D2550 + WES7. 2gb + ssd. (rather nice box.)
I'm not sure quite what is going on, video playback seems worse on this than its predecessor, a D525.
Full HD mpeg2 appear accelerated (negligible CPU) on the latter, on this, they consume about 15% but more than half of that is kernel time. It is also jerkier, dropping frames.
mp4 appears to consume less cpu, but is much jerkier.
WMV has yet to be tested.
(More later, I have just started testing...)
Ideally, I'd like to be able to play 720p smoothly, continuously, 24 hours a day, 8 days a week.
Message was edited by: PON h.264 ( .mp4) 29.97 fps. Same contents (in house promotion video) ~ 3mbits = seems smooth, typically <15% of cpu. 1280x720 scaled up to 1920x1080 by WMP12 component. ~ 4mbits = noticably staggering (even with the "drop frames ... option turned off!) same cpu level. ~ 6mbits = ditto. Now it could be that 29.97 is not 30 and that I am somehow noticing the difference, but I doubt my eyes are that good. Yes, better than D525, No, why is it dropping stuff when it has so much overhead available.