If you're using a fairly new processor, this isn't at all new or surprising
- and yes, your MP3 decoders are really using under 1% CPU. In general,
most processors with on-die or 'backside' L2 cache are capable of this.
The reason why older CPUs cannot manage this (eg. 486's and very early
Pentiums) is mostly due to memory bandwidth and thrashing the tiny L1
caches found on those processors - the lack of speed of the 486 itself is
also a factor, but not the only one. Remember that a 486DX2/66 is
just-about capable of real-time MP3 decoding, and that CPU power has
increased around 50-fold from that point to the present day, not counting
improvements in memory and cache technology.
--------------------------------------------------------------
from: Jonathan "Chromatix" Morton
mail: chromi@cyberspace.org (not for attachments)
big-mail: chromatix@penguinpowered.com
uni-mail: j.d.morton@lancaster.ac.uk
The key to knowledge is not to rely on people to teach you it.
Get VNC Server for Macintosh from http://www.chromatix.uklinux.net/vnc/
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