If you think about what could limit render speeds and you will realize that RAM is not the bottleneck. Most video cards are fast enough to display 2D video at 30 fps, so that isn't the limiting factor. Most hard drives have enough bandwidth to keep up with any HD render. Unless you are going to pre-render a clip, rendering in Vegas generally doesn't use a lot of RAM.

So at least for Vegas, rendering is limited by the speed of the CPU. There are just a lot of calculations needed to render video and the CPU is the limiting factor. Just look at the the results in this thread. Dual core machines generally render twice as fast as single core machines. And quad core machines are four times as fast. I'm sure that a properly setup dual CPU machine with quad core CPUs would be close to eight times as fast.

This is not to say that a 64 bit version of Vegas couldn't be rewritten to take advantage of 8 or more GB of RAM. We will have to see on that one.

Will Vegas 8.0b not recognize 8 cores? Under preferences it only allows 4. I guess I answered my own question.

Well, with my 8 core/8gig ddr2 RAM system I got 2:04 on the render test. I have not overclocked it yet.

j razz

Yes, it will recognize 8 cores, but you have to into the internal settings tab (hold the shift key down while clicking on Preferences) and change the 4 to an 8

Okay, so I changed 4 threads for video rendering to 8 and applied it. That is the only setting I changed.

The result is all 8 cores rev up and then drop off and rev up and drop off and rev up... you get the picture. So, the render test actually took longer with 8 cores than with 4. It took 2:13 with all 8 enabled.

Is there a way to optimize for 8 cores?

j razz

rendertest-hdv.veg

HDV Render - Only took 1:05

AMD Athlon 64X2 6000+
3GB
8800gts 640MB Ram

Q9450@3200 mhz. - 1.208 Volt
400 Mhz clock
2GB ram PC6400 at 400 mhz 5-5-5-16 - 2t
MB ASUSP5k/EPU
HDD:160GB SATA 300 with 16 mb buffer (Seagate)

99 seconds pure.

@j razz,

No one has posted anything anywhere on the Internet that indicates that Vegas will will use 8 cores properly. Maybe with the next build.

J

I've been in talks with Sony about this and currently there is no way to utilize 8 cores for rendering in 32 bit Vegas. Good things are on the way though. :)

j razz

Anything about when?

2:10 on Q9300 quad core with GeForce 8800GT and 4GB ram. Note that this is on 64 bit Vista and 8.0b

12:21 Pentium4 3.2GHz 2GB DDR2 Asus MB Vegas 8B

Hi,

Come on - I built my system 6 months ago and no one has still broken my record of 82 seconds???

Don't get me wrong, I'm quite happy about that ;)

Christian

Well, I'm not exactly sure that this is some sort of competition. This thread was started simply to give people a ball park idea of what combinations of hardware do best with Vegas, and what we should expect given the equipment used.

If you're looking for contests then you should try the overclockers forum. They have some pretty fast machines there to say the least. I think most people here are more concerned with quality video editing.

Dont get me wrong. I'm not compenting against anyone. I'm just happy that my efforts and investment bought me a system that seems to hold up, at least for now. Wouldn't you be? And I have shared also the details of my system, so mission accomplished. My biggest concern is to produce quality video, too. If that also happens at high speed, the better it is.

I was little surpised because over half a year has elapsed an no one has reported faster render times. That's a short time for the human kind, but a long time in the "computerland"...

Still eager to see how the 8.0c will improve AVCDH editing... No system is fast enough for these files... I don't feel bad for achieving high speed by some additional overclocking. That might be a "sport" for some people, but for me it was just a simple way of utilizing the components to their full potential, but without compromising the stability of the system. Stability is as important as good quality video :)

Christian

Are we allowed to use LN2?

Bob.

Not a commercial or endorsement- just my experience and some solutions I found after discovering that my P4 3.2GHz system was rendering six times slower than John's QX6700, ...so, after about four years with current setup, I decided to upgrade my system.

