strange songbird cpu usage

By basd on Jan 2, 2009 | In kde4, linux, opensuse, icewm

I earlier reported that I had a very low cpu usage "icekdeome" install running songbird for my music server.

And now it's not so low.

...

I can't figure out what changed. I am not using the version of songbird packaged in YAST, as the last time I checked it was still the 0.9 version and 1.0 was available from songbird.

As far as I know, Songbird has not updated -- it reports "no updates" and is still 1.0, build 860. My OpSu install has updated a few times though.

But in any event, I went from cpu usage in the 30% range to a whopping 67% or so, driving my computer temps to around 165 deg F. when Songbird is playing. Songbird at idle had been nominal, but it's moved up to 10 or 15% cpu usage (so I'm exiting Songbird when not in use, instead of just pausing it.)

My guess has been that something has changed in the backend used by Songbird to actually play the music. But, I don't know.

I wish, however, that it would go back to its formerly low cpu usage. I may have to give another whirl with banshee or amarok & see how they are faring cpu-wise these days.

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Later comment: 1.1 is much improved. Still uses more cpu than running Amarok, but considerably less. It has an odd pattern of low cpu usage and then spikes to 60% or.