Eric Fiegehen
Forum Replies Created
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Sean,
Cubix GPU-Xpander Desktop 2 prices have been running between $1800-$2200 depending upon the backplane configuration and the data cable channels supported. Reference Cubix part no’s XPDT-X8-24-OSV (No. America), XPDT-X8-24-INT (everywhere else), XPDT-X16-24-OSV and XPDT-X16-24-INT with your Resolve dealer. All SKUs listed feature four PCIe Gen2 x16 slots for single-width PCIe cards like Quadro 4000, 750W power supply, 1m data cable + HIC (host interface card).
Eric Fiegehen
Cubix -
The answer to your question will depend upon the processes in use, the resolutions you’re trying to support, and the types of PCIe cards you’re loading into the GPU-Xpander. For instance, a RED Rocket has an 8-channel interface (feel free to correct me if I’m wrong on this), so that card’s bus signals will never saturate a x16 PCIe bus.
However, even PCIe x16 cards, like Quadro 4000 for Mac, will not be hitting the bus at 100% GPU capacity all of the time. What Cubix has typically seen with most CUDA applications is that loading the executable on to the GPUs located across the data link in the Xpander is what saturates the bus in most instances, but once loaded on to the GPUs the PCIe bus traffic decreases significantly. Mental Images iray or Bunkspeed SHOT are perfect examples of this type of situation.
I won’t try to speculate on the subject with Resolve 8, since there could be processes in the new features which may require sustained GPU-CPU interaction, and DaVinci can best answer this question within the context of using GPU-Xpander. They’ve tested many more Resolve configurations with 3rd party I/O adapters in their GPU-Xpander test units than Cubix Engineering does with their Resolve-configured support units.
To answer your first question, my recommendation to customers has usually been to go with Desktop 4 if you’ve got any plans to go beyond 1-2 Quadro 4000 for Mac cards. However, check first with DaVinci about the new GPU-accelerated features in Resolve 8 (like Noise Reduction), which may benefit from using Desktop 4 even if you’re not going to use more than 1-2 Quadro 4000 cards.
Apologies if the answer seemed a bit long-winded.
Eric
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Hi Dane,
While running Resolve for Mac with a Cubix GPU-Xpander attached is not for everyone, keep in mind that the PCIe x16 version 1.1 slots in your current Mac Pro will only support 40Gbps maximum bandwidth. Cubix has an 8-channel Gen2 connection option for GPU-Xpander Desktop 2 which runs several hundred dollars less than the DaVinci-certified configuration. The Cubix part no. for this optional configuration is XPDT-X8-24-OSV (-INT outside No. America), and I’ve seen them advertised online for about $1800 or so.
Eric Fiegehen
Director, Visualization & GPU Compute Solutions
Cubix Corporation
ericc@cubix.com
https://www.cubixgpu.com -
LOL – Yes, Peter C at DaVinci has already told me that he will amend this information in the next couple of weeks.
Eric F
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Kevin – DaVinci has assured me that GPU-Xpander Desktop 2 is still part of the certified list of 3rd party hardware components for Resolve.
Cubix part numbers to reference with your DaVinci Resolve dealers (most of whom carry or sell GPU-Xpanders) for Desktop 2 are XPDT-X16-24-OSV (No. America) and XPDT-X16-24-INT (International). GPU-Xpander Desktop 4 part no’s are XPDT-X16-4QF-OSV (No. America) and XPDT-X16-4QF-INT (International)
Eric Fiegehen
Cubix -
Hi Adam,
GPU-Xpander Pro2 / Desktop 2 was limited to 40Gbps on 4-slot configurations, even with PCIe x16 HIC (Host Interface Card) connections to Mac Pro’s x16 slot. Desktop 4, with the Cubix part numbers referenced by DaVinci with the release of Resolve 8, natively supports 80Gbps bandwidth. This same 80Gbps 4-slot PCIe backplane is also used with the GPU-Xpander Rackmount 8 model (2 of them in a 4U rackmount enclosure).
When installing the hardware, keep in mind that PCIe connections can be sensitive to bumps and jostling. One of the first support procedures we ask customers to perform is to reseat the 3rd party I/O cards, the Cubix HIC, etc.,. This solves 90%+ of the PCIe link questions we receive when customers are installing equipment.
I’ll have Cubix’s Technical Support Manager, Mic Grover, add any additional tips to this forum once he returns next week from his vacation in the South Pacific (lucky bastard!).
Eric
Eric Fiegehen
Director, Visualization & GPU Compute Solutions
Cubix Corporation
ericc@cubix.com
https://www.cubixgpu.com -
Hi Kevin,
I just contacted BMD about your question regarding the GPU-Xpander Desktop 2, and we should hear back from them shortly.
Eric Fiegehen
Director, Visualization & GPU Compute Solutions
Cubix Corporation
ericc@cubix.com
https://www.cubixgpu.com -
Hi Everyone,
Cubix Engineering has run benchmark tests with 1-4 x Quadro 4000 for Mac on GPU-Xpander Desktop 2, Desktop 4, and Rackmount 8 models. I’ll ask my engineering department to forward this information to me, or post it directly to this thread if helpful.
Eric Fiegehen
Director, Visualization & GPU Compute Solutions
Cubix Corporation
ericc@cubix.com
https://www.cubixgpu.com -
I just reread my last response, and I realized that I didn’t exactly answer Alejandro’s last post.
Yes, Adobe CS5 benefits from GPU-Xpander Pro 2 features. (see my last post for details).
If my memory is correct, Resolve is CUDA-enabled. If this is the case, and the current Resolve for OS X version supports multiple NVIDIA GPUs for acceleration and visual display purposes, then using GPU-Xpander Pro 2 will definitely benefit Resolve users (think quadroplex ‘lite’ – same NVIDIA GPUs, less money).
As far as how Resolve distributes various tasks among multiple GPUs, this would be a question better answered by DaVinci personnel. Within Adobe CS5 and Refractive Software’s Octane Render, you assign various processes and their output through the application’s setup procedures and the application window. It has nothing to do with hardware setup once the GPU hardware and its drivers are installed in the host workstation.
Eric
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At this point, Adobe After Affects and Premiere Pro are the only applications under Creative Suite 5 that benefit from Mercury Playback Engine’s GPU acceleration.
https://www.adobe.com/products/creativesuite/production/pdfs/cs5_production_premium_64bit_wp.pdfHowever, to take advantage of these features, you need to have a dedicated Adobe-certified GPU specifically for acceleration plus your OpenGL 2.0+ compatible graphics card for everything else, plus your I/O capture card(s).
Adobe states that it provides support for both import and export of Final Cut Studio files. Beyond this, you guys would probably understand better than I do how it benefits the workflow.
Another pdf from Adobe which might address some of your questions is at:
https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/redsupport/pdfs/red_workflow_guide.pdfThis following page (link below) talks about some features which I think would really come in handy when combined with the portability of GPU-Xpander:
https://www.adobe.com/products/premiere/integration/As far as how the OS and computer BIOS sees the the GPUs and I/O capture devices residing within GPU-Xpander, it sees them exactly the same way it would if they were residing directly within the Mac Pro or PC workstation. However, your workstation now has a degree of fault tolerance it didn’t have before, even if you have enough slots for all of the I/O capture and graphics cards. You’re powering your computer with one power supply, the graphics and capture cards with a separate 750W power supply.
Hope this helps!
Eric