vlc cache / CPU usage

[archangle]

how do i check that vlc is running using a cache to buffer the film i awant to stream or that its using 100% cpu ...

I'm noticing the stream is choppy on some files and not on others.. i presume this is to do with the encoding of the media...

I want to be able to run files it off my 2.2Ghz 1.5Gig Ram U320 scsi server without choppyness to the streaming client!

I've looked online but found very little in the way of this specific help...

thanks

Ronan