Is it my processor?

[davej1983]

Hey, just wondering if anyone can help me here.

I have a P4 2.4Ghz, 2GB RAM, and a 512MB AGP video card and I have some problems with video playback. Often, when I start a video, all I get is a black screen with the audio until I pause it then unpause. The video also freezes when I skip forward in a video file, again until I pause/unpause. It also has difficulty playing 720p .mkv files.

Would this be because I need a better processor? Because my other computer is a laptop that has a AMD Turion X2 1.60Ghz, 2GB RAM, and a 128MB videocard and it has absolutly no problem playing videos, and handles 720p .mkv just fine. Does the fact that it is a duel-core make that much of a difference even with the far superior video card on my previous system?

The my codecs seem to be up-to-date on both systems.

I'd really appreciate any input, thank you!

[johns0]

Your computer isnt good enough to play 720p video,you need at least a dual core such as your laptop to get decent playback.Dual core are much better than the single core in computing power.

[davej1983]

Oh ok, yeah I ruled just about everything else out so I figured it must be that. Thanks for your help!

[jagabo]

Lack of CPU power would explain jerky 720p playback but not the other problems. Those are probably related to incompatible file splitters and codecs.

[davej1983]

Any suggestions on how to resolve that, or troubleshoot further?

[jagabo]

I would start by trying a player that has its own built in file splitters and decoders. Try MPCHC or VLC. See if those work any better.

[davej1983]

VLC is what I always use, I'll give MPCHC a try though and see if that works any better.


oh, and I didn't mention that the choppy video playback is also in streaming video such as hulu.com. It's not the internet connection though, as before they play fine on my other computer.

[INFRATOM]

Radeon 1650 seems it not for HD content specially an AGP. There are some AGP graphic cards but does not worth it because they don't have new official drivers. Radeon only has patches. I have an older computer P4 3Ghz and the graphic card is going bad and OK! options are too expensive. PCIe can be bought much cheaper for a better card. So it is time to retire these computers and wait for salvage parts and turn them into office computers.