High CPU with 8 Slices. Ver1.3.8.126

James Nelson

8 slices seems to run the CPU beyond its limits causing communication loss with the radio. Running an i7 3517U 8 gig ram here so while I would expect things to be really cooking with that load I noticed earlier versions handled this. Lets face it 8 slices is over the top however as advertised it should be OK. Also I noticed when closing 8 slices occasionally a "ghost" slice would reappear or reopen when trying to close them.

Tim - W4TME

What are you using for a video card?

Ted_Spiegel_NX6C

I may have a workaround while we wait for the type of video card you are using.  Moving the FPS slider from the fast default to a smaller value on each open Panadapter is a workaround.

See the SmartSDR User's Guide Article 7.5 "THE PANADAPTER AND WATERFALL CONTROLS"

Ted
NX6C

James Nelson

Interesting, my frame rate is at a modest (my favorite) cinema standard of 24fps . Device is a Sony i7 tablet, I'll check out the onboard video structure for Tim when I get home. Me suspects a bug as slice number 8 takes it to 95% from an acceptable 70% that's off the scale as a result with the system and any other apps she crashes losing ethernet radio coms even although network usage shows only 1.5%. Earler SmartSDR version's never blew out the processor on slice8. Tim and the engineers could always use Team Viewer to see whats going on should they not be able to replicate.


Also when closing the slices its response is mysterious with the closed slices frequently (not always) reopening as fast as they are closed. Thank you Tim and Ted for fast response !!

James Nelson

Intel HD Graphics 4000 with adaptor Ram 2,080,374,784 / Driver Version 10.18.10.3621 Just interesting why slice 8 with Ssdr Ver 1.3.8.126 freaks it out.

Tim - W4TME

OK.  First off, if you are not running the latest video drivers, load them.  We have a had a lot of reports on the HD4000 embedded graphics not being able to handle the graphics rending efficiently.

Second, if the HD4000 GPU can not handle the graphics rendering, that process is off-loaded to the CPU, which will cause a spike in CPU utilization.  I suspect that is what is happening.  Hopefully an updated graphics driver will provide some relief.

As @Ted indicated, lowering the frame rate (FPS) will lower the amount of graphics resources needed too.

Unfortunately with tablets, you do not have the option to improve the graphics capability.  Several people with desktop i7 machines have resolved this problem by adding a modest AMD or NVIDIA graphics adapter.

James Nelson

I would say your about right there Tim, being totally addicted to portable tablet touch operation giving up ONE slice out of EIGHT isn't going to spoil the party. My only point for feedback would be "I am not sure what's in the engine bay of Ver 1.3.8.126 but slice 8 was handled without drama in the previous release". So point made we should consider this problem answered and feedback for engineering. Thanks Tim, Ted & All that view.