Threads and Codecs

Streamworks Audio wrote on 1/13/2009, 5:08 PM
With Vegas 8.0 you can have a max. of 4 threads... which is not super optimal on a Quad Core which has 4 threads per core for a total of 16 threads. 8.1 I have read (not yet tried) can have up to 16 threads - so in theory one can use all of the CPU when rendering.... however I wonder if there are limitations on the codecs themselves that might restrict the number of threads that can be used. I.E if I am using 16 threads in Vegas, is it possible that Main Concepts encoders (AVC, MPEG2) to only allow say 4 threads?

I know with x264 one can specify the number of threads.. and when I set it to 16 the CPU is maxed at 100% when rendering HD video, where as Vegas 8.0 will give me only 50% max.

Curious....

Chris

Comments

ingvarai wrote on 1/13/2009, 5:16 PM
I have found no particular pattern yet, apart from watching the Taks Manager's Performance monitor, and notice that Vegas 8.1 will use all the CPU power available, weheras 8.0c will not.

Some operations in 8.1 are much faster than 8c, others not. I first thought everything was faster in 8.1, but have now adjusted my view.
Putting several AVCHD tracks on the time line definitely renders faster in 8.1. I move back and forht between 8.1 and 8c, and hope for a Vegas 9 to cater for all our needs..
Althiugh they need to issue a 32 and a 64 bit version for Vegas 9 too, for obviosu reasons.
Streamworks Audio wrote on 1/13/2009, 5:18 PM
I would use 8.1 only if I could - but I have a bunch of projects that use a 32bit codec on the source so I need 8.0 for that.
TheHappyFriar wrote on 1/13/2009, 6:59 PM
8c frequently uses all cores on my quad. But you're right: some codec's (i'm sure some other things too) don't utilize multi-core.
ingvarai wrote on 1/13/2009, 7:13 PM
> 8c frequently uses all cores on my quad.

Here on my Quad too. But as the CPU usage is constant 90-100% with V 8.1 , the CPU usage with V 8c lies between 40-60%