Multimedia in Linux

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I am curious, why is multimedia in preemptive multitasking OSes so bad?=

I have noticed this both in Linux and Windows NT & 2000.
For example, playing a streaming video using RealPlayer.
On Linux, even using a 256Kbs stream, I get a tiny window with moderatel=
y=20
jerky video in Linux.
In Win2K, small video is smooth. Zooming by 2X in Win2K, video is very=20=

jerky. Full screen mode is horrible.
The same video, on Win98SE, video is smooth at all zoom levels.
Same with playing back an .mpg movie.
On Linux, even with OSS sound drivers, the sound is good, but the video =

(the scene from Titanic that sweeps from an oncoming shot with the girl =

on the bow with her hands out, to the very stern of the ship moving away=
)=20
is jerky.
Same in Win2K. In Win98, video is smooth.
Is it because seeing the multimedia is processor intensive, a cooperativ=
e=20
multitasking environment is better than a preemptive one?
The machine running Win2K & Linux has an AMD K6-2 450MHz, 192MB RAM, ATI=
=20
All-In-Wonder Pro 8MB AGP, and a SoundBlaster AWE64 card.
The Win98 machine is AMD K6-2 300MHz, 128MB RAM, ATI Rage Fury 128 16MB =

AGP (used to have the All-In-Wonder Pro when tests were run), Ensoniq PC=
I=20
audio card.
I have some home movies that I would like to edit using the computer so =

that I can burn them onto CDROM and share them with family, but I am=20=

afraid that I might be stuck using MS Me to do it.
Is there a way that I can boost multimedia performance in Linux?
Thanks!
Mark

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