using multiple GPU with Vegas?

Mindmatter wrote on 9/15/2017, 6:07 AM

Hi all,

I'm not all that versed in computer technology or programming, so forgive me if this idea sounds silly.

I've always wondered why it's not possible to assign the Vegas preview to a seperate GPU. One that would just handle all the FX / CC etc information assigned to the final output. ( I remember trying to install 2 different GPUs in my PC, that didn't really work so well, possibly because they were AMD and Nvidia, besides, I guess Vegas wouldn't have been able to use them separately.) So would it mainly be a Windows issue, or is it something just not feasable in the architecture of a NLE?

As I've mentioned in other posts, I was flabbergasted by EDÌUS 8's preview speed when I tried it. How come it's so fast and fluent, while Vegas' preview chokes so easily? I also recall reading that EDIUS can use / stack multiple GPU.

Any thoughts?

Comments

OldSmoke wrote on 9/15/2017, 8:37 AM

Similar to Cornico, I use a Fury X (AMD) and an older GTX580 (NVIDIA) card in my system. I use the Fury X for timeline and FX acceleration (OPENCL) and the GTX580 (CUDA) for rendering with the old Mainconcept AVC codec which is a very fast combination. I used to have two GTX580 in my system and later two R9 290. What Vegas doesn't benefit from is SLI or Crossfire.

Mindmatter wrote on 9/15/2017, 9:58 AM

Thanks. I'm not overly concerned with render speed, more with preview speed.Will that not be increased with 2 cards, can the Vegas preview use only one at the time?

Beses, V14 has started to force me to turn off GPU during render, as it totally messes up the compositing .

(As described in my last post https://www.vegascreativesoftware.info/us/forum/rendering-glitches-in-v14-since-installing-v15--108496/ )

OldSmoke wrote on 9/15/2017, 10:41 AM

Thanks. I'm not overly concerned with render speed, more with preview speed. Will that not be increased with 2 cards, can the Vegas preview use only one at the time?

I didn't see a noticeable timeline performance increase between 2x R9 290 and a single. My single Fury X actually has better performance, but again, only slightly. The difference in rendering speed between one and two cards is around 5-10% depending on the source material and render codec.

Mindmatter wrote on 9/15/2017, 10:48 AM

Thanks OldSmoke. Which brings me back to one of my original questions ...why is Vegas' preview so slow and Edius' so fast?

OldSmoke wrote on 9/15/2017, 10:56 AM

Thanks OldSmoke. Which brings me back to one of my original questions ...why is Vegas' preview so slow and Edius' so fast?

I don't have Edius and cant compare. Some NLEs use different scaling for the playing video, kind of cheating. For example, Sony's Catalyst Browse and Prepare will skip frames during playback to improve performance or reduce the resolution. Once you stop the playback, full resolution is restored. IMHO, Vegas uses a very old playback engine; it's a VW Beatle engine in a shine new body.

Kinvermark wrote on 9/15/2017, 11:11 AM

Thanks OldSmoke. Which brings me back to one of my original questions ...why is Vegas' preview so slow and Edius' so fast?

I think Vegas 15 just isn't quite there yet. But clearly a lot of work has been done to make a new engine (e.g. the new so4 plug dll) , and surely this must be a cornerstone of Vegas' competitive offering. IMHO It doesn't have to do everything, it has to do some things (like editing speed) really well. Fingers crossed!

OldSmoke wrote on 9/15/2017, 11:19 AM

But clearly a lot of work has been done to make a new engine (e.g. the new so4 plug dll) , and surely this must be a cornerstone of Vegas' competitive offering.

You are aware that most users have to disable that dll, including me.

IMHO It doesn't have to do everything, it has to do some things (like editing speed) really well.

It has to do all the features it offers well, and I mean within the same version. Editing speed is only half of the deal, rendering is equally important; in my case very important.

Kinvermark wrote on 9/15/2017, 1:55 PM

..and me. Not sure what your point is. Care to explain?

NormanPCN wrote on 9/15/2017, 11:11 PM

But clearly a lot of work has been done to make a new engine (e.g. the new so4 plug dll) , and surely this must be a cornerstone of Vegas' competitive offering.

The so4 FileIO plug-in is not a new "engine". It is just a new FileIO plug-in providing new format support. Things like 10-bit 422 AVC and using the hardware decoders available out there.

A new input/output format does not change the guts of the video engine. As for changes in the guts, we can never know. We can only relative judge performance on the same machine with the same media.

Kinvermark wrote on 9/15/2017, 11:43 PM

True. And I didn't mean to imply that it was. But taken alongside comments from the development team, it indicates the direction they are moving - I hope. For me timeline performance is number one importance. Editing with stutter is just painful :)