Slow Menu's (1 Viewer)

[Domini0n]

Problem:

When using MP v1.1 beta and StreamedMP plugin switching is slow. When selecting for example TV Series it takes up to 7 seconds before the switch is made. During the switch there is a period in which the CPU is not active, when it does become active the switch is made. - Could not replicate this anymore. It applies to all plugings that come with StreamedMP and it also switches slow when going back to the home screen.

PLEASE...
If you have the same issue but don't use an ION330 or Windows 7, please let us know so we can see if it is ION related, OS related or something else.


Working Combinations:
Use MP v1.0.2 and StreamedMP v0.8.448 to make the plugin switching work as it should.


Tests Done So Far:

Tests by Dominion
Test setup: AS-330, 2GB RAM, Windows 7x32, SAF4.00 beta19, Haali Media Splitter

MediaPortal: 1.1 beta rev 23491
StreamedMP: 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: Yes
Slow Context Menu's: Yes
Slow Marked as Watched: Yes
AVG Switch time: 10
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: No
Anything else you found: Nothing

MediaPortal: 1.0.2
StreamedMP: 0.8.448
Slow Menu's: No (only back)
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time to Plugin: 3.5 seconds
AVG Switch time back to Main: 6 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 25%
Idle CPU Usage: 17%
Average CPU usage on 720p: 7%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 9%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...) : 18%
Anything else you found: N/A

MediaPortal: 1.0.2
StreamedMP: 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: No (only back)
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time to Plugin: 3.5 seconds
AVG Switch time back to Main: 6 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 25%
Idle CPU Usage: 17%
Average CPU usage on 720p: 7%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 9%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...) : 18%
Anything else you found: There is 17% idle CPU usage.

On the idle CPU I found that when I shutdown MP it then drops to 0%, so it can't be anything in windows that causes idle CPU usage in MP.

MediaPortal: SVN Snapshot 11-06-2009--19-18-Rev24047
StreamedMP: 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: Yes
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time to Plugin: 7 seconds
AVG Switch time back to Main: 6 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 25%
Idle CPU Usage: 17%
Average CPU usage on 720p: 7%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 9%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...) : 18%
Anything else you found: N/A

MediaPortal: SVN Snapshot 11-06-2009--19-18-Rev24047 - with core.dll fix
StreamedMP: 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: No (only back, but faster)
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time to Plugin: 3 seconds
AVG Switch time back to Main: 5 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 25%
Idle CPU Usage: 17%
Average CPU usage on 720p: 7%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 9%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...) : 18%
Anything else you found: N/A


Tests by Malagem (click name to go to the original post)
Test Setup: AS-330, 2GB RAM, Windows 7x64, FFDShow r3097, Haali Media Splitter, CoreAVC w/CUDA 1.9.5

MediaPortal: 1.1.0 beta rev 23491
Skin: StreamedMP 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: Yes
Slow Context Menu's: Yes
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time: 7 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 21%
Idle CPU Usage: N/A
Average CPU usage on 720p: 17%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 23%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...) : 60%
Anything else you found: N/A

MediaPortal: 1.1.0 beta rev 23491
Skin: Black Glass 1.60
Slow Menu's: No
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time: 2 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 23%
Idle CPU Usage: N/A
Average CPU usage on 720p: 13%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 20%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...): 27%
Anything else you found: N/A


Tests by jackflack (click name to go to the original post)
Test Setup: ION330 @ 2.0Ghz, 2x2GB RAM, Patriot 32GB SSD, Windows 7 Ultimate N, SAF beta19 FFDShow

MediaPortal: SVN Snapshot 11-06-2009--19-18-Rev24047 - with core.dll fix
StreamedMP: 0.9.601
MP_TVSeries: 2.3.3589 (newer)
Slow Menu's: No
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time to Plugin: 5 seconds
AVG Switch time back to Main: 2 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: 80%
Idle CPU Usage: 10% (Disabled RSS Feed)
Average CPU usage on 720p: 11%
Average CPU usage on 1080p: 14%
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Moving Pictures, ...) : 55%
Anything else you found: When I load any plugin my CPU jumps to 100% then 80% for a few seconds. Browsing all 55 shows in filmstrip layout is rather CPU intensive but snappy, average 55%. When I pick my show CPU load jumps to 80% and it is fully displayed in under 2 secs. This time is used to load 1920x1080 background image. I am not using compressed images. If I try and go back during the initial plugin loading, then my "back" times are much higher. But if I finish a show and press exit 3 times to get to main menu, it is as fast as my thump presses.


