[Rich Kutnick]

So this is looking more like the best 150 bucks I ever spent!! Without this forum I NEVER would have gained such insight! So basically Nvidia with CUDA does not work very well with SVP 12, while ATI/AMD with OpenCL rocks!! Well I now hope that this will help our fellow colleagues worldwide, for it certainly has helped me tremendously! Kudos to John Rofrano and Dave Haynie for bringing this information to the forefront and for John spending so much time and effort testing all of these combinations!! This should speed up our editing/rendering quite a bit!

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

I found the problem–thank goodness it’s not my AVCHD footage, either!! I have placed a good number of NewBlue VE Flash Remover-OpenFX effects into this timeline, and evidently when my graphics card is active this causes the timeline to keep freezing up. Well, I replaced all of these effects with the standard NewBlue VE Flash Remover plug-in (non-Open-FX version) and this seemed to do the trick–when I activate my GPU on the timeline it does not freeze anymore! So if anyone from New Blue is reading this…

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

Not wanting to have a knee-jerk reaction, I viewed an edited veg timeline for a Bat Mitzvah I shot two weeks prior to the one in question. Except for the expected stutters during transitions, my AVCHD footage was a rock-solid 29.97fps! I don’t think that my Nvidia GTX 560 ever gave me that! Anyway, the AVCHD files for both events are on Drive W: (External USB 3.0) and the veg files for both events are on Drive Z: (External Esata). My guess is that there is some obscure reason the second Bat Mitzvah Ceremony veg file is experiencing these freeze-ups. So I believe that everything is working properly now, save for this anomaly which I will try to track down. Thanks for all of your help and insight, John. It’s also good to know that my choice of a different graphics card worked out in my favor (due to you and several other colleagues here who recommended the ATI 5870).

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

I just ran the 7248_rendertestjr.veg file tests again, exactly as you specified I run them. My results are not too different from yours, so there is consistency. Here are my numbers:

Timeline GPU Acceleration OFF (Playback 0.5fps)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . 2:26 (No GPU Load)
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . . 2:25 (No GPU Load)
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . 2:25 (No GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 3:09 (1-4% GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . 2:20 (78% GPU Load spike at start, then went down to 0%)

Timeline GPU Acceleration ON (Playback 29.97fps)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . :30 (60% GPU Load)
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . . :24 (59% GPU Load)
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . :29 (62% GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 1;06 (No GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . :22 (87% GPU Load)

These tests seem to show that the best render times require an active GPU state. Sony AVC rendering works best with the CPU- Only template (GPU rendering for me, too, John, is slower) and the MainConcept AVC render requires the OpenCL mode. The former makes no sense while the latter makes absolute sense! No wonder everyone seems confused about which GPU states and render templates to use!!!

Now this begs two questions:

1) Why is the AVCHD footage from my Sony NX-5U freezing up SVP 12 when the GPU is active for the timeline?

2) Why NOT set the Dynamic RAM Preview for 8GB? Isn’t this added caching helping, or in addition to its advantages will it cause other headaches elsewhere in the editing/rendering processes?

Since you asked, here are my results using the “Red Car” Test (Full PressReleaseProject.veg file) with all of the same parameters as the 7248_rendertestjr.veg (I bumped up the Project Properties Full-resolution rendering quality from Good to Best and made it an interlaced project):

Timeline GPU Acceleration OFF (Playback–Region 1: 10 fps; Region 2: from 15fps to 29.97fps at end of region; Region 3: 29.97 fps except 15-22 fps during clock wipe; Region 4: 7-9 fps; Region 5: 2.2 fps; Region 6: 29.97 fps; Region 7: 7 fps average)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . 4:17 (No GPU Load)
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . . 4:19 (No GPU Load)
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . 4:10 (No GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 6:50 (1-3% GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . 3:39 (45% spike near the beginning, then 0% GPU Load balance of test)

Timeline GPU Acceleration ON (Playback–Region 1: 29.97 fps; Region 2: 29.97 fps; Region 3: 29.97 fps; Region 4: 29.97 fps; Region 5: 29.97 fps; Region 6: 29.97 fps; Region 29.97 fps)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . 1:38 (32-46% GPU Load)
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . .1:45 (33% GPU Load)
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . 1:38 (32-46% GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 4:04 (No GPU Load)
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . :56 (71-90% GPU Load)

The red car test is very interesting, too– MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) takes the most advantage of my graphics card and also renders hands down in the least amount of time!!

