H.263 performance shot

[alphaman]

I've got a newly built laptop, with a 2.8GHz P4 with 768MB RAM and XP SP2. I installed VLC while building the system, and it played back my MP4 files recorded with my Sanyo HD1 camcorder beautifully -- it only used about 50% of the CPU for the HiDef 1280x720@30fps video and almost never dropped a frame. I was quite pleased.

Then things went to hell...

Stoopid XP lost the DMA setting on the harddrive. I started dropping frames. Blecch. I found this fairly quickly (whenever I used to lose frames on my old 1.4GHz Athlon laptop, it was pretty obvious to me what was going on, and I got to the point where I frequently checked my IDE driver whenever I saw a performance problem). So, I unloaded the IDE driver, reloaded it, and disk I/O improved.

However, VLC performance was still in the toilet. I'm losing about 1/3rd of my frames now while sucking up 100% of the CPU on the exact same videos.

Defagged my hard drive. Installed K-Lite Codec Pack v2.8.1. Removed all related components (VLC + KLCP). Windows Updates. Reload VLC + KLCP. Verified with Sherlock and GSpot and VLC that the non-Microsoft codecs were being used.

I rolled back my video drivers to those installed with the original system (removing the updates from MS).

I removed VLC + KLCP. Installed just VLC. Added the older version of KLCP that included the CoreAVC codecs.

Putzed around with all kinds of video settings, both in VLC and KLCP's Media Player Classic.

I've got a 1.8GHz Athlon 64 sitting here, and it's running rings around this laptop, and according to GSpot, both systems are using the exact same codecs all the way through! (Src -> 4cc:MP4V -> ffdshow MPEG-4 -> YV12 -> quartz.dll).

I've scoured this forum and the KLCP forum, and all kinds of FAQs, but I can't find a solution.

I've spent over 8 hours on this problem, and nothing I do seems to have any kind of positive affect on performance.

I'm technical, but video codecs are not my specialty. How can I find out what's causing my performance bottleneck and fix it, without using a debugger???

Wasting my Christmas holiday on video codecs,
Aaron

[Tappen]

VLC doesn't use the external codecs you were trying to tweak, they're all built-in so Sherlock and G-Spot just tell you what codecs will be used by DirectShow players and what the files were encoded with, not what VLC will use for decoding.

For your performance problem, I'd check and see that in Preferences, Video/Output modules has Directx 3D video output chosen (need Advanced on to see this one), and that in Video, Overlay video output is on. Or off. Or first just delete your "C:\Documents and Settings\Your Login Name Here\Application Data\vlc" directory and try using the VLC defaults.

[alphaman]

Told you video codecs wasn't my specialty!

So, I deleted the dir, no perceptible difference.

Can't use overlay (cheap ATI graphics adapter built into the laptop using shared RAM), and DirectX 3D made things worse. Tried all the various output, but the Default worked the best. Still losing about 1/3rd of my frames.

I'm checking ATI's site to see if there's a new driver I could use, but I'm not terribly hopeful since this is all integrated in the laptop. And that wouldn't explain why it used to work, but doesn't now.

Thanks.

[VLC_help]

Use omega drivers for laptops.
http://www.omegadrivers.net/ati/win2k_xp.php

[alphaman]

Use omega drivers for laptops.
http://www.omegadrivers.net/ati/win2k_xp.php

I saw those yesterday, was a little hesitant to try a non-vendor driver, but just now decided to load them.

Performance has gone down about another 10%. Not only that, but the video quality has suffered quite a bit, with a fair amount of noise added to the picture -- it looks like the GDI output module is being used, but I get the same results no matter what I use, save for OpenGL. And of course, OpenGL performance really sucks on this 2D adapter.

arrgggggghhhh

I presume I'm going down the right troubleshooting path here. I'm going to check BIOS rev levels, then next remove all the video components and start all over again.

[DJ]

While Video drivers could be the issue here as they should be dated Oct 04 or later. I would get a new AGP or PCIe driver and install it. Also Audio drivers play an important part as all digital video is sync to audio. These should also be dated Oct 04 or later. Updating DirectX runtime wouldn't hurt either.

[alphaman]

I removed the Windows Update audio drivers and reinstalled the ones that came with the laptop's installation CD. Performance improved less than 10%. HP's website has no newer drivers.

I reapplied DirectX 9.0c (dxdiag indicated that's what I had before) and it slowed it back down about the same amount. (I'm wondering if this +/- 5% is just noise.)

I just can't believe it used to work sooooo well, and now, runs like crap.

[alphaman]

Removed my Primary Channel IDE driver, rebooted, let Windows reload it, and I'm up to only about 20-25% frame loss now. Whoopee.

[andrewmgray]

Maybe you should just reformat your entire system.

[DJ]

What does your Task Manager say the CPU usage is? If it is above 90% I would suspect the issue is a lost or corrupted AGP driver. This is available from HP.

