CoverArt - Memory Usage

[jasonmcroy 315]

I had not realized until this week that the CoverArt plugin seems to cause the server to use more memory when I have it installed. 

 

Since I have a bit of a weaker computer I am always trying to ensure my computer's resources are being spared for any streaming that I attempt to do. I have a dual core cpu with 4 gigs of ram running Windows 8.1.

 

I reinstalled my system earlier this week and when I installed the server I was super impressed that the memory usage was riding at around 61 mb. I thought this was a fluke so I kept an eye on it as I was installing other things. 

 

I installed several plugins, one of them being the CoverArt plugin that I like the most and was the biggest original draw for me to start using MB in the first place.

 

Anyway, I was checking my task manager yesterday and noticed that suddenly MBS was running at about 200 mb. I checked back and it seemed to be there consistently. It did once or twice do down to about 176 mb. 

 

Out of curiosity, I uninstalled all of my plugins to see if that was causing this. I had CoverArt installed, NextPVR, Trakt and the Trailers channel. After I uninstalled everything, my memory usage went down to 60 mb. 

 

I reinstalled every plugin again, one by one. Usage went up to about 71 mb until after I installed CoverArt and it goes back up to around 200. I uninstalled only that one and it drops back down to 75 mb. 

 

It doesn't seem to affect my cpu usage either, just the memory usage.

 

So, I am just curious if this is totally normal when using this plugin and to be expected?

 

Thanks.

 

-Jason

 

[ebr 14913]

I haven't tested exact numbers lately but, yes, CoverArt is memory intensive to a certain degree (although the extra 100 or so MB we're talking about shouldn't really impact much).

 

This plugin manipulates images in memory and those images - in memory footprint - can be quite large.  You can't go by the size of the files as those are compressed formats and, when working on an image in memory, it is fully uncompressed.

[jasonmcroy 315]

Ok, thanks for the answer. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't a problem since it is a larger jump in mb than other plugins.

 

Your explanation makes total sense.

 

It is a great plugin. Thanks for the work you put in on it.

 

-Jason