So with 10 tracks of constant motion/effects and my GPU enabled for the timeline, I AM getting rock solid playback—29.97fps without so much as a hiccup. Yet my Sony NX-5U footage causes grief. Any ideas why? Anyway, we all would appreciate your current interpretation of these four test scenarios, John!

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

Earlier today I ran a battery of tests using the 7248_rendertestjr.veg file. As do you John, I also have 16GB memory, ATI Radeon HD 5870, SSD boot (C: Drive) and 2TB HDD (D: Drive). My PC is two years old this summer and has an i-7 3820 processor running at 3.60 Ghz. You noted that it has 4 cores; is that correct, John? I don’t know the number of threads, though.

However, before I offer my results I want to note my observations. All playback was viewed on FULL/BEST. When I first played back the file on the timeline with GPU ON it started around 22fps and leveled off at 25fps, but on successive playbacks immediately following the initial one it was 29.97fps rock solid! Monitoring GPU usage using GPU-Z was fruitless, for it seemed to be delayed in its reporting values and most of the time bounced all over the place when it did report usage, so I relied more heavily on the fps and how the video looked to the naked eye. Also observed, as did you, John, was that with GPU OFF, playback on the timeline was around .5fps, but again, if I played it again successive playback yielded a wee bit better results (up to .7fps).

Rendering: Sony AVC renders were done using the AVCHD 1920X1080 60i template (unaltered); MainConcept renders used the Blu-ray 1920X1080 60i 25Mbps (unaltered)—I believe that this template defaults to two-pass 40Mbps max.

Here are my results:

Timeline GPU Acceleration OFF (Playback 0.5fps)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . 2:24
Sony AVC–(Auto)–Rendered it a second time for kicks. . . . . . . 2:21
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . . :22
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . :21
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 1:05
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . :09

Timeline GPU Acceleration ON (Playback 29.97fps)
————————————————
Sony AVC–(Auto). . . . . . . :32
Sony AVC (CPU Only). . . . . . . :23
Sony AVC (GPU). . . . . . . . :22
MainConcept AVC (CPU). . . . . . 1:05
MainConcept AVC (OpenCL) . . . . :08

OK, John, please interpret…BUT FIRST, bear in mind that my Dynamic RAM Preview is set to 8GB—might this affect these numbers PLUS might it also account for the initial GPU ON 22-25fps going up to a full 29.97 upon successive playbacks? Might this explain why with the AVCHD footage that I have shot I do not get full 29.97 when playing back anything with movement the first time (bounces around between 22-27fps) but upon successive playback of the same footage I do get 29.97fps (well, 29.97fps jitters a bit during playback)? Maybe this set-aside RAM has no bearing, but in any case these numbers are NOT typos, but real-world figures from my testing. In addition, then, with such stellar numbers why does some of this same footage refuse to play back with the GPU engaged and therefore freeze SVP 12? Just a minute ago I tested this observation again—and when I moved ahead in the timeline the video froze and the audio kept going strong!!

I do not know how these numbers can be true, though, for explain to me how the MainConcept OpenCL numbers using the GPU acceleration option are all but identical with or without the GPU being active! I also corroborate that the Sony AVC template numbers are the same, using the GPU acceleration option, with or without GPU support. So it appears, that, for my results at least, when a template that is supposed to use GPU acceleration is chosen, no matter if the GPU actually is turned on or off the results are the same!! Something smells very fishy to me, but that is why I am deferring interpretation to you and the experts here. Far be it from me to tell you what is going on.

Thanks in advance, John!

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

Got ’em, John! While I am familiar with all of these options, I did not know that these were the referenced items in other threads of this post. Thanks for lining up the answers to the specific questions. Now on to the next step…

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

I can’t find any switches to turn on OpenCL anywhere in SVP 12–not in the help files or in the owner’s manual. Please advise.

