4k movies uses a lot of CPU

[Teague]

Hello,

I have a problem that I can't solve, tried searching the internet with no succes. I hope you can help me to solve this problem.

I had to reinstall windows because of software problems. But when I played a 4k movie my CPU was around 4 to 6% CPU.
When I now play a movie on VLC ( 100% CPU ) or PotPlayer ( 55% CPU ).

Specs:

OS: Windows 10 Pro 64 bit
CPU: i5-7600 3.5 Ghz
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX 16GB 3000MHz DDR4
GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 (8GB)
HD: Seagate Barracuda 1 TB

What I have done,

Try VLC 3.0.0 nightly build. And set it to use DXVA:
Tools -> Preferences -> Video
Output = Automatic
Tools -> Preferences -> Input/Codecs
Hardware accelerated decoding = DXVA 2.0
Then save, exit and restart VLC.

With Potplayer i did the same also DXVA 2.0 coding.
GPU drivers are up to date

This was working before I reinstalled Windows, bot now somehow it doesn't.

Thanks for reading and your time!

Regards,

Teague

 

[ZGR]

I have this problem as well on Windows. The only piece of software that actually doesn't use the CPU for me is Quicktime for MacOS which I have on my Hackintosh desktop and Macbook. It plows through all the 4k60 content, even on my HD 4000 iGPU at idle.

I hate saying you should make a Hackintosh however.... what's the proper solution for windows? Haha. I do all my video editing in MacOS as well but I sure would like a proper solution for Windows.

 

[Teague]

Hey ZGR,

Thanks for the quick response.

It worked before it should work again.
I think mediaplayers don't find my GPU and still try to work it with CPU.

 

[mnewsham]

I can playback a 140mbps HEVC 10-bit, UHD res file with only 40-50% CPU use (5820k). Using MPC-HC.

The file doesn't even playback using VLC. With MPV it playsback but hits 99% CPU use and starts stuttering after 15-20 seconds.

Windows media play does it with about 20-25% CPU use. But quickly seems to run into errors and close itself; though, CPU use is still low.


So really just seems to depend on what player you're using.


MPC-HC and Windows media player seemed to be the least resource intensive. But Windows media player seemed to fail spectacularly without fail after 10-15 seconds, sometimes less.

 

[Teague]

The 4k files played really good before the reinstalling of windows.
they used like max 8% of my CPU, but now it doesn't anymore.

It should work again, but I don't know why it doesn't work now.
The VLC player is even tripping now on 1080 files aswell ( 100% CPU ). I don't know why VLC is so crappy atm.
PotPlayer and WMP only uses around max 5 % CPU on 1080 Files.

 

[UglyDuckling]

My old Phenom II at above 4ghz clock speed cannot even playback 4K YouTube without frame drops.

 

[Teague]

No problems with playing youtube 4k content max 5% CPU.
No frame drops or any other problems.
Like I said before the reinstalling no problem at all with playing 4k files, but now it somehow having problems playing it.

 

[Carfax83]

What drivers are you using? Maybe the hardware acceleration isn't working properly. Ordinarily 4K decoding would be offloaded to your video card's VPU, which would drastically reduce CPU usage. But if it isn't, then your CPU has to do it which takes a lot of processing power.

 

[Teague]

The newest drivers possible for my GPU, just now I had a new update, version 385.28, for my 1070.
How can i make the mediaplayers use GPU?
I have tried whitelisting them in Nvidia's control panel, but that backfired, potplayer went to 100% CPU and vlc also the same.

And there's something weird about VLC, if I just open it, with nothing running, my CPU goes 100%
VLC broken somehow

 

[Teague]

doublepost

 

[VirtualLarry]

And there's something weird about VLC, if I just open it, with nothing running, my CPU goes 100%
VLC broken somehow

Sure that you didn't install a "codec pack" downloaded off of the internet, that may have coin-mining malware attached to it?

Or maybe it's a Windows 10 thing? I've caught my 12-thread box with all CPU cores/threads loaded, when coming out of monitor sleep mode. It makes me wonder if I've got malware.

 

[2is]

VLC is great for playing damaged files that no other media player can even open, but it's pure shit in terms of resource management.

 

[Teague]

Sure that you didn't install a "codec pack" downloaded off of the internet, that may have coin-mining malware attached to it?

Or maybe it's a Windows 10 thing? I've caught my 12-thread box with all CPU cores/threads loaded, when coming out of monitor sleep mode. It makes me wonder if I've got malware.

I didn't download any codecs from a site.
I have run BD TS 18 and Malwarebytes, no virusses detected.
Before the reinstalling of windows 10, 4k files where no problem to play, max 8% CPU.

