[mythtv-users] Netflix under MythTV - Update

Andrew Cover eakster251 at gmail.com
Tue Apr 13 14:48:36 UTC 2010


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Andrew Cover <eakster251 at gmail.com>
Date: Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 7:46 AM
Subject: Re: [mythtv-users] Netflix under MythTV - Update
To: allen.edwards at paloaltophoto.com




On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 7:55 PM, Allen Edwards <allen.p.edwards at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 6:59 PM, Andrew Cover <eakster251 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> On Apr 12, 2010, at 6:28 PM, Andrew Cover <eakster251 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> On Apr 12, 2010, at 3:32 PM, Allen Edwards < <allen.p.edwards at gmail.com>
>> allen.p.edwards at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Apr 12, 2010 at 2:57 PM, Allen Edwards <<allen.p.edwards at gmail.com><allen.p.edwards at gmail.com>
>> allen.p.edwards at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> This is an update.  I have been trying to get Netflix to work under a
>>> button on MythTV.  The result is very jerky video.  I am running IE under
>>> Windows XP under VirtualBox under Mythbuntu 8.04 on an AMD 5400+ 2G memory.
>>>
>>> I have determined that the video is jerky due to the CPU running at 104%
>>> when trying to watch the video.
>>>
>>> What I have done:  Installed VirtualBox 3.1 tried alocating 1GB to the
>>> base and 64M to the video, enabled 2d and 3d acceleration.  No difference.
>>>  104% CPU usage
>>>
>>> Downloaded a file at 3.2MBPS and it used 20% CPU.  Assuming this is
>>> proportional, I should only be using 10% CPU for the network part of the
>>> streaming at the 1.5MBPS Netflix rate.
>>>
>>> Tried <http://ABC.com>ABC.com streaming.  Also over 100% CPU and jerky
>>> video
>>>
>>> Downloaded and ran a HD Movie trailer that has way more quality than
>>> anything I have ever seen on Netflix.  It looked great, no jerks, and only
>>> 50% CPU usage.  <http://www.pocketmovies.net/download/shrek-4-shrek-forever-after><http://www.pocketmovies.net/download/shrek-4-shrek-forever-after>
>>> http://www.pocketmovies.net/download/shrek-4-shrek-forever-after I used
>>> the mp4 version.
>>>
>>> To judge what I had just done, I downloaded the trailer on a Windows
>>> machine that is a little faster than my Myth machine, a Core 2 Duo 3.16GHz.
>>>  The Shreak trailer used up to about 15% CPU and the Netflix movie used up
>>> to 25%.
>>>
>>> That is really strange.  The Netflix was a lower load on the straight
>>> windows machine but 2x the load on the Virtual machine.
>>>
>>> I don't know if Silverlight is used by ABC but if it is the most likely
>>> something that Silverlight wants is not implemented well in VirtualBox.
>>>  Everything else has been ruled out.
>>>
>>> Comments?
>>>
>>> Allen
>>>
>>> Another clew I forgot to post.  Opening a Chrome window on the virtual
>> windows machine kicks the host CPU up to 50% where the XP CPU is showing
>> only 2%. Opening Firefox or IE uses only 2-5% in the host.  Chrome does not
>> use a standard Window so whatever it uses, is not implemented in VirtualBox
>> in an efficient way.  Probably a similar thing missing that Silverlight
>> uses.
>>
>> I am basically stuck.  Again, I ask is anyone using their Myth box to
>> watch Netflix with anything short of 100% CPU?
>>
>> Allen
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> mythtv-users mailing list
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>>  <http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users>
>> http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
>>
>> I wonder if VirtualBox is the issue, have you considered using vmware
>> player? It's free at <http://www.vmware.com/products/player/>
>> www.vmware.com/products/player/ . I've been using it to run my windows
>> software when wine won't do and have had success even with 3d rendered
>> games. I'm setting up my one month free Netflix account now and we'll see
>> how it goes.
>>
>> Andrew
>>
>>
>> Okay just so you know I'm currently watching streaming video of The Taking
>> of Pelham 123 with silverlight on IE running on xp running on vmware player
>> running under ubuntu 9.04. The virtual machine does have it's CPU hitting
>> 100% the majority of the time but the video is extremely watchable so far
>> (not jerky), and the host CPU is averaging somewhere between 65 and 70
>> percent usage.
>>
>> I hope this will be useful info for you.
>> Andrew
>>
>
>
> Yes, this is very helpful.  I will try that tomorrow.  I have pretty much
> come to the conclusion that it must be some kind of bug in VisualBox either
> because of VisualBox or its interaction with my kernel.  Hopefully WMWare
> will not have the same issue.
>
> You are getting 65-70%. What is your CPU model and speed?
>
> Allen
>
>
The CPU i tested it on is an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.8 GHz. another interesting
piece of information for you: the virtual machine i did this with only has
512 meg available to it out of the 4 gig on the host system.

Andrew
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