Mediaportal my problems (1 Viewer)

Delusional

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December 28, 2008
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Hi everyone. This is my second attempt on getting MediaPortal running. I first tried on MS Virtual PC 2007 to test drive before going live. It never gets past the DirectX screen. __EVER__.

Today I assembled a small PC, with 1Ghz CPU, 512MB RAM, 160GB HDD, and a 52X standard CD-ROM. More then enough power for a simple HTPC under normal circumstances. I installed a fresh Windows XP with SP2 built into the install CD. Installed the hardware drivers. Everything was working perfectly at that point, and the computer was very responsive.

I then installed Windows Media Player 11, followed by .Net 1.1 and 2.0.

I then installed MediaPortal. First error. Computer doesn't have an internet connection. The intention is a standalone PC. Hit forums here and found the solution. Installed the package-mediaportal.exe. System does not have a TV card. Why oh why does the installer insist you need an internet connection, when the installation is there? Calling home?

Once the installation completed, I did a restart, then started the software. Second error. Again, solution found in the forums, however in German, no English version. KB951698 was needed to resolve the error about VMR9 Handler being outdated.

After installing KB951698 and restarting, I gave MediaPortal another run. Almost 15 minutes to load. Why? The defeats the purpose of using it, stripped XP, boot time roughly 20 seconds, but to watch a video I'll have to wait for MediaPortal to start (hello MS MediaPlayer full screen, 5 sec, 2 sec later its playing the video). Next I tried navigating. Wow. I think a Pentium 166 running Windows XP would be faster. Click, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...... Menu point highlighted, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..... Menu point selected, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..... I think you get the idea here. Over 5 minutes to get from the main screen into the Setting screen.

Hit Ctrl-Alt-Del, and guess what? MediaPortal.exe is using 1.3GB of RAM. No wonder its so slow. Windows is falling over its self trying to manage the swap file for MediaPortal.exe. On the other hand, only 6% CPU usage. Why does it need that much RAM?

There has to be a better way. I'd like to get this up and running, but honestly, with performance issues like this, its impossible to use.

Can anyone point out how to improve the performance of the software? This is a fresh Windows XP Pro install, with only the necessary hardware drivers, MediaPortal and the items it required to get running. The system its self runs like a dream. Only, and I mean ONLY MediaPortal is sloooow.

Thanks for your time (and hopefully a solution, as it would appear I'm not the only one having this issue).
 

Delusional

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December 28, 2008
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Berlin
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Hi, wasn't trying to hijack someones thread. From that thread, he had 3 issues (VMR, Slowness, USB TV Tuner). Two of those (VMR, Slowness), appear to be the same I'm having. Made sense to append to that thread, as the issues were to similar, in my opinion, and a resolution would have helped us both.

In any event, no offense was intended, rather searching for an answer/solution.

Thanks.
 

Lotsofjazz

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  • January 7, 2008
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    Hmm, on my system it is not so slow. I think mediaportal is trying to do something it cant, because it is missing..

    providing a log would be helpfull for the devs to see what is missing.. You said you use a stripped down XP installation, I am pretty sure you miss some services it really needs.

    I had it with my laptop(Vista Home Basic), exactly the same, very long startup.. After I turned on some services that I did turn off before, the problem was solved. I cant remember which services it were, RTSP somethimg?

    Beside that I think the specs are below parr, and if you do not use mediaportal for watching TV , you might ask yourself what the added value of mediaportal is, I would stick with windows mediaplayer, powerDVD to watch movies.. I have done it this way for years using a crappy laptop... It was when I decided to go over to Digital Cable TV to buy a ugly settop box or integrate it with the Mediacenter I had built recently.. Then I found Mediaportal and loved the flexibility it offered.. My cable company doesnt offer a set top box with HD recording capability, so the choice was made easy for me.

    Lots
     

    Delusional

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    December 28, 2008
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    ...providing a log would be helpfull for the devs to see what is missing...
    Sure, exactly where can I find this? If the software crashes, the crash application appears and provides the log, if it doesn't.... And keep in mind, only package-mediaportal.exe was installed from the original installer as the computer has NO internet connection.

    Beside that I think the specs are below parr...
    OK, except this mainboard is designed for the exact task we are wanting, and MediaPortal is 'advertised' to provide the functions we are looking for, and more. Namely, as a MS Media Center replacement.

    ... if you do not use mediaportal for watching TV , you might ask yourself what the added value of mediaportal is ...
    The intention is to us it for watching videos (DivX, XviD, DVD etc), viewing photos/images and listening to music (for example MP3's & CD's). This, in _one_ application using a remote control, verses keyboard and mouse and have it startup at boot. This is something not available in the normal Windows, its only available in Windows Media Center. The computer is connected directly to a TV. There is no monitor connected. The intention is a HTPC type setup. A low noise, multimedia PC used with your TV & stereo, verses high end gaming PC, with rather loud cooling and TFT monitor.

    Since writing yesterday, I have given gbpvr a run. It works great and is very responsive compared to MediaPortal. Thus far its not playing videos very well, however load time and menu navigation is fast, something MediaPortal is lacking at the moment.

    Its very possible something is missing or there is a config change needed to resolve the slow responsiveness of the software. Considering everything installed, is in the default install, this should explain allot about what is installed, nothing more then 1 skin was installed. I have given the simple skin a run, and found MediaPortal to be a bit more responsive, however, still massively slow at loading and navigating, and since installing that skin, MediaPortal insists on loading at boot time; something it wasn't doing before. Considering the up to 15 min load time (roughly 7 min with simple skin), its simply not desirable to have it load at boot until its working correctly.
     

    Frantid

    Portal Pro
    October 11, 2008
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    What did you install? If you don't have a tv card, you don't need the tv server or tv services enabled. I run a straight mp client on a similar spec laptop, no hookup to a tv though - I don't have this type of a slow down.

