Lose internet connection while encoding

[em64t]

Am I to expect losing the internet connection when the CPU usage is at 100%. Because when I am not encoding video, the internet connection stays reliable for hours. However when I encode video, the internet connection gets dropped, but not immediately.

My hardware:
Toshiba Satellite A75-S2292
P4 538 (3.2 GHz) with HT enabled
512 MB RAM
60 GB HD

My Software:
Windows XP Handicapped w/SP2
DVD Shrink 3.2
InterVideo DVDCopy 3

[mpucoder]

You didn't say how you connect to the internet. If it is with a WinModem that's very likely. WinModems, also called HSPs (Host Signal Processor) shift some of the modem's processing into the CPU. If the CPU is too busy, the modem doesn't respond, and then the connection times out. WinModems say right on the box that they require Windows to operate, whereas fully implemented modems can run with DOS, Linux, or any OS.

[unmei]

if your encoding app alows it try setting the processing thread priority to something lower than normal, so it leves a chance for other threads to get the cpu sometime. In VDM for example i need to set it to "even lower" to work with other apps without falling alseep from waiting for them to respond.

[em64t]

Originally posted by mpucoder
You didn't say how you connect to the internet. If it is with a WinModem that's very likely. WinModems, also called HSPs (Host Signal Processor) shift some of the modem's processing into the CPU. If the CPU is too busy, the modem doesn't respond, and then the connection times out. WinModems say right on the box that they require Windows to operate, whereas fully implemented modems can run with DOS, Linux, or any OS.
It is a software modem according to Device Manager, so I am guessing it is a WinModem. Since this toshiba is a laptop, when I am in the office, I connect it via network. Although the computer may lose the network connection, it is much less frequently.

Originally posted by unmei
if your encoding app alows it try setting the processing thread priority to something lower than normal, so it leves a chance for other threads to get the cpu sometime.
I'll give it a try, but how?

[DigitAl56K]

Hit Ctrl+Alt+Del and pop open the Task Manager (or right-click the Windows Taskbar in XP), then right-click on items in the "Processes" list to change their priority. If you can't find the process for the app you're using, go to the "Applications" list, right-click the app and choose "Go to process" and Task Manager will find the main process automatically for you.

Winmodems are a pain in the ass. Back in the days before I jumped on broadband, ditching my PCI winmodem and buying an external unit was one of the best things I ever did. Far fewer hang-ups and better/more stable throughput were two of the immediate benefits.