Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA
| [OS X] Whats the deal with itunes?
New mac user here. Been using PCs only at home. Just got a new macbook a few weeks ago. (2ghz c2d, 2gb ram)
Is it normal for itunes to be constantly using 14-16% of cpu time? Seems like its absurdly inefficient at playing an mp3 in the background..
Also, are there any alternatives to itunes? |
|
Epyon9283
Premium
join:2001-12-26
Dayton, NJ
| iTunes is using 3% on my machine playing back 256Kbps MP3s. CPU usage gets higher for AAC and for especially ALAC playback.
Here's one alternative to iTunes: »getsongbird.com/
The resource usage isn't any better than iTunes though. |
|
EveryName
Wake Up
Premium
join:2001-12-05
Montreal | reply to Wrath
iTunes uses about 3%, likes Epyon9283  said. What are you playing? |
|
Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA | mp3s that ive accumulated over many years on my pc (which are now on my macbook as well) |
|
EveryName
Wake Up
Premium
join:2001-12-05
Montreal | Does it do this all the time? |
|
Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA | yup....a very consistent 13.8-14% now. regardless of bitrate. |
|
TearAbite
join:2001-07-25
Rancho Cucamonga, CA | reply to Wrath
do you have those screen visualization things on while the songs play? |
|
Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA | no. and its sitting minimized in the dock too. |
|
jays2345
join:2006-05-16
va.
1 edit | reply to Wrath
3% on a mini same specs as your mb |
|
jdong
Eat A Beaver, Save A Tree.
Premium
join:2002-07-09
Rochester, MI
clubs:   | reply to Wrath
Are you using any equalizer or sound enhancement postprocessors?
--
Ubuntu MOTU Developer and Forums Council |
|
tango_bob
VIP
join:2001-12-16
Evanston, IL
clubs:
 ·AT&T U-Verse
 ·AT&T DSL Service
| reply to Wrath
What does Activity Monitor show?
Applications->Utilities->Activity Monitor
On the pull down menu, show all processes and click on the CPU column to sort.
What process is showing thee highest?
Also, what Login Items are starting up? Systems Preferences->Accounts->Your Account-> Login Items.
And are all of your software updates current? |
|
Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA
| Equalizer is 'on' flat. Turning it to off makes no difference.
itunes is typically #1 assuming I'm not browsing the web at 14%
SystemUIServer sometimes jumps to the #2 position
WindowServer sometimes jumps up there too.
kernel_task here and there
Sometimes firefox (like right now with me alt-tabbing to write this). Also Activity monitor.
Time-wise, kernel_task and WindowServer are top 2. Then hidd, iTunes, SystemUIServer, update...
Login Items: iTunesHelper, iStat Menus Helper.
Also, this shouldn't make much difference, but macbook hasn't been rebooted in 14 days. Actual running time 2d 18h
Thanks for all the suggestions guys. |
|
italiansmoke
join:2005-07-21
Monroe, MI | reply to Wrath
Actually, I've noticed Firefox uses more CPU cycles than iTunes does. |
|
Tommyastro
join:2004-01-18
Poughkeepsie, NY | reply to Wrath
I notuce that even when you quit iTunes that iTunes helps stays running. Quit iTunes then open up terminal and type TOP. iTunes help is still running. WHY???? |
|
jdong
Eat A Beaver, Save A Tree.
Premium
join:2002-07-09
Rochester, MI
clubs:
| iTunesHelper is a userspace daemon that listens for the insertion of an iPod/iPhone device, upon which it launches iTunes.
This is an entirely reasonable and proper design for launching applications on insertion of a device. The alternative is to hard-code this action in the hotplug framework and I'm sure you don't want iTunes that deep in the driver stack 
--
Ubuntu MOTU Developer and Forums Council |
|
Tommyastro
join:2004-01-18
Poughkeepsie, NY | O.K., thanks for the explanation! |
|
jdong
Eat A Beaver, Save A Tree.
Premium
join:2002-07-09
Rochester, MI
clubs:
| No problems. To make clear, the only thing it does is listen for an opportunity to start iTunes; it's not actually sharing any code or anything with the giant iTunes behemoth; it's a lightweight well-behaved app that on a modern system with 1GB RAM or more should never ever get in the way of things
--
Ubuntu MOTU Developer and Forums Council |
|
tango_bob
VIP
join:2001-12-16
Evanston, IL
clubs: | reply to Wrath
What other devices are connected to the computer?
Do you use either Parallels or Fusion? |
|
Wrath
join:2000-10-31
Philadelphia, PA | Nothing is connected to my macbook.
I have no idea what either of those are, so I guess I don't use them.
Should I try a reboot? |
|
tango_bob
VIP
join:2001-12-16
Evanston, IL
clubs: | Couldn't hurt. |
|
