miniitx 9000 client 100% cpu usage

[IKK]

How do I lower the 100% cpu usage on my client its a miniitx 9000. I had it as a server at one point and it was never that high.
I built a new server and made this a client. I have nothing running on it but the client.

[falchulk]

setscions ithe general fourm titled" Easy Performance Increase for Hauppauge Users". I had a m10000 and cpu was at 45% watching live tv and 5% just recording.

[IKK]

I have done that on my server. But my client is still running with a high cpu usage it has no card install in it. I was wondering is there anyother tweek for the miniitx board I could do. Would a new viedo card help in processing the info. If any one has any suggestions. The mini itx has only one pci slot for me to use. It usally runs around 89% to 95% as soon as I do anything it bumps it up to 100% Thats when the stuttering starts for a few seconds.

[robogeek]

In Sage, go to Setup-->Detailed Setup-->Video tab...Try setting the Video Renderer to Overlay, make sure you are using the Hauppauge NonCSS Intervideo decoder, then change the DirectX Video Acceleration MPEG Mode to A, B, C or D. I'm now running a VIA EPIA M10000 HTPC and had high 90-100% CPU usage and video stuttering until I tried this combination of settings. Now I'm down to 50-60%. For the MPEG Mode, if you try one and you get an error and no video, just go back and try the next one. 3 of the 4 MPEG modes didn't work for me, I think B or D was the only one that worked and it only worked in Overlay mode, not VMR.

Don't forget to put Sage to sleep after making the changes. Make the settings changes, put Sage to sleep, wake Sage up, then check live TV or a recorded show to see if the settings help

If you are getting high CPU usage when not viewing a recording or live TV, then you might want to check for a BIOS update and also update your VIA 4-in-1, Video, and Network drivers. You can find these at http://www.viamainboards.com. *A quick note about the latest EPIA-M bios update...it won't work from the VIA FlashPort utility from Windows. You will have to boot to DOS and use the DOS flasher from the viamainboards web site to update the bios.

[IKK]

How do I go about loading in the new NonCSS driver if I donot have a Hauppauge card in my client. My main server has all the correct drivers but that does not help my client which has no cards.

[robogeek]

I think you have 2 options here. You can go with the Intervideo WinDVD decoder or I think if you put the PVR-250 in your client machine temporarily (just to install the drivers and decoder) then pull it back out and put it back in your SageTV server this should allow you to use the NonCSS Intervideo decoder in the client without purchasing the Intervideo WinDVD decoder. Just remember that the Intervideo WinDVD decoder and the Hauppauge NonCSS Intervideo decoder are located in seperate locations in the registry, so if you have both installed you will have to make the registry tweak for both of them.

Looking back, I wonder if I tried all the possible overlay and MPEG modes with the Cyberlink decoder. I can't remember now. I know I went into the PowerDVD app to ensure the Hardware Acceleration option was checked and I still had high CPU usage and bad video stuttering/shuttering using 2Gb/Hr or higher recording settings. I guess, for whatever decoder you have installed, first try every possible combination of overlay and acceleration modes possible. Try:

VMR with MPEG Mode A
VMR with MPEG Mode B
VMR with MPEG Mode C
VMR with MPEG Mode D
Overlay with MPEG Mode A
Overlay with MPEG Mode B
Overlay with MPEG Mode C
Overlay with MPEG Mode D

Also remember to put SageTVClient to sleep after making a change, wake it back up, then test the Live TV to see if you get an MPEG or DirectX error. If you get an error, go back into the Detailed Setup and try the next combination. For me, none of the VMR modes worked and only one of the Overlay combos worked...the rest gave me an MPEG or DirectX error.

Hopefully this will lead down the right path to a solution.