Celestia CPU usage

[Guest]

I've noticed the CPU usage is 99% is this due to a loop which doesn't share CPU time with other programs?

Two improvements I'd like to see is a script and Key command to put Celestia in idle mode to drop the CPU usage and a SYNC output readable by an external program when a script completes.

[maxim]

As long as the framerate in Celestia is less than your monitors refresh rate (typically 85 fps) the CPU will work all time. As soon as Celestia can render fast enought the CPU load will drop.

maxim

[newbe]

Then what I need is a graphics card that has its own CPU onboard and doesn't use the main computer CPU. Can you recomend an affordable one that doesn't use the main CPU.

[selden]

newbe,

All 3D graphics cards have a "graphics processing unit" which does most of the hard work to manipulate 3D objects. However, they can't do everything, and quite a lot has to be done by your system's main processor.

As a result, you should consider upgrading everything you can afford to upgrade: faster cpu, faster gpu, lots of main memory and fast disk drives.

To directly answer your question, though, you'll get the best 3D acceleration for Celestia by upgrading to a graphics card based on Nvidia's high-end graphics chips. Right now, their fastest consumer GPU is the GF 6800 Ultra. At about $500 US, it's rather expensive and needs lots of power. I think a 6600 would be more than adequate.

I hope this helps a little.

[Zarius]

I've noticed this CPU usage too, however I also note that minimising the application puts it in an idle mode (at least for recent versions 1.3.2 & 1.4.0pre6). I think I remember reading this is the docs somewhere too. This may be partly what you are looking for.

Other than this, upgrading as others have suggested will help ease the CPU usage whilst Celestia is in use - at least until you start using all the latest highres textures and heaps of add-ons (You know, I didn't upgrade my PC for the game 'Halflife 2', but I'm considering it for Celestia )
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Zarius.

[Guest]

adding a faster CPU or GPU helps ofcourse ,
but I sure would like to have an option to lower the CPU-load ,
when having a slow TFT display it makes no sense in recalculating all data every 1/60 st second or so .
Is it possible to add an option recalculating all data at only every odd refresh-count or even better at a givin time-frame .


Ren?© Ramekers

[maxim]

There had already been a feature request about this:

http://shatters.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4510&highlight=fps+feature

maxim