Dvico Fusion 5 Lite and cpu usage

[daphatty]

OK, I finally got the DViCO configured on the new box. It looks like the difference between the fusion app and GBPVR in terms of CPU usage is roughly 30%. My LiveTV CPU usage was hovering between 60-70% on the new box (with a less powerful CPU) through the Fusion app and around 90-100% in GBPVR. This doesn't surprise me though. The fusion app uses their proprietary WDM drivers while GBPVR is forced to use the BDA drivers.

On a side note, I'm currently unable to hear the audio because I haven't yet installed PowerDVD so my test results may vary somewhat. I will say this, the only "stutter" I saw was due to the fact that the signal strength was between 60-75%.

[povarotti]

Wow, hours of searching the gbpvr forums and I hadn't stumbled upon the irq issue. Thanks guys! Sooo, i've been troubleshooting all day now.

First of all I'm actually not having any problem with jumpy/choppy video in DVICO's Fusion application. I can even schedule recordings with it. The only thing is that the HD recording done by DVICO software is only readable by DVICO's own software. If I try to capture in mpeg with the DVICO software, then neither powerdvd, WMP, or gbpvr display it correctly (e.g. only a few frames a second and scrambled audio).

With GBPVR I was able to view Live TV on the DVICO once, but then after a reboot I had a GBPVR.exe crash (and then GBPVR became corrupted, requiring a reload of my disc image). HD recording with gbpvr always results in a BSOD with "IRQ less than or equal to" error pointing at the "zulutcap.sys" file.

With that said, I went on a mission to try and resolve the possible IRQ conflicts that you guys highlighted...I go to device manager, check out the properties of DVICO WDM Capture then go to the "Resource" tab, and it indicates IRQ18.

Now I go to the DVICO BDA receiver device, click on "Resource" tab, and device manager locks up. I can still do anything else I want in windows, but device manager is out of comission. Very strange.

So then I sort devices by IRQ and see that both the Receiver and Capture are on IRQ18. Is that part of the problem, do they need to be given different IRQ's even though they part of the same card in the same pci slot?

So given that device manager was locking up, I decided to try the ACPI-->Standard PC conversion (thanks daphatty), assigned the PCI slot IRQ4. Then went to device manager and the same situation occurred. Hmmm.
[Edit: just to clarify, I assigned IRQ4 to slot in BIOS]

I'm kind of at a loss now and have obviously tried many different PCI slots (and in the process finding one that doesn't work at all). Any ideas? Is there a way to manually reassign an IRQ in windows (especially considering that I can't get to the "resources" tab of the BDA receiver device)?

Thanks for your input so far!

i've been lurking, watching this thread for a while now with great interest, as i have in the past few weeks received my F5 lite, and subsequently tried setting it up.

i am having basically the exact same issue you are having -- all the same symptoms. i'm pretty certain it's an IRQ conflict, but cannot seem to resolve it. i too would be greatly interested in knowing if one, somehow, can assign IRQs through windows. i have a low profile HTPC, and as such, i only have 2 choices for PCI slots -- but neither are good. in one config, my F5 is sharing an IRQ with the onboard soundcard, and in another, with the onboard video.

i don't have much to offer at this stage other than the fact that i too am having this issue. i will continue trying everything i can think of, and should i resolve it, will certainly post what i had to do.

pov.

[rgann]

OK, I finally got the DViCO configured on the new box. It looks like the difference between the fusion app and GBPVR in terms of CPU usage is roughly 30%. My LiveTV CPU usage was hovering between 60-70% on the new box (with a less powerful CPU) through the Fusion app and around 90-100% in GBPVR. This doesn't surprise me though. The fusion app uses their proprietary WDM drivers while GBPVR is forced to use the BDA drivers.

On a side note, I'm currently unable to hear the audio because I haven't yet installed PowerDVD so my test results may vary somewhat. I will say this, the only "stutter" I saw was due to the fact that the signal strength was between 60-75%.

I have a strong signal on the channel I was testing. The stuttering would be more subtle than the stuttering due to low signal. It's a few dropped frames every few seconds or so. I'm not sure, with your current setup, that you would be able to notice if your signal is that bad. But, it seems like I should just bite the bullet and buy a faster CPU. Thanks for your results.

povarotti: Have you followed the instructions on the Dvico website to reinstall your computer as Standard PC instead of ACPI? In that case, all devices on the system should be assigned a unique IRQ.

[daphatty]

I have a strong signal on the channel I was testing. The stuttering would be more subtle than the stuttering due to low signal. It's a few dropped frames every few seconds or so. I'm not sure, with your current setup, that you would be able to notice if your signal is that bad. But, it seems like I should just bite the bullet and buy a faster CPU. Thanks for your results.

