[mythtv-users] Netflix under MythTV - Update

Tue Apr 13 15:49:26 UTC 2010

On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 7:53 AM, Allen Edwards <allen.p.edwards at gmail.com>wrote:

>
>
> On Tue, Apr 13, 2010 at 7:46 AM, Andrew Cover <eakster251 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>>
>>
>> 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
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>>> 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
>>
> Excellent.  Faster than mine but not overwhelmingly.  A 5400+ is slower and
> not Intel, which makes it slower still, but still I would call it similar.
>  How much memory for the video, assuming there is a similar option as
> VirtualBox for that?
>
> Allen
>
There's no option for setting specific amounts of memory for video that I
have seen on VMware Player just a check box to accelerate 3D graphics and
some monitor options and I'm not sure what the amount that it sets when you
create a new virtual machine is.

Andrew
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