Stop VLC from using 100% cpu time

[rock.freak667]

My AVI files/DVD's play very choppy in VLC and usually it only occurs when VLC is using 100% CPU time. But for the odd times that it doesn't use 100% CPU time, it plays normally and fluently. I reinstalled VLC (installed the newest version) with the same results. Anyone have any ideas?

[Soopafresh]

Disable your virus scanning software. On my junky 2.4Ghz P4 at home, I can play 1080i Mpeg2 with VLC at 80% utilization. Open up your task manager to see what else is running.

[rock.freak667]

Well I use avast! but when VLC is running onl VLC uses the cpu time nothing else.
Also, what is wrong with my audio if when I start playing something it plays without bass but if I pause it and the resume it plays normally with bass?

[Faustus]

I've had this exact issue before. The CPU usage not the no bass thing. Tell me, what kind of soundcard do you have?

I had an onboard AC'97 from Realtek and had to downgrade my driver.

That was a while ago so I doubt its your problem but its a start.

I guess what I"m saying is have you at least made sure your sound drivers are up to date? / Have you changed anything ESPECIALLY driver related lately?

[edDV]

My AVI files/DVD's play very choppy in VLC and usually it only occurs when VLC is using 100% CPU time. But for the odd times that it doesn't use 100% CPU time, it plays normally and fluently. I reinstalled VLC (installed the newest version) with the same results. Anyone have any ideas?

What format are these avi files? The more compressed the format the more CPU horsepower is needed for display. If your computer is topping cpu at 100%, you have run out of CPU horsepower and the software needs to compromise realtime playback or compromise picture quality. In settings you have some control.

If the file is 1080i interlace, you can use one field to display 960x540 @29.97 real time (video-deinterlace-discard) with much less CPU load.

If the file is h.264, you may be able to invoke hardware assist from your display card. Even then, all but the fastest cards skip on h.264 720p/1080p files.

[rock.freak667]

Here are two screenshots of examples of what I play.







Yet a while back(like about 30 minutes ago) they were playing perfectly but now they are playing choppy/laggy.

[jagabo]

You shouldn't have any problems playing those files, especially the first one. VLC playing a file similar to your first file only uses about 5 percent of my Core 2 Duo CPU. There's something wrong with your system. Some things to check:

1) Be sure your hard drives are running in DMA mode.

2) Be sure video overlay is enabled in your graphics card's setup applet (full hardware acceleration).

3) Be sure VLC is set up to use video overlay.

4) Check what filtering VLC may be performing.

5) The AC3 problem mentioned by others.

[rock.freak667]

You shouldn't have any problems playing those files, especially the first one. VLC playing a file similar to your first file only uses about 5 percent of my Core 2 Duo CPU. There's something wrong with your system. Some things to check:

1) Be sure your hard drives are running in DMA mode.

2) Be sure video overlay is enabled in your graphics card's setup applet (full hardware acceleration).

3) Be sure VLC is set up to use video overlay.

4) Check what filtering VLC may be performing.

5) The AC3 problem mentioned by others.

1) I think it is
2) Yep full acceleration
3) Preferences-->Video---> Overlay video output. Wasn't checked but I checked it now. But this causes the no video to show...well a grey screen is showed instead of the video but the audio still plays.
4) No filter module is checked at the moment.

[poisondeathray]

What happens when you play the same media file with another software player like mpc or windows media player?

[jagabo]

3) Preferences-->Video---> Overlay video output. Wasn't checked but I checked it now. But this causes the no video to show...well a grey screen is showed instead of the video but the audio still plays.

That's an indication that video overlay isn't working right. This often happens with new video cards or new drivers. Fiddle with the video proc amp settings in the setup applet. Also, try disabling video overlay and reenabling it. You may have to reboot at each change. Some combination of those usually fixes the problem.

Just out of curiosity -- did VLC still consume 100 percent of CPU even though you couldn't see the video?

[rock.freak667]

3) Preferences-->Video---> Overlay video output. Wasn't checked but I checked it now. But this causes the no video to show...well a grey screen is showed instead of the video but the audio still plays.

That's an indication that video overlay isn't working right. This often happens with new video cards or new drivers. Fiddle with the video proc amp settings in the setup applet. Also, try disabling video overlay and reenabling it. You may have to reboot at each change. Some combination of those usually fixes the problem.

Just out of curiosity -- did VLC still consume 100 percent of CPU even though you couldn't see the video?

Well you see right, that time when I was playing the video it was playing normally with VLC not using 100% CPU time. So...

What happens when you play the same media file with another software player like mpc or windows media player?

Well since VLC uses its own codecs (or so I am told) I didn't install any AVI codecs on my system (had a codec pack and then uninstalled). So playing it in WMP or MPC will just not play as there are no codecs for it.

[poisondeathray]

Do all media files exhibit this behaviour in VLC?

I only suggested a different media player for troubleshooting purposes. I think Mplayer/SMplayer is also self contained like VLC

If your profile is correct, you have 512MB memory?

How much memory are you using in task manager? If you are constantly accessing your swap file, also if your hard drive is fragmented when swapping, that could explain choppy play

Try what jagabo suggested with the overlay

[jagabo]

You can try KMPlayer. It has most codecs built-in like VLC.

[rock.freak667]

Do all media files exhibit this behaviour in VLC?

Nope, only .AVI files and DVD video. Mpeg,MOV, WMV and the rest play fine.

How much memory are you using in task manager? If you are constantly accessing your swap file, also if your hard drive is fragmented when swapping, that could explain choppy play

Right now PF usage is 349 MB and Defragmenter says that my drive doesn't need to be defragmented.