High CPU Usage / no VMR9 available

[ShiningDragon]

After weeks and month of testing i could confirm, that NVIDIA Setup's aren't so easy as thought.

Short time ago i asked sub, why my CPU Usage suddenly went up with his new version. I really thought, it was GB-PVR related. WRONG and completely, absolutely false!

With some other people, i could discover that NVIDIA Hardware isn't harmonic with every ForceWare or nForce Driver or even PureVideo!

So here's a little Guide from me to you, to make sure you'll have one ore two problems lesser.

If you have a Graphicscard like the GeForce 6xxx Series, or lesser, as AGP Version (some of the 7xxx Series too, if they have AGP), then NEVER, EVER USE A FORCEWARE HIGHER THEN 81.98 WHQL !!!! And NEVER EVER use PureVideo HIGHER than 1.02.??.185 !!!!
Why? Higher Versions like ForceWare NEED the latest PureVideo and Vice versa. But these Versions DON'T RUN RIGHT with Graphiccards like the one i posted above. VMR9 isn't correctly available, when using DxVA.

If you have a PCI-E Card like the GeForce 7xxx Series, then you can use latest ForceWare Drivers... but THEN you have to use the latest PureVideo Version TOO!

With my A8N-VM CSM i went back down to 81.98 WHQL and PureVideo 1.02.??.185 and NOW i have a CPU Usage again of ~10 Percent, even using deinterlacing with PureVideo. With newer drivers VMR9 and Hardware Acceleration didn't work right.

Now you'll say, that you won't have MPEG-4 Hardware Acceleration too. This "Feature" is one of the biggest laughest! There are three(!) different MPEG-4 Versions outside, and not all are Hardware Supported by latest ForceWare/PureVideo. You would even have Problems @ acceleration of HD-WMV (with the older ones, like i posted not).

I hope this info is useful for some of the users here. I don't need latest ForceWare for additional 2 FP/s @ Oblivion

[Zato]

Interesting... tho I haven't had any issues with VMR9 not being available with the latest drivers (Forceware and PureVideo) for my 6200.

[ShiningDragon]

Are you using DxVA? The actual ForceWare reads the ID of the Graphicscard. If the ID is talking about an AGP Card, the Hardwareacceleration will be disabled by driverside. And this is the Problem.

I think, it's no accident, and so wanted by NVIDIA. They wanna sell their "new" PCI-E Cards. For now there are to many AGP-Users left.

[Zato]

Are you using DxVA?

Not sure how to determine if I'm actually using this or not. But I am running VMR9 and Nvidia PureVideo

[Talcum]

Curious...
I'm using Pure Video v1.02.196 and things are OK. I'm getting CPU of 25-35% varying as I use the PC for web browsing, etc.
I have a GF FX5200 AGP installed. CPU is Athlon XP 1800+.

I AM using the 81.98 WHQL drivers, though because I ran into an issue with newer Forceware drivers, but Pure Video v1.02.196 is working without sapping my CPU.

I'll remember this, though and won't go up any further in my Pure Video.
Thanks for the info.

PEACE

[csy]

Forceware 84.21, PureVideo 1.02-196, 6600GT AGP

GBPVR v0.97.7, DXVA enabled, VMR9 = 30-60% CPU @MPEG2-8Mb/s
GBPVR v0.97.7, DXVA disabled, VMR9 = 60% (constant) CPU @MPEG2-8Mb/s

System spec's as per my signature

[ShiningDragon]

@CSY
Like i thought, hardware acceleration don't seem to work right. With your sempron you shouldn't have more the 30% Usage.

I recommend to deinstall your PureVideo Decoder and ForceWare Version and try instead ForceWare 81.98 WHLQ and PureVideo 1.02-185.

Then test again. =)

The Problem is, that the new ForceWare and PureVideo are using new Features to raise the picture quality... for cost of CPU Usage.

Me too had a GeForce 6600 GT and NEVER such a Usage on an AMD64 3000+ while playing back a MPEG-2 File.



@Talcum
Hi =)
Your ForceWare is a good choose, but the latest PureVideo is optimized for ForceWare 84.21 and above.
But your Usage looks fantastic, so i wouldn't go back to another PureVideo Decoder if you're not having problems with Picture Quality.

[ShiningDragon]

Not sure how to determine if I'm actually using this or not. But I am running VMR9 and Nvidia PureVideo

Without DxVA there should be no Problems, with DxVA you should have Problems.

I think you didn't use the DxVA.

[csy]

If the ID is talking about an AGP Card, the Hardwareacceleration will be disabled by driverside.

So this statement is factually incorrect.

If you have a Graphicscard like the GeForce 6xxx Series, or lesser, as AGP Version (some of the 7xxx Series too, if they have AGP), then NEVER, EVER USE A FORCEWARE HIGHER THEN 81.98 WHQL !!!! And NEVER EVER use PureVideo HIGHER than 1.02.??.185 !!!!
Why? Higher Versions like ForceWare NEED the latest PureVideo and Vice versa. But these Versions DON'T RUN RIGHT with Graphiccards like the one i posted above. VMR9 isn't correctly available, when using DxVA.

If you have a PCI-E Card like the GeForce 7xxx Series, then you can use latest ForceWare Drivers... but THEN you have to use the latest PureVideo Version TOO!

With my A8N-VM CSM i went back down to 81.98 WHQL and PureVideo 1.02.??.185 and NOW i have a CPU Usage again of ~10 Percent, even using deinterlacing with PureVideo. With newer drivers VMR9 and Hardware Acceleration didn't work right.

I do think the Forceware drivers are flakey and some versions are better suited to particular mobo and graphics card combinations, however I consider you statement to be an over-generalisation.

It is important to note:
- There is a colour-space bug prior to 84.12 (beta) which causes washed-out colours.
- Significant deinterlacing quality improvements were introduced in 84.xx

Personally speaking, picture quality is most important to me and CPU load is a secondary concern, therefore I'm quite happy to have a slightly higher CPU load in exchange for higher quality picture (noting my ATI9550 is generally 15% lower CPU but has its own problems).

[ShiningDragon]

So this statement is factually incorrect.

If you're looking over to the official NVIDIA Forum, then you'll see, that i am correct.
With actual drivers/ForceWare there are so many people, where Hardware Acceleration don't work anymore.

Yes, of course, Picture Quality ist very important, but not if no hardware acceleration were used. If i had such a high CPU Usage, then my CPU wouldn't go down in the C'n'Q-Mode and consumes much more power then needed; even the heat would grow up.

But the most important thing is, that you're happy. I only try to give other users some help, if they wonder why their CPU Usage were so high, though NVIDIA promised Hardware Acceleration with it's very expensive PureVideo Decoder.