Perhaps this is a better thread for CPU comparison, but since this thread seems to be talking primarily about this issue, regardles of the thread title... here goes.

COMMENTARY on REAL NEED:
But, I did seriously pause- because frankly, the ONLY time I'm going to really see these faster performances that amount to anything more than a blink or two, is when rendering video files.

And these days, we are obsessed with speed- it's really kind of goofy. Any time I had any large amount of rendering to do, I started it, and then did any other number of chores and jobs around the house-- or just went to bed. Woke up, rendering was done while I snored.

Of course, High Def Video changes this somewhat, because a large job will take frigging forever on anything but a relatively new system, and I make my living selling my movies- so, it's a good excuse to upgrade.

This being said--- I don't sell ANY HD film these days--- it's all online video, or video for regular TV-- HD video of length won't fit comfortably on a 4.5GB DVD, and bigger discs are very expensive, while 4.5GB DVDS are 25 cents each. Until double density and blueray shrink in price 1000 percent, I don't see myself rushing to duplicate my movies on DVD any time real soon (on anything other than 4.5GB)

So-- in reality, with a few exceptions, most consumers frankly have a new playtoy in these newest CPUs as much as I can gather, and I'm as guilty as anyone.

How many of us are producing movies that are going to be blown up on theater screens? And, as much as I like HD big screen TVs, per above, I don't quite see the practical necessity , or reasonable intelligence of manufacturing my own films in HD, not for a while. Regular resolution DVD still looks pretty damn good on a 32" HD widescreen set.


That being said--- onward.

Needless to say, if anyone else is thinking about doing this, the choices are so various that it's very difficult to know what to do if you are re-building yourself.

I've been a computer builder for a decade, but even so, things change so much, and there are so many things to choose from--

So, my brain told me to GO TO A PHYSICAL STORE and get the stuff in your eyeballs, and get some help from someone who's around this stuff all day everyday.

CURRENT SETUP:
I currently have 3 IDE drives, a GREAT AGP video card, 3 IDE hard drives, a beautiful large case, fans galore, video card cooler Thermalright HR-03, Zalman CPU cooler, fan speed controls, firewire PCI, Soundblaster PCI (I use this along with my M-Audio Firewire 410), and a floppy drive-- and I wanted to use and save as much as possible to minimize my costs, and keep my system similar to previous- but still make a lot of the great upgrades.

***
SHOPPING:
These days, in Denver Colorado, there are VERY FEW storefronts to go to- and MicroCenter is about it, as many independents and CompUSA are all history.

MicroCenter has not been the best priced place in the past, but they seem to be making some real efforts now to compete with online prices-- and with a couple exceptions, I was very happy to pay the small difference in prices to hold the stuff, and have someone to bounce ideas off.

SO-- the salesman-- a 70 year old guy who really knew his stuff (and I can smell a BS artist a mile away)-- hooked me up with a great pick of affordable upgrades...

**
CPU:
As far as the processor- MicroCenter beat all online with the current special on theQuad Q9450, for $299- nobody can match this. I used my sales tax license to skip the tax, and no shipping. If you don't know, its 2.66GHZ quad, 12MB cache, 1333Mhz FSB, 45nm, should really scream with any application, and run cooler than the earlier QX6700, 6600-- and should OC if I choose that way, which I typical don't and run everything stock. Why shorten life to gain a few seconds here and there?


My Zalman Cooler should work fine on this too, and I can stay silent 95% if the time and crank it up while rendering.

**

MOTHERBOARD:

I chose a Gigabyte EP35C-DS-- $189 MicroCenter, $119 NewEgg

It has 3 PCI slots, 3 more PCI express slots, 6 !! memory slots (DDR2 and DDR3 capable), great digital integrated sound, and more.

I can use 1 PCI slot for my firewire PCI card, another for my IDE controller, so I can run my 3rd IDE hard drive, and the third for my sound card.

