Vista Video Playback on Batteries

Windows Media Player 11 works nicely when plugged in, but it chews up too many CPU cycles for battery use. If you like to watch Xvid videos on batteries try this:

1. Install FFDShow. Use the latest stable build available on Sourceforge. Do not enable any video post processing. For audio set the output to 2/0/0 stereo to get the best volume.

2. Download Media Player Classic. It does not have an instaler, so you need to make a folder for it in "Program Files" and and shortcut somewhere.

Navigate to View > Options > Output. Change the radio button in the "Direct Show Video Box" to Overlay Mixer. Change the Direct Show Audio selection to one that is not going to use DirectSound. This will usually have the name of your audio chip and not say DirectSound. On my machine it says "Speakers / Headphones (Sigmatel (00200000).

If you want to set formats launch Medial Player Classic as Administrator and check the desired boxes.

Under internal filters uncheck "enable built-in audio switcher...". Uncheck all transform filters except PS2Audio, Real Video and Real Audio. Uncheck the sourc filters for DTS/AC3 and MPEG Audio. Make sure these decoders are enabled in FFDShow audio decoders. These filter settings will force the use of FFDShow for MP3 decoding instead of using the decoder built into Vista. You should see the FFDShow audio decoder icon in the tray during MP3, MP2 or AC3 playback.

Note that when you use Media Player Classic with these settings your display will switch to Aero Basic. If you already use Aero Basic on batteries this will be of no consequence. While using AC, just use the Windows Media player to avoid a display change.

I have tested this and the power consumption during video playback with Vista is as good or better than running Windows XP on the same machine, a Sony SZ330, using the Intel 945GM display adapter. CPU utilization in task manager is dramatically lower than when using Windows Media Player 11.

 

Umm...you are aware that all you are actually doing is playing the video back in Media Player Classic with Aero disabled? You can achieve the same results much quicker and easier by simply installing CCCP http://www.cccp-project.net/

If you want to keep Aero, just change the Video Settings in Media Player Classic to VMR9 instead of Overlay Mixer.

WMP is a poor video player. VLC or MPC or Zoom Player are much better.

 

Obviously I am aware that Aero turns off, I said as much earlier. You could use VMR9 but try both while monitoring CPU usage in task manager and you should see a dramatic reduction when using the overlay mixer. A lot of folks turn off Aero while running on batteries already.

I would much prefer to install exactly what is needed than use a codec package. Many systems have been borked in that manner.

 

If you have a laptop with an ATI chipset, you can achieve the same thing by disabling PowerPlay. I've found that, even with FFDShow installed, VMC is ridiculously slow on battery power without turning off PowerPlay.