Slow laptop? at DVinfo.net

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 05:28 PM

David, I just bought a Centrino Duo laptop running 1.2gig ram 1.7ghz dual cpu, a 5400rpm 80gb drive latest premiere 2 and aspect...I can't playback cineform files in windows media player or premiere without dropped frames all the time, is this the CPU? or the drive or the graphics card?

CPU reads 50% when playing on the timeline using no effects on the 720p clips at 23.976fps...

I hope it's the drive and I hope a 7200rpm drive will solve this...will it?

what about using a SATA PCI-EXPRESS card for running raid boxes outside of the system? would this help?

David Newman · August 28th, 2006, 05:47 PM

Post moved, from the wrong thread.

----

720p24 footage is likely under 8 MBytes/s, so you the drive shouldn't be the issue. We don't normally recommend anything sub-2GHz but 720p24 is really easy, which suggests a configuration issue. Hopefully the laptop doesn't have shared graphics memory, as that can hurt performance. If a dual core system reads 49-51% on playback that can mean it is only using one thread/core. Find C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax (this is the threaded decoder) and make sure is it registered (run -- regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax) or simply uninstall and then reinstall Aspect HD.

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 05:48 PM

is it normal to run 1.2GB of ram when you have a project with 2 clips that are 3 min each open and on the timeline? that seems a bit steep on the ram usage...or is that normal and I should go get yet more ram(I have 1.2 GB)??

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 05:49 PM

says the file can't be found when I try and Reg it as above stated

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:00 PM

says the specified module can't be found, even though I am looking at the .ax file in the folder you say its in. ideas?

David Newman · August 28th, 2006, 06:01 PM

If the file is missing is will not work very well. :) Reinstall Aspect HD.

Premiere Pro is a memory hog, and we like a little memory also. If your memory usage is at 1.2GB before you hit play, that is an issue (remove all you widgets and other memory sucking freeware.) My XP system with Premiere Pro 2.0 will use between 700-800M for simple projects (after it caches frames -- which Premiere does.) Playback memory usage can be controlled will the playback settings slider.

David Newman · August 28th, 2006, 06:04 PM

try again
regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax"

There was a typo in the earlier post.

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:05 PM

sits at 900MB without playing, I did reinstall aspect and still when I run regsvr32 is throws the same error

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:09 PM

39% cpu usage running windows media player using a cineform 23.976fps file, still dropping frames, and I had luck with the reg32, said it was a success...argggg..what could it be?

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:10 PM

fyi I am reading 1536kbps on the file I am playing...

David Newman · August 28th, 2006, 06:11 PM

You are still trying with the original typo (there is no 'r' in CFDecode2.ax.)

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:15 PM

I am running the Premiere Pro 2 TRIAL if that means anything and my new machine is a DELL Insiron E1705

David Newman · August 28th, 2006, 06:20 PM

Obin,

Please slow down. You work at a 150 miles an hour, you will make mistakes at that speed, it is no wonder you hit some power-poles occasionally (I just saw your movie with that punchline was in the Atom Films newsletter.) Only going to post one more time before getting on the road myself. So for some reason you laptop sucks in performance, yet if your CPU is only now saying 39% usage, then that is not the issue (if you had told be that in the first place I would have you playing with the registry.) Please I need concise data, not esitmates. Run Sisoftware Sandra to confirm the drive is not failing and/or producing a very poor data rate. What is the data rate of the file? Is it 960x720 or 1280x720? Do you have and know how to use Graphedit? What frame rate is the video presenting at (as it is dropping frames)?

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:24 PM

1280x720 and the datarate of the file is above

It uses 50-59% CPU while rendering a premiere pro color curve

Playback of video does not look like it's dropping frames in premiere, but I can see dropped frames in Windows media player

After re-start of laptop And opening the same project again it's now reading 500-90MG ram usage 500while still 900 while playing, so that is better then it was before restart

Obin Olson · August 28th, 2006, 06:26 PM

running sisoft now....

