Epia M10000 Performance?

[heffe2001]

I just set up a PC to use as a Sage client and just tried to watch a few Divx & Xvid's I had, and the performance was actually very bad. Any of you guys out there have any tips as to what I should do to boost performance?

The system specs follow:

Epia M10000 Mobo
256mb DDR333 memory
Minuet Case
No-name DVD-R
Windows XP SP1, Nvdvd 3.0 codecs, Divx 5.1.1, Xvid 1.01. All current updates from Windowsupdate.
Via drivers supplied with system (v1.5 on the CD I believe).
DX-9b

[insomniac]

This is my personal opinion of course, but I think that Epia's dx acceleration sucks. It consumes the entire cpu upon viewing video.

Throw a 350 + sage recorder in there and it will make a great client/network encoder.

I sold my epia M900 for this reason. My case would not fit a full pci slot in order to accomodate a 350.

I.

Originally posted by heffe2001
I just set up a PC to use as a Sage client and just tried to watch a few Divx & Xvid's I had, and the performance was actually very bad. Any of you guys out there have any tips as to what I should do to boost performance?

The system specs follow:

Epia M10000 Mobo
256mb DDR333 memory
Minuet Case
No-name DVD-R
Windows XP SP1, Nvdvd 3.0 codecs, Divx 5.1.1, Xvid 1.01. All current updates from Windowsupdate.
Via drivers supplied with system (v1.5 on the CD I believe).
DX-9b

[nielm]

Watching MPG's -- it's fine (50% cpu, no frame drop)
Watching high res DivX or Xvid, it's poor (80-90%cpu, some frame drop)
Watching med-res Xvid (384x288) it just about copes...

[heffe2001]

When I was running DX8 on it, it was much worse than after I dropped DX9 on it.

If it won't work as a station, I can always run it as something else, since the case I have only accomidates low-profile cards.

At least the board didn't cost me anything, I could always pick up a MATX board with a decent proc on it and just use that. If I was to do that, anybody got any reccomendations on a good Matx board that has everything integrated?

[heffe2001]

Originally posted by nielm
Watching MPG's -- it's fine (50% cpu, no frame drop)
Watching high res DivX or Xvid, it's poor (80-90%cpu, some frame drop)
Watching med-res Xvid (384x288) it just about copes...

Those are pretty much my results too. Guess I'll just use it for client, and hopefully the kids won't want to use the other movies on teh system :P

[insomniac]

heffe,

So your case doesnt accomodate a full size card even via an expansion (which turns them sideways)?

If not, I would consider cost that it would take to buy a better case and transplant your EPIA board + add a pvr 350 vs. buying a whole other rig.

Reason being:

The 350 will give you extra tuning + will give you superior video out as compared to any other solution. Quite a few +'s to stick with what u got.

W/ a 350, your EPIA will be at absolute minimum cpu and will be a great client.

If I had it to do over again, I would go the listed route instead of selling mine. I was just so irate trying to get the BULL$hit video acceleration to work with my present setup(in the EPIA infancy w/ little support or following), that it was just peice of mind to offload it (better than chucking it off a nearby cliff).

Luckily, you wont have to go through that

I.

Your mileage may vary....

Originally posted by heffe2001
When I was running DX8 on it, it was much worse than after I dropped DX9 on it.

If it won't work as a station, I can always run it as something else, since the case I have only accomidates low-profile cards.

At least the board didn't cost me anything, I could always pick up a MATX board with a decent proc on it and just use that. If I was to do that, anybody got any reccomendations on a good Matx board that has everything integrated?

[njchim]

I built my HTPC using a Nehemiah M10000 1Ghz and have been running each version of Sage for the past year and a half (including the latest version) and everything runs great. Just my 2 cents.

[insomniac]

My quick guess is that you must not use it much? You will find extensive forums of people trying to get video out (other than on a 350 or xcard) to not consume the entire cpu at all times.

What was your magic pill? Granted , I was using a M900 and not the newer 1000.

I.

Originally posted by njchim
I built my HTPC using a Nehemiah M10000 1Ghz and have been running each version of Sage for the past year and a half (including the latest version) and everything runs great. Just my 2 cents.

[heffe2001]

When playing Mpeg files from sage, it does work great, I was just hoping for better support from the board playing high res divx/xvid files, guess the hardware decoding on this board does help mpeg, but it doesn't help Divx/Xvid at all (understandably). Since i compress most of my keeper stuff to xvid now, might have to go with the p4/amd matx solutions if I really want to run it right.

I could always mod the case on the Minuet to be able to put a regular PCI card in teh box, would require a minimul amount of metal cutting, and a PCI riser card, but it's doable. Still won't fix my Divx/xvid problem though.

