Windows Media Player image lags the sound

[Sazar]

on my gf's laptop for whatever reason it is the video seems to be lagging the audio...

it'll run fine for a bit and then it'll start to lag...

I have uninstalled and re-installed wmp9 a coupla times and its still taking place...

nothing else seems to be bugging the player.. system resources seem fine... memory usage seems normal and the laptop's processor is operating @ full speed (is plugged in to the main power supply)

I was thinking it might be a heat-related slow-down (she has a pentium in her system) but I've ruled that out after testing with other apps...

I am guessing its a codec issue or something like that.. occurs from time to time and generally a few mins into a show she is watching...

-edit-

her laptop specs...

its a toshiba satellite... p3 1.13GHz... 512mb RAM... 40 gig HDD and a CD-RW/DVD combo optical drive... runs windows XP home (retail)

 

[Lee]

Take a read here, very interesting: http://forum.digital-digest.com/archive/forum/39-1.html

 

[dreamliner77]

Is this for all videos? Or just one? If just one, it may be a bad divx rip. If it's all of them, the wrong codec(s) is/are probably installed. Maybe try Katarn's VideoToolBox or MediaPlayerClassic.

 

[VenomXt]

is it a certain codect that the file is constantly?

try using a fourcc which is lots of time included in a codec install if you used a pack of some sort. withy this iot will tell you what codec you are using to decode the movie and will alllow you to change what codec is used (only takes a second)

if you dont have it google it im sure lots of places have it.

 

[Sazar]

seems to be a coupla different codecs... so far has taken place with 3 separate video files and a dvd but again its not a constant occurence..

the lag seems to vary as the video proceeds... the first few mins are usually kewl and then it gets progressivley more disparate...

I'm gonna try out a few suggestions later today thanks for the tips... I'll let you know what happens... ta..

 

[Sazar]

ok I have dl'd some other players to play the avi... I have changed wmp9 settings.. I have dl'd new codecs... I have basically done all of what you guys suggested and the problem is still there...

i dunno what to say.. might format the bugger in the next few days and see what happens then...

 

[VenomXt]

is your hardrive hot? are you downloading alot on to the drive that the files are on?

 

[Sazar]

nope.. temp not an issue... I dont get slowdowns playing ut2k3 on her laptop and the exhaust air feels relatively cool... wmp9 is not quite that intensive (compared to ut2k3)

no other apps run when we are watching something on her laptop..

 

[dreamliner77]

try running mplay32.exe and see if it still lags

 

[Sazar]

it does... was one of the first things I tried..

btw just tried a real media file and same problem there too.. therefore doesn't appear to be a problem with video codecs...

 

[dreamliner77]

long shot, but try reinstalling the audio drivers. Also look for a latency setting in the cpanel of the audio driver and lower it as far as it will go without dropping out.