Which digital video format is easiest (takes the least system resources) to play?

I am doing a lot of video overlay work on two monitors at the same time and i am have a slight video lag at times on the second monitor when i overlay moving text onto the video ( very small lag and only a few times) I am trying to figure out the best format to use that would require the least amount of hardware and processing resources to play back.

 

avi...

it's uncompressed...

 

Might try some different formats and see if the lag goes away. With video you trade off file size and hard disk transfer rate (on uncompressed formats) and CPU/memory utilization (on more highly comressed formats). If the lag is from the hard disk, then going to a more compressed format might help. On tip is to fire up TaskManager (assuming Windoze) and wath the CPU utilization while editing. If the CPU is getting maxed out, then try a less compressed format.

 

btw, is your video driver the latest and greatest?

 

Video drivers are latest and greatest, However hardware is not (its a laptop) however i do have a real 256mb deticated graphics card and 2 gigs of ram with a dual core proc. So it may not be the best but it is as good as i can get with a laptop.

I will try avi, video needs to be displayed at 1040x780 and look nice.

Also hard drive space is no problem i have dual 100gig hard drives and i only use 20 gigs.

 

oh... a laptop...

try this little gadget:

http://matrox.com/graphics/en/gxm/pr...gital/home.php

 

Does this just copy the video to three monitors? Because each monitor needs to be displaying completely different video output.

One displays the main program and controls (also displays the video seen in projector 3). (main laptop screen)

Second displays words for singers on stage (projector 1)

third displays video with text overlay for audience (projector 2)



I could not tell if the said hardware just multiplies video signal or if it will allow me to use each monitor as a individual.

 

http://matrox.com/graphics/en/finent.../powerdesk.php

shows you can clone 3 displays with the same thing...

or up to 3 diff things on 3 diff mons...

nice thing about this, and reason why i immediately thought of it for your application is that the computer is taken out of the loop.

this hardware solution does everything and it should NOT have and lagging issues...