Well unless you don't like having your CPU pegged at such a high percentage of usage I don't think upgrading your CPU will solve the stutters outright. In fact, I think the true solution to your problem will be masked by the complete system rebuild you'd have to perform to accomodate such an upgrade. Far be it for me to talk someone out of buying new computer parts but frankly, your current system is stronger than the one I just built. So far, my system is running smooth as silk.

[Chris.Day]

rgann, are you using an nForce2 based motherboard? If so, there are known timer/interrupt issues when using APIC. They are worst when FSB Spread Spectrum is enabled. (1, 2) - I know those references deal with clock accuracy, but it affects interrupts too.

To resolve on Windows XP:
1) Open Device Manager
2) Expand Computers and open ACPI Uniprocessor PC
3) Manually select driver and choose Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
4) Reboot when prompted

This is a better solution than switching to "Standard PC" because you still have full ACPI power management. Sure, you still lose the additional IRQs but since they're so problematic on the nForce2 it's not such a loss.

[rgann]

rgann, are you using an nForce2 based motherboard? If so, there are known timer/interrupt issues when using APIC. They are worst when FSB Spread Spectrum is enabled. I know those references deal with clock accuracy, but it affects interrupts too.

It is nforce2. Do you recommend disabling FSB SS?

To resolve on Windows XP:
1) Open Device Manager
2) Expand Computers and open ACPI Uniprocessor PC
3) Manually select driver and choose Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
4) Reboot when prompted

This is a better solution than switching to "Standard PC" because you still have full ACPI power management. Sure, you still lose the additional IRQs but since they're so problematic on the nForce2 it's not such a loss.

This does sound better, but is there any advantage other than the machine shutting down with the power button, hibernating, etc.?

daphatty: I don't quite understand. Don't you think it's reasonable to assume that the reason I'm getting dropped frames is because the cpu is maxed out, and so it just skips a few now and then to catch up? Then, wouldn't a processor that was more powerful, and could keep up, not drop those frames? I am puzzled by the fact that you have 100% cpu usage with no trouble. After all, how could the processor be at exactly 100% and still be keeping up? To my admittedly ignorant eyes, that seems unlikely. It would imply that the amount of processing power to display the image is exactly that which your cpu can deliver. That is, unless the BDA driver throws away cycles.

Anyway, I don't need to understand to follow directions. What would you suggest at this point?

[daphatty]

daphatty: I don't quite understand. Don't you think it's reasonable to assume that the reason I'm getting dropped frames is because the cpu is maxed out, and so it just skips a few now and then to catch up? Then, wouldn't a processor that was more powerful, and could keep up, not drop those frames? I am puzzled by the fact that you have 100% cpu usage with no trouble. After all, how could the processor be at exactly 100% and still be keeping up? To my admittedly ignorant eyes, that seems unlikely. It would imply that the amount of processing power to display the image is exactly that which your cpu can deliver. That is, unless the BDA driver throws away cycles.

Anyway, I don't need to understand to follow directions. What would you suggest at this point?

I'll admit, my system shouldn't be working as well as it is when the CPU usage consistently hits the 100% mark. But I can't complain. I may have a stutter here an there but I'm almost certain that is due to signal loss (I live in a basement apartment.) At this point, I would suggest you try Chris Day's recommendation and see how far that gets you.

On a side note, I have some additional questions regarding your HTPC (Not sure if you have answered these questions already so my apologies in advance).

1) Are you using the nVidia IDE drivers or the Microsoft (default XP) ones?

2) What RPM speed rating does your HD have?

[rgann]

erm, good question on the IDE thing. I installed the nvidia drivers off the cd last time I loaded this machine. The latest version on the nvidia website is 2004, but my drivers were signed 2002. I'll give it a shot when gbpvr finishes recording today's curling match.

Both hard drives are 7200rmp.

[daphatty]

erm, good question on the IDE thing. I installed the nvidia drivers off the cd last time I loaded this machine. The latest version on the nvidia website is 2004, but my drivers were signed 2002. I'll give it a shot when gbpvr finishes recording today's curling match.

Both hard drives are 7200rmp.

If at all possible, try to revert to the Microsoft IDE drivers. The nVidia IDE drivers are notoriously crappy and have known performance issues (wish I could find the links I ran across a while back.) Ironically enough, the nVidia IDE drivers were the cause of my stutter problems back when I first picked up the F5. (I can't believe I forgot about it.)

[Chris.Day]

Oh, if you do intent to try the HAL change, only do it if you are running the Microsoft IDE driver. Apparently the nVidia driver can screw up (according to 1 person who tried it ages ago), although part of that may have been a carbon based problem than silicon or software.