CPU on fire when playing .mkv files

[ginosal]

Hi. My cpu becomes very hot when I play .mkv files, because it is very stressed (around 80% usage during the playback). Sometimes it reaches the shut down temperature.

It happens when using VLC, gnome-mplayer, totem.

My Linux Mint version is Mint 13
VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 02)

Is there a way to reduce the cpu usage and hence its heat? I've read that on machines with nvidia cards it is possible to install the appropriate drivers in order to reduce the cpu stress. Maybe there's something for my video card, too. Thanks.

[PatH57]

let's take a look on your hw and drivers used.
Also you don't say what you use to play the files?

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

[ginosal]

let's take a look on your hw and drivers used.
Also you don't say what you use to play the files?

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

Sorry, I had almost forgot this topic

Anyway, this is the output of

Code: Select all

inxi -Fxz

Code: Select all

System:    Host: xxxxxxxxx-Aspire-5742Z Kernel: 3.2.0-23-generic i686 (32 bit, gcc: 4.6.3) 
           Desktop: LXDE (Openbox 3.5.0) Distro: Linux Mint 13 Maya
Machine:   System: Acer (portable) product: Aspire 5742Z version: V1.05
           Mobo: Acer model: Aspire 5742Z version: V1.05 Bios: Acer version: V1.05 date: 08/24/2010
CPU:       Dual core Intel Pentium CPU P6100 (-MCP-) cache: 3072 KB flags: (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 ssse3) bmips: 7980.06 
           Clock Speeds: 1: 933.00 MHz 2: 933.00 MHz
Graphics:  Card: Intel Core Processor Integrated Graphics Controller bus-ID: 00:02.0 
           X.Org: 1.11.3 drivers: intel (unloaded: fbdev,vesa) Resolution: 1366x768@60.0hz 
           GLX Renderer: Mesa DRI Intel Ironlake Mobile x86/MMX/SSE2 GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 8.0.4 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card: Intel 5 Series/3400 Series Chipset High Definition Audio driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture ver: 1.0.24
Network:   Card-1: Broadcom NetLink BCM57780 Gigabit Ethernet PCIe driver: tg3 ver: 3.121 bus-ID: 01:00.0
           IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Qualcomm Atheros AR9287 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) driver: ath9k bus-ID: 02:00.0
           IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (49.5% used) 1: /dev/sda Hitachi_HTS54503 320.1GB 38C 
Partition: ID: / size: 228G used: 148G (69%) fs: ext4 ID: swap-1 size: 9.33GB used: 0.00GB (0%) fs: swap 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 56.0C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A 
Info:      Processes: 149 Uptime: 1:49 Memory: 578.8/2320.7MB Runlevel: 2 Gcc sys: 4.6.3 Client: Shell inxi: 1.7.33

I use vlc to play the files. Thanks

[PatH57]

the driver for your video card is ok, but as it is an integrated card it's not helping a lot when doing rendering or playing mkv (this form of video is very nice but also process intensive)
You could monitor your activity, system monitor and check it from time to time.