Video loading lag on laptops?

[ryano]

Wondering if anyone has commentary on a DVD I've been working on.

Built in Director MX, 3+ gigs of MOV video clips, (it's really just an
interactive CD with a lot of video)
End platform: Windows XP, fast laptops, 512 memory, Quicktime 6+

Problem: When used on laptops it sometimes lags loading random video clips. Up
to 5 or 6 seconds.. displaying a black screen.

My understanding of using Qucktime clips was that they only load when the user
opens them.. no preloading.. therefore no memory issues that way.

Wondering if the video needs to somehow be cleared from cache to avoid the
lag?

Or.. I've noticed on laptops the DVD stops spinning, to save power I guess,
and then when you load a new video clip it has to start up spinning again and
might be the cause of the lag.

Any commentary on how to optimize Director playing a lot of video clips
without lag would be helpful.

[Jayem Abania]

Hi,

For information regarding memory and digital videos, please see:

"Digital video disk and memory issues for Director"
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/go/12134[/url]

[ryano]

Thanks Jayem..

Funnily enough I just read that article. Great article.. but still leaves me
with questions.

The problem is I've tested my project on decent desktops and it works fine.
But, this issue of video lagging seems to be only on laptops. So..

1) Are other people experiencing a short lag on laptops while the DVD has to
start spinning again to play a video? (My client is getting a black screen for
up to 5 seconds)

2) Is there a way to unload videos or clear cache to help prevent memory
issues? Or does Director automatically clear the cache?

Thanks again..

[Diego]

A workaround: place on stage the BMP of the first frame of the video; set
the video position out of the stage and check on enterFrame if the movieTime

> 0: at this point move your video in the correct position.

--
Diego
[url]http://dmzone.it[/url]


"ryano" <webforumsuser@macromedia.com> wrote in message
news:c5mbjq$qo1$1@forums.macromedia.com...

> Thanks Jayem..
>
> Funnily enough I just read that article. Great article.. but still leaves

me

> with questions.
>
> The problem is I've tested my project on decent desktops and it works

fine.

> But, this issue of video lagging seems to be only on laptops. So..
>
> 1) Are other people experiencing a short lag on laptops while the DVD has

to

> start spinning again to play a video? (My client is getting a black screen

for

> up to 5 seconds)
>
> 2) Is there a way to unload videos or clear cache to help prevent memory
> issues? Or does Director automatically clear the cache?
>
> Thanks again..
>
>

[Vinitius]

I think generaly not more can be done then tricks to keep the viewers mind busy
while the cd starts spinning and the video loads. Keep busy with a picture or
some tekst and, indeed as stated in the above post and depending on what kind
of Xtra U use for the video, keep the videoarea offstage or hidden as long as
it is not loaded.