PPro 1.5.1 – Dual core setup it’s not getting it’s full power!

[Mike Velte]

I was under the assumption that Windows can only see 2 GB RAM, but obviously am wrong. The CPU utilization is the same with P4 HT PC’s. If I export from the timeline using Procoder the CPU use is about 55%, but as a stand alone app Procoder will use 90%.

[Genette Nicolas]

Even with real dual processors system, Ppro, like old premiere, never go above 55% … This is a well known and so old issue, thks adobe …

Kib

[Tim Kolb]

Interestingly enough, it COMPLETELY harnesses hyper-threading…97% both sides.

I haven’t run PPro on duals and paid much attention…I have a dual Opteron at the office I’ll check today.

On the RAM…Windows XP only recognizes 3 GB…I have four on my Opteron and I get to use three. What I don’t know is how the RAM works that way as in an Opteron dual, the RAM is assigned to each processor and I’m assuming 1 GB sticks, so does one processor use 1 GB and the other gets 2? I haven’t found anyone who can answer this for me yet…

TimK,

Kolb Syverson Communications,
Creative Cow Host,
2004-2005 NAB Post Production Conference
Premiere Pro Technical Chair,
Author, “The Easy Guide to Premiere Pro” http://www.focalpress.com
“Premiere Pro Fast Track DVD Series” http://www.classondemand.net

[Bernie]

thanks guys.
but yet I see no solution…only 55% of processing power…it’s sad.

So my renders could take 30minutes…but unfortunaly it will take 1 hour…

there’s some workaround? any workaround??

thanks again.

[Dave Friend]

Tim,

Memory use is controlled by the operating system. It is not divided up among the processors and any processor can access any memory location the OS can see. There are however several different methods a programmer can use to protect blocks of memory and, in effect, prevent other threads for accessing those memory locations. In practice, this is usually done only for very short periods while a thread is working with a chunk of memory. The tread will then release the blocking mechanism so that some other thread can then use that memory chunk.

Another point of interest regarding multithreading is that the programmer has no control over which processor is going to run which thread. The tread is created and set to running at which point the OS determines (for the most part) when and for how long it gets to use the processor. When the OS switches threads it is entirely possible that the just released thread will be on a different processor the next time it is allowed to run.

Multithreaded programming is quite a task as the programmer must keep in mind that the tread can be interrupted at any point in the code’s execution as the OS allocates time to other threads that are running.

For a very technical explanation from the programmers prospective, get your hands on a copy of Advanced Windows by Jeffrey Richter. Unless you have some sort of programming experience, expect most of the book to look like Greek.

Dave

[Tim Kolb]

Hi Dave,

I’m probably not interested in the book as I wouldn’t understand most of it, but thanks.

I understand the basic way that RAM is used in the workings of a computer, but my understanding of the situation is that Opterons have an on-board memory controller and each processor has it’s own RAM. While each processor can access the other’s RAM via the HyperTransport link, it’s not the same as normal multi-processing (whatever the technical term for it may be…). Each processor attempts first to execute it’s next allocated thread via local RAM first, as utilizing HyperTransport slows things up.

So…I guess my query was whether the processors each see all the RAM that’s available to them and Windows doesn’t, or if that impacts performance. There is no indication how much local RAM each processor sees, only what Windows sees.

I’m interested mostly for personal curiousity…the dual Opteron works pretty fast so…no complaints.

TimK,

Kolb Syverson Communications,
Creative Cow Host,
2004-2005 NAB Post Production Conference
Premiere Pro Technical Chair,
Author, “The Easy Guide to Premiere Pro” http://www.focalpress.com
“Premiere Pro Fast Track DVD Series” http://www.classondemand.net

[Mike Velte]

Premiere leaves enough processing power for multitasking during rendering!

[R. Hewitt]

That was my understanding of the situation Mike, Unlike After Effects, which grabs the lot whether it needs it or not. This is largely down to the programmer who can set the priority of the running threads.