L502X 2.0Ghz i7-2630QM 2GB GT 540M lags on video playback, requires cumbersome workaround

I use a PotPlayer + madVR renderer setup to play videos using the best real-time video decoding and rendering currently available. MadVR is particularly resource intensive, but when used with Media Player Classic it runs seamlessly. However PotPlayer's default audio decoder sounds much better (to me) than using madFLAC or LAV audio decoder on MPC.

My problem is, that setup lags but NOT after I seek the playback to about 1/4 of the video and wait until Intel Turbo Boost kicks in, and seek back to the beginning (simply replaying the video doesn't work because Turbo Boost stops abruptly) where the video plays flawlessly. This issue seems to be reducible to the stock clock speed of 2.0GHz and the peculiar manner in which Turbo Boost activates.

Our other L502X with a 2.3GHz i5-2410M 1GB GT 525M runs the same setup perfectly at first try, and I am mildly miffed that this other laptop is my Dad's.

 

I know I'm being ignorant here, but have you tried VLC player for the decoding and rendering? or in place of MPC? To me this sounds like some issue going on with your CPU. Did you WANT Turbo Boost or no?

 

What kind of video you trying to play? Post a media info. Your config is more than enough to do most lav +madvr except 60fps or some random combo . The cpu shouldn't be the problem here.

For me, MPC is much easier to work with when using external filters. You may want to try ffdaudio decoder? or using the internal decoder in MPC.

Edit:
My personal experience when I get lag when using lav +madvr is either I turn on some filter than kill the cpu or I mess up some option in madvr.(or when madvr cant handle the video)
I would say troubleshoot this way:
change back to system default render or evr cp as renderer and try a playback (to see if madvr is the problem)
If madvr is not the problem then try use all the default decoder in potplayer+madvr.

Edit2:
I look through the guide, but some the step is kind of silly imo...

 

Thanks for replying! VLC plays ANYTHING I mean, one time I was late for my presentation because I had to reencode a few videos because I thought the school only had Windows Media Player well I didn't reencode an important clip and I was so nervous but then the school had VLC so yay!

THANK YOU. LOL, yes, yes I tried following those steps exactly but returned to PotPlayer's default video filters + madVR because I honestly don't see the difference. Actually, I don't see the difference between PotPlayer and MPC, except for the audio--PotPlayer plays all channels loudly whereas in MPC I have to turn up the volume to get to the PotPlayer level. Also, in MPC sometimes the background music is too silent while the dialogues are normal. Amplifying the volume in the ac3filter configuration fixes that problem somewhat, but it's still not as loud as PotPlayer's/KMPlayer's.

I've checked and madVR is indeed the problem. I'm not sure if 2.0GHz should be capable of running it in default setting just fine, because it sure doesn't look it. The video isn't the problem either. It lags for small encoded mkv's (around 60MB each for an anime episode) as well as for those ridiculous 10-bit 1080p lossless Blu-ray encodes. (I forgot to note that my resolution is 1080p.)

Now, the weird thing is, that I can use either the lowest and the highest settings and the playback still lags; but when Turbo Boost kicks in (I see it through CPU-Z, but hearing the fan go loud is notification enough) the settings don't matter: everything plays smoothly. Also, one very peculiar thing I've noticed is that, even when Turbo Boost is enabled, sometimes the playback still lags until I open Task Manager/Resources to monitor processor activity and memory usage. I don't know, but this seemingly bogus act of leaving the Task Manager/Resources open FIXES EVERYTHING. And I don't want to that every time I watch a video LOL

BTW how fast is your processor anyway? I do have a Phenom X4 3.2GHz desktop and I have no problem with any madVR setup whatsoever in there. Also, LOL I was so happy to see someone else using madVR in here madVR is only famous among anime fans and videophiles it seems. Anyway I'll try to post some media info later although as I said it's not the video.

I forgot to add that I'm using an active antivirus and firewall system, and it keeps blocking PotPlayer whenever it's on. It's trying to connect to servers in Korea even if I already disabled the automatic updates.

Also, I only recently tried coreAVC. I disabled all of PotPlayer's video filters/decoders and set coreAVC to run everything with madVR. When I was using this setup without coreAVC, I noticed banding in a 1080p 10-bit anime but that's probably because I was switching the settings back-and-forth through PotPlayer registry files (I'm sure I checked the "deband" setting in ffdshow raw video filter). I just like the coreAVC tray icon that tells me whenever CUDA is being used; that means my GT 540m isn't useless for my needs after all.

