RedCine not using 100% CPU while rendering and other questions

[Roger Singh]

Hi, Not sure if this has been discussed

I downloaded the new beta RedCine (nov 25), and did a test render out to DPX 2K files with the the drag race clips.

On the system I am testing it on right now is on XP 32bit with an Intel DualCore cpu running (e2160 @ 3.2ghz).

Anyhow, I decided to check out the taskmanager while rendering, and the total CPU usage is 60-65% only. It's not going quite 100% on the first Core, and it's about 20% on the second core.

Actually, I just noticed, on the second sample clip, it seems to take advantage of both cores a bit more.

But, Just wondering if future updates will take full advantage of SMP/Multicore CPUs to be at a consistent 100%?

Also wondering what CPU usage people are getting with QuadCores.

Also something a bit unrelated. Will RedCine accept EDLs in the future from offline edits to re-ouput higher res files for Onlining?

Next question, Are there plans for RedCine to support SSE4? There's been some benchmarks out there for video encoding that shows massive difference with SSE4 enabled and disabled.

 

[Roger Singh]

Hey,

It's quite possible for a CPU to use full 100% while encoding. The only real side-effect is that you can't really multi-task too well.

Check out this page

http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=442&pgno=0

It shows you how you can benchmark you computer for h.264 encoding.

On the second page, it shows the task manager for a 2-pass encode, it shows a consistent 100% usage for the 2nd pass.

I know Redcine is just doing 1 Pass, but from the above image, it still does a consistent 92%+ for the first pass.

I've only done DPX outputs, I don't know if the CPU usage is different for other file formats.

I also believe Network Rendering should be added to RedCine, it'll really help a lot. I think we're quite some time away from faster than realtime encoding.

 

[Antoine Baumann]

Rob wrote:
"It uses all cores available for things like decompression of the R3D files"

see here:
http://www.reduser.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5909&page=8

it is clear that it is faster to play and output with more cores, but it is not like rendering 3D where only the cpus are used (no gpu) and you get 100% cpus use even if you have 8 cores and more.

antoine.

 

[Rob Lohman]

I'm working on optimizing stuff daily. There are some things that aren't scaling well at the moment that I'm looking at. This will get better over time, it's a high-priority on my list every week (but fixing bugs and adding features is too).

These things amongst others are the reason everything is beta. Also keep in mind we are in development, so things will change.

 

[Stacey Spears]

Rob,

Is there a maximum number of cores you will utilize? I am trying to decide if I can live with 4 cores in the short term or should just start out with 8.

 

[number6]

Yeah, I'm wondering that myself..... would my 16 cores be worthwhile on a desktop specifically for RedCine or would that be over kill?

Core dropper

 

[number6]

Sounds interesting... I'm no expert (in anything) but I'm hoping that RED or someone else will build a dedicated render machine using GPUs instead of multi-core CPUs. I don't know if that requires OS, Application, or BIOS directed or maybe all of the above. But it seems like an inexpensive solution.

Anyway, keep us up-to-date if you should go the route you suggest. Sounds like a Jim Jannard dragster.:nuke:

 

[Rob Lohman]

It will try to use as many as it can find, however we might change that (since scaling up has some issues the further you go). If you can get an 8-core that's what I would get, personally.