Insanely slow browsing of shares (1 Viewer)

e_razor

Portal Member
July 21, 2006
39
2
Home Country
Norway Norway
Hello everyone...

I've been reading around the forums for quite some time researching this issue. There is a lot of talk about this and it seems to affect a lot of users. None seems to have a definite answer for how to diagnose or combat this problem.
I have a decent enough dedicated mediacenter pc, 3ghz p4 - 1gb DDR memory - Using a Radeon 9700 128mb at the moment (maybe the weakest component in the computer at this time) - 15000 RPM Ultra 160 Scsi drive. Using DVI to connect to my 42" plasma screen. Resolution at 1320x768. I've tweaked and optimized windows as far as it goes, patches, disabled unneeded services, tweaked away avi preview function for windows explorer and numerous other tweaks that should aid this. Cleaned up and optimized my file server in all sensible ways. Both computers are connected via a 1000mbit lan. Using the latest indigo 2.2 skin with latest SVN release of my tvseries.

When browsing the file server via windows explorer or total commander etc, the browsing is instant and has a very nice response. The media center PC is freshly installed with windows xp sp3, direct x 9.0c and everything up to date and the way it should be (using 1.0.0 RC2). I am using My Tvseries for my TV media and my movies for my DivX and such. My tvseries has a very acceptable performance, but my movies is sluggish as hell. No matter what view, whether list, large icons or filmstrip. Takes about 20-30 seconds to open the folder containing the DivX media. Not only the first time the folder is opened but every time, performance while browsing the elements inside the folder is also poor. I cannot for the life of me seem to find a reason why this should be so slow. Often when browsing trough the movies in a rapid rate mediaportal will crash for no good reason. Movies are added in the movie database function in mediaportal configuration.

So i'm reflecting a little, how exactly does mediaportal browse folders? Is it using windows explorer to do so or something entirely different? Cause browsing the shares with windows explorer is instant and no sluggishness at all (tested from multiple computers in my lan). There's got to be something in the code somewhere causing this, this insane sluggishness. Admittedly my mediacenter pc is not of what you would call supercomputer standards, but it should be able to handle a folder with say 300 divx in it.

The folder in documents and settings containing media portals databases and thumbs is barely 250mb, the VideoDatabaseV5.db3 is 2600kb wich is virtually noting to handle for this kind of computer. There's not any problems with playback once you get there and get started, it plays 720 hd content fine. I cant see that the computer specs should be too crappy for normal operation of mediaportal.

Looking for any kinda input, tweaks, bug reports or any info on this subject that will remedy this annoying flaw in mediaportal, wich in it self is the greatest HTPC software i've ever tried. This is not a rant of any kind. I just get the impression quite a lot of users have these kinda issues and we would really love if they were resolved so we can enjoy mediaportal to its fullest. I'll provide developers and forum users with any logs needed, just dunno wich ones are relevant for this problem.

Sorry for the wall of text ;-)
Hope someone with more knowledge than me can help me/us get to the bottom of this.

EDIT:
I installed mediaportal (and copied over the thumbs, databases and such from the meidaportal PC) on personal computer, core2duo E6600, 2gb ram, 15.000 rpm Ultra 160, Nvidia 7600GS. Its a little bit faster but still its rather sluggish for a task this simple.
 

Swede

Portal Pro
September 6, 2006
493
47
West Coast Archipelago
Home Country
Sweden Sweden
Yes, this is a problem! Only answer we get is to use Titles view... witch is fast but sucks... I need different catalogues for kids-movies, home-made movies, recordings, and so on, and only way to get that is Shares view. I'we even tried with an empty Thumbs folder, and it is still slow, so it has nothing to do with graphics. My guess is that it is some kind of buggy SQL handling.
 

Swede

Portal Pro
September 6, 2006
493
47
West Coast Archipelago
Home Country
Sweden Sweden
Let's pick this up again...

Is there anyone that understands the logic, in why browsing a folder in the client is about 20 sec slower, when MP in server-PC is on, and has been browsing a folder?

To see if you have this problem you can do this:

Stop MP in your server-PC
Start or restart MP in your client
Browse your movie folder in shares view (I think it works with a music folder too. The more files the better).
Count the seconds until the folder shows
Now start MP in your server-PC
Browse the same folder in your server-PC
Browse again in the client and count seconds
Repeat browsing a few times and see if it get worse (it does for me).

More about this here:
https://forum.team-mediaportal.com/general-support-51/re-slow-browsing-shares-47953/
 

Guzzi

Retired Team Member
  • Premium Supporter
  • August 20, 2007
    2,159
    750
    Yes, this is a problem! Only answer we get is to use Titles view... witch is fast but sucks... I need different catalogues for kids-movies, home-made movies, recordings, and so on, and only way to get that is Shares view. I'we even tried with an empty Thumbs folder, and it is still slow, so it has nothing to do with graphics. My guess is that it is some kind of buggy SQL handling.
    I saw the devs made some changes on the code that made browsing faster (for me).
    But the solution that fitted my needs best was using myfilms and creating separate catalogs for kids, movies, films, etc - those can be chosen via remote and contextmenu and even locked by a pin to let not the kids watch stuff thats not for them ...
     

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