Hot movies in powerpoint

August 25, 2011 8:49 AM

Videos in powerpoint - I find that videos in powerpoint cause the computer to run hotter that the same videos in Windows Media Player. Confirmation bias or is it something else?
posted by notned to Technology (3 answers total)

There are free tools that you could use to check this hypothesis. I use a program called Core Temp but I'm sure there are dozens of alternatives.
posted by jjjjjjjijjjjjjj at 9:05 AM on August 25, 2011

Or just use Task Manager to look at CPU load for both and see which uses more CPU time. More CPU == more heat, more or less.
posted by tommasz at 9:14 AM on August 25, 2011

It is very much possible for this to happen, though I don't know the specifics: Powerpoint is probably playing the video using some plugin or other non-optimal infrastructure that is causing your CPU and/or GPU to do more work than necessary, thus generating more heat.
posted by Dr Dracator at 9:21 AM on August 25, 2011