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Stellarium on aged laptop

bambuko

By bambuko
in Discussions - Software

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bambuko

bambuko

Posted
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I am using Panasonic Toughbook, with Intel Pentium M 1500MHz 1.2GB RAM with Mobility Radeon 9000 video card.

The card has ati2dvag.dll driver.

3D functionality is fine.

but... when I try to run Stellarium (latest version 0.13.1) it ends up with CPU locking at 99%

Hopefully someone will have some idea, because it would be a shame to have to update laptop (and expensive if I want another Toughbook).

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bambuko

bambuko

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Yes, I can go back to older version - was hoping though for another solution...

It would seem that it is the "solution" that is causing the problem :huh:

The solution being - installing a version of Stellarium meant for older XP hardware machines (i.e. "with MESA software OpenGL driver), see:

Common problems with version 0.13

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pete_l

pete_l

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The solution being - installing a version of Stellarium meant for older XP hardware machines (i.e. "with MESA software OpenGL driver), see:

Common problems with version 0.13

Yes, Stellarium is more like a video game than an astronomy program. It's video-intensive, though for astronomical use I really can't see the point in needing 25 FPS when nothing astronomical moves across the sky that fast. It would be really nice if there was a control for update rate like there is on a lot of other planetarium programs.

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trynda1701

trynda1701

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Although I'm running a much older Mac 15" Powerbook (1.67Ghz Power PC G4) running OS X 10.5.8, I had the same problem a few months ago when trying to see if it was worth whille updating from Stellarium 0.10.4 to version 0.11. The machine REALLY slowed down, so I just reverted back.

As I only use the Powerbook for web browsing, email and word processing, that version of Stellarium does for me.

Mark

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CozyScaley

CozyScaley

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........................................... it's the ability of graphic card to run OpenGL 2.0

It runs on a very old laptop that I have, but there's 'triangular type' images round every star. I believe it's because the graphics chip isn't up to the job.

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Skipper Billy

Skipper Billy

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I have tried Stellarium on my old Panasonic CF18 Toughbook - wouldn't even think about it.

Tried it on my wifes Lenovo thinkpad - ran it but stuttering.

On my i7 laptop its fine - but its shows how graphics intensive it is - it will make just about any laptops graphics card break out into a serious sweat!!!

So the ideal laptop for being outside in the damp wont hack it and the one machine I really dont want to get wet is the only one that will run it!!

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bambuko

bambuko

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It's not XP that is the problem - I have Stellarium 13.1 running perfectly fine on my XP desktop (with NVIDIA Geoforce graphic card).

It's the need for OpenGL2.1 that's causing the problem for all the computers with older graphic cards.

Yes, Stellarium has very easy interface, but totally un-necessary(for astronomy purposes), fancy graphics.

I suppose it is aimed at today's video game generation :grin:

Two options available when installing Stellarium (OpenGL and MESA driver) confirms that there is a problem for many users.

Unfortunately MESA is not a solution either...

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Piero

Piero

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It's not XP that is the problem - I have Stellarium 13.1 running perfectly fine on my XP desktop (with NVIDIA Geoforce graphic card).

It's the need for OpenGL2.1 that's causing the problem for all the computers with older graphic cards.

Yes, Stellarium has very easy interface, but totally un-necessary(for astronomy purposes), fancy graphics.

I suppose it is aimed at today's video game generation :grin:

Two options available when installing Stellarium (OpenGL and MESA driver) confirms that there is a problem for many users.

Unfortunately MESA is not a solution either...

Not just older graphic cards, but also not necessarily powerful. My netbook ran Stellarium 12.0 pretty well, but doesn't even want to hear about starting Stellarium 13.0.. 

But yeah, you are right about the requirements of OpenGL2.. although they should have worked out a solution for backward compatibility instead of just 

removing the code compatible for older machines  :shocked:

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Big Si

Big Si

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I am running stellarium 12.4 on a lightly pimped (maxed out memory & small replacement SSD) Mk2 CF18 Toughbook (1100 Mhz Pentium M).

It runs happily on Ubuntu (Precise Pangolin) at about 10fps, but has some minor weirdness in ocular view at some magnifications when the image file size is smaller than the ocular field of view.

Si

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alexwolf

alexwolf

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It would be really nice if there was a control for update rate like there is on a lot of other planetarium programs.

Sigh... Stellarium has this feature many years... Some options for advanced users are available only through editing the config.ini file.

Hint: http://www.stellarium.org/wiki/index.php/Configuration_file#Section_.5Bvideo.5D

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bambuko

bambuko

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Sigh... ANGLE will be not solve problems for $10-cost graphics cards...

there is no need for this kind of attitude...

all this sighing ... must be hard dealing with us mere mortals :grin:

and what is the price of graphic card you find acceptable? :tongue:

Anyway... I can't change the card on my laptop (it's not as easy as it is on the desktop), and like I said before - I am not going to buy new laptop just for Stellarium.

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