Wondering the resource usage of WINAMP?

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
i've heard somewhere that Winamp uses very little cpu and computer resource to operate. And with my system i should be able to run it in background when i play games. however when i play Star Craft with music off and use winamp to play songs i like, there is noticable lag in gaming and its unplayable because of mouse skips and stuff.

Just wondering if this is same for everyone? i have win98se, cel 950, enough ram (224mb) with a logitech optical mouse.

p.s. I've had same problem with my Cel450, TNT, 128mb ram with no name ps2 ball mouse.

thanx in advance
 

Gorgonzola

Golden Member
Nov 22, 1999
1,300
0
76
there is definately something going wrong there. i have a p2-400 (@448mhz) with 128mb ram and i can run winamp in the background while playing games with no probs/lag at all.
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
hmm.. do that games you play also have CD music running in back ground or require a cd? star craft does. Thanx for your post, maybe i can fix this after all. (since some can run withoutlag there must be a problem which has solution.)
 

MustangSVT

Lifer
Oct 7, 2000
11,554
12
81
hmmm maybe its the sound card. i have MX300 (using Aureal Vortex2 audio chip). I'll try a game without cd usage and post up on this. thanx
 

JellyBaby

Diamond Member
Apr 21, 2000
9,159
1
81
If you think Winamp is a resource and memory hog I challenge you to run Creative's PlayCenter 2.
 

MadAd

Senior member
Oct 1, 2000
429
1
81
fine for me, im not uncommonly live streaming in 128k to winamp while I play Team Fortress or UT online, and ive got a mid end machine (now) and i get no lag at all from it, not on line (512k cable) or machine/cpu wise ... with your sys it should run like a dream
 

Neo_Geo

Senior member
Feb 11, 2000
203
0
0
Try this....

Open Winamp
Press CTRL+P
Select Ouput (under Plugins in the left side of the Winamp Preferences dialog)

It should now display options for output plugins. Your options should be either Nullsoft DirectSound Plugin or Nullsoft waveOut plug-in (the Nullsoft Disk writer plug-in writes a wave file to your hdd from an mp3).

If you have the DirectSound plug-in selected, try the waveOut plug-in or vice versa. In my experience, this will solve about 98% of sound problems involving Winamp (including simultaneous gaming problems and random clicks while browing the net.)

If that does not work for you, you can try to modify the ouput plugin's configuration by choosing configure near the bottom of the dialog.

Let me know if that works or not.
 

okydoky

Senior member
May 10, 2000
387
0
0
My MX300 running Aureal Ref. drivers, works fine playing games and mp3's at the same time. Keep in mind that running Winamp and playing certain games with embedded music may cause a conflict. Just turn off music in the game...