highly saturated render – what is happening

[Hope Holmesby]

Hi…
Thanks again for taking the time to explain these things. So appreciate.

Success at last: instead of the use of only 5GB of ram of my 16BG, it went up to 11.44 GB of ram used: (now if I can get it up to 13 or 12+ that would really make me happy)

the category: ‘Ram reserved for other applications’ it is not possible tin CS5.5 AE that I am using make that any less than 3GB. So AE doest not let you take all ram for AE.

As you suggested, ran some render tests:

on a 5 sec section did this:

– no windows open for finder
– all apps closed
– only AE running
– cache emptied / purged
– render taking place w only the render window open

plus these settings:

As one can see, there are now actually 8 cps used. Had to fiddle w the setting until that great number popped up. It seems to have to do w the ‘ram allocation per bkg cpu’

Question: ‘Ram reserved for other applications’ refers to things that AE is NOT doing. Other applications or processes that the machine is doing not related to rendering. Is that correct?

It also seems that when trying to preview in the timeline, the amount allocated above to ‘Ram allocation to background cps’ is just too little for previewing howver. The preview will not even work…sigh.. But only had to boost it to 1GB to get the preview working.

I am reading now, in this page, about all this…
https://helpx.adobe.com/after-effects/using/memory-storage.html

you practically quote word for word from it…HIGHLY impressive.
Thanks again
Any thots?

Warmly, Hope

__________________________________________________

Life is here to enjoy.

iMac 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7, 2TB;
Mac OS 10.9,
16 GB RAM;
2 La Cie external HDs 1 TB each;
After Effects CS5.5;
Sound Track Pro 3.0.1;
Final Cut Pro 7.0.3;
Compressor 3.5.3

[Walter Soyka]

[Hope Holmesby] “As one can see, there are now actually 8 cps used. Had to fiddle w the setting until that great number popped up. It seems to have to do w the ‘ram allocation per bkg cpu'”

Basically, Ae will start up multiple background renderers with whatever RAM allocation you specific. The number of background renderers can be limited by three things: the amount of available memory (a new renderer will not start unless the system has enough free RAM to satisfy your “RAM Allocation per background CPU” requirement), the number of physical and virtual CPUs in your system, and the number of CPUs you reserve for other applications.

Remember that your goal is the fastest render time possible; it is not necessarily maximum CPU usage or maximum RAM usage. Being too aggressive with your settings (i.e., scheduling too many CPUs or giving background processes too little RAM) may actually slow down your renders while giving you nice high utilization numbers.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]

[Hope Holmesby]

hi Walter…thank you for taking the time to explain all this

Yes, I see what you mean now…

I did do a test as mentioned and found just what you are saying.
I will continue to refine this situation. So far, the last setting seen above are working nicely for me.

Walter: Remember that your goal is the fastest render time possible; it is not necessarily maximum CPU usage or maximum RAM usage. Being too aggressive with your settings (i.e., scheduling too many CPUs or giving background processes too little RAM) may actually slow down your renders while giving you nice high utilization numbers.

So even tho one may be using more ram, if the render time is not speeded up, then one has to think again how to allocate. Ok, I see now.
I guess, like you said, it depends on what kind of usual rendering one does (filters, file sizes etc) that would determine how the resources available would be used / allocated: Ram, background render processes (aeselflink – in mac).

I noticed that when i have the 8 cores assigned to render, that then I have those 8 listings of aeselflink in the Activity Monitor. It was fun and exciting to see and understand that….and to see how much memory they each were using.

It actually was not so much. The most i saw them use was about 150 MB, and as you can see, they are currently assigned .75 GB, so they still had along way to go. I suspect that I will have to up that amount periodically. I think AE suggest us set the background processes to at least 2 GM….cant remember.

I appreciate so much you taking the time to explain this all to me. I finally kinda get it….after all these years of AE. Started in 2000 with AE3…oh boy. I dont use it all the time, as do print and webwork too, but it is my favorite program to use. Would like to do 3D.

Do you use any 3D programs integrating w AE?

Thanks again Walter…really appreciate.
Warmly,
Hope

__________________________________________________

Life is here to enjoy.

iMac 3.5 GHz Intel Core i7, 2TB;
Mac OS 10.9,
16 GB RAM;
2 La Cie external HDs 1 TB each;
After Effects CS5.5;
Sound Track Pro 3.0.1;
Final Cut Pro 7.0.3;
Compressor 3.5.3

[Walter Soyka]

[Hope Holmesby] “I appreciate so much you taking the time to explain this all to me. I finally kinda get it….after all these years of AE. Started in 2000 with AE3…oh boy. I dont use it all the time, as do print and webwork too, but it is my favorite program to use. Would like to do 3D. “

You’re welcome.

[Hope Holmesby] “Do you use any 3D programs integrating w AE?”

Yes, Maxon CINEMA 4D. The integration possibilities with CS5.5 are pretty good via the Exchange plugins, but the integration with CC via CINEWARE is even better. Also, C4D LITE is included in a Creative Cloud subscription.

Walter Soyka
Designer & Mad Scientist at Keen Live [link]
Motion Graphics, Widescreen Events, Presentation Design, and Consulting
@keenlive   |   RenderBreak [blog]   |   Profile [LinkedIn]