SmartQ 5&7 Video Playback Ubuntu Vs Wince Vs Mer

[drifter123]

Hi, I am new to this forum. Just tracked my order, and my SmartQ 5 will arrive by Monday (31 Aug 09) or Tuesday.

I have heard that the video and audio playback on the SmartQ MID's is poor because the hardware is very taxed by the default operating system. Can someone please compare the multimedia playback on the 3 OS's available, the default OS (ubuntu), WinCE and Mer.

I would be very grateful for any replies.

[markr]

It's not that the stock OS is too taxing, it's that the CPU in the SmartQ 5 and 7 isn't powerful enough to handle video. Apparently there is a video chip in the devices, but there is no driver for it in the stock OS (or by Mer), unless it is used by WinCE that won't be any better.

[Nation.A.List]

Originally Posted by drifter123

Hi, I am new to this forum. Just tracked my order, and my SmartQ 5 will arrive by Monday (31 Aug 09) or Tuesday.
I have heard that the video and audio playback on the SmartQ MID's is poor because the hardware is very taxed by the default operating system. Can someone please compare the multimedia playback on the 3 OS's available, the default OS (ubuntu), WinCE and Mer.
I would be very grateful for any replies.

Are you sbjafri in disguise ?

[drifter123]

Originally Posted by Nation.A.List

Are you sbjafri in disguise ?

just another name i thought bout trying, but yah

Originally Posted by markr

It's not that the stock OS is too taxing, it's that the CPU in the SmartQ 5 and 7 isn't powerful enough to handle video. Apparently there is a video chip in the devices, but there is no driver for it in the stock OS (or by Mer), unless it is used by WinCE that won't be any better.

as long as the hardware is there we can only hope that one day the software will catch up. but this sucks lol

[rebski]

Apparently there is a video chip in the devices, but there is no driver for it in the stock OS

I was aware of this back in June when I ordered the device. In my mind the operative missing word was 'Yet'. Could it be possible that this driver will never be available?

I accept that it was never actually promised and I take responsibility for my mistaken assumption. Though had I known that this support may not be forthcoming then I would not have bought the Q7.

So I guess it is a matter of sitting and waiting and hoping?

[drifter123]

maybe the mer team will be able to incorporate the driver in the future. waiting is all we can do.

i just ordered a wince license, its supposedly plays video better and runs faster.

[rebski]

Originally Posted by drifter123

maybe the mer team will be able to incorporate the driver in the future. waiting is all we can do.

i just ordered a wince license, its supposedly plays video better and runs faster.

Would you mind letting us know how you get on. Is the screen more responsive and positive under WinCE? does it contain the necessary drivers? Thx

[serwei]

the h/w is not the limitation, my PDAs of the same cpu family can do SDTV at 520MHz...

[Nation.A.List]

Some info re video playback. I get 'good' quality video playback using the following settings on my Q7 with SMPlayer;
SIZE: 608 x 336 - CODEC DivX or XVid - VIDEO 1000bps - AUDIO 96bps (lancoz re-sizing)
The source file was a rip from Monty Pythons, 'The Life Of Brian' DVD (I own the original DVD, not a pirate copy)
I used 'All to Avi' to do the decoding. (I found 'ViDrop' would not work on my Vista 64 PC, and 'Super' kept giving the same size files regardless of the settings so it seems there may be a problem there). I could not spot any noticeable difference when playing the same file on the Std OS or WinCE.

[drifter123]

I know the answer now. WinCE wins hand down