multimedia/MMX, Celeron CPU, and the kernel config

[Louis LeBlanc]

Hey all.  I've just installed the mplayer and mplayerxp ports for
video support.  I've never quite had it right with aviplay and
plaympeg, but I never quite understood why.

Well, when I run mplayer, I get the following:

CPU: Intel Celeron A Mendocino/Pentium II Dixon (Family: 6, Stepping: 0)
Detected cache-line size is 32 bytes
CPUflags:  MMX: 1 MMX2: 0 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 0 SSE2: 0
Compiled with Runtime CPU Detection - WARNING - this is not optimal!
To get best performance, recompile MPlayer with --disable-runtime-cpudetection

And mplayerxp gives the following:
CPU vendor name: GenuineIntel  max cpuid level: 2
CPU: Intel Celeron A Mendocino/Pentium II Dixon (Type: 6, Stepping: 0)
MMX supported but disabled
CPUflags: Type: 6 MMX: 0 MMX2: 0 3DNow: 0 3DNow2: 0 SSE: 0 SSE2: 0
Compiled for x86 CPU with features: 3DNow 3DNowEx SSE

So I'm confused as to whether I've got the best configuration for my
custom kernel.  Is there a way I can discover the exact model of my
cpu without cracking the case? 

I'm running: 4.8-RELEASE #0: built Sat Apr 12, 2003.

The boot process logs the following:
CPU: Pentium II/Pentium II Xeon/Celeron (399.12-MHz 686-class CPU)

The machine is a Dell Optiplex G1, that was built several years ago,
and given to me by my employer in a surplus lottery almost 2 years
ago.  I've put a new hard drive and video card in it, but that's about
it.  AFAIK, the machine had been unmodified before I got it.

BTW, I have the following enabled in my kernel config:

###################################
machine         i386
cpu             I686_CPU
ident           KEYSLAPPER
maxusers        0
options         INET
options         INET6
options         FFS
options         FFS_ROOT
options         SOFTUPDATES
options         MFS
options         MD_ROOT
options         NFS
options         NFS_ROOT
options         MSDOSFS
options         CD9660
options         CD9660_ROOT
options         PROCFS
options         COMPAT_43
options         SCSI_DELAY=15000
options         UCONSOLE
options         USERCONFIG
options         VISUAL_USERCONFIG
options         KTRACE
options         SYSVSHM
options         SYSVMSG
options         SYSVSEM
options         P1003_1B
options         _KPOSIX_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING
options         ICMP_BANDLIM
options         KBD_INSTALL_CDEV
options         NSWAPDEV=1
options         USER_LDT
options         ATA_STATIC_ID
options         IPFIREWALL
options         IPFIREWALL_VERBOSE
options         IPFIREWALL_VERBOSE_LIMIT=200
options         IPDIVERT

Plus of course, the various devices.  There is no SCSI card in the
machine at the time, so I don't know if the SCSI_DELAY option makes
any difference.

I have found a few other options I'm not sure about, the
CPU_PPRO2CELERON, CPU_L2_LATENCY, and CPU_ENABLE_SSE options.  I'm
just not sure if they apply in my specific case.  I'm thinking the
CPU_ENABLE_SSE option does, but before I go to the bother of changing
my kernel config and rebuilding, I'd like to know if it is going to
make even a little difference.

Can anyone give me a pointer?  Anything will be welcome, whether a
URL, or a direct indication.

Thanks!
Lou
-- 
Louis LeBlanc               leblanc at keyslapper.org
Fully Funded Hobbyist, KeySlapper Extrordinaire :)
http://www.keyslapper.org                     Ô¿Ô¬

We can defeat gravity.  The problem is the paperwork involved.