Wonder how well the little ITX boards woudl work in a Mame setup? If it'd have enough horse power for that, I very well might just take one of my standup cabinets and go that route with it..

*EDIT* Can you use the video in at the same time as the video out on the 350 card? I could always still drop a PVR card of some type in that box if I do make it a mame machine . An additional recording source is always welcome, although with 3 in the box now, I haven't seen any scheduling conflicts as of yet...

[nielm]

Originally posted by insomniac
What was your magic pill? Granted , I was using a M900 and not the newer 1000.
I.

For me:
Install PowerDVD XP 4.0 (enable hardware accelleration and Auto deinterlace in settings)
Select PowerDVD audio and video decoders in Sage
Select the Audo renderer == DirectSound of your sound card
Select Overlay renderer (VMR9 doesnt work at all!)
Select DXVA mode B
Select DXVA Bob/Weave deinterlace
use 1024x768 video mode (needs to be reset on each reboot, so I use multires for this)

This gives me approx 50% cpu usage while playing back video, with no stutter and no deinterlacing artifacts... Display of Sage's more complex menus can be a bit slow...

YMMV

[RenHoek]

heffe2001-
I've been running an M10000 for about 6 months now and it's working GREAT.

Mame works just fine, too. (as well as Visual Boy Advance games, too). We used this as the in-car entertainment system this spring for the kids on the 23 hour drive from KC to Orlando. Output to a 7" LCD worked great.

It does take a bit more o'CPU to decode the Divx/Xvid avi's, but I can't complain - only minor, VERY occational stutter/dropped frames/unsync/etc. I'm using the Sonic Cineplayer decoder for all (Video/DVD/Audio).

Also, I've got the SPDIF output connected to my HT amp for 5.1 surround when available.

One thing - In the Casetronic 2699R case, it runs HOT when it gets busy (mid 60's-low 70's). Normally, though (recording/watching w/Sage) it's about mid 50's.


All-in-all, I this setup is just what I was looking for.
-RenHoek

[heffe2001]

I'll most likely put this box on the TV in my PC room. If I can get it to 50% CPU for mpegs, that's all I really need. Don't plan on watching many Divx/xvids in there, if I need to do that, I can always use the MCE box that 's in there for that.

Too bad the new Media Center extenders aren't planned to have Divx/Xvid capability on them, or I'd pick up one of those when they become available at the end of this year .

[Droid]

I am running an EPIA setup M1000 and it works great. Have replaced my DVD player, replay, cd player and vcr with 1 small form factor black box. I do use a PVR 350 for encoding and rely on the built in mpeg decoder hardware off the MB. Power DVD codecs.

[RenHoek]

Droid-
Your sig says that the Epia's S-video out looks as good as the 350's output -- Really?

I don't have a 350 (using the 250) and I've heard how good it looked, but it's nice to know that I don't need to mess with it, if I'm using the Epia M10K's output.

-RenHoek

[Droid]

I used the 350's to start with since everyone tolda me how good it was, but I really wanted simplistic DVD playing ability so I switched such that everything went out the MB's svideo. I did do some tweaks that I found in the forum and now the output is easily as good. I went to:
1024x768/32 bit color,
Bob & weave
Mpeg B
intervideo non-css decoders
Overlay

For DVD
Cyberlink (Power DVD) decoders

After these settings it was great.

I also use the 2 gig/hour encoding

[heffe2001]

Any of you guys know how the M10000 compares to a 1ghz P3 proc? I'm goign to try my little HP EPC with a 1ghz proc in it this evening, and will report back if it'll play xvid/divx better than the Epia...

[stanger89]

AFAIK it doesn't The P3 is a much more powerful chip. They're probably similar with windows apps (IE, word proccesor) but with multimedia apps, the much more powerful FPU on the P3 should kill an M10000.

[heffe2001]

I just may end up ditching the M10000 then, and getting a Matx P3 board (I have a couple p3 procs laying around), and put that in my Minuet, just would like to find a low-profile AGP card with Svid out .

[heffe2001]

Well, the Epc with the 1ghz plays all my divx/xvids (not all, but the ones I tested), with one exception (audio syncing problems, I can probably fix it though). This was on the machine loaded with XP w/256mb Ram. Looks like the Epia's at 1ghz just don't measure up to the real P3's.

Now to find a decent P3 board that'll suit my system... The next client I build will be a P4 of some type though (I'll end up with 3 clients on the system when I'm done). The ITX w/Pentium M looks very promising, except the price .

[ErsatzTom]

This is the Gigabyte 9600SE low profile card I have in my minuet. I had a very similar sapphire card but I never could get a decent tv picture off of it. I wish, though, I could get a card with more horsepower. It struggles a bit with VMR9. I'm still hoping that I can get it running by tweaking things... I haven't tried too much yet.

t