is it safe to use the computer while encoding?

[simps]

Can i cause any kinda problem on the encoded video?
Like skippes or bad frames etc?

Tkz,
[]´
Simps

[sacajaweeda]

Yes you can use the computer all you want. It won't interfere with the encoding process at all.

Now the encoding process interfering with whatever you may have in mind....that's another issue altogether.

[Kaugustino]

From my experiance you can still use your computer but it may take longer to complete the encode if you use the computer insted of leaving it idle.

[bazooka]

Can i cause any kinda problem on the encoded video?
Like skippes or bad frames etc?

Tkz,
[]´
Simps

You can multitask all you want.

[simps]

Tkz ppl!

[]'
Simps

[Chipp]

ok, so it seems there is a definitive answer to that question. i have some related questions that i'd like to post in this thread (to spare redundancy).

does the "multitasking will not harm" premise hold true through the other processes, for example, the ripping and burning phases ? with my minimal system (PIII 800, 384 mb RAM, Sony Dru-710a DVD-RW), could burning buffers be compromised by too many running applications and/or multitasking ?

also, my HD space is occasionally pressed to under 1 gig (out of 40), could that impair Windows XP's overall functionality thus contributing to my above concerns ?

[sacajaweeda]

Encoding is simply performing a predetermined set of tasks. It's going to turn out the same every time, especially if it's a multi-pass encode, but using system resources durring the process only makes it take longer.

Ripping & burning you are more suceptible to I/O (read/write) errors and such, especially if you've got sketchy RAM. I can do some stuff while I burn as my system's fast enough, but I don't do anything major like encodes that could hang the machine up and disrupt a burn.

[mats.hogberg]

Ripping yes, burning No. Burning requires HDD access thruout the process - the burner has to be fed data at the rate it writes it to disc. If some other process performs a lengthy read/write operation, blocking the burner app from HDD access, the software buffer (and writer buffer) might get depleted, and you're left with a coaster. Various buffer underrun protection schemes tries to allow for this, but better safe than sorry.

/Mats