized the GUI rendering is not done. That explains the three different CPU & GPU usage patterns.

 

[skvortsov]

some more info: when MP is running at home screen and i'm typing a message in Firefox - letters appear with a delay of about 0,5-1 second after keys are pressed. this is not normal for idle application I think

 

[dEutSch]

Same problem here. I've tried the following, all with no effect:
- Disabled VMR9 exclusive mode
- Disabled ALL modules
- Updated video driver
- Updated AMD processor driver
- Removed all .db3 databases
- Changed skin from BlueTwo to BlueTwo Wide
- Set loglevel to debug

Yup same here.

This is a very strange problem considering it has only been occuring in the last week. Prior to that, MediaPortal functioned as amazing as it usually does. At the moment, I run MediaPortal and it works fine for 3 - 5 mins. After that, CPU usage is jacked up to 50%+ and memory usage fluctuates wildly. This makes MediaPortal stutter, even on menus.

I'm out of ideas here. The only other thing I thought it could be is a recent Windows or Java update affecting it in any way?

(I would attach system spec as well but don't know how to )


::edit:: I installed Intervideo WinDVD this morning and it also retrieved various DirectX SDK components during the install. I did a brief test on MP before going to work and it seemed more stable. Admittedly the CPU peaked to 50% again but then this levelled back down to 5-10% (normal behaviour).

So I would advise people to try a DirectX re-install and possibly a .net re-install as well. See if that works for anyone. I'll keep you all updated.

 

[jonywee]

Cannot all fit a 7900 into a htpc , besides its so outdated, but until it gives up the ghost don't care.

Laptops, besides a few exceptions are not built to handle multimedia well, thats from the base motherboard used upwards.

Remember mediaportal at this moment in time relies heavily on DX9, so like any game played today, needs a complete system that can handle it, not just the odd component.

Sorry for the late kick, but I'm in the process of moving. I think it's too easy to blame the hardware. We are talking about the rendering of a static, idle screen here. I'm reporting this problem on two fully DX9.0c compatible systems. One system is 3 years old and one is 1 year old (remember DX9.0c is 4 years old). The laptop is a high-end multimedia laptop and I do believe this is the exception you are talking about.

I tested MCE, GBPVR and MediaPortal in idle mode on those two DX9.0c compatible systems:

• MediaPortal: Static screen. Notable CPU usage.
• MCE: Animated background and actively glowing buttons. Does more as MP, but with half the CPU.
• GBPVR: Static screen. Does the same as MP, but with near-0 CPU usage (could not be measured)

Other systems are clearly doing a better job in the same situation. A simple job that any media center does 90% of its time. And most media centers often run on old/cheap/light hardware. There is no justification for solid system requirements for rendering a few buttons. But MP requires it. Just to make clear: I love MP. But there are more reports about slugishness, etc. and in my opinion it should be a concern.

 

[Paranoid Delusion]

# MCE: Animated background and actively glowing buttons. Does more as MP, but with half the CPU.
# GBPVR: Static screen. Does the same as MP, but with near-0 CPU usage (could not be measured)

Neither of these use DX9 for rendering there graphics.

 

[jonywee]

Neither of these use DX9 for rendering there graphics.

Yes, and I think I know why. To show you the implication the DX9 design choice: I can keep using MP and upgrade hardware. Or use a paid media center and keep the same hardware for a while. I can choose what I want, but I wont lose a buck. How free software can loose it from paid software in terms of money . Well, that's all from my point of view and there's more than money. For now. I'll stick to what I have. That includes MP.

EDIT:
Solved! The option "Blank screen in fullscreen mode when MediaPortal is idle" does the trick.

I'm banging myself for the head that it took me so long to understand the nature of a DirectX GUI. Most applications are event driven. When there are changes, they update the screen. The screen from a DirectX application is typically recomputed 25 times per seconds, no matter what happens. So when you are asleep for eigth ours, MP has recomputed the screen 720.000 times. An event driven application would have update the screen only 480 times because the clock changes once a minute. The load is by MP's nature and I think that is what Paranoid Delusion tried to explain. I'm happy that this load (whether it's GPU or CPU) can be avoided by blanking the screen. The CPU throttles down and so does the fan speed. I'm happy with a silent HTPC again.