Bad HD (720p) video play back

[toca180]

Hi PC gurus,

I'm having a few issues playing back 720p MKV files on my computer (might be other 720p files but I only have mkv). The sound plays fine but the video skips and jumps using VLC. My computer is:

CPU: Pentium 4 2.4Ghz
RAM: 2GB DDR2
Grapics Card: GeForce 4 Ti 4200 128MB (AGP)
OS: Win XP Pro

What can I do to improve the play back performance? Would upgrading the graphics card help? Or am I just asking too much from my computer?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

CPU - P4 2.4GHz with DDR2?  Are you quite sure about that?

No, not really, but my computer is at home and I can't check, was about 60% sure.

Had not thought about QT trailers, will give that a go when I get home.

Is VLC the "best" player to use for Windows?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

Just wondered if there was anything more Windows based/optimized (as I though, probably wrongly, that VLC was very Linux based)?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

Try using GOMPlayer

CoreAVC or DivX 7 codecs for H.264

Thanks guys. I will give them a try when I get home and report back.

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

@piru

Would a graphics card that, for example, supports PureVideo not help?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

@piru

So if I use another video player (I really do not care which one I use as long as the play back it good) then a PureVideo / Avivo supporting graphics card would help with the playback of HD (720p) video files (as long as the codec used for the video was supported by PureVideo / Avivo)?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

@piru
Thank you. Sorry for the (hopefully not too) silly questions, just not that up on PC graphics cards.

@thread
If the other suggestions do not work for me which do you think is better: PureVideo or Avivo? Opinions please!

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

I have just tried playing a 720p trailer from apple.com in VLC and that played fine. Also tried playing the same file in VLC on Linux (Xubuntu) on the same computer and it played fine. Really stumped now.

Tried playing the file in Window Media Player after installing CoreAVC and the video plays fine, so does the audio but there is a lag from the video of about 1/2 to 1 second. So all the sound happens early. Also Gomplayer is worse than VLC.

What could the problem be with VLC on Windows? Also why the lag when using CoreAVC? Has anyone got any idea?

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

@modrobert
Thanks for the recommendation.

@Thread
I just tried CCCP and Media Player Classic that comes with it and I still get the lag with the video.

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

The audio is about a second ahead of the video.

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

@orange
Thanks for the suggestion, but I still get the lag when playing it with Kmplayer.

Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

Thanks for all the replies.
 
I have just done a clean install of Windows XP (Home as I could not find my Pro disc). The problem still persists with VLC. I'm starting to wonder if it is a problem with the file. I do not have any others to test. Does any one know where I can download some other mkv files to test?
 
I was probably not using the right word when I said lag, as the video plays smoothly and the audio plays smoothly too. It's just that they are about a second out of sync.
 
On the graphics card side of things I can get either an ATI Radeon HD 3650 512MB or nVidia GeForce 6 6200 256MB. What are you opinions on these? Which would be better if I were to upgrade?
 
Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

While playing back the video, open the windows task manager and select the Performance tab and monitor the CPU usage .. is it maxed out (or close too) most of the time?

Yeah sure is, 95%+. Guess that means upgrade time!
 
Although I have just gotten hold of another mkv. This plays fine at about 90-100%. The only difference I can see between the 2 files is the frame rates. The one that does not play is 29.970628 (as reposted vix VLC) and the other that plays fine is 25. Guess this could just be a dodgy file! :madashell:
 
Just a quick though a bout upgrades to my computer. What would be the best thing to upgrade? I can only get another 512MB of ram in it.
 
Thanks
Robert

[toca180]

Thanks for all the help guys. I guess I will just have to live with it or up grade. Snow Leopard just can out and Windows 7 is round the corner, guess it could be a goof time got me to look at least.
 
Another though, I could just stick to SD video! That has not done us all so badly over the last few years! :afro:
 
Thanks again for all the help and suggestions.
 
Thanks
Robert