windows media player

I upgraded to windows media player 10. But now my videos are choppy and I dont know if I need to download new drivers or what please help. As always thatnks in advance


win xp pro
128 mbs of memory
pent. 3
Toshiba dvd-rom sd-c2402
ATI RAGE MOBILITY-P video card
dell inspiron 5000 laptop

 

This sounds like a codec issue to me. You can use GSpot, the codec information utility to figure out which codecs you have installed, and which may be causing your problem.

Or, if you're like me, and don't want to worry about codecs at all, I would recommend VLC Media Player, which has just about every codec you'll ever need built in. This has played every video file I've ever come across. Now, I only use WMP for music, and even then only because it has visualizations that I like.

 

It could be also the fact that you have XP Pro running with 128mb. That will make the whole system 'choppy'.

 

Ha! Yes! I didn't even look at the specs! Upgrade your RAM, buddy! TWICE what you have wouldn't cut it, IMO.

 

>> I upgraded to windows media player 10. But now my videos are choppy and I dont know if I need to download new drivers or what please help. As always thatnks in advance. bbolin06 <<

The Bad News: Unlike 95, 98, and ME, Windows XP; home and pro requires a lot of RAM in order to run efficiently. 128mgs ram is paltry (slim pickings’) when running Win XP if you intend to have two or more major applications open, are using any multimedia programs or for playing games.

Win XP Home and Pro requires an absolute minimum of 256 in my opinion and that is; only if you plan on running one or two programs at a time. Additionally, even 256mg of RAM is really satisfactory only if you are running a minimum of programs on start-up. This is the right amount for many users, who are not doing multimedia, or playing the "newer" games out there. XP should run all right with 256, and you should only see slow downs when you try to do a lot with your system at the same time.

Ask anyone here; 512MB is the minimum these days if you plan on playing many of the most recent games, for using video or graphics editing programs or like to keep more than two or three applications open at the same time, then this is the minimum that you should really consider.

The Good News: Ram is very easy to install and very cheap too, these days. RAM does not cost as much as it used to, and it is one of the better investments you can make in your system performance. There is no "downside" to increasing the RAM in your PC while using XP.

Do yourself a BIG favor and get yourself a few additional sticks of ram. I would definitely install a minimum of 512 (two 256 sticks) if you plan on running more than one application at a time. It is VERY easy to install RAM. Basically, all you have to do is (1) open your pc housing, look where the empty RAM slots are and (2) slide them in there gently plugging the ram sticks into one or more new modules.

Be sure to save these two links:
How Stuff Works "How RAM Works" - Installing Ram "Step By Step"
Step by Step Guide to installing Ram Memory

Save these two webpages to your ‘favorites’ folder (Ctrl+D) as they will certainly come handy after you purchase the RAM sticks and then need "Step By Step" instructions as to install them. This is a decision you will not regret; trust me on this one!

Good Luck!

 

Here are some things you can do to tweak your computer for performance, and lower the consumption of resources on legacy hardware:

1. Turn off the visual effects. This will make XP look more like 2000, but saves quite a few CPU cycles and memory addresses in RAM. To do so, please do the following:

- Right-click My Computer
- Select 'Properties'
- Select the 'Advanced' tab
- Under 'Performance' press the 'Settings' button
- Select the radio button next to 'Adjust For Best Performance'
- Click 'Apply'

2. Use CCleaner to housekeep. You can use this program to clean your temp files, manage startup programs, and clean your registry! And its fast! To do so, please do the following:

- On the main page, press the 'Run Cleaner' button. This will clean out your temp files.
- In the 'Tools' section, press the 'Startup' button. Delete any programs you don't need running when windows loads.
- In the 'Issues' setion, you can run the registry cleaner. It will prompt you to backup, and you ABSOLUTELY SHOULD. It will create a .reg file for you so you can restore the registry with a double-click if there is a problem. Keep this file somewhere safe.

3. Disable unnecessary services. This will keep the system from running programs of its own! Windows loads quite a few background services that tie up resources. I recommend you follow the instructions in the how to disable unecessary services thread.

4. Stay malware free. This is a must! Spyware usually impacts performance severely! You should make sure your system is clean, and learn to keep it clean by following the instructions in the malware removal thread, and the how to protect yourself from malware thread. This will disinfect you, and set you up with an excellent, free, redundant defense against malware and viruses.

5. Defragment your harddrive. Over time, files that get split up when being written to your hard drive get scattered, and it gets hard (and time-consuming) to re-assemble when it comes time to read them again. Defragging puts the pieces together so that the whole file can be accessed faster. To do so, please do the following:

- Right-click My Computer
- Select 'Manage'
- Select 'Disk Defragmenter'
- Press the 'Defragment' button

Following the instructions above will help you whether you're suffering from a older, slower system, or are simply craving better performance. I hope this helps should a memory upgrade be out of reach. Better still, I hope COMPUABLE's advice proves that it isn't.