All the other mediaplayers are running just fine, exept the VLC nightly build.
Some1 suggested to look on this site for codecs https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm
Is that a safe codec site?
And can you see somewhere which codecs you need or allready have?

 

[Ketchup]

I haven't seen it mentioned yet but have you tried the drivers you were using before the re-install? Is Windows up to date?

If none of that works, try installing the k-lite codec pack.

 

[Teague]

Windows is up to date.
I updated all the drivers threw this site
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-KRAIT-GAMING.html#support_download
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-KRAIT-GAMING.html#down-driver ( win 10 64 )

Should I download it from the site i suggested?
The k-lite standard package or an other 1?

Changed the name of the VLC.exe to an other name and that did the trick for VLC
Still High CPU compared to before but, when nothing is running on VLC the PC stays Idle no increase in CPU.
When I played the 4k File it takes 60% CPU. Still high compared to the max 8% before the reinstalling of W10

 

[Ketchup]

This site is always your best shot at not having to much adware in the installer. Still want to pay attention to all questions during the install process:
http://filehippo.com/download_klite_codec_pack/

 

[VirtualLarry]

hanged the name of the VLC.exe to an other name and that did the trick for VLC
Still High CPU compared to before but, when nothing is running on VLC the PC stays Idle no increase in CPU.

See, that strikes me that something "funny" is going on on your machine. I would question your software sources. Are you re-loading any software off of a USB drive, rather than downloading it fresh each time?

 

[Reinvented]

I didn't download any codecs from a site.
I have run BD TS 18 and Malwarebytes, no virusses detected.
Before the reinstalling of windows 10, 4k files where no problem to play, max 8% CPU.

All the other mediaplayers are running just fine, exept the VLC nightly build.
Some1 suggested to look on this site for codecs https://www.codecguide.com/download_kl.htm
Is that a safe codec site?
And can you see somewhere which codecs you need or allready have?

So, did you try reverting back to the regular VLC releases? Nightly builds are experimental for a reason.

 

[Teague]

See, that strikes me that something "funny" is going on on your machine. I would question your software sources. Are you re-loading any software off of a USB drive, rather than downloading it fresh each time?

I downloaded the software for my motherboard directly from this site, directly on a hardrive, exept the bios because you need to do that with a usb stick.
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-KRAIT-GAMING.html#support_download
https://www.msi.com/Motherboard/support/Z270-KRAIT-GAMING.html#down-driver ( Win10 64 )

GPU from Geforce experience
Mouse from Razor configurator
HyperX cloud 2 from the HyperX site
Windows 10 updates automatic
BitDefender TS 18 from the program.
Intel driver utility

I use the manufacturers sites for download new drivers

 

[namx01]

HyperX cloud 2 from the HyperX site

The Cloud 2s' don't use any drivers from the Kingston site. I have a pair. You just plug in the usb port and Windows sets them up.

 

[hoorah]

I thought VLC used its own internal codecs, whereas MPC-HC and WMP used the codecs installed on your system?

Its been awhile since I've looked into these things, but when you play a video file in WMP or MPC-HC, is it still invoking FFMPEG/ffdshow in the background?

 

[Teague]

The Cloud 2s' don't use any drivers from the Kingston site. I have a pair. You just plug in the usb port and Windows sets them up.

https://www.hyperxgaming.com/us/sup...?product=hscp&filename=CloudII_FW_Update_0005

Yeah you don't have to download them, they install it on themself.
But you can still download it, but when you do, it will let you know that you allready have the most recent 1.

 

[Teague]

I thought VLC used its own internal codecs, whereas MPC-HC and WMP used the codecs installed on your system?

Its been awhile since I've looked into these things, but when you play a video file in WMP or MPC-HC, is it still invoking FFMPEG/ffdshow in the background?

About VLC I thought they install there own codecs
WMP from windows self.
I have MPC-HC x64 too, I can't remember if they install there own or from windows it self.

 

[namx01]

https://www.hyperxgaming.com/us/sup...?product=hscp&filename=CloudII_FW_Update_0005

Yeah you don't have to download them, they install it on themself.
But you can still download it, but when you do, it will let you know that you allready have the most recent 1.

Thanks, didn't know that there had been a firmware update.

 

[eddman]

Do NOT install any codec packs. They are absolutely unneeded nowadays and only have the potential to mess things up.

I don't use VLC or potplayer so I don't know much about them. I do use MPC-HC, and it does not install any codecs since it has them built-in.

What is the video codec of the files you're playing, h.264? Run DXVA Checker and see if it shows 4K for h.264 codecs. https://www.videohelp.com/download/DXVAChecker_3.15.3.zip

This is mine:

EDIT: Never mind this comment. If youtube 4k and other players work fine then it's not the driver. Something else is wrong.