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

It is VERY frustrating, to say the least, when one purchases two video cards (one from each major graphics card manufacturer) that surpass the minimum specs listed by Sony to work on SVP 12, yet observes that the GPUs in these cards are grossly underused. Coupled with a fairly powerful computer, too, on the surface there appears to be not-exactly-true advertising and marketing on Sony’s part. Apparently Sony has not optimized their code for the cards they recommend meet the minimum requirements for compatibility, but only for the listed cards when used in the specific PCs in which they were tested!! While I have quite a bit invested in SVP and a number of its plug-ins (and it is fairly user-friendly and does not have a high learning curve), at this point I do not want to switch NLEs. I do, however, expect that after two years Sony would open up its eyes as big as its bank account and fix what is broken! I know that there are a good number of you who are in the same situation as me–a small business trying to get by who cannot afford to upgrade their hardware every year. There is a certain minimum standard which Sony must meet, yet they have failed in this regard. It is a shame that they have not been able to raise their heads up high, admit their faults and fix what is broken. There is a logical assumption that if one purchases one of the graphics cards listed that it will work as advertised–and neither of mine do!! It surprises me that by now some one (or someones) has not tested Sony’s claims in the legal arena–WAIT, I know the answer (their bank account balance, of course)…and David already beat Goliath a long time ago and the chances of that happening again are…so I only can hope and pray that a solution soon is forthcoming (but I never was that good at holding my breath but I am starting to turn blue without resorting to that). So please, ANYONE from our side of the table who can participate in helping to resolve this problem please do so. And Sony, if you are monitoring this forum, please do fix it soon. We really love your NLE and would hate to give it up due to stupid useability reasons!!

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

Now that I know what to look for I have performed a number of tests on various pieces of footage with mixed results at FULL/BEST viewing. I cannot figure out why footage shot at one event freezes when placed between dissolves yet similar footage shot at another event placed between dissolves is fine when my ATI Radeon HD 5870 is active in SVP 12. I did use New Blue Flash remover on several events, but removed that effect and retested with the video still freezing and the audio continuing (GPU active), but the SAME timeline plays back just fine with no GPU acceleration (Flash Remover or not). The same raw footage (ACVHD) dropped into an empty timeline plays back fine, regardless of GPU activation.

On another note, I tested some edited party footage with and without GPU acceleration:

GPU OFF: 29.97 fps except between transitions. Sometimes the video looks slightly jerky, but still is reported at 29.97fps most of the time; it sometimes drops to 25fps for a FRACTION of a second. Frame rate drops at transitions to 12-14fps. CPU reports around 20% usage and GPU reports 2-10% usage.

GPU ON: 29.97 fps except between transitions. Video looks rock solid most of the time. Frame rate drops at transitions to 12-14fps. CPU reports around 28% usage and GPU reports 28-40% usage.

What is going on? I appears that when the GPU is active it only is partially using its capabilities. Active or not, the results are very similar when editing! It appears to be a dead heat!!

When rendering a 90 second open with two events that have motion titles and the rest only have dissolves between them:

GPU OFF: 4m20s to render. CPU: 25%, GPU 0%

GPU ON: 4m23s to render. CPU: 27%, GPU: 25%

Again, this is a virtual draw!! So what is this highly-touted graphics card that so many of you rave about doing for me? Apparently nothing!! Is there a problem with the card? I doubt it! Is there a problem with SVP 12? More than likely!! So is it just a crap shoot, PC to PC, that in some computers this card works great in while others it suffers in? At least nothing is being slowed down like it was with my Nvidia GTX 560.

I still wonder if there are any settings, or even reinstalling SVP 12 for the nth time (so long as I do not lose my preferences and other critical settings), that will help this GPU use its full capabilities. Am I missing something, or is it just the complete combination of my computer hardware, the other software installed on it, etc.? As stated before, this is an otherwise fast machine, so I am totally confused why this card won’t play nice in SVP 12.

I also have observed that when I exit SVP 12 (File Close, File Exit) that my PC retains SVP 12 in memory for about 30 seconds until it is released—is this normal?

Finally, what are people setting their Dynamic RAM preview at: I had bumped it up to 8GB awhile back, but now have it lowered to 2GB—any thoughts, suggestions?

Any additional help and advice at this point in time also will be greatly appreciated, as I am sure that I am not the ONLY one experiencing these phenomena. Thanks in advance, all!!

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS

[Rich Kutnick]

I checked out the GPU using an app–it IS a 5870.

My PC is a few years old and has an i-7 3820 CPU @3.6GHz, 16GM RAM, 64-Bit Win 7 Pro using SVP 12 64-bit latest version. I don’t know why I am having such SLOW performance when the rest of you are buzzing by!! The files in question ALL are AVCHD from my Sony NX-5U. How do you check the load on your GPU and CPU? I would like to report back my specs here.

I just wish I could figure out why this new card is acting similar to my Nvidia GTX 560–In fact the 5870 was so big I had to remove my hard drive slide out cage and strap my hard drives to the bottom inside of the case–nowhere else to put them (LOL)!!

Any further advise or suggestions?

Rich Kutnick
VIDEO IMPRESSIONS