Viewing Video Online And Other Things

[dirtybuck]

I've noticed when I watch trailers to videos online, most of the time they are very jerky. The sound is fine, it's just the picture part that sucks. Is this due to inadequate RAM (I have 1.5 GB)or DSL/cable connection (right now I have ATT DSL that's supposed to get up to 6 MBS a second, but that will change as of tomorrow night, as I've signed up for 12 MBS and it's supposedly a "cable" connection)? I do reset my modem on occasion (unplug it from the back, let it sit for a bit and then plug in back in).

Also, I've noticed at times when I do a restart, the computer starts, but within a few seconds it turns off. I have an 8 outlet surge protector, and I've found that turning off the power, letting it sit for a few minutes and then turning it back on rectifies the problem. Also, I've noticed the fan in the computer seems to run a bit more than usual. Is this an indicator my fan needs to be replaced? Are they relatively inexpensive and easy to install?

Mind you, we are dealing with an older Compaq computer. I'd love to buy a new one, but I'm not able to at this time.

Thanks for any help you guys can provide on these issues.

 

[arbilab]

Might remove cover and dust it out. Dust makes a great insulator and holds in heat.

Older video cards (I have one) can't get much beyond 10 frames/second.

 

[perc-o-prince]

Could be a combo of the older video card (if you have an older one) and the RAM.

The laptop I'm on now came with 3GB and was so-o-o-o slow for about a week (I ordered the max RAM, 8GB, as soon as I had the stats for it). I bumped it up to 8GB and it was awesome. I don't know why they sell computers, laptops in particular, with less RAM than they'll hold. Other than making them price-friendly to consumers, I think enough people are savvy enough to know that the 3 or 4GB their machine comes with will have to be upgraded immediately. I'd rather be charged the extra $75 or so and have full-capacity RAM when I buy it!

If your Compaq will hold more RAM, you might want to check eBay to see if you can get the max it'll allow. Crucial.com, PNY.com and other sites will tell you the tpe/size you need. I got the RAM for my last two laptops from aftermarket sellers on eBay and it was a lot cheaper than OEM.

Good luck,
Chuck

 

[whirlcool]

You may also want to scan your computer system for malware, spyware, etc. This can slow your computer down too.
I'm running a Pentium D with 1GB RAM and for the most part the videos run great. But sometimes for a high def video I have to let it load for a few minutes before hitting the play button.

Have you run a speed test on your connection? You'll need 1.5 minimum to get smooth video playback. The link is to a popular speedtest site.

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[lordkenmore]

I think video seems to be one of those things that makes life miserable for anyone not running fairly recent hardware. I'm also running an older computer (PIII), and YouTube is frustrating.

One idea I've heard in circles using older hardware is to download any video, then play through a media player of some sort. (Firefox has Add-ons that allow video clips to be downloaded from YouTube.) I've experimented with this idea in the past, and I seem to recall it did help. But it is a hassle.

I haven't experimented with video boards, but I have to suspect that improving the video board would help. Particularly if the current video circuit is an integrated design. (Words cannot express how much I hate integrated video. That's what my computer has--and it has caused me more hassles over the years than I can count.)

Upgrading the computer overall might be the best move. You may be unable to buy new, but you might be able to find something used that's better and still cheap. That's what I'm trying to do--I don't think I really need the latest and greatest--although finding good buys locally has proven next to impossible for me.

 

[lordkenmore]

"I don't know why they sell computers, laptops in particular, with less RAM than they'll hold."

This seems to be a long lasting tradition. And I don't think things will change--the market is too price sensitive.

And it may be a good thing for some people to save the cost of the extra few gigabytes of memory. For me, since I don't use Windows which wants infinite amounts of memory, even 3 gigabytes is probably overkill. In the unlikely event that I bought a new computer, it would be bad enough paying for an OS license I'll never use, let alone several gigabytes of memory that's only there to keep the OS I'll never use slightly happy until 20 gigabyte upgrades become viable options.