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Video Encoding Rig

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Originally posted by: thilan29
How would a DUAL 2.0GHz Xeon RDRAM do in encoding? THis I can pick up for about $300 Canadian with the CPUs and Tyan motherboard. Used of course and previously in an HP server.

THe RDRAM is no problem as I can easily get a hold of that.

I forgot to add, the 2.0 has hyper threading (at least the person selling them says so).


I would check that last claim...
 
Originally posted by: Duvie
Originally posted by: thilan29
How would a DUAL 2.0GHz Xeon RDRAM do in encoding? THis I can pick up for about $300 Canadian with the CPUs and Tyan motherboard. Used of course and previously in an HP server.

THe RDRAM is no problem as I can easily get a hold of that.

I forgot to add, the 2.0 has hyper threading (at least the person selling them says so).


I would check that last claim...

Yeah I just realized that these are socket 423 processors so probably no hyper threading. Hehe, you caught my mistake JUST before I edited.
 
What part of WHO GIVES A SH1t ABOUT XVID ENCODING do you not understand?

Video encoders care must about DV-MPEG2.

The x2 isn't that stellar when doing that.
 
Originally posted by: fatty4ksu
What part of WHO GIVES A SH1t ABOUT XVID ENCODING do you not understand?

Video encoders care must about DV-MPEG2.

The x2 isn't that stellar when doing that.

Every other encoding out there it wins at. Most people don;t care about ONE type of encoding. STFU !
 
DV-MPEG2 is all that matters.

I do not care about WMV encoding.
I do not care about XVID encoding.
I do not care about DIVX encoding.

DVD play off MPEG2.


hth little one.
 
http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20050509/cual_core_athlon-15.html

Pinnacle Studio 9 Plus Version: 9.4.1
från: 352x288 MPEG-2 41 MB
till: 720x576 MPEG-2 95 MB
Encoding and Transition Rendering to MPEG-2/DVD
inget ljud


Auto Gordian Knot
DivX 5.2.1
XviD 1.0.3 Version: 1.95
Audio = AC3 6ch
Custom size = 100 MB
Upplösningsinställningar = Fixerad bredd
Codec = XviD och DivX 5
Audio = CBR MP3, kbps 192
182 MB VOB MPEG2-source


Windows Media Encoder Version: 9.00.00.2980
720x480 DV till WMV
320x240 (29.97 fps)
282 kBps streaming

hey jack-arse...the mst popular format for most is actually DV to WMV and perhaps even WMV HD...AMD does quite well in both....Mpeg2 format is not the most desirable format for DV...some make DVDs and some camcorders even do it on the fly now....Most are takling them and encoding them to files taht can be streamed on web pages or small enough to email....most ppl leave their DVD content on their DV tapes cause it is truly the only loseless format their currently is....


http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2410&p=6
 
Originally posted by: fatty4ksu



actually DV to WMV and perhaps even WMV HD...

For DVD's?



All the ppl I know with DV camcorders do 2 things with them....1) leave them on the tapes or 2) download them on to PC for conversion to format for streaming on webpage or sending through email....

I am about the only one who has made DVDs from them and frankly try about a dozen differet apps and you will see this can generally differ from app to app....Pianncle can act differently in same conversion then Adobe Premiere then Canopus Procoder, etc....

Dont pin you fan boyism on main concept...that is one sh6tty program..I do lots of encoding and I have never met anyone who will admit to run that app....TMPGenc is a great program but I dont do DV to mpeg2 with it...I do AVI (XVID) conversion of stuf I download to mpeg2....

I have a progressive scan camcorder and frankly converting my stuff to DVD mpeg2 format is actually a lossy format..so I leave them on the tapes and store them..waiting for something that will allow me to back them up with no loss...
 
Wait, isn't the OP talking in reference to a P4 2.4A (a Prescott) as compared to a Sempron 2800+?

For video encoding the Prescott will run the Sempron in to the ground. Case closed.

But for most everything else the Sempron is a better P/P purchase.
 
Soooo, OP here....
ANyway, anybody have any opinions on the dual XEON 2.0 rig that I mentioned earlier which I can get really cheap? Good for encoding? Mind you those are socket 423 processors.
 
I think I may be wrong about the hyperthreading on the Xeons. I have found several socket 423 processors on the i860 chipset that DO HAVE HYPERTHREADING. Hmmm...this is interesting.
 
OK, a dual 2.0 will benefit IF your NLE supports it. Pick the editor first, then the hardware. Older Vegas and Premiere would not benefit from a dual Xeon, HT or not. A 2.0 Xeon on Pinnacle Liquid would perform about as well as a 2.6 P4 with HT (pulling numbers out of my butt, but I have been using Liquid for about 4 years now.)