    If you have a tv server configuration shortcut on your desktop, you installed tv server. I would just go under start menu/ team-mediaportal/tv server/uninstall tv server. If your not going to connect to a mp tv server, you can disable the tv plugin. You may find a similar uninstall under the start menu.

    Also sounds like you need to go into mp config advanced mode, here under general you can set whether to start on startup. There are a lot of options you can disable if you are not going to use them. The default install assumes you're going to connect to a tv server, or that you're going to run a tv server, or that you are going to use an analog tv card without tv server. So you really need to disable things so it won't keep looking for them.
     

    ronilse

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  • July 19, 2005
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    Hi,
    Take time & read requirement page for running MediaPortal & see if your computer meats the spec.

    Btw, we do not support light installation of windows which could miss something MP needs to run....

    Regards
    Roy
     

    Delusional

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    December 28, 2008
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    What did you install?
    As stated: package-mediaportal.exe (Normal installer insists on an internet connection, PC currently does not have an internet connection).

    If you don't have a tv card, you don't need the tv server or tv services enabled.
    As far as I know, this portion isn't installed.

    I run a straight mp client on a similar spec laptop, no hookup to a tv though - I don't have this type of a slow down.
    As laptops tend to be slightly slower then a PC, perhaps you can share your config setting, as this may be the solution I need.

    If you have a tv server configuration shortcut on your desktop, you installed tv server. I would just go under start menu/ team-mediaportal/tv server/uninstall tv server. If your not going to connect to a mp tv server, you can disable the tv plugin. You may find a similar uninstall under the start menu.
    No, I only have the Configure tool and the main program icons on the desktop. No tv server icon.

    Also sounds like you need to go into mp config advanced mode, here under general you can set whether to start on startup.
    Thanks. I currently uninstalled the software, as it is very frustrating, however I'll give it another try.

    There are a lot of options you can disable if you are not going to use them. The default install assumes you're going to connect to a tv server, or that you're going to run a tv server, or that you are going to use an analog tv card without tv server. So you really need to disable things so it won't keep looking for them.
    I tried disabling several items, but unless you know what you can and can't disable, its all guess work....

    Hi,
    Take time & read requirement page for running MediaPortal & see if your computer meats the spec.
    Thanks. Appears requirements changed with the current version. I came to the MediaPortal web site, from another site that showed the specs I have meet or exceed. With the software requiring 2Ghz and 1GB of RAM, this exceed what is, for many, considered a HTPC or living room PC, as these are generally older PC's or PC's like what I have. The mainboard I have, with CPU and RAM *IS* an HTPC mainboard and NEW.

    The authors may want to take a look at their requirements and optimize the code as event current HTPC's on the market are 1Ghz, with highend being 2Ghz and 3Ghz (requiring loud cooling fans).

    Btw, we do not support light installation of windows which could miss something MP needs to run....
    The installation is the full XP Pro. Only items such as the games etc, have been removed. This is not a Windows XP Light version, rather a full XP installation, without the bulky extras.
     

    tomtom21000

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  • April 22, 2004
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    Is your graphics card or inbuild graphic capable of Directx 9 ?
    If so, is it so hardwarewise (not emulating via your cpu?)
    Mediaportal is more like a game an relies heavily on Directx

    this sounds like it is not!
    After installing KB951698 and restarting, I gave MediaPortal another run. Almost 15 minutes to load. Why? The defeats the purpose of using it, stripped XP, boot time roughly 20 seconds, but to watch a video I'll have to wait for MediaPortal to start (hello MS MediaPlayer full screen, 5 sec, 2 sec later its playing the video). Next I tried navigating. Wow. I think a Pentium 166 running Windows XP would be faster. Click, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait...... Menu point highlighted, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..... Menu point selected, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait..... I think you get the idea here. Over 5 minutes to get from the main screen into the Setting screen.


    tomtom

    P.S.: MP is slower on the very first start after installation because it builds some graphics cache.
     

    Lotsofjazz

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  • January 7, 2008
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    Thanks. Appears requirements changed with the current version. I came to the MediaPortal web site, from another site that showed the specs I have meet or exceed. With the software requiring 2Ghz and 1GB of RAM, this exceed what is, for many, considered a HTPC or living room PC, as these are generally older PC's or PC's like what I have. The mainboard I have, with CPU and RAM *IS* an HTPC mainboard and NEW.

    The authors may want to take a look at their requirements and optimize the code as event current HTPC's on the market are 1Ghz, with highend being 2Ghz and 3Ghz (requiring loud cooling fans).

    Your idea that a 2Ghz/2Gb ram PC should be noisy is quite outdated. When I watch TV with just comfortable (conversation) vulume setting, I cant hear My HTPC sitting just 1.5 meters from it. The Graphics card HD4650 has a fan as well, but hardly runs. There are many HTPC builders here that have a complete silent passively coolded HTPC with 2.4Ghz dual core processors and passively cooled Full HD hardware acellerated graphics card.. The HD4650 with 1Gb DDR2 I have is also available with a passivelu cooled no fan versions.

    I have my motherboard for 1.5 years now, so in computer terms it is already old :) and was also sold as the perfect HTPC mainboard (and it is), but made for dual/quad core (slot 775) prcessors and beside the X1250 on board graphics it also has a PCI express x16 graphics slot I have used recently to install the new HD4650 GFX card. The mainbord is capable to harbor 16GB RAM DDR2 800Mhz.. you said yours is NEW?? and perfect for HTPC?.. where did you buy this, because I think you have been cheated, there are hadrly PC built with only 512Gb Ram and single core processors these days.

    take care,

    Have a wonderfull new years eve! and a happy new year!

    lots
     

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