CUDA 1.1 Render Test

Jim H wrote on 10/25/2011, 4:51 PM

I'm not able to turn on the GPU acceleration of video processing under the options/Preferences/Video menu because my GPU is running CUDA 1.1.
But when I Render my video and go to the Customize Template's "System" tab, I am able to "Check GPU" and get the response "CUDA is Available."
Moving to the Customize Template's "Video" tab I rendered the same 20 second video clip using the three available options and here are my rendering time results:

- Automatic: 00:43
- Render using CPU only: 01:09
- Render using GPU if available: 00:42

Output format was MainConcept AVC/AAC Internet HD720p

The winner is "Render using GPU if available" but within the margin of error of second place option "Automatic."
However, the real winner is me now knowing that even my CUDA 1.1 GPU is nearly doubling my render speed.

The question now is: What would upgrading to a Gforce590 with CUDA 2.0 or higher do for me? Besides rock at gaming..

Comments

Tom Pauncz wrote on 10/25/2011, 7:10 PM

Jim,

Tried the same as you since my card is also CUDA 1.1. It's strange that plug-ins and encoders such MC can see and use the GPU, but SONY Vegas can't see it. Beats me!

My tests:
- Automatic: 03:23
- Render using CPU only: 09:59
- Render using GPU if available: 3:16

GPU is definitely working as, with a sniffer, I saw between 84-94% utilization and memory used was around the 300MB - card has 1GB of RAM and is a GeForce 9800GT.

I should add that I was rendering out to Internet HD1080p.

Tom

Red Prince wrote on 10/25/2011, 8:25 PM

Beats me!

It shouldn’t beat you. They come from different companies, so they can easily support some hardware that Vegas itself does not.

TheHappyFriar wrote on 10/25/2011, 10:16 PM

Cuda 2.0 must be a requirement for preview vs the rendering. Nice to know.