CPU Usage on LiveTV?

[Bwangster12]

I just started using GBPVR with my newly isntalled Hauppauge 250BTV. So far I absolutely love it, besides my remote control situatiion which I still am very frustrated over.

But... when I watch LiveTV my CPU usage goes to 75% or higher. When recording or doing other things the CPU usage stays relatively normal... but it seems way too high for LiveTV.

[JonnyCam]

What type of CPU? What speed?

What video decoders?

[Bwangster12]

I have an AMD Athlon XP 2600, 2.08GHz with 1gb of RAM.

Currently in GBPVR Config my Video Decoder is set to System Default... but there are the options of InterVideo Video Decoder or Nero Video Decoder.

[JonnyCam]

Sweet. So are you timeshifting when watching live TV?

(I am not sure, but it may be enabled by default)

my 1.8 Ghz Athlonh can use up to 50 or 60% when using live TV. Whats the CPU vbaseload when you are in GBPVR?

Also, Whats the CPU usage like when doing other things such as watching an MPEG recording within GBPVR?

I think I am using the intervideo decoder presesntly. Also, what Audio decoder do you use. I use AC3 filter, and it uses next to no CPU time - even when upscaling to 5.1 channel.

[Bwangster12]

I am not sure what you mean by CPU vbaseload, but when watching a recording that I previously made its very similar to when watching LiveTV. My Audio Decoder and Renderer are both set to System Default.

For Audio Decoder I can choose MPEG Audio, InterVideo Audio or Nero Digital Audio Decoders.

For the Audio Renderer I can choose SB Audigy 2 Audio (DC00), Default Directsound Device, Default Waveout device, or Directsound: SB Audigy 2 Audio (DC00)

I thought the fact that my card has hardware encoder meant it wouldn't slow down my computer.

[JonnyCam]

Yeah, thats true - when I am recording a show - and not watching it the CPU sits aboiut 1 or 2% but when watching it it jumps up as the CPU is used to decode the MPEG2 Audio & Video streams which are / have been recorded.

If you get a hardware decoder card then you will use no CPU when play live TV as well as recording in the background.

I actually meant baseload - what does the CPU use when you are sitting in GBPVR - ie do you have other apps / services in the background which are using the CPU. (but as you say this happens for recording and playback, it's not likely) - not important.

Why dont you try changing from system default to specifically using the intervideo decoder and see how that works - maybe install AC3 filter or somehting - I didnt like the MPEG audio decoder bundled, so I changed it.

(by the way, only a few hardware decoding cards are supported I think, so you may like to ask someone about them)

If you are watching live TV - do you need any more CPU? 25% for the remaining tasks on your PC should be OK - as you wont be opening anything up I assume? (as it'll get in the way of the TV!)

[Koenie]

I also had this problem and could only solve it with a reinstall. Can you check which process is eating away yr processor. In my case it was a process called system which only used 200-something k of memory.

I got this phenomenon every time GBPVR was using the GBPVRparser as its demuxer, hence when timeshifting or looking at a recording in progress.

[TheCanuck]

I'm using the NVidia dvd decoder (with acceleration enabled) and get about 30% CPU usage (watching TV and timeshifting).

You could try the Nero and in the config, Playback-->Video Decoder Settings make sure that "Use DirectX VA if available" is checked.

I've also used the DSCaler decoder and it's CPU is around 30-40% as well (make sure that IDCT use is set to accelerated as well):

http://www.afterdawn.com/software/video_...ilters.cfm

[capone]

I run 65-80%. That's w/:
1) Using the nvidia decoder w/o HW aceleration on (it gave me problems...may try again since reinstall)
2) Using ffshow to handle multichannel sound via spdif
3) Watching in TS mode

When I turn on HW acel it runs 30-40%. It really boils down to how much you need the processor to do, and how much processor you have

[Bwangster12]

Well I installed nVidia PureVideo Decoder and it lowered it a good 30%. I'm maxing out at 50-60% now. The video also is smoother and a lot less choppy. The sound is weird tho but I think I got it working when using the nVidia Audio Decoder.

How do I disable timeshifting? What is that?