[mythtv-users] mythfrontend pegs CPU on paused livetv

[Michael T. Dean]

On 09/14/2008 08:18 PM, Dong Lin wrote:
> I am running mythv @18271. Noticed the following on mythfrontend's cpu usage:
>
> - no more than 40% when watching any recorded 1080i HDTV shows
> - 100% when watching 1080i livetv
> - 40% even if livetv is paused
>
> The above usage is mythfrontend only. Other processes,
> mythbackend/Xorg, consume very little cpu on my 2.5Ghz dual amd system.
>
> Any idea what mythfrontend does when livetv is paused? why so much
> cpu?

Pausing just guarantees that the video stops moving and the audio stops 
playing.  For a fun exercise, run:

mythfrontend -v important,general,vbi -l ~/mythfrontend.log &
tail -f ~/mythfrontend.log

then play a recording and turn on captions/subtitles (with the t key).  
Then, hit pause and keep watching the log file...



>  why is watching livetv different from watching recorded shows?
>   

Though there are differences (capturing the data and writing it to the 
disk), generally, it should be that much of a difference if the shows 
are really both 1080i.  Are you sure the 40% show wasn't a 720p or 
something (as I could easily see the deinterlacer--especially if you 
didn't set up an appropriate playback profile--causing your system to 
max out the CPU).


Mike