From: Dennis Johnstone <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: RE: encoding machines
I recently switched from a Dell Workstation 400 (single PII 400 with 256Mb
RAM, UW SCSI) to a Dell Precision 410 (twin PIII 500s with 512Mb RAM, Ultra2
SCSI). Both run NT 4.0sp4.
Encoding time for static audio files (.wav to .rm) has halved due to the
combination of twin processors and Ultra2 SCSI. There's also been a small
improvement in the encoding time for live output (probably down to the
faster write speed of the Ultra2 drives) but you're not going to get a big
improvement here because you're tied to the delivery rate of your
audio/video.
Interestingly, I've used a Dell Workstation 400, with the same spec as my
old PC but running Linux, as an encoder and it was about 10% faster than
under NT. It's the efficiency thing!
Dennis
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dennis Johnstone
Website editor
BBC Radio 5 Live
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio5live/
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> -----Original Message-----
> From: RealForum [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
> Sent: Tuesday, November 02, 1999 10:04 PM
> Subject: Re: encoding machines
>
> From: "LiFe" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Subject: Re: encoding machines
>
> Depends on your OS.
>
> Unix's have very very good multi CPU capabilities.
> Linux has some support but its not up to Unix
> NT was designed to run on multiple CPU's but it doesn't exactly win the
> efficiency award.
>
> I would personally say that NT and Linux are on par (NT has a few more
> very
> technical details I don't understand built into the OS going for it, Linux
> has efficiency on its side) But I'm sure pple will now chop my head off
> for
> saying that *grins*
>
> A Dual PII400 over a single PII400 is probably gonna give you a 75% to 90%
> increase in speed. It depends on the program itself. Some are designed to
> make the absolute most of Dual Processors, some just allow NT's thread
> handling to do it all for them. Someone will need to comment on Real
> Producers design.
>
> With no experience, but having done quite a bit of reading I'd say you
> *should* get a 75% increase - is there anyone with experience out there?
>
> Other than that look at those Osprey borads that people have been
> mentioning. From reading this group the Osprey boards encode Real Media
> via
> hardware (Not CPU) so can be very fast. Does anyone know if they use their
> codecs when not encoding a live stream?
>
> Don't forget to check your free RAM - Make sure the computer aint swapping
> its brains out.
>
> Look at the other uses for the encoding computer - Is it a dedicated
> computer? If not speeding up the other processes its running should speed
> up
> encoding - things include HDD upgrades (Use SCSI over IDE for HDD
> intensive
> applications)etc etc... I'm sure you know the drill!
>
> Regards,
> LiFe.
*******************************************************
The RealForum is an email discussion group focused on using RealNetworks
products. The RealForum is a place to post messages about the best methods
for creating content using RealNetworks technologies and the planning and
implementation of streaming-media web sites. Archives of RealForum can
be found at http://realforum.real.com
If you ever want to remove yourself from this mailing list,
you can send mail to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> with the following
command in the body of your email message:
unsubscribe realforum
or from another account, besides the address you subscribed with:
unsubscribe realforum <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
