HD playback suddenly broken - 100% cpu usage

[mr-scarface]

I'm using coreavc as the codec and KMplayer. I used to be able to play 1080p rips fine with 60-80% cpu but now it's maxing out at 100% cpu usage and it starts stuttering all of a sudden. Usually it happens after a few minutes of playback and not right away. I tried media player classic but the problem persists. Here's a screen of cpu usage:




I don't really wanna mess with the coreavc settings since I don't know what they mean but deinterlacing is on aggressive and single field. Deblocking is on standard.

graphics card is an 8200m on windows vista. Using 179.44 nvidia driver with modded inf.

Tried searching google for "100% cpu usage coreavc" but I couldn't find anything useful.

Any suggestions?

[Baldrick]

And you are sure that coreavc is beeing used? Maybe some other filter/decoder have replaced it. You can check it in MPC under Play->Filters when playing AVC video.

[jagabo]

Turn off deinterlacing and deblocking. That will degrade picture quality but it will minimize CPU usage. Any better?

[mr-scarface]

^^Baldrick

Yes I am sure coreavc is playing. The little tray icon appears in the system tray each time I play the file.

^^jagabo

I will try that when I get home and report back tonight. However let me ask you, do you think I should try updating the drivers before messing with coreavc?...don't really want to lose picture quality.


Also, looking at the cpu graph, the weird thing is that it spikes to 100% all of a sudden. I checked the processes tab and no other cpu hungry programs were running. Wonder why it does this.

[jagabo]

do you think I should try updating the drivers before messing with coreavc?...don't really want to lose picture quality.

All you have to do is turn them back on the same way you turn them off. Driver problems don't seem too likely if the playback is normal for a while then suddenly gets choppy.

Also, looking at the cpu graph, the weird thing is that it spikes to 100% all of a sudden. I checked the processes tab and no other cpu hungry programs were running. Wonder why it does this.

Yes, that is unusual. Does it always happen at the same place? Only with a particular file?

MPCHC has a built in h.264 decoder and the recent releases are multithreaded (you may have to enable these options though). I would try that and see if there is any difference.

[mr-scarface]

Turn off deinterlacing and deblocking. That will degrade picture quality but it will minimize CPU usage. Any better?

just tried this but the same thing happens.

Yes, that is unusual. Does it always happen at the same place? Only with a particular file?

No it happens at a different place. I've tried multiple files.

MPHC HChas a built in h.264 decoder and the recent releases are multithreaded (you may have to enable these options though). I would try that and see if there is any difference.

I'll try that.

[jagabo]

No it happens at a different place. I've tried multiple files.

Any chance your computer is overheating and throttling down? CPUZ can show the the current clock speed.

[mr-scarface]

No it happens at a different place. I've tried multiple files.

Any chance your computer is overheating and throttling down? CPUZ can show the the current clock speed.

Looks like you're dead on:





I played the video for a good 15 minutes stutter-free, then as soon as the video started lagging, the core speed dropped to 500 as you see in the pic, and the multiplier to 2.5.

I've had this laptop repaired once by HP when it had a defective fan which was very noisy. You think a fan problem could be causing this too? The laptop works perfectly fine otherwise.

[jagabo]

It could be a fan problem. I think laptops often simply aren't designed to handle extended periods of high CPU load.

[mr-scarface]

I've watched other hd content, specifically 1080p and it was working fine until now. I guess I gotta try upgrading drivers. or maybe bios?

[jagabo]

You could try cleaning out the fan. Lots of dust builds up with time.

[mr-scarface]

I just got a compressed air can. Would I need to open up the laptop's cover or just blow air into it as is?