What do I need for more power?

[yenly]

Below is the info for my PC. On my earlier post, I questioned the time it took for me to make a 34 minute SVCD (took about 2 hours). Someone suggested that if I want to speed up the process, then my PC needs more power.

The question is what do I need to do to give my PC more power so I can cut back in the time of making SVCD/DVD. I made my first DVD last night - a 60 minute clip took 5 hours! Too long.


Intel 2.2 GHz w/512k Cache P4
1024MB RDRAM PC800 Memory
64MB DDR ATI Radeon 8500G AGP
120GB 7M Ultra ATA Hard Drive
Canopus ADVC-100
Pinnacle Studio 8

[rlegault]

Power would mean CPU. Take a look at your computer when you're making the SVCD. Is your hard drive thashing? If it's not then it's the CPU you need to upgrade. If the hard drive is tharshing. Then is it close to full? What mode is it running in? When the HD gets alot of erros windows will slow it down, It could be running in PIO mode. Go to the controler and click the reinstall button. You can see what mode the hard drive is running at, in the device manager. See if that helps

[Hardcoreruss]

Upgrade the processor

[TeeeRex]

sloooooow down people - look at the specs - it's a 2.2GHz P4 - more than capable of realtime encoding.

The problem is with your encoder and/or settings - what software are you using ?

[bugster]

sloooooow down people - look at the specs - it's a 2.2GHz P4 - more than capable of realtime encoding.

The problem is with your encoder and/or settings - what software are you using ?

Whoa, slow down TeeeRex, read the original post. He is using TmpGenc to encode to SVCD\DVD. a 2.2 P4 can't do this in realtime. If he was encoding to VCD, then maybe.

Ooops, sorry, this post doesn't mention Tmpgenc, his earleir posts did. Anyway, now you know.

And yenly, the others are right, faster encoding requires a faster CPU, or different software/settings.

[yenly]

I'm using Pinnacle Studio 8 to capture, edit, and make the CDs.

I chose the "best quality" option. When making SVCDs I set it max 2500 and last night when I made the DVD I set it to max 8000. I want the best quality. I don't want to shorten the time and have to sacrifice in quality.

I thought I have a very decent PC - but it's still too slow for doing these things.

[TeeeRex]

bugster,

fair comments but I only have a 1.6Ghz P4 and can encode at realtime per pass. Yes I use CCE so that's the difference - which is why I asked the question ...

Feet first and all that .....

[rilles]

Your software choice is a main factor in encoding time.

I use Tmpenc, of which I like the best - but it has a number of annoying limitations and its s-l-o-w.

I'm trying out now CCE basic trial version. Its very fast, converting a 90m divx takes about 2 hours. Tmpenc takes 8 hours (though I'm not sure if the settings exactly match up).

[Gazorgan]

Right and Wrong.

Your PC is fine. You settings are wrong. Despite what it says, "Best Quality" doesnt' mean best quality. Also the better the quality the slower it goes.

There are settings in TMPG that do nothing but take a 4 hour encode and make it 24 hours. You will never be able to tell the difference between the 4 hour and 24 hour encode.

Quality setting wise, never ever use the 'best setting'....everyone here will agree. The next best setting or the one below that are just fine (faster as you go 'lower'). No filters either in TMPG, use VDUB and frameserve. If you are backing up DVD's, tehn you dont' need filters.

1-Pass/2-Pass. 1 Pass CBR is fastest, but "not as good' as 2-pass VBR. 1-pass CQ is in between them.

Try this. Rip a scene, then try a 1 minute encode with different settings. You will find at some point you can't tell the difference between one encode and one that took 4x as long to do.

Personally I use a medium quality setting and 2-pass VBR. Takes about 6-8 hours to do SVCD for a 2 hour movie. I encode overnight and don't worry about it. If I'm in a time crunch, I encode to VCD at around 120 fps and give it to the kids :P

[yenly]

No, I'm not using TmpGenc. I should give that a try tonight. I did use TmpGenc to make a VCD before and a 60 minute clip to VCD took about 1.5 hours. I haven't try TmpGenc with DVD or SVCD yet.

So what exactly do I need to do to get a faster CPU? Please explain in details...I'm not exactly the brightest person when it comes to this thing.

[ImaWeTodd]

So what exactly do I need to do to get a faster CPU? Please explain in details...I'm not exactly the brightest person when it comes to this thing.

If you don't want to change your software, and you are 'not the brightest person', the best way to get a better cpu is to buy a new computer.

I don't mean to be rude, but you don't really give much info. Maybe you don't know much in this area. If that's the case, money can do wonders. Ask which one you should buy. The opinions should be fun

[Gazorgan]

There's nothing wrong with your computer. If you want to spend $800 to be 15% faster, be our guest. You can spend $1200 and be about 50% faster (dual P4's).

Speed and Quality are mutally exclusive, it's always a compromise between the 2.

Now I see the problem. Pinnacle Studio 8 isn't noted for much. Try CCE or TMPG. CCE is faster, but not quite as good (it will do 1-6 passes as a practical matter). TMPG is 'better' but slower, it will do 1-2 passes. You cna backup a DVD in under 8 hours for a 2-pass VBR encode to SVCD. CCE would do a 2-pas VBR in 3 hours or so? To get real-time encoding you have to lower your quality settings to 'average' middle range, and you will see some artifacting, but it probably won't be noticeable on a TV.

[andkiich]

Faster processor, with a generous FSB(800 or higher) and a good fast hard drive with a large buffer should do the trick.

[yenly]

ImaWeTodd, you're right - I don't know much in this area. I'm learning as I go. Half of the time, I don't know what people are talking about and often refer to the "Glossary" section from this website for help.

No, I definitely don't want to invest more $$$ in a new PC. I just got my a year ago and it wasn't cheap either. I really like my computer but was only wondering if there are simple upgrades I can do to speed up the process. Doesn't sound like it's my PC but rather the settings are wrong and that I should give TmpGenc a try. It also sounds like there is little differences in the so-called "best quality" and the "average" setting.

Thanks all - I think I just have to accept the fact that unlike VHS recording where an hour movie only requires 1 hour of your time to tape.....converting VHS into CDs takes much more time and can't be that direct timewise.