Alternatives to windows media player - Eating cpu... anything more efficient?

ClusterF@#$ · 08-18-2002, 06:06 PM

Windows Media Player eats a ton of my CPU. I have a P4, tons of RAM and it just started to slow up my system considerably. I'm talking using 80 - 100 percent of CPU when IDLE!!!!! I'm wondering if the processor is defective.. this laptop is new.

I want to try another application to see if it does the same thing to try to narrow down whether it's a software or hardware problem.... what should I use as an alternative program? Any good ones out there?

I refuse to install Real Player because it is the most Nazzi obnoxius program ever.... it literally takes over my computer with pop up messages and quick launch and becoming the default player for fucking everything. I hate Real player.

***EDit... ok I Tried real player. it does the same fucking thing so I uninstalled it. Son of a bitch.

Edited By ClusterF@#$ on Aug. 18 2002 at 2:14

AdolescentMasturbator · 08-18-2002, 06:44 PM

Are you sure you don't have any other things in the background taking up cpu cycles?

You could always try Sasami2k media player. I seem to like it.

Keyser Soze · 08-18-2002, 06:47 PM

The Playa w/ DIVX support.

Kid Afrika · 08-18-2002, 07:56 PM

If WMPLayer is sucking up resources, I think there's a way to lower its priority. However, I think it will take all of the resources it can, no matter what you do. In the end, I think if it takes less resources you will drop frames like a mad man.

You could always use mplayer2 (Windows Media Player 6.4). I think it runs a little smoother, but it's nowhere near as cool as WMP7 or WMP8.

ClusterF@#$ · 08-18-2002, 09:32 PM

I know it is a resources whore... but is 80 - 100 percent normal?!!! Can someone check on that for me and let me know what it does on your system please? Just play an mgp with task manager open and check out what the CPU percentage reads... and make me a salami sandwich, rotate my tires, and give me rusty trombone while you're at it?? :-D I just want a point of reference to know if I should [Arnold] Stop whining [/Arnold] or if I have a serious problem.

Also, don't video cards have their own processors to take the strain off the main CPU? Maybe I should look into it from that angle and see if the video card is working properly. Something seems fishy to me.

AdolescentMasturbator · 08-18-2002, 09:37 PM

The video card is completely irrelevant when watching movies unless it has hardware assistance for video files. All of them since the voodoo3 say that they help but only few cards actually do.

HedCold · 08-18-2002, 09:40 PM

yea i don't have that problem. it goes to like 40%, but drops back down to 20. plus i had winamp playing at the same time

Kid Afrika · 08-18-2002, 09:42 PM

Ok, here's the breakdown. WMP7 runs at different levels of CPU usage depending on the media it's playing, and I suppose the size of said media. Mine went from 40% while watching a WMV to 67% while watching a DivX movie of very good quality.

Are you using the player in skin mode? What type of video are you watching? Does the amount of CPU usage vary if you play different types of media? What priority do you have assigned to WMP7?

ClusterF@#$ · 08-19-2002, 12:25 AM

Quote:What type of video are you watching?

Porn..... what else?! :-p

I reinstalled my video drivers. That fixed it!!! A movie that was utilizing all my CPUI before is now only occupying between 4 and 5 % now. Weird. I knew something was wrong.

AdolescentMasturbator · 08-19-2002, 01:36 AM

Yeah the card itself doesn't really help in rendering the movie.

But the drivers can be a bitch.

Kid Afrika · 08-19-2002, 03:08 AM

Silly me. I assumed you were using the correct device drivers. Rolleyes

ClusterF@#$ · 08-19-2002, 04:01 AM

Quote:I assumed you were using the correct device drivers.

So did I up until it it started acting strange. I swear I have had some of the most random problems with this computer since I've had it. Thanks for the help.