[theredguy]

I've got this:

Frodo 12.2
Windows 7 Home Premium x64 SP1
HP dc7800 mini tower
Intel Core 2 Duo 2.33 GHz
2 GB memory
100M wired ethernet
Nvidia GeForce GT 610 - connected by HDMI to..
Sharp LC-46E77UN TV

I don't really know much about video performance, so I'm not sure how to describe what's happening. Maybe a lag or stutter or choppiness or something. I can just tell that video playback isn't right, and doesn't play as smooth as my Boxee Box or even my laptop (the same files over the same network).

It doesn't happen constantly, my wife doesn't even notice it, but I do and it's driving me crazy. It happens in XBMC, in VLC, even in Netflix with different files (most of my files are 720p).

I searched through the forums and have found a ton of recommendations, but before I go hacking away at settings, I wanted to get an opinion of whether it is likely a setting somewhere, or if my hardware just isn't enough.

Any input would be appreciated.

[nabz]

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=146911

[WeirdH]

If it happens in other applications than XBMC, then why would it be an isolated XBMC issue? I mean, VLC pretty much plays anything flawlessly, even where XBMC occassionally falters. But if even VLC does not give you smooth playback, maybe the problem lies somewhere else in your system?

[theredguy]

I definitely don't think this is an isolated XBMC issue, but from what I can tell these forums are where the experts are. Really I wanted to check if I should expect some smoothness problems based on my hardware configuration, or if I've got plenty and I'm just misconfigured somewhere (outside of XBMC). I am going to work through that first pinned thread, and a few others that I have now found. I just didn't want to spend hours or days mucking with settings if I just don't have enough cow bell in the first place.

[WeirdH]

Okay, FWIW: My laptop is an Intel Core 2 Duo @1.50 Ghz/2GB. It plays XBMC with Aeon Nox skin (graphics intensive skin) without a hiccup. Anything 720p will play flawlessly. 1080p might sometimes be a problem, if bitrate is too high. This is a laptop from 2007.

EDIT: and it's running on Vista! (0_0)