Posted: 11/19/2006 1:54:40 PM EDT
|
I have been encoding a lot of AVI files to DVD and it is slow going. It takes about 2 hours to do 2.5 hours of video. I currently have a ASUS A8V Deluxe Motherboard with a Athlon64 3500 Vince single core CPU and one gig ram. I do not want to go with a new system but my question to you is would a Opteron Duelcore 180 be worth the $300. My mobo supports it. |
|
If you run two conversions at the same time it might be worth it. I found that enabling the second core (the software when we setup the server didn't support it) on one of our servers it reduced the time it took for a set of reports to generate from around 21 days to 13 days. The second core made the system about 1.6 times faster which helped more than I expected. Since I think your conversion is 100% CPU limited it might help even more than that. I would put the $300 towards the future replacement system, but if you're doing a lot of conversions then it might be worth upgrading today.z |
|
Your fixed disk speed is probably one of the slower pieces of the puzzle. Video files are huge, you aren't going to fit them in RAM. Try a RAID configuration or get a small 10k drive. If your application supports multithreading then a dual core will help, otherwise it might wind up being slower unless the individual cores' clock speed is higher than your current setup. You need more RAM. |
What kind of RAM are you using that costs that much? Even with the recent price increases, I got 1GB RAM for about $130. Good overclocking RAM at that. |
|
For encoding video, two things are critical: Your CPU and your RAM. You want a fast CPU and a LOT of RAM. Not sure if a dual core CPU will help too much, unless whatever software you're using to do the encoding is multithreaded. Otherwise, it will only run on one core, and only go as fast as one of the cores will go. The only benefit you'd have then, is that other system processes would be offloaded to the other core. I'm probably going to upgrade my 3700+ to a dual core AMD proc in the next couple months. I may end up running Vista, and dual cores may help. I hope software publishers get off their asses and keep up with hardware development. Games would run much better if they were multithreaded. I believe multiple core CPUs are going to be what carries PC advancement into the future. |
Good advice on the drive issue. SATA RAID-0 here and it flies. With 1 GIG of RAM he is running in swap the whole time because XP will gobble up most of what he has. |
OOPs You are correct.... I just got some 2 gig for my father and I had it on my mind. |
| I think better software is what will help....I have done a bit of encoding and it takes time...The resolution of the conversion is what is taking so long...Are you upping the resolution or just a same size video convert. I have done exactly what you are talking about...I started with a faster HD then more memory and then faster processor...All of it helped a little at a time...The one thing I did not do was get a better video card for my PC... |
|
In your case neither extra RAM or a faster disk will help since you're mainly CPU limited. If the software you're using to convert the AVI files to DVD files supports dual processors then there'd be an advantage going to dual core. I bet your software doesn't so upgrading to the fastest single core $300 will buy will be your best choice. Another thing you can do with the $300 is buy a very barebones PC with a fast processor so you can run 2 jobs at the same time. You just need the fast processor and not a lot of RAM or a fast disk for what you're doing. You could speed up the jobs if you switch software and also buy a dual core processor. Something like TMPGEnc now supports multi processors. It can create the mpeg2 files that you can author and burn to DVD. |
|
Those single core procs overclock well. I have my 2ghz 3200+ running at 2.7ghz and it flys. Be careful about your temps. Some boards don't have the sensors in the right spot and can read kinda low. It wasn't until my old Mboard crapped out and I bought a new board that my temps were reading low on my old board. I'd think a dualcore would help you out more then anything. Your CPU is pegged 100% right? |
Yea it is at 100% My mobo will suport the Athlon64 FX cpus up to the 60. I am thinking about going that way. |
and you can even get a DVD player that can read AVI files. of course I just use the tv out on my comp. Im sure the CPU would help some. |
Or get a Philips DVP-642. It can play most AVI files natively. Just burn them to CD/DVD and pop them in the player. No conversion necessary. There may be other players now that can do it too. |
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.