low-specs Media Center.. what WM to use?

[onclouds]

hi all..

I've been thinking of turning my old computer into a media center for a while now (it was running Ubuntu Server 9.10).
I recently bought a new 23inch screen so.. out with the server, in with the media center! (currently Xubuntu but running on LXDE as it's a lot lighter)

My problem: The computer barely manages to play 720p videos on XBMC (on youtube or totem/vlc it's just impossible with breaks, lag and constant freezes).. I used the debug function of XBMC and guess what.. a 720p movie takes my cpu to a constant 100% usage!! =X

So here's my question.. what distro or 'buntu flavor would you advise me to use?? I thought about a minimal install but don't want to try it just yet..

System specs:
System information report, generated by Sysinfo: 6/9/2010 7:23:54 PM
http://sourceforge.net/projects/gsysinfo

SYSTEM INFORMATION
Running Ubuntu Linux, the Ubuntu 10.04 (lucid) release.
GNOME: 2.30.0 (Ubuntu 2010-03-31)
Kernel version: 2.6.32-22-generic (#36-Ubuntu SMP Thu Jun 3 22:02:19 UTC 2010)
GCC: no gcc detected
Xorg: unknown (23 April 2010 05:11:50PM)
Hostname: onclouds
Uptime: 0 days 0 h 57 min

CPU INFORMATION
AuthenticAMD, AMD Athlon(TM) XP 1900+
Number of CPUs: 1
CPU clock currently at 1988.085 MHz with 256 KB cache
Numbering: family(6) model(10) stepping(0)
Bogomips: 3976.17
Flags: fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse syscall mp mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow up

MEMORY INFORMATION
Total memory: 1002 MB
Total swap: 1944 MB

STORAGE INFORMATION
SCSI device - scsi0
Vendor: ATA
Model: WDC WD1600AAJB-0
SCSI device - scsi0
Vendor: LG
Model: DVD-ROM DRD8160B
SCSI device - scsi1
Vendor: ATA
Model: SAMSUNG SP1604N

HARDWARE INFORMATION
MOTHERBOARD
Host bridge
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8377 [KT400/KT600 AGP] Host Bridge
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 807f
PCI bridge(s)
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 PCI Bridge
USB controller(s)
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller (rev 80)
VIA Technologies, Inc. USB 2.0 (rev 82) (prog-if 20)
ISA bridge
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8235 ISA Bridge
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 808c
IDE interface
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE (rev 06) (prog-if 8a [Master SecP PriP])
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 808c

GRAPHIC CARD
VGA controller
ATI Technologies Inc R420 JI [Radeon X800PRO]

SOUND CARD
Multimedia controller
VIA Technologies, Inc. VT8233/A/8235/8237 AC97 Audio Controller (rev 50)
Subsystem: ASUSTeK Computer Inc. Device 8095

NETWORK
Ethernet controller
Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+ (rev 10)
Subsystem: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139/8139C/8139C+


thanks in advance!

[onclouds]

anyone?

[_Mark_]

Think you maybe pushing you're luck with those specs especially if you want to play HD.

If you had nvidia graphics you would be able to use VDPAU ( more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VDPAU) basically it offloads a lot of the processing to the GPU similar to dxva in Windows. According to the wikipedia entry their is no ATI support for VDPAU

This link tells you what cards support it http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VDPAU

Even then I don't think you're CPU will cope

[snowpine]

Have you tried using mplayer instead of xbmc? Mplayer is just about the "lightest" video player I know of.

[cascade9]

If you really dont want to go to a minimal install, try lubuntu.

Though IMO it wont help much, a AMD 1900+ is a bit under the minimum you really need for 720p playback.


Think you maybe pushing you're luck with those specs especially if you want to play HD.

If you had nvidia graphics you would be able to use VDPAU ( more info here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VDPAU) basically it offloads a lot of the processing to the GPU similar to dxva in Windows. According to the wikipedia entry their is no ATI support for VDPAU

This link tells you what cards support it http://www.mythtv.org/wiki/VDPAU

Even then I don't think you're CPU will cope

VDPAU is nVidia only, the ATI version is XBVA-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Video_Bitstream_Acceleration

[_Mark_]

If you really dont want to go to a minimal install, try lubuntu.

Though IMO it wont help much, a AMD 1900+ is a bit under the minimum you really need for 720p playback.



VDPAU is nVidia only, the ATI version is XBVA-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X-Video_Bitstream_Acceleration

Thanks for that, have only seen VDPAU mentioned, seems pretty limited to what ATI cards support it the HD4000 and up by the looks of it, shame I have only got an HD2600 in my HTPC looks like will have to stick to Windows for the time being

[cascade9]

VDPAU is much better known than XVBA. I'm not certain how well XBVA runs, as I dont have a supported ATI card, but hopefully it works well.

[martinr]

With your specs running a video should be a breeze. Try tuning your hardware first (use SiSoft Sandra 2002). FSB to PCI bus, caching, memory timing, HD UDMA mode optimizetion, etc. If all else fails, try installing hardware mpeg accelleration (a TV combo card for example).