Solved Low end htpc - is there hope?
#1
Question 
Hi there!
After using XBMC for over a year, I think it's time to actually ask if there's hope for my htpc. First of all, it's a very challenging system: an Intel 2800mt with the worst graphics driver support imaginable (the infamous Cedar Trail GMA3650). Because of that I've also added a BCM90015, just to learn that it's also not fully supported in Windows XBMC.

So far, this works:
MPC-HC (LAV Splitter, Audio, Video and DXVA) SD + 1080p content plays fine
MPC-HC (LAV Splitter, Audio and BCM Video) 720p and 1080p works fine, SD content is choppy
So HD playback is possible and the CPU usage is always below 20%

But now for XBMC Big Grin
SD-Content always plays nice, yet I haven't found a way for proper 1080p playback.
XBMC (DX Build):
DXVA: choppy playback
DXVA + DXVA2 activated: choppy playback
CrystalHD: choppy playback

DSPlayer (LAV Splitter, Audio, Video and DXVA) - Also choppy
DSPlayer (LAV Splitter, Audio, CrystalHD) - choppy as well
So I configured XBMC to work with MPC-HC. But guess what: the playback is choppy even though the CPU usage is still below 20% and Aero is deactivated of course. Running MPC-HC manually with XBMC in the background doesn't cause any impact on the frame rate.

So next I tried the OpenGL Build - all 1080p playback is choppy as well (also with crystalHD), but MPC-HC as an external player is working fine. Unfortunately the GL Version won't hide behind MPC-HC and ignores the setting in playercorefactory.xml. So I have to activate the window-mode in order to get MPC-HC in foreground.
The problem is: the window mode doesn't stay after reboot (and it isn't borderless, so it looks somewhat clunky).


Do you have an idea, why the DX built prevents MPC-HC from a fluent playback? Or do you even know how to get fluent 1080p from the internal player?
Or is there a way to force XBMC GL into the background while MPC-HC tries to play a file?

Thanks a lot for reading!
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#2
i remember in old times using coreavc codec for "low" processors, u can try it
Image
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#3
well, that includes MPC-HC as well, doesn't it? Smile
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#4
Sorry for double posting, but for the sake of the search function I'd like to post my solution here:
The raspberry pi way works pretty good. My windows desktop is set to 1080p, XBMC runs in true fullscreen at 720p. MPC-HC is set as an external player and whenever it's run, the system switches back to 1080p and plays the file via MPC-HC flawlessly.
Not perfect but pretty usable Smile
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Low end htpc - is there hope?0