[mythtv-users] HD-PVR playback--high CPU usage

[Zach C]

On Thu, Mar 25, 2010 at 9:32 AM, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> On Thursday 25 March 2010 07:22:26 am Zach C wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm having trouble playing back recordings from my Hauppauge HD-PVR.
>> The CPU on my Pentium dual core frontend is pegged and playback is
>> unwatchable.
>>
>> What is weird is that I can play back 720p h.264 torrented video files
>> with no problem.  In that case playback is perfect and cpu is probably
>> around 30%-50%.  I would think the 720p h.264 video coming from the
>> HD-PVR should be roughly equivalent to the video files.  I don't
>> understand why the system can't handle it.
>
> Files acquired by "unofficial" means are often encoded at low bitrates. If your
> HD-PVR recordings are at a significantly higher bitrate this might explain
> things.
>
> Are you using VDPAU? Pure software decoding of HD recordings does take a lot
> of CPU.
>
> What (if any) de-interlacer are you using?
>
> Playback with Myth's internal player does take more CPU than some other
> methods, since it is doing more (checking the DB for commercials etc.). Have
> you tried playing the recordings back with some other program?
>
> You might try a simpler playback profile (Slim?).
>

No--not using VDPAU, but nor am I using it on the 720p mkv files
either.  Playback profile is the same for recordings and mkvs.  In
fact, as far as I can tell everything is the same between the two,
configuration wise. Also the mkv files are being played with the
internal player, so hopefully that is equivalent to recording
playback.

I will muck with the HD-PVR's bitrate and see if that helps, but I've
already got it ratcheted down pretty low.  I'll check and see what the
approximate bitrate is on the mkv files is.

Thanks


-- 
:wq!