Multi Layer R3D not running realtime on Mac Pro 2.26 8Core

[Asif Limbada]

I have the same post on Adobe forums, but there is not RED specific response. I hope you guys can help me out.

Dear All,

I am working with native EPIC r3ds on Premiere Pro CS5.5, with Red Rocket installed on Cyclone Expander via x16 PCIExpress Slot, its also got a Quadro 4000 on the Mac Pro Slot 1 and one in the expander. However, the Mercury Playback Engine with GPU Enabled does not play realtime on the preview. Scratch disk is on a Promise Vtrak x30 via FC 8gbps via Dual Channel 8Gbps ATTO HBA.

The problem is as soon as I put another layer of r3d on the time line, Premiere pro just drops frames like its running on a Core 2 Duo. I have changed the Memory settings, Media Cache Settings, Sctrach Disk Preview etc. Still I get drop frames. However, when I open BMD Timeline, drop frames are still at 14fps.

Here is the detailed list of the system components

Mac Pro 2009 2.26 8-Core Nehalem
32GB OWC RAM
240GB OWC SSD Macintosh HD (Boot Drive, in DVD/CDROM Bay)
240GB OWC SSD Macintosh HD1 (Time Machine Backup of Boot Drive, in DVD/CDROM bay)
4x1.5TB Hard Disks in the Mac Pro Striped Software RAID (Total 6TB = AJA System Test 450MB/sec Write/Read Speed 4GB Size)

Slot 1 x16 - nVidia Quadro 4000 2GB
Slot 2 x16 - PCI Expander HBA (Cyclone)
Slot 3 x8 - BMD Decklink HD EXtreme (Its here because of Davinci Resolve Manual )
Slot 4 x8 - ATTO Dual Channel Fibre Channel HBA 8Gbps/port FC-82EN

Cyclone Expander
Slot 1 x16 - nVidia Quadro 4000 2GB
Slot 2 x16 - RED ROCKET
Slot 3 x16 - Empty
Slot 4 x8 - Empty
Slot 5 x8 - Empty

Promise Vtrak x30 32TB 16-Bay - Single Subsystem Optimal Config via XSAN 2.2 with 2x8Gbps Ports connected on each controller (2 Controllers) & (Total 20TB = AJA System Test 800MB/sec Write, 400MB/sec Read Speed 4GB Size)

Meta Data Controller
iMac i7 3.4Ghz, 16GB RAM, Lion Server
SANLink 2x4Gbps connected via Thunderbolt

QLogic 5800V Single Power 8Gbps 8-Port Fibre Channel Switch


I do not know if its a HDD or GPU or CPU Bottleneck. Need advice.

 

[Todd T]

Fwiw: I ran into the same problem trying to do a mult-cam edit in premier.

Even on a 12 core hp z800 workstation, 12gb ram with a red rocket and 10Tb raid in a JMR expansion chassiis.

It struggled with two camera angles and stalled with thre, it was totally CPU bound.

We got around this by stacking tracks on the timeline and maually cutting back and forth

The system bogged down only when processing multiple concurrent 5K streams.
What specifically are you doing with the second layer of your timeline?

 

[Sven Seynaeve]

This doens't sound good.

 

[Todd T]

It's the nature of the beast.

If we use 1080p as an example then data bandwidth grows in a linear fashion: two stream of 1080/24p is double the bandwith, three streams triple, and so on....

In 5K, amount of data being handled goes up exponentially compared to 1080/24p, if we compare a single 5K stream is like four 1080/24p streams then two 5K streams would be equivalent to eight 1080/24p streams, three 5K streams would be equivalent to twelve 1080/24p streams, and so on.

How well would your current editing workstation perform trying to edit a 12 1080/24p camera multicam timeline?

It's essentially the same problems we ran into when we started editing HDV material, it pegged our 500mhz pentiums IIIs, it filled up our 9GB HDDs, and 640k of ram just wasn't enough ;-)

 

[Subhadip Sen]

If I understand your situation correctly, I suspect it's a Rocket bottleneck - you will need two Rockets to debayer 2 streams realtime. Or, you can remove your Rocket and drop resolution.

 

[jake blackstone]

You're asking RR to debayer two epic streams at once. RR always does full quality debayer and there is no way to force it to split that process between two or more tracks. So, if you have more than one track, that RR has to debayer, you will not get real time playback. You then better off by turing The RR off and using Mercury Engine playback instead at lower debayer quality. If you drop it low enough, your CPU will be able to handle a real time playback. I suspect for your computer it will be around 1/4 or 1/8 setting. And that is why for real time HDRx you need two RR and for 3D HDRx you need four

 

[Asif Limbada]

Thanks guys, you all have been helpful.

This means that because the RR debayers at full quality, either I need to switch off the GPU Expander completely or disable usage of RR in Adobe Premiere via Source Settings dialog box (Is this possible?).

Its a relief, all this time I was thinking my expensive XSAN system was a waste of money

 

[David McGavran]

THat isn't quite true. But 1 RR is not enough to do one epic stream at full res. However 1 RR can do 1 Epic at 1/2 res. Should be able to two streams at 1/8 res or so.

Cheers

Dave

 

[Asif Limbada]

THat isn't quite true. But 1 RR is not enough to do one epic stream at full res. However 1 RR can do 1 Epic at 1/2 res. Should be able to two streams at 1/8 res or so.

Cheers

Dave

Well Dave, When I go to playback quality with RR enabled in Premiere Pro CS5.5, the lowest I can go to is 1/4, lower settings are greyed out. Is there a way to select lower values?