WVC1, H.264 and WMV3 using a 2.8 Gig P4 is Marginal for 720p @ 30 FPS. However, MPEG 2 in the same resolution should work fine. If you play a commercial DVD (not sitting on a menu) and look at your Task Manager the CPU usage should be 1 or 2%, if it is the normal 25 to 30% of other players you have a AGP driver problem.

[alphaman]

What does your Task Manager say the CPU usage is? If it is above 90% I would suspect the issue is a lost or corrupted AGP driver. This is available from HP.

WVC1, H.264 and WMV3 using a 2.8 Gig P4 is Marginal for 720p @ 30 FPS. However, MPEG 2 in the same resolution should work fine. If you play a commercial DVD (not sitting on a menu) and look at your Task Manager the CPU usage should be 1 or 2%, if it is the normal 25 to 30% of other players you have a AGP driver problem.

DJ, you've pegged my symptoms. (Actually, I'm trying to be able to decode H.263 again; I've not tried any HD H.264.)

But, depending on the player I'm using, I'm currently seeing anyplace from 25-50% CPU when playing a DVD. (VLC: 40-50%. WinDVD 4: 25-35%.)

When playing the 9Mbps H.263 video, I'm currently getting 100% CPU saturation with 20%+ dropped frames. Before this problem started, I was getting 50% CPU usage with no dropped frames.

I downloaded the AGP driver from HP's site (it took me a while to figure out how to install it -- they had the instructions buried in the .INF file, of all places! Twits.) Then, I had to force Windows to reload it (i.e., manually selected driver to install), as it had the same version number as the one I had installed.

The good news: I've got DirectX 3D capabilities back!

The bad news: my video performance hasn't changed. GRRRR!

I really think you're on to something with this tack. The question is, how can I ensure that I've got a clean install of the AGP driver? Or do I need to reinstall my video card driver now that the AGP driver's been reset?

(FWIW, this installation IS a new install. I loaded XP on the 20th, then spent the next few days updating the system and moving all my files and apps onto it. I'm very averse to having to start this whole process all over again, as I've got other plans for this coming week!)

[DJ]

Both HP and Compaq are kinda perverse in what they want to see on the disk in order to install and have work correctly. You probably saw something like this:

In order to install this driver, go to device manager, right-click on the PCI-
PCI bridge which represents your AGP bridge and select "Properties". Then select the "Driver" page and push the "Update Driver" button. Go through the update driver wizard and on the "Locate Driver Files" page select "Specify a location" and then enter the location of your new INF and driver.

After the reboot you need to check that it was actually installed.

HP / Compaq have backup disks and a special version of the Windows operating system. Using the backup disks is the fastest reload of the system, but puts allot of things on the system that later interfere with the system. Like printer drivers among other things. Unfortunately it also puts stuff on the system that is needed for the mother board to work properly. If you try to load a standard version of Windows, this special stuff does not get loaded nor do the directories for proper updating off their website. Beside the backup disks you should have received a special Windows operating system and a disk called "Driver Recovery CD". Basically this disk provides all the necessary stuff along with a selection (menu style) so that you can install and get the system working in order to do updates properly. The other method is using the backup disks and then using the add/remove programs in your control panel to remove everything you don't want. I don't know of any other methods that will work with HP / Compaq. Somewhere in the FAQs for your machine on HP's website are the VERY LONG and complicated instructions for loading a standard operating system and then creating the directories along with a specific procedure for getting the necessary stuff installed. I never went this route because I couldn't figure out how to do it with out another machine to help out the process.

If any of the disks you received are bad (not uncommon as I have been through 3 sets of disks) and the machine is out of warranty HP or Compaq won't help you. There is only the web site and the procedures you find there.

You could also try Microsoft for driver updates. Both HP / Compaq use ATI / nVidia design services for video chip sets. Because these chip sets are special both companies refer you to the manufacture of the motherboard for driver updates and they are only available for a limited period of time. Generally for a period of 1 year after the machine has gone out of production. I now keep full backups of the drives and have a working set of disks.

[alphaman]

You're right about HP/Compaq and their install CDs. This particular system is just a tad different than a lot of the others (e.g., their SmartStart stuff) in that I've got what appears to be a plain vanilla XP Pro install CD along with a drivers and utilities CD. The install process was to load XP, then login and run the D&U CD to load the right drivers.

Good idea about making a backup of those two while they're still legible. That'll be my next task!

I'm toying with the idea of booting into VGA mode, removing the AGP and ATI drivers, then reloading them. I wish I could tell what registry keys to wipe out to ensure that there wasn't any leftover baggage from the prior install.

But first, I'm going to try the latest HP graphics drivers from their website to see if that does anything for me. The release notes don't indicate any kind of performance enhancements for my particular card, but I gotta try, if for no other reason than just to be thorough.

[DJ]

Ya! I first thought the operating system disk was Vanilla but soon discovered it wasn't. There is protection for the Drivers disk and what you thought was Vanilla is really Chocolate in that the machine must be recognized as an HP or Compaq machine. Seems that it would be easier just to read the bios, but they don't do that.