The motherboard is all of $119 at NewEgg-- alas, Microcenter got me on this one- $70 more, but I saved that much on the CPU and everything else was the same price as online-- so given the convenience of in store shopping, it all comes out in the wash.

**
VIDEOCARD:

AGP video slots are history, so bye bye to that card, and on to ebay-- so an outstanding EVGA 8800GT video card was had- exact same price as online NewEgg after rebates from both, $169

My videocard cooler works on this, :-) happy silent cooling, 1st class from Thermalright, about $60 if you need to buy new.

**
MEMORY:

Had to switch to DDR2 800, went with CORSAIR, most people are happy with it- I could go with 1066, but 800 can be overclocked, but frankly, I think the dif between 800 and 1066 is going to be extremely small, and nothing at all except in extreme applications-- probably seconds inn rendering, and nothing else that I'm going to see.

But it's dirt cheap everywhere now, decent quality is $70 online for 4GB, a few bucks more at MicroCenter for the same stuff, no shipping, within dollars.
**

So-- I'll put it all together tonight, and post the results.

I can likely sell all my old stuff to someone who can use it, and make $100-$200 back as well.

Stay tuned for performance results...

Neil

http://www.BrainRadar.com


Movies at www.MirrorMovie.com
www.CaptainSherlock.com
www.neilslade.com/Innocence.html

A ROYAL PAIN IN THE ASS.

Let me say that again....

I've just WASTED TWO FULL DAYS OF MY VALUABLE LIFE trying to get all this NEW AND IMPROVED baloney hardwaret to work, as previously described above.

MicroCenter was virtually NO HELP after the SALE.

The refused to run any tests of anything I bought from them--
after the sale service was non-existent with me paying them and arm and leg, for tests that shouldn't needed to be done in the first place.

1) Gigabyte Motherboard DOA--- no power, no power LED.
My power supply tested fine with old board even after trying new board.

2) SECOND Gigabyte Motherboard DOA !!
I then bought a second PSU to see if I was losing my mind.
Nope. Old board lit up like a Christmas Tree.

3) I then exchanged for a Clearance ASUS P5K, I would be damned to give Gigabyte a third chance.
The Asus board powered on immediately.

THEN.....THEN!!!!!!!!!!!

4) The 8800GT EVGA Video card failed to display anything.
!!!!!

So I returned, now a THIRD TIME to MicroCenter--- and exchanged for another
EVGA 8800GT.

5) The SECOND 8800GT Card refused to post -- ZIP ZERO NOTHING BLANK.
I reset the CMOS on the mother board, maybe, maybe....

NOTHING. Nothing on either of 2 monitors, even tried a DVI to VGA adapter. Blank Black.

6) So I then go to Bewst Buy just for the hell of it and buy another brand, and an 8600 GT video card.
Same thing. No monitor.


I then rip everything out of my box, and put everything back the way it was,
P4, AGP ASUS P4P800 AGP board, 1950 AGP video card.

Perfect.

Fck this upgrade crap DIY. In the two days I wasted trying to upgrade to a swell Quad Processor and all the other crap, I could have rendered a half dozen films with my old P4.

Imagine, two brand new motherboards in the box that would not even power up with a perfectly perfect PSU 620W.

Shameful. I guess it's just too expensive to actually TEST items before they ship.

Live and learn.

MicroCenter is NOT like the independent Computer Store of old-- I learned tons speaking with guys behind the counter who actually CARED about my success building a machine, and would spend time with me testing and figuring out what was what.

Most of these places - PC Club, with techs who are still my friends years later- have been run out of business by online computer warehouses that offer ZERO technical support, and supermarkets like MicroCenter that offer all kinds of stuff, with zero technical support, unless you are willing to pay big bucks to let people do their guesswork behind closed doors.

And MICROCENTER has the nerve to LIE and say their clearance items/open boxes have been "TESTED AS FULLY OPERATIONAL"--- a complete and total lie, as I can now attest from my experience, as there was no way on earth the P5K I bought from them was in working condition.