August 28th, 2006, 05:47 PM	#2
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Post moved, from the wrong thread. ---- 720p24 footage is likely under 8 MBytes/s, so you the drive shouldn't be the issue. We don't normally recommend anything sub-2GHz but 720p24 is really easy, which suggests a configuration issue. Hopefully the laptop doesn't have shared graphics memory, as that can hurt performance. If a dual core system reads 49-51% on playback that can mean it is only using one thread/core. Find C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax (this is the threaded decoder) and make sure is it registered (run -- regsvr32 C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax) or simply uninstall and then reinstall Aspect HD. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

August 28th, 2006, 06:01 PM	#6
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	If the file is missing is will not work very well. :) Reinstall Aspect HD. Premiere Pro is a memory hog, and we like a little memory also. If your memory usage is at 1.2GB before you hit play, that is an issue (remove all you widgets and other memory sucking freeware.) My XP system with Premiere Pro 2.0 will use between 700-800M for simple projects (after it caches frames -- which Premiere does.) Playback memory usage can be controlled will the playback settings slider. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

August 28th, 2006, 06:04 PM	#7
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	try again regsvr32 "C:\Program Files\Common Files\CineForm\CFDecode2.ax" There was a typo in the earlier post. __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

August 28th, 2006, 06:11 PM	#11
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	You are still trying with the original typo (there is no 'r' in CFDecode2.ax.) __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

August 28th, 2006, 06:20 PM	#13
David Newman CTO, CineForm Inc. Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Cardiff-by-the-Sea, California Posts: 8,095	Obin, Please slow down. You work at a 150 miles an hour, you will make mistakes at that speed, it is no wonder you hit some power-poles occasionally (I just saw your movie with that punchline was in the Atom Films newsletter.) Only going to post one more time before getting on the road myself. So for some reason you laptop sucks in performance, yet if your CPU is only now saying 39% usage, then that is not the issue (if you had told be that in the first place I would have you playing with the registry.) Please I need concise data, not esitmates. Run Sisoftware Sandra to confirm the drive is not failing and/or producing a very poor data rate. What is the data rate of the file? Is it 960x720 or 1280x720? Do you have and know how to use Graphedit? What frame rate is the video presenting at (as it is dropping frames)? __________________ David Newman -- web: www.gopro.com blog: cineform.blogspot.com -- twitter: twitter.com/David_Newman

August 28th, 2006, 05:28 PM	#1
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	David, I just bought a Centrino Duo laptop running 1.2gig ram 1.7ghz dual cpu, a 5400rpm 80gb drive latest premiere 2 and aspect...I can't playback cineform files in windows media player or premiere without dropped frames all the time, is this the CPU? or the drive or the graphics card? CPU reads 50% when playing on the timeline using no effects on the 720p clips at 23.976fps... I hope it's the drive and I hope a 7200rpm drive will solve this...will it? what about using a SATA PCI-EXPRESS card for running raid boxes outside of the system? would this help?

August 28th, 2006, 05:48 PM	#3
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	is it normal to run 1.2GB of ram when you have a project with 2 clips that are 3 min each open and on the timeline? that seems a bit steep on the ram usage...or is that normal and I should go get yet more ram(I have 1.2 GB)??

August 28th, 2006, 05:49 PM	#4
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	says the file can't be found when I try and Reg it as above stated

August 28th, 2006, 06:00 PM	#5
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	says the specified module can't be found, even though I am looking at the .ax file in the folder you say its in. ideas?

August 28th, 2006, 06:05 PM	#8
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	sits at 900MB without playing, I did reinstall aspect and still when I run regsvr32 is throws the same error

August 28th, 2006, 06:09 PM	#9
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	39% cpu usage running windows media player using a cineform 23.976fps file, still dropping frames, and I had luck with the reg32, said it was a success...argggg..what could it be?

August 28th, 2006, 06:10 PM	#10
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	fyi I am reading 1536kbps on the file I am playing...

August 28th, 2006, 06:15 PM	#12
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	I am running the Premiere Pro 2 TRIAL if that means anything and my new machine is a DELL Insiron E1705

August 28th, 2006, 06:24 PM	#14
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	1280x720 and the datarate of the file is above It uses 50-59% CPU while rendering a premiere pro color curve Playback of video does not look like it's dropping frames in premiere, but I can see dropped frames in Windows media player After re-start of laptop And opening the same project again it's now reading 500-90MG ram usage 500while still 900 while playing, so that is better then it was before restart

August 28th, 2006, 06:26 PM	#15
Obin Olson Trustee Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Wilmington NC Posts: 1,414	running sisoft now....