CUDA rendering in VMS10

Markk655 wrote on 10/5/2010, 8:02 PM


I just switched out an NVidia 7600GT (non-CUDA supported) with a NVIdia GT240 512 MB, DDR5 (96 CUDA cores). Not the greatest card, but not that expensive either and could be used with my older power supply. cpu: C2D E6700 2.66 GHz, 4GB RAM

A typical project of ~4 mins including 6 MP stills, 1440x1080 footage, some transitions, 5.1 surround sound rendered to .m2ts using Sony AVC codec with AC3 gave 31 mins with the original video card. New graphics card with CUDA gave under 26 mis. The 5 minute savings corresponds to a 16% savings in rendering time.

So, it seems that CUDA cards work and give significant time savings, at least under these conditions.

Comments

Ivan Lietaert wrote on 10/6/2010, 5:57 AM
It's been a while, but I kind of remember that you should use Sony Mainconcept AVC/AAC codec to exploit the full power of CUDA enabled graphics cards.
On my 2 year old pc, rendering times are reduced with 25% up to 50%, depending on the project....
As far as I can conclude from your post, you are using the Sony AVC codec, which is NOT optimized for CUDA.
Eugenia wrote on 10/6/2010, 11:55 AM
No, you have it other way around. It's Sony AVC on Platinum 10 that has CUDA support, not MainConcept.
Ivan Lietaert wrote on 10/6/2010, 12:28 PM
Ran a quick test. You are right. A 30 sec test project took 3'03'' to render with the AVC codec, while it took 5'02'' to render with the mainconcept codec, which makes the former one 40 per cent more efficient.

Still, I remember you wrote a while back that you prefer the Mainconcept codec. Why is that, Eugenia?
Eugenia wrote on 10/6/2010, 3:51 PM
Because it produces better quality on the same bitrate (more optimized), but most importantly, because it supports VBR. You can, for example, export at 8 mbps AVG with 16 mbps MAX, which would be massively better quality than 8 mbps CBR on Sony AVC. The important part here is that both files will have the same filesize!

Also important, the fact that MC is more stable, and with fewer internal format limitations, than Sony AVC.
Ivan Lietaert wrote on 10/6/2010, 10:24 PM
Ok, I ran a search on google for Mainconcept, and it seems the company has new codecs/plugins out which support CUDA. So I expect that in the next upgrade of Vegas, we'll get those too, which is very promising.
Brandenburg wrote on 10/7/2010, 12:37 AM
So a little too late, maybe, for me?

Today, in a frenzy to deal with some simple vacation video, I ran out and about an ATI HD 5770 card and power supply and installed it into my computer....only to find that my Vegas 9 won't use my card.

Then there was hope! Version 10 is coming out............but it makes use of CUDA so my ATI HD 5770 card is still useless? I'm not sure I'm following.

I just bought and downloaded VMS10 from the site in hopes that I'm not a complete idiot for trying to do vacation video ,upgrading my computer, upgrading my software, blah blah.

Any suggestions for the sleepy?
Ivan Lietaert wrote on 10/7/2010, 8:18 AM
cuda is nvidia only.
Moral: first do research, then spend the cash.
In many countries, you have 7 days to annul an online purchase, so I suggest you contact official Vegas support/after sales.
Brandenburg wrote on 10/7/2010, 12:12 PM
Thanks for the advice and the moral lesson - both were well taken and needed :)

I'm actually going to take back my ATI card today and swap it for an nvidia. Hopefully it'll all work out!

Thanks much!!