xvid settings for slow processor playback?

[galocza]

hi,
id like to ask which extra encoding options burden the processor more while playing back? it doesnt matter if they increase encoding time for better quality/bit preservation.
thx,
galocza

[Koepi]

bframes, qpel and gmc increase the processor and memory usage by a good amount. Avoid them for slow devices playback.

regards
Koepi

[galocza]

thank you for the quick reply.

[HarryM]

Originally posted by galocza
thank you for the quick reply.

I experimented with using ultra-slow CPUs too.

I recommend using the smallest size of frame (as is possible), extremelly may be at compressibility=100% (Quality=100%). Size of frame is very, very important for CPU usage.
Q-pel is very CPU-consuming(!) too, much more than B-frames.
B-frames consumes some additional CPU power, but quality is noticeable higher.
2-pass encoding (with often bitrate-peaks) isnt good idea for slow CPU.

For playing I recommend ffdshow. It is the most CPU-Power-saving decoder, which I know.

On Pentium 200 MHz MMX (my older, second PC) I use XviD with b-frames and size of 384x288 px, CPU consuming is about 65-80%.

[trbarry]

I've experimented a bit with displaying HDTV resolutions on various CPUs. This has the same problems so recently I've pretty much stuck with:

* Lowest resolution possible that seems to show all the available detail. With most HDTV source that may mean 1280x720 or 960x544 but the principle still holds.

* Lowest bit rate possible. This also determines playback speed.

* Lowest frame rate possible. (60 fps is out)

* No qpel, bframes, gmc.

* CBR. Otherwise peak bit rate areas may stutter. This probably means a larger file size but at least I can play it. I've never had good results with 2 pass VBR trying to cap it with max bit rate in Xvid.

And of course turn off all post processing and get an operating system , player, and video card/drivers that allow YV12 all the way through to the overlay (which I don't have).

- Tom

[crOOk]

Hi galocza,
just in case you haven't noticed it yet: There's a similar, more active thread in the XviD forum atm:
XviD on a Celeron 400? (http://forum.doom9.org/showthread.php?threadid=64740)

crOOk

[galocza]

hi,
thanks for your reply.
the case is the following: i plan to buy a pocketpc (or maybe palm tt3, but probably ppc). i just wanted to try, what quality can i achieve with xvid (which i dont really know is supported or not) with the lowest proc usage possible while playing back, and see how small is 'that' small 8). so resolution is ultra low, but so is the possible bitrate (256mb cards), and processor speed. now im trying natural born killers which is a hell to compress and isnt particularly short, and i think that if i can achieve an acceptable quality (i hope it can be done with 20 fps, and 288x160) all normal-lenght movies can do that 8).
any additions, recommendations in this particular case? filters i should use (i use avisynth but im hmm beginner 8)? should i use another codec for these low bitrates/pcc-pocketmvp-whatever compability? (id rather stick to xvid if possible.) i hope that it doesnt sound like blasphemy to make a rip for ppc 8).

the dont-use-2pass-encoding info was particularly useful, id never thought about that (i dont understand how these things work, i just use them 8( ).

crOOk, mine was earlier (and caught the worm 8).

[galocza]

sorry didnt really know where to post this, dont know where the problem is (its probably me).
my as-script:

LoadPlugin("C:\mpeg2dec\MPEG2Dec3dg.dll")
mpeg2source("c:\!pdavideo\pda.d2v")
autocrop(0)
BilinearResize(320,144)
#BilinearResize(320,176)
Tweak(bright=40.0)
turnleft()
Limiter()

when i load it into vdubmod i have a strange line on the left side. sorry that i cant append a screenshot, but i try to describe it: it changes with the frame and contains more colours. its only 1 or 2 pixels wide but still disturbing especially at this resolution. it remains in 320x320. when not using turnleft or using turnright instead there is only a hardly noticeable yellow colouring to the leftmost line(s).

im desperate: what did i do wrong?

thanks,
galocza...

[birdy]

I am certainly not REALY answering to your question! But @ the same time this may help a little!

I use a player for windows (originaly for linux) called Mplayer and when using this player my cpu usage shows only 0 to 1 % !!!!! when playing back a xvid encoded file!

The same file played with other players use a cpu amount of about 20 to 30%!!!

Could someone explain this!?