RR Newb... need help/suggestions.

**Nola111** · 03-10-2007, 07:11 PM

Hi all,

I'm happily no longer new to the CarPC world, but I am new to the RR world. I've been using Centrafuse and it in my opinion, it's not ready for primetime yet as far as what is supported. I installed RR yesterday and have been trying different scenarios for a total of about 6 hours trying to get some issues solved. I just now read through the whole RR FAQ to make sure my question hasn't already been answered.

Let's start with my system:

Lilliput Blaxtream CarPC (which includes the below 3 specs)
VIA TC10000 with VIA Nehemiah C3 1 Ghz processor
512MB RAM
40GB HD
Creative Xmod as USB soundcard (for OUTPUT)
XMPCR with audio out going to the LINE IN of the ONBOARD SOUNDCARD

The summary of my problem is choppy audio and high CPU load. (I read the FAQ about high CPU load... doesn't apply to me).
I started with a simple play of a mp3 file. The audio was horribly choppy. Sometimes it got a little better, but it never played without issue. During this time, I'm getting 100% CPU load. I have been using Process Explorer to try and diagnose the problem: the two main CPU hogs are Winamp (21%... not a big deal) and a "System" child called "DPC" which stands for Deferred Procedure Calls, which is using 50-60%. From my research thus far, this has to do with hardware issues. That's about as much as I know on that end.

In RRConfig, the Music settings are all default except for the music library folder. The Sat radio settings have XMPCR mode checked, and the Use Line In plugin checked (line in plugin is installed). Line to mute/unmute audio is Disabled. In Windows Sounds and Audio Devices, Default Playback device is the Xmod, and the default recording device is the onboard sound. I don't if know this is relevant. Winamp is the latest version... 5.33, using classic skin.

The XMPCR plays audio through RR, and it's NOT choppy, but, all you ever hear is the preview channel and you can't change the channel. After a few seconds of the XM audio starting, the system hangs, but the audio continues.

I know this is a lot of different random info. But I'm hoping an RR expert will know something that can help me. I'm lost on this DPC issue. I'd much rather continue using RR, but right now Centrafuse treats my audio a lot better. Problem is that CF does not support multiple soundcards, and since there in no line in on the Xmod, that renders my XM useless unless I want to manually switch the audio cable everytime I want to listen to XM.

Any advice here would be ever so appreciated.

A few questions that I have that also may help me:
1. In RRConfig, is the setting called "Soundcard #" asking for the number of soundcards that you have? (In my case, two... Xmod and onboard)
2. I have a Xenarc 7" touch monitor, and RR does not fill the whole screen. Do I need to input parameters in the resolution field in RRconfig to get fullscreen?
3. Is the line-in plugin for Winamp a CPU hog?

Thanks in advance!!

**2k1Toaster** · 03-10-2007, 07:17 PM

1.) Not sure, never used it but I would assume so.

2.) Yes. in the main ini change the show resolutions (x and y) to the resolution you want.

3.) I use a M10k, and line-in and no problems.

have you installed your video drivers? Even though the video may work, the video drivers (via 4-in1 and via C3 PowerSave video drivers) should be installed to make it efficient.

Also what skin are you using? Does it have flash? Do you have flash 8 or 9?

**Nola111** · 03-10-2007, 08:30 PM

Hi 2k,

Thanks for the quick reply.

I did install the latest drivers for my onboard video, and as far as I know, I have the latest drivers installed for all of my hardware (I used driveragent for this).

I'm using the default bmv2 skin. To be honest, I don't recall ever installing Flash, but the logos do spin so I assume that means that I must have it. I'll have to check on the version.

**RS200Z** · 03-10-2007, 08:47 PM

Have you tried playing your mp3 with Winamp only without running RR?
What's your CPU utilization like? If it's still high then it's something wrong with your setup.

**2k1Toaster** · 03-10-2007, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by RS200Z

Have you tried playing your mp3 with Winamp only without running RR?