 

I would say disable lav CUID or DXVA , also try reset madvr settings(there is a .bat file in madvr folder)then disable everything in decoding/deinterlacing.
And it doesn't sound like it is the videos.
madvr doesn't really tax the CPU, it is all(mostly) GPU work.

I am running on a i7-2670qm, but the filter I was talking about is some avisynth filter for encoding.

 

You can set up a custom power profile and set the Max CPU on battery/plugged in to 99% and that will stop turbo boost from kicking in! I used to use a custom profile called game for gaming to stop turboboost from kicking in and keep temps low

 

Oh, but, I actually WANT to turn Turbo Boost ON The fan noise is not noisy at all for me and I'm not overly concerned with preserving the laptop for more than two years haha.

Also, I had to change the Nvidia global setting to use GT 540m on all programs by default instead of Intel HD Graphics.

Thanks anyway!

BTW, I noticed in your sig that we have the same processor! Would you be so nice to yourself as to try using PotPlayer (media player) with madVR (renderer)? Just use PotPlayer (USE THE 32-BIT VERSION OR MADVR WON'T WORK) at default settings and change Preferences/Video/Video Renderer to "Madshi Video Renderer" and try playing this video of One Piece episode 564. This video is what I mainly use to test my settings because in the beginning you see a very simple animation of a picture zooming out, and it's easy to notice the lag. (And I love One Piece it's THE BEST)

Thank you thank you I'll look into lav CUID; I think I already tried disabling DXVA before and I already reset madvr and disabled decoding/interlacing.

I don't know why, but in my situation, CPU-Z reports that my processor runs at 1.9~2.0GHz before using Turbo Boost while playing in PotPlayer+madVR. I'll try disabling the on-access setting of my antivirus because I probably overestimated the hyper-threading capabilities of my quad-core.

BTW, as I said to the person above you, I mostly use a 10-bit 720p video of One Piece episode 564. Try to see during the intro if the simple zoom out animation lags. Also, and I only found out a few seconds ago, NEW MADVR OUT NOW (well, it was released about two hours ago).

 

I forgot to add that disabling "Use a separate device for presentation" makes everything a lot better. I mean, it makes the "cumbersome workaround" stated above much less cumbersome. (I really don't know why I have to seek the video and wait and seek it back to the beginning just for madVR to work properly on me. By disabling that setting the wait is quicker but I still have to do it to EVERY video.)

 

I had potplayer configed with all default decoders and madvr for playback random format. Tried the video with both potplayer and mpchc(lav+madvr) and they all run fine. (sub don't show in potplayer but I never watch anything that are not embbed sub ~~) When you lag, did you check crtl-j if there is frame drop or delay?

I even lock multiplier to 15 (so it is 1.5ghz all across )using thorttlestop and they run just fine. You sure the 540m kick in when using potplayer?

 

I just want to say that you are completely awesome. Thank you thank you really.

I'm sure the 540m is used by checking GPU-Z. I'll try using this throttlestop and see if my problem gets worse at 1.5ghz. I'll try restoring my entire laptop to factory installation if I have the time just to see if a program I installed (such as my firewall) messed up anything. I'll probably try using Windows Updates as well because I didn't install updates on the i7 L502x but installed them on the i5.

I will most likely be able to update you on this after at least a week though I think I already got help more than I ever expected so thanks.

 

I think you are over thinking the problem ~~, my bet is just the config have problem more then the windows etc xD (since MPC-HC work fine, so that should not be hardware/outside software problem)

Try to default pot player setting then combine with madvr. Also, there is a new version madvr just come out few days ago.

 

You're so right. I tried throttlestop and at 1.5ghz it was no better nor worse.

OKAY I TYPED THE ABOVE LINE LIKE 30 MINUTES AGO AND REINSTALLED POTPLAYER LOL OMG NOW IT WORKS WTH what lol thank you omg what is this sorry for all the trouble it must've been because i installed CCCP as well and that somehow did something? I don't know. Thanks this silly problem is solved.

Now I really should consider that undervolting modded BIOS thing ...