Tests by Psiebe (click name to go to the original post)
INCOMPLETE TEST RESULTS
Test Setup: ION330, Windows XP

MediaPortal: 10424047
Skin: StreamedMP 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: Yes
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time: 7-8 seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: N/A
Idle CPU Usage: N/A
Average CPU usage on 720p: N/A
Average CPU usage on 1080p: N/A
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...): N/A
Anything else you found: N/A

MediaPortal: 10424047 with new core.dll
Skin: StreamedMP 0.9.601
Slow Menu's: No
Slow Context Menu's: No
Slow Marked as Watched: No
AVG Switch time: 2 seconds for MPTV, 1 second for movingpictures
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: N/A
Idle CPU Usage: N/A
Average CPU usage on 720p: N/A
Average CPU usage on 1080p: N/A
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...): N/A
Anything else you found: N/A


Combinations to Test:

MediaPortal: 1.0.2
StreamedMP: 0.9.601

MediaPortal: 1.1 beta rev 23491
StreamedMP: 0.9.601

MediaPortal: 1.1 beta rev 23491
Other skin:

MediaPortal: 1.1 beta rev 23491
StreamedMP: 0.8.448 - don't think it is needed to test this one anymore

MediaPortal: 1.1 with latest SVN
StreamedMP: 0.9.601 - don't think it is needed to test this one anymore

MediaPortal: 1.1 with latest SVN
StreamedMP: 0.8.448 - don't think it is needed to test this one anymore

MediaPortal: Latest SVN
StreamedMP:: 0.9.601

MediaPortal: Latest SVN with core.dll fix
StreamedMP:: 0.9.601


HOWTO: Report Test Results:

Please report your test results in the following format so we can use it for comparison:

MediaPortal: Version
Skin: Skin name and version
Slow Menu's: Yes/No
Slow Context Menu's: Yes/No
Slow Marked as Watched: Yes/No
AVG Switch time: In seconds
Instant CPU Usage on Switch: Yes and % / No avg time in seconds till activity
Idle CPU Usage: %
Average CPU usage on 720p: %
Average CPU usage on 1080p: %
Average CPU usage on browsing (MyTVSeries, Videos, Moving Pictures, ...): %
Anything else you found: Short explenation

Problem is fixed, no need to do more tests.

We are very thankful for the people that posted their test results.


Conclusion:
It seems to be StreamedMP related as the beta 1.1 rev 23491 works smooth with skin Black Glass 1.60 and not with StreamedMP 0.9.601. We do need to do some more tests to be 100% sure of this.
It seems to be a MP related issue, after using the core.dll fix, the problem was almost completely gone. The only problem is that going back to main menu is still slow, but it has always been slow.

 

[roopert]

I noticed that the switching of plugins is extremely slow all of the sudden.

I also have an ion based setup and got exact the same problem. But not only with the plugins, the problem occurs when opening pictures and music too. Maybe the atom processor is not fast enough...

 

[psiebe]

Hi Domini0n,

I used to run mediaportal on an ION330 on windows 7 and faced the same issues with 10+ seconds delay when going into for example MPTV Series from the menu. Fanart loaded with about 4 to 5 seconds delay in moving pictures too.

Don't know whether it's an issue with Win7 and MP, there are still issues listed there, or a driver issue (net and disk access was not always optimal)

I recently downgraded to XP, and restored my mediaportal configuration. It's now running snappy again.

rgds,
Patrick

 

[Domini0n]

Hi Domini0n,

I used to run mediaportal on an ION330 on windows 7 and faced the same issues with 10+ seconds delay when going into for example MPTV Series from the menu. Fanart loaded with about 4 to 5 seconds delay in moving pictures too.

Don't know whether it's an issue with Win7 and MP, there are still issues listed there, or a driver issue (net and disk access was not always optimal)

I recently downgraded to XP, and restored my mediaportal configuration. It's now running snappy again.

rgds,
Patrick

XP with ION330 is snappy response?
I use a Philips OVU4120 IR-Reciever, will it install underd windows XP? It came without drivers...

Hope it's something that can be fixed for Win7, because if it runs oke on XP it must be something to do with windows 7 right? Hope it's not the ION330

[edit]
I tried installing the USB IR Receiver on my XP PC. It doesn't install automatically, but I can force it to install as a eHome thing. It works after that, but it is realllllyyyy buggy! If you press up, it will continue to scroll up in MP until you hit down. So XP is not really an option for me unless this behavior can be fixed. Does anyone know how to get the Philips OVU4120 USB IR Receiver to work under XP? It is officially a Vista receiver so no XP drivers can be downloaded.

 

[Crackofdawn]

I'm running Windows 7 with MP 1.1.0 beta and the latest StreamedMP with no issues. One thing I've heard that can cause a lot of slowdown in StreamedMP is if you have the configuration set to randomize or rotate between background images. Mine is just set to always use default.jpg with no rotating or randomizing. Might want to check that setting, if yours is set to randomize on a timer, that supposedly is really buggy in terms of speed in the latest MP/StreamedMP.

 

[Leftover]

Im running 1.1.0 on XP SP3 (ION330) and had no problem with interface response, it is not as smooth as on say Q6600, but fast enough to feel comfortable. Looks like reducing preview quality and setting MP priority Above Normal helps to improve response a bit.

 

[drealit]

Yes the rotating background pics will in fact hurt your smoothness a bit. You can change it to static... but I love having a blend of images for my background. Someone suggested using a different image format than JPG... something lossless like BMP. I never tried it but in theory it could help with their loading times since there's no compression.

 

[Domini0n]

Thanks for the input all, I'll have a look at those settings and see what it does. The CPU is most of the times not in use when it waits, so I hope it's a bug with Windows 7 that can be fixed, because I like random backdrops

 

[drealit]

I'm pretty sure I had the same issues in both Vista/XP too :/ (just a FYI).

 

[roopert]

I think it's something with MP. When I go from a music folder to the previous screen, MP takes about 10 to 20 sec to respond. If you quick switch to your task manager ->performance -> process control, you'll notice that the MP proces isn't responding for that short time.