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Question

specific streaming problem

Jul 19, 2016 1:19PM PDT

All of the video I watch on the pc works well. Little to no buffering. Very good resolution. The problem is from espn3.com. Espn has the option to watch 4 different events at once. The browser viewing window can split 4 ways. When I do this, the video is so choppy, it’s unwatchable.

I brought in a friend’s new laptop, connected wired. The 4way espn video was so smooth that hiccups were almost unnoticeable. Resolution was good and performance was consistent.

Here’s my rig.
Dell studio 540
Intel 2.7 e5400
Dell 0m017g mobo
6gb ddr2 sdram dim
Nvidia ge force gt220 – 1gb ddr3 sdram
Network – realtek gbe rtl8168c/8111c pcie gigabit

Is the problem processor? Video? Network? Some combination of all 3?

Discussion is locked

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Clarification Request
Small world.
Jul 19, 2016 1:25PM PDT

OK, I have this 2008 Core2Quad with less RAM but the gt230.

How do I do this without an ESPN subscription?

I'll only have this old beast for another week.

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quad box
Jul 19, 2016 2:40PM PDT

i'm not sure it's possible without some sort of subscription. i have a slingtv subscription.

when you launch an event, hover the mouse over the screen to see the screen configuration features. in the bottom right corner next to the maximize button, there is a quad box. click that. from there, click "choose event" for each window to populate the windows with events.

i don't always see the quad box option. i have to search for certain events to find it. most of the time, they're unusual, smaller events. then i can choose whatever events i want. i have no idea why it's like that.

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Since I will not pay to test this.
Jul 19, 2016 2:49PM PDT

Can you share another way to duplicate the issue?

We are talking pretty old gear so it may be time for an update in CPU or more likely GPU.

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testing?
Jul 19, 2016 3:06PM PDT

i knew my gear was old. Sad

i am trying to figure out if i can replace a component or do i need a whole new setup? processor is a bit limited. i could go to a quad core but, i don't know how much performance increase that will be. i could go way up on a video card but, i'm not convinced that's even the biggest issue right now. i feel pretty confident that network adapter is not the issue.

when you say another way to duplicate the issue, you mean from another computer? i do have two other similar computers and they are having the same problem from both ms edge and chrome. also, the new laptop i tried worked quite nicely.

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Since I can't duplicate this any other way.
Jul 19, 2016 3:26PM PDT

You may be on your own.

This will be the last few days I have this PC to test with so I can poke around to see if it's the GPU or the CPU.

I never alluded that a Quad Core would fix it. But as I can disable cores I can closely approximate what you have but time is running out.

If only ESPN does it, then you may be on your own to fix this.

The rig is running Windows 10 by the way.

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PS. Re Quad box.
Jul 19, 2016 2:55PM PDT

Sorry it's the closest machine I have at the office to look at this. But it's on the way out to a needy student in a few days so time is limited plus I will not spend a dime in testing.