#header.image can cause high CPU (3 Viewers)

[rtv]

I've done some changes regarding mantis #1969
- added possibilty ("debug" setting) to choose _what_ should be cached into packedgfx:
"packSkinGfx" - defaults to false for some testing - skin gfx will not be added
"packLogoGfx" - defaults to true (like before) - tv thumbs will be added
"packPluginGfx" - defaults to false (like before) - tetris and weather gfx were already commented out earlier
- fixed radio thumbs not being handled like tv thumbs
- fixed max texture dimension being restricted to 1920x1080 instead of 2048x2048
- fixed lower gfx quality depending on chosen thumb quality
- fixed some minor resource usage
- fixed slow "Initialize Texture Manager during startup" using the ImageFast class I added for thumbnails - performance improved from ~ 10 seconds to 4 seconds for cache generation.
- added logging for the supported texture size by the gpu driver
- added logging for each packed texture which is saved

With the next SVN build you'll be able to turn off the skin cache

 

[Swede]

rtv

Thanks! I guess you have seen where I'we gone from here:
do-we-really-need-packed-textures

 

[tourettes]

@rtv

Thanks! I guess you have seen where I'we gone from here:
do-we-really-need-packed-textures

Yes, but please read the URLs that I have posted. They contain the reasons why packed textures are used.

 

[Swede]

Is there any way to measure if they really help. I'we tested Fraps and raised fps in MP to maximum 100, but there is no difference with or without packed textures. I get 60 anyhow. How else can I test?

If we didn't need them, life would be simpler for skinners too. We could put any amount of textures into a skin, it seems. I have put a large pic of my daughter as a background now.

 

[infinite.loop]

Is there any way to measure if they really help.

once there was a tool (can not remember the name) which told you exactly how much video-memory of your gfx card was used.
i have tested your "fix" localy and could not notice any differences at all (placebo effect? ).

but a simple test to check if not using packedgfx is a benefit, would be to use a gfx card with only 64MB videomemory (or set onboard gpu to only use that much mem) and see if a skin like StreamedMP is still working.

if it still works _nicely_ then not using packedgfx would indeed be a benefit.

 

[Swede]

Chris, have you checked the log for "mem left:" after some browsing in the movie folder?

Me and some other happy users have tested on simple GPU's and found that they could ONLY work without packed textures.

This one almost caused a wet eye

 

[infinite.loop]

Chris, have you checked the log for "mem left:" after some browsing in the movie folder?

no, i did not check the log.

but as i said, i could not "feel" any speed-up at all with your "fix". (Radeon 2600XT-256MB, MP running @ 720p, StreamedMP/Blue3, TV-Series plugin)

 

[Swede]

Hmm, with a 256 card you shouldn't feel any speed up. The interesting thing here, is that you don't feel any downsides either. The packed textures are meant to speed things up, but they don't, so why limit ourselves with using them.

With packed textures:
2009-03-04 09:04:08.875000 [Info.][MPMain]: TextureManager: Dispose:\\tv\c\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\weather\128x128\34.png Frames:1 Total:3 Mem left:146800

Without:
2009-03-04 09:17:46.468750 [Info.][MPMain]: TextureManager: Dispose:\\tv\c\Program Files\Team MediaPortal\MediaPortal\weather\128x128\34.png Frames:1 Total:89 Mem left:202375

This is using a 256 card

 

[infinite.loop]

Hmm, with a 256 card you shouldn't feel any speed up. The interesting thing here, is that you don't feel any downsides either. The packed textures are meant to speed things up, but they don't, so why limit ourselves with using them.

The question is why we should change it (and risk to introduce new issues)?

Only reasonable pro imo. would be that i.e. 64MB gfx-cards would work with MP and gfx heavy skins.
Waiting for testresults.

 

[Swede]

And 128MB cards allready (maybe the 256MB cards are next to be too weak), and that we probably could do heavier skins in a easier way.
I'm curious to see the test results.