If you experience stuttering skin pages/ high CPU usage/ lagging mouse, this is possibly because you're out of video/GPU memory.
I have done some testing to see if the packed textures (Cache) really are needed and I cannot find any positive sides at all. They might reduce GPU processing for some, but they are also a great GPU memory thief. Without them everything works a lot better in low spec PC's. Maybe it's even nessesery to use my ugly hack if you want to use texture-rich skins or plugins like My Movies and TV Series.
This ugly hack is very simple and only makes sure that no packed textures are used, so that video memory is left as high as possible. The packed textures are meant to make MP start faster, but that seems to only work in theory. I have not seen any difference in startup speed, with or without. Only a lot less memory. First start is a lot faster with the ugly hack. Using this ugly hack, you will have a smooth running MP with as much video memory as possible, left for other stuff. Even a little less CPU usage and a bit faster channel change, in my tests.
This ugly hack works with all skins.
Delete all files starting with "Packedgfx" in the used skinfolder in CACHE:
XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache\UsedSkinFolder.
Vista: C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache\UsedSkinFolder.
Unpack the file from my zip to the same folder. Restart MP.
If the Cache folder is empty, you will have to run MP once before you can do the ugly hack.
If you change skin, you will have to redo the ugly hack for the new skin in cache.
If you want to remove the ugly hack, all you have to do is delete the previously mentioned cache folder and restart MP.
Since SVN 22029, it works nicely in Vista too as a result of ::THIS tread::.
2009-03-23 New version: Now it is not deleted when a newer MP starts
In SVN versions since 21864, RTV has fixed so that you can do this:
2009-04-15 New version that includes reflections. Thanks Bleazle
Edit 2009-06-13: I must also report that the team has done great improvements in this matter (packed gfx). The reason I started this tread was that my laptop with 128MB gpu couldn't run MP without serious problems, but now I tried to run 1.0.2 without my ugly hack, and it runs smoothly even with Moving Pictures plugin. Great job everyone! My hack will probably not be needed anymore.
I have done some testing to see if the packed textures (Cache) really are needed and I cannot find any positive sides at all. They might reduce GPU processing for some, but they are also a great GPU memory thief. Without them everything works a lot better in low spec PC's. Maybe it's even nessesery to use my ugly hack if you want to use texture-rich skins or plugins like My Movies and TV Series.
This ugly hack is very simple and only makes sure that no packed textures are used, so that video memory is left as high as possible. The packed textures are meant to make MP start faster, but that seems to only work in theory. I have not seen any difference in startup speed, with or without. Only a lot less memory. First start is a lot faster with the ugly hack. Using this ugly hack, you will have a smooth running MP with as much video memory as possible, left for other stuff. Even a little less CPU usage and a bit faster channel change, in my tests.
This ugly hack works with all skins.
Delete all files starting with "Packedgfx" in the used skinfolder in CACHE:
XP: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache\UsedSkinFolder.
Vista: C:\ProgramData\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\Cache\UsedSkinFolder.
Unpack the file from my zip to the same folder. Restart MP.
If the Cache folder is empty, you will have to run MP once before you can do the ugly hack.
If you change skin, you will have to redo the ugly hack for the new skin in cache.
If you want to remove the ugly hack, all you have to do is delete the previously mentioned cache folder and restart MP.
Since SVN 22029, it works nicely in Vista too as a result of ::THIS tread::.
2009-03-23 New version: Now it is not deleted when a newer MP starts
In SVN versions since 21864, RTV has fixed so that you can do this:
The code change is included. You have to enable the behaviour manually though:
Add the following setting to your MediaPortal.xml debug section:
<section name="debug">
<entry name="packSkinGfx">no</entry>
</section>
2009-04-15 New version that includes reflections. Thanks Bleazle
Edit 2009-06-13: I must also report that the team has done great improvements in this matter (packed gfx). The reason I started this tread was that my laptop with 128MB gpu couldn't run MP without serious problems, but now I tried to run 1.0.2 without my ugly hack, and it runs smoothly even with Moving Pictures plugin. Great job everyone! My hack will probably not be needed anymore.