CPU utilization 100%

[-zip-]

Hello,

I purchased the G-Force gold verson and really enjoy the capabilites. Is there any talk about lowering the overhead to run it? Or any suggestions to lower the utilization of the CPU?

[Toby]

Hi! About the only way that I know of is to decrease the size of your G-Force window. G-Force uses the CPU for all of its graphic processing and uses your fancy, powerful graphics board only to shove those graphics onto your screen. My 2.2 GHz, 512 MByte laptop normally runs at 100% at anything over about 600x800 pixels; with a larger window, frame-rate drops tremendously, 8-12 fps, which is really jumpy. At 600x700, I normally get frame-rates of about 17-18 fps or above, which isn't too jumpy, and my CPU usage usually remains below 70-80%, which allows me to do normal, non-CPU-intensive tasks, like word processing, e-mail, and reasonably simple spreadsheets. If I need to do any heavy Access or Excel work, or run other CPU intensive programs, I just have to shut G-Force down, though it breaks my heart to do so. Take care.

[Rovastar]

For windows Also try reducing the priorty of GF in teh task manager.

In task manager click the processes tab and select your media player or Gforce.exe (It will be run embedded in things like Winamp so I presume the same in most media players). Right click - select priorty and then reduce it or increase all the other problem processes like Excel, and Internet explorer. Using the mouse wheel of all thing will probabbly cause a stutter in GF it does on other vises.

[Rovastar]

Just to note there is nothing wrong when a application runs at 100% all other stuff should run smoothly if GF is run more in the background (process priority-wise.)

[markofkane]

Usually, I find it's the media player using most of the CPU, not G-Force.

You can check in task manager for what is hogging the CPU in processes.

But your case may be different.

[Toby]

Hey markofkane...

It sounds like your media player, whatever it is, is a big-time CPU hog! I normally run MusicMatch, and with G-Force not running, MM usually runs at 8-16% CPU utilization, as displayed by Windows Task Manager, with a few excusions up to 20% and down to 5%.

With G-Force running under MusicMatch (and included in the MM CPU utilization, data not available otherwise), MM CPU utilization usually runs between 55% and 75%, with occasional excursions up to 85% and down into the high 40% range, depending on the configs running at any given time. Other processses often take up a lot of the remaining CPU resources, even when stowed and supposedly inactive, bringing overall CPU utilization up to the 85-100% range, though it is usually no more than 5-10% above the total MM/GF utilization.

If you need more available CPU time, you might want to check out other media players. Take care.

[markofkane]

I use I-tunes also. I tried music-match, and didn't like it.

I-tunes and WMP have the viz's in a bigger window than MM. And I don't have to open the standalone version. I don't like the stand-alone version, because it has to be launched seperately.

It is the viz "within" WMP that takes up the CPU. So G-force is not the only viz that is a CPU hog, all viz's are.

[Frodar]

Hey guys,
I just downloaded the trial version of SS and really like the graphics. However, I'm having that start and stop problem I've been seeing in this forum. I very seldom have that problem with even the most intensive games I occasssionaly play. I'm running a Pentium 4, 3.20 HT, 1 gig of ram, and high end ATI graphics card, 19 inch LCD. I looked at my proceesor usage and it never goes over 60%. The pages per second sometimes peaks, whatever that means, But at 1280x1060 res., its stutters constantly. I lowered my resoulution, and the only way to stop the stutters was @ 600x800. That just doesnt seem right. Not to mention, I dont want to change res. everytime I watch my music. Oh, and I use WMP 10. Any thoughts?
Frodar

[Rotundus]

A setup that has worked very well for me is as follows. The machine is self specified and built utilizing an AMD Athlon 2.6 ghz cpu, 1 gig ddr memory and an N-Vidia GeForce 5200 graphics card with a standard crt monitor. As you can see, the machine is nothing special. Although the AMD cpu's seem to run faster when it comes to graphics and m/m aplications than a corrosponding Intel cpu.

Now as to the way I utilize G-Force. I use the stand alone app. and creative's media source player in the "micro" mode (it fits in the title bar of the window, you see). In this configuration, my cpu usage for G-Force is never more than 20% and with the player it typically runs at about 12% to 18%. I'm not sure but I think it has to do with the "micro"mode on the player. Also i have a feeling that the "stand-alone" version of G-Force has far less overhead to deal with.

Ahh... Forgot to mention... I run the program at 1024 x 768 in full screen mode. anyway, happy viewing!

[makenshi]

I have an Athlon 64 3200 with 1 Gig DDR PC3200 ram. A 21'inch LCD monitor and a Nvidia 6600 graphics card. Usually when i'm running G force on Windows Media Player 9, my CPU usage usually stays at 10 % or 16 % max. It's not windows media player thats hogging the CPU resources. I think its got more to do with PC spec, and usually an Athlon's CPU is a very good processor for running graphics.

By the way, i'm running in 1280x1024 resolution full screen mode.

[Rotundus]

Hi folks,

Ok I just ran a monitor on my system so I could check the utilization of each program, (it gets real tedious because it watches all of the underlying programs as well). I found out that it was indeed GF that required the most CPU time, (about 12.5%).

After doing a small amount of research on the AMD vs. INTEL question, I am convinced that it is the design of the CPU that is responsible for the difference in the performance numbers. The AMD flat out tramples the INTEL chip on graphics related functions (any M/M app. actually).

Enjoy