Sorry your browser is not supported!

You are using an outdated browser that does not support modern web technologies, in order to use this site please update to a new browser.

Browsers supported include Chrome, FireFox, Safari, Opera, Internet Explorer 10+ or Microsoft Edge.

DarkBASIC Professional Discussion / AVI's Choppy

Author
Message
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 28th Oct 2003 22:37
Link
I've just started loading animation files into my game, in DB Pro (patch 5).

And even the smaller files are a bit choppy. The music runs fine but the video slows down every few seconds, then snaps back to normal speed again.

I've played around with SYNC and windowed mode, but no luck fixing it there.

These are AVIs that run just fine in WinAmp or Windows Media player, but even in a program all alone to themselves are choppy on my PC in DB Pro.

Will there be improved AVI performance in the next patch? Is there some trick to tricking out AVIs to run normally?

Just curious.
Back to top
Profile PM
IanM
Retired Moderator
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Sep 2002
Location: In my moon base
Posted: 28th Oct 2003 23:30
Link
I recently had the same problem with playing DVDs. Decoding video is very processor intensive - the more time you spend processing your game, the less processing time there is for the codec.

The best advice I can offer is to use a low sync rate with your program.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Shadow Robert
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Sep 2002
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 28th Oct 2003 23:45
Link
make sure your playing it in Fullscreen-Exclusive or Windowed-NonFullscreen

else you'll need very high powered machines to get the Animations running properly... its the pixel stretching that does it, Windows Media Player gets around this by using a Plane and then texturing it with the animation - whereas Pro seems to just use a pixel stretching routine from the original size to your screensize.


To Survive You Must Evolve... This Time Van Will Not Escape His Fate!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
OSX Using Happy Dude
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Aug 2003
Location: At home
Posted: 29th Oct 2003 11:09
Link
I presume Lee has no planes to improve the frame rate...


Avatar & Logo by Indi. Insert witty comment here...
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 29th Oct 2003 21:43
Link
I see. Thanks guys!
Back to top
Profile PM
Mussi
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 27th Jan 2003
Location: Netherlands
Posted: 29th Oct 2003 21:57
Link
well... is there no way to pre-process a .avi file?

Specs: AMD Athlon 1800, 256 DDRRam 266mhz, 80GB HD 7200rmp U133, Geforce 4 Ti4400 128mb ddr sdram
Back to top
Profile PM
the_winch
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Feb 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: 29th Oct 2003 23:34
Link
You could perhaps try to find codecs that are less processor intensive to decode.
What are the avi files you are trying to load compressed with?
Back to top
Profile PM Website
IanM
Retired Moderator
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 11th Sep 2002
Location: In my moon base
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 00:35
Link
@TCA, it's all down to the codecs - nothing that Lee can do here.

I'm using the DivX set of codecs - they seem to be the best and most stable collection freely available.
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 00:43
Link
Ah yes, I have the DIVx ones as well.
Back to top
Profile PM
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 02:10
Link
Mostly off topic here but I can't find a thread for features requests for the next patch at the moment.

I'd love to see a combined command for 'WAIT MOUSE' and 'WAIT KEY'. Unless there's already a way to do it?
Back to top
Profile PM
Shadow Robert
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 22nd Sep 2002
Location: Hertfordshire, England
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 02:27
Link
wait mouse or wait key

that'd probably do it, no? if not then you can always use this.



not AS effective but still good


To Survive You Must Evolve... This Time Van Will Not Escape His Fate!
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 05:06
Link
*blinks* Why didn't I think of that?

Thanks.
Back to top
Profile PM
OSX Using Happy Dude
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Aug 2003
Location: At home
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 10:25 Edited at: 30th Oct 2003 10:56
Link
I tend to use Intel/Microsofts codecs - standard MP stuff...
I'm sure Lee could do something - after all a large AVI plays very well in WMP, but jerks around a lot in DBPro.

I did managed to get around this if you render your own animations - I found rendering in something less than 800x600 and then scale up to the required size produces a very smooth animation.


Avatar & Logo by Indi. Insert witty comment here...
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
AlecM
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 26th Aug 2002
Location: Concord, MA
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 12:43 Edited at: 30th Oct 2003 12:44
Link
"presume Lee has no planes to improve the frame rate..."

Why would you say that? Im sure there are some speed optimizations coming our way in time.

I dont really know what i just said but its 5:44 in the morning here and I need to go to bed.

[P4 2.8C @ 3.03 with an 866mhz FSB:: MSI Neo-2LS running PAT:: 1gb Mushkin PC-3500 DDR High Perf level 2@ 2,2,2 :: ATI Radeon9800ProAIW :: 120Gb SeagateBarracuda 7,200RPM SATA HD :: Antec Plus1080AMG]
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
OSX Using Happy Dude
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 21st Aug 2003
Location: At home
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 13:52 Edited at: 30th Oct 2003 13:52
Link
AVI playing wasn't mentioned at the Conference y'see - and it hasn't been discussed elsewhere, so I thought (in my infinite wisdom) that Lee wont be looking at it.


Avatar & Logo by Indi. Insert witty comment here...
Back to top
Profile PM Email Website
the_winch
23
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 1st Feb 2003
Location: Oxford, UK
Posted: 30th Oct 2003 17:53
Link
Decompression of the modern codecs is very processor intensive. You are looking at proberly a minimum of a 300mhz pII for divX 3.11 just to decode at realtime when a game is not running.

http://www.divx.com/divx/system_requirements.php
Recommends a pII 450mhz for 640x480 full screen at minimunm post processing.

You arn't going to be able to decode the video data and play a game at the same time unless you have a fast computer. Even then it is going to be choppy occasionally.

The older codecs will be much better, they may not compress as much or be as good quality but they had to run on old computers in real time. I would look at mpeg as well.
Back to top
Profile PM Website
Rknight
22
Years of Service
User Offline
Joined: 25th Sep 2003
Location: NJ
Posted: 6th Nov 2003 11:23 Edited at: 6th Nov 2003 11:35
Link
Okay guys, I just figured out the fix to my own problem. So I thought I'd share it.

If you have Blue's GUI, play the AVIs in its 'internet explorer' gadget. Plays almost as smooth as WinAMP or Windows Media player. No more choppy animations. Just have to sidestep to do it.
Back to top
Profile PM
Back to top

Login to post a reply

Server time is: 2026-07-26 17:36:46
Your offset time is: 2026-07-26 17:36:46