Good suggestion. That would also make a flash issue a potential problem.

Also what version f Winamp are you using? What winamp skin?

**megagoo** · 03-11-2007, 12:58 AM

greetings fellow new orleanian

i would say its the DPC thing. as said, try playing music just in amp. close road runner and shut down anything running in the task tray. do you have an antivirus or firewall installed? also what operating system do you have?

using onboard sound in conjunction with usb sound may be a bad idea. for testing purposes, disable the onboard sound in bios and see if stuttering and high cpu usage happens then.... or do the opposite: unplug the usb sound device and use the onboard for output to test.

do you have any other cards in there at all?

**Nola111** · 03-11-2007, 10:14 AM

@RS: As simple an idea that is, I didn't even try that! I will go do it now and let you all know what happens.

@2k: Latest version of Winamp, 5.33, using the classic skin.

@Megagoo: Do you live in New Orleans?? That's awesome if so. We should get together sometime and look at setups. I could certainly use suggestions! Anyway, I do have Antivirus installed, but I did disable it when I started the troubleshooting process. So I think I got that ruled out. So you think the dual soundcard thing is a bad idea... hmm, that sucks, because it seems to be the only solution I can figure out for my XMPCR since my Xmod USB sound card doesn't have an input. I love the Xmod because it's got the nice big volume knob on it which I plan to install in my center console area to have a volume knob at my disposal.

No other cards. I do have a Belkin Bluetooth USB dongle. Not sure if this could cause any issues at all. I do have PhoneControl, but for troubleshooting purposes, I have it disabled in RR. I'm going to go try these suggestions now and report back.

**Nola111** · 03-11-2007, 11:48 AM

One more thing: Which file am I looking in to change the screen res? I looked in RR.ini which is just the resulting file of the RRConfig GUI. My only choices for screen are 4:3 and 16:9. Where do I enter my X Y coords?

**Nola111** · 03-11-2007, 12:40 PM

Ok, here's the news. The long and the short of it is that the Xmod is the issue-causer. I ran a Microsoft tool called RATTV which is a little app that runs in the background and logs DPC's then reports on their functioning. The resulting report breaks down the processes by drivers to help you determine what hardware is causing the issue. My big problem was USBPORT.sys. Since I have a hub, that only told me that it was something plugged into the hub. I started plugging and unplugging things. Once the Xmod was unplugged, no more DPC's spiking my CPU. This is good news that I figured it out, but bad news because I loved that thing.

Interestingly enough, if you have the Xmod connected to the pc, but NOT selected as the soundcard (onboard is selected), you can still control the system volume with the knob on the Xmod. That's a big plus for Creative on that one. And on top of that, no DPC issues with it rigged that way.

So, one of the two reasons I loved the Xmod (hardware volume knob) is able to be maintained even while using onboard sound. The second reason, however, is something I'll need help finding an alternative for. The X-Fi Crystallizer setting on the Xmod was the whole reason I got the thing to begin with. It breathes so much life into my otherwise flat compressed MP3's. And all with the flick of a switch.

So, with that being said... what are you guys using for sound enhancement for your setups? Anybody just using the Winamp EQ and getting significantly better results than onboard sound alone? How about that DFX plugin for Winamp? Any good? (Also please advise if you guys think I need to use an older version of Winamp...)

Also, if someone could point me to the place for the XY coords for display as in my previous post, I'd be so grateful!

Thanks for all your help guys!

**megagoo** · 03-11-2007, 01:24 PM

hey, yea im in metairie

USBPORT.sys looks like just the driver for your usb port. maybe if you update the usb driver it would work? also if you have room you could put in a pci usb card. i would still try and completely disable the onboard audio in the bios then try the usb thing you have.

oh and the xmod thing sounds interesting. i just use a soundblaster live 24-bit soundcard for my audio. maybe i'm missing out? i have stock speakers anyway so even if the mp3s were enhanced i dont know if i would hear it. but its good enough for me