I have been building machines for the past decade, and never have I had so many failures of gear.

It will be a long time before I attempt a rebuild again.

In the meantime, I will do my rendering while I sleep as I should have been satisfied to do, and I'll save myself $1000 in the process.

I paid $20 and had MicroCenter post the board. Everything worked (board, CPU, nVidia card, memory). But the Gigabyte motherboard went bad 45 days after I bought it. MicroCenter gave me a new board even though the 30 days were up. I swapped it out working at their bench. So they were pretty cool with me. No complaints but I have heard that the Gigabyte boards have some troubles. The second board I left on for 30 days straight to make sure I didn't get burned again. Hopefully it will keep on rocking. When I was putting in the new board I noticed that one of the case fans wasn't working so I bought a new one and installed it. So I had problems as well but not with MicroCenter.

Posted by: Christian de Godzinsky
" Dont get me wrong. I'm not compenting against anyone....


Actually, your post comes accross as ' Hey look at me ! My CPU is still faster than anyone else ! ' ( who bothered to report their results with this render )
If you don't see it as some kind of competition, and the opportunity to brag about your overclocked $1,000 CPU, what other point would there be in posting your results again ?

Why would anyone else be likely to report faster render times, when off the shelf CPU's clocked at 3.8g and higher are simply not available , and won't be for some time ?

Hey, when you got what Godzinsky got then I think you've got bragging rights. The two domains where the PC is fully tested is with gaming and our industry, video editing. And he is right, in the computer world you only king of the castle for a short while. Besides from this thread we can learn what sort of render times we can expect with the same equipment. I've got similar hardware but am nowhere close to this.... but just you wait Godzinsky I'm getting there.

Craig

Harold Brown: Ow, about the Gigabyte board-- well--- I will try again with slightly altered choices-- Anyone looking at newegg will see there is an obscene percentage of DOA boards from ANY manufacturer-- this should be unacceptable, but alas, corporations are more enamored of selling lots of boards, with a good many DOA, than spending the money to test each one to get DOA boards to be a thing of the past. Customer service and satisfaction is expendable to 10%, and I would guess DOA boards are at least in the 5% area. So what else is new.

I asked MicroCenter to post my board, they said no... so today I returned everything.
Screw em.

That being said, I'll try again-- this time I have a separate case and PSU to work with, so zero down time while I make a new setup.

CPU- To every cloud there is a silver lining-- I just bought the same Q9450 new sealed in box locally on Craigslist for $240.

I will get everything else at newegg-- and save about 30% over Microcenter given new choices on video, memory, and MB, and not have to do the tax exempt bit. It can't get any worse per DOA.

I ordered an OC 8800GT with a Zalman- $157 after rebate (hate em, but oh well)-- bear in mind, this is real overkill for video editing, and much lesser cheaper cards will do-- but at this price, it is about as good as it gets.

I saw another SIMPLER Gigabyte MB for $78, with 5 PCI slots, so that's enough to do anything for me-- it has the same P35 chip, and has better reviews than the previous card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128084

My theory is that SIMPLER is better, and more reliable. I don't need fancy audio, as I've got external pro audio firewire cards (M-Audio), and a couple of firewire PCI cards. I don't need anything else either on the board-- just the basics and the ability for 45nm. For less than half the money, its worth another try- there were at least a dozen ASUS returns on the MicroCenter shelf, and no Gigabyte boards, so I think this is rather telling, and a sign avoid Asus P5K at all costs.

We shall see... :-) I am trying to remain positive hahah.

I don't have any problem that Christian de Godzinsky currently has the bragging rights to the fastest rendertest-HDV time. Personally, I don't believe he's actually bragging, but even if he were, it's totally harmless. It sure beats the heck out of the Blu-ray vs HD-DVD or Windows vs MAC arguments that break out here.

I briefly overclocked my QX6700 to 3.73Ghz and got 85 seconds, but Christian's 80 seconds still beats it. Good for you, Christian!