Duvie (and I know you know this), HT on, a Prescott should outperform a Northwood encoding to MPEG. All the rest of the tasks that involve editing, etc., the Northwood would be faster, clock for clock. If encoding is the ONLY bottle neck, get a Prescott IF you have to buy the same clock speeds.

Otherwise, the faster chip is the winner, not matter what the lineage. A same clock speed Northwood is faster than a Prescott. But a faster Prescott...

Fatty - DV Capture card? Do you edit? A DV capture card is called.... Firewire. OP did not say anything about AV->DV. I do DV (SD) -> MPEG for DVD, DV (SD) -> WMV for Web, and DV (HDV/SD) -> WMV-HD to figure out how to be ready for it. Since HDV is here, WMV-HD, H.264, and Long-GOP MPEG are very important. It is not all about old MPEG2 anymore. There are already WMV-HD titles available along with DIVX.

Again, all of this back and forth is totally pointless. Without knowing what NLE it is, any recommendation one what is fastest is usless.

So, thilan29, what editor?

If you say Pinnacle Studio, I would recommend the 2.4 P4 AND get something better than onboard Intel video.

BTW all (OT for thread, On T for editors), just bought an HP Pavillion 6005 with AMD A64 3200+, 512MB, ATI X200 with 128MB dedicated, 80GB, DVD-DL writer for $1200 at Fry's. I have only had the chance to run 1 (one) test with Liquid Edition 6.1 and VirtualDub (beta) on it to create a WMV of a MJPEG 320x240 still camera clip. Had to use VD to save back to AVI (LE does not support MJPEG in AVI wrapper) and deinterlace, convert from 15fps to 30fps. Used the GPU 2D effect to fix a camera rotate (subject was doing a hand-stand, and shooter turned camera to get in frame - sideways video). It was definitely faster than my 1.6A with AIW 7500. Of course it was not as fast as my 2x3.06 with 9600XT. But, very pleased with the results! Need to go get a 4pin-4pin firewire cable now...
 
BTW, from what I see so far, a X2 kicks butt editing. A dual Opteron dual core will kick its butt *IF* the tools support it. If you are using Movie Maker or even Studio, it is a waste of money.

I have found that what duals of any ilk buy you is multi-tasking over the increase of speed in a single app. Example, last night, I was rendering an animation (still going this morning with 11 hours to go - only 10 seconds long), editing in Liquid (and then encoding AVI to WMV for the web), surfing, and burning a CD to move stuff to a laptop. Almost all of that at the same time. MAN, I need to replace those darn Intel Windtunnel 60mm fans! They are so NOISY!
 
Hey, thanx for the input Gsellis.

As for the programs, I most of the time use VirtualDub, TMpengEnc, and Canopus ProCoder for DVD MPEG2 or XVID encoding. So any benefit in those with the dual XEON (over say a P4 2.4-2.8 with HT?

Oh and what does NLE mean (sorry, not up to speed with forum lingo)?

THanks.
 
Non-Linear Editor = NLE

Hmm... I most of those DO benefit from duals. TMPGEnc 2.x (latest) uses 2 threads. Procorder is supposed to be multithreaded (Canopus states it). Not sure about VirtualDub. VD does use SSE3 if you have it though.

Two cores are generally better than one core with HT. In this case though, the 2.0 Xeons are probably on a 400MHz Bus. The 2.8HT is probably on an 800MHz bus (it could be 533). All things considered, the 2.8HT may be the way to go. Also, the 2.0 Xeon deals may be used electronics.
 
gsellis, don;t you think a dual-core 4200@2.5 would cream all of those ? You can get 2.5 SOOOOO easy, take my word for it !
 
Originally posted by: gsellis
Non-Linear Editor = NLE

Hmm... I most of those DO benefit from duals. TMPGEnc 2.x (latest) uses 2 threads. Procorder is supposed to be multithreaded (Canopus states it). Not sure about VirtualDub. VD does use SSE3 if you have it though.

Two cores are generally better than one core with HT. In this case though, the 2.0 Xeons are probably on a 400MHz Bus. The 2.8HT is probably on an 800MHz bus (it could be 533). All things considered, the 2.8HT may be the way to go. Also, the 2.0 Xeon deals may be used electronics.

Yes the 2.0 Xeons are on a 400MHz bus. And yes the Xeons are used but I can get it for around US$225 with the TYan m/b, PSU, and case. As for the RDRAM, I have plenty so no worries about that. I could get a P4 system but a P4 2.8HT system would probably cost me around US$500-600 but they would be new parts.
 
Originally posted by: Markfw900
gsellis, don;t you think a dual-core 4200@2.5 would cream all of those ? You can get 2.5 SOOOOO easy, take my word for it !

Yes, they probably would but as I stated earlier, I'm just trying to build an encoding rig for under US$450-500 because that is the extra amount I would have to pay for the X2 instead of a 3200+ Venice.
 
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