VideoHelp.com Video Benchmarking

[rallynavvie]

Top results returned as of 11/05/05: (stock results only)

26 seconds - btrager (Manchester 4600X2)
48 seconds - funsoul (2x Prestonia 2.4)
55 seconds - BJ_M (Northwood 2.66)
65 seconds - cryolock (Prescott 3.0) and waheed (Newcastle 3500)

To help those of us new to encoding who want to build a new system and for the curiosity in all of us let's make our own benchmarking results page!

What you need to participate:
A PC (sorry, no Mac users allowed yet )
CPU-Z
TMPGEnc 2.5x
The source AVI file Self-Extractable part 1 and part two to go with above
(thanks to BJ_M for the clips!)
The TMPGEnc settings file

What to do:
1. Download each of the above files.
2. Install TMPGEnc 2.5x and open it up. Use the guides for TMPGEnc on this website to optimize it for your system (basically by checking every option available on the CPU tab of the "Environmental Settings").
3. Run CPU-Z to identify your system properly. Post your processor speed (bus/cache/core if known), amount and speed of memory (timings if known), and your system chipset (found under the Mainboard tab of CPU-Z).
4. Next go back to TMPGEnc and load up the clip to encode using the supplied settings file. If possible encode to a different hard drive than the one where the original file resides. Post what model/speed of hard drive you reading from and encoding to, or if you have only one in your system than just that drive's information.
5. Make sure your system is free to run the benchmark (limit what processes are running if you can) and run the encode of the file!
6.When the batch log pops up at the end note the total time elapsed and the times for the file and then post them here with everything else!

I'll take the time to cull the results and make up some sort of chart to display them all once we get a lot of posts up. If you have more than one system then please benchmark them all! If you notice a setting that makes for faster marks (like enabling/disabling HT) share it with us! We aren't going to ask for proof of the marks so we're trusting you to give us real results. The purpose of this isn't to show whose computer is faster (since we all know different systems are good at doing different things better than other systems) but since this is a video-oriented site this may prove pretty useful to some of us.
mine is faster

Have fun!

[thecoalman]

Couldn't figure out how to do a batch nor did I get a log file but anyway.....

After loading the template the elapsed time is reported as 39 seconds for the first file and 43 seconds for the second file in TMPGenc interface.

That's from a 120G Seagate Bar. 7200 SATA to the same... Also I disable some processes without getting crazy. I had about 29 going


I got this by gong to the last tab in cpuz and outputting a html file, cut and paste....

Name Intel Pentium 4
Code Name Northwood
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Family / Model / Stepping F 2 9
Extended Family / Model 0 0
Brand ID 9
Package mPGA-478
Core Stepping D1
Technology 0.13 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, SSE, SSE2
CPU Clock Speed 3014.6 MHz
Clock multiplier x 15.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 201.0 MHz
Bus Speed 803.9 MHz
L1 Data Cache 8 KBytes, 4-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Trace Cache 12 Kµops, 8-way set associative
L2 Cache 512 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 3014.6 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 256 bits

CPU#2 APIC ID = 1
CPU Name Intel Pentium 4 (logical unit)


Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
Motherboard model 8IPE1000P, 1.x
BIOS vendor Award Software International, Inc.
BIOS revision FC
BIOS release date 03/03/2004
Chipset Intel i865P/PE/G/i848P rev. A2
Southbridge Intel 82801EB (ICH5) rev. 2
Sensor chip FFFF
FSB Select 800 MHz
Performance Mode disabled
Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Status enabled, rev. 3.0
AGP Data Transfert Rate 8x
AGP Max Rate 8x
AGP Side Band Addressing supported, enabled
AGP Aperture Size 128 MBytes

Memory
DRAM Type DDR-SDRAM
DRAM Size 1024 MBytes
DRAM Frequency 201.0 MHz
FSBRAM 1:1
CAS# Latency 2.5 clocks
RAS# to CAS# 3 clocks
RAS# Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (TRAS) 8 clocks
# of memory modules 2
Module 0 Corsair DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes
Module 1 Corsair DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 512 MBytes

Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c

Performance Mode disabled

What is this Rally and how do I enable it? Or do I want to enable it?

[Tommyknocker]

You may want to number your steps to make your guide more user friendly.

[rallynavvie]

Steps numbered.

Make sure to enable everything you can in the TMPGEnc "Environmental Settings" under the CPU tab as these are the instruction sets specific to our processors and will give better performance. Those with HT (be it the Intel or AMD version) let us know if it was enabled or not when you ran the test. Try running it without HT and see if it's any faster! You may learn something about your own system you didn't even know.

I have no idea what the "Performance Mode" thing is under the memory tab of CPU-Z. There are some issues with CPU-Z reading memory sometimes so the most important part of that tab is the speed and the timings.

[Cobra]

AMD doesn't have a system like HyperThreading, does it?

[BJ_M]

here are both files above as one file - split w/ winrar (self extracting)

part1.exe

part2.rar

[BJ_M]

AMD doesn't have a system like HyperThreading, does it?

no

[Cobra]

I thought not. Are you thinking of HTT, rally? That's the AMD64 equivelant of the FSB.

[rallynavvie]

HyperTransport, that's not HTT is it? All I know is it was something I had read about when researching Opteron systems.

When are we gonna get some results from your new rig Cobra? I'm kinda interested to see what that core can do for encoding. It's gotta absolutely fly for gaming though 8)

edit: HTT = HyperTransport Technology. When I had read of it I saw the diagram showing 3 HTT links to the processor and likened it to HyperThreading. It's similar but is implemented more like what the Mac processors have had for years. Now THAT is exciting. Macs have had processor throughput like the Amazon for years and now the x86 market is finally following. Fun

[rallynavvie]

Come on folks, it's hard to put together results with only one return. Unfortunately I have to have coalman do it again with the new single file just to make sure it fits with the rest of the marks we'll see.

[thecoalman]

Unfortunately I have to have coalman do it again with the new single file just to make sure it fits with the rest of the marks we'll see.

What if I don't want to.... :P You can't make me....


Edit: Same results.

[Cobra]

Rally,

I will run the benchmarks now.

I am thinking about making a sticky for the Computer forum explaining why it is that Intel CPUs (specifically the Pentium 4) are better for video encoding, and AMD chips are better for applications such as gaming. Do you think it would help?

[Cobra]

http://www.digitalfaq.com/convert/tmpgenc/tmpgencplus.htm

This covers the CPU settings.

[rallynavvie]

I am thinking about making a sticky for the Computer forum explaining why it is that Intel CPUs (specifically the Pentium 4) are better for video encoding, and AMD chips are better for applications such as gaming. Do you think it would help?

No, you've got the Intel zealot here to keep folks in line

Maybe talk to Flaystus and have it added to the FAQ sticky. Speaking of whom I haven't seen him around lately...

[Faustus]

Last I checked AMD cpus were better for gaming and video and Intels were better of draining your wallet.

Processes were NOT disabled because I'm lazy. About 34 were loaded at the time.


Encode Time:

1:09 (One Minute and nine seconds)


Hard Drive: WD1200JB 120gb 7200rpm 8mb cache.
(encoding to 2nd drive on the same channel made NO difference in encode speeds)


Zcpu:

Number of CPUs 1
Name AMD Athlon XP
Code Name Barton
Specification AMD Athlon(tm) XP 3000+
Family / Model / Stepping 6 A 0
Extended Family / Model 7 A
Package Socket A
Technology 0.13 µ
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, Extended MMX, 3DNow!, Extended 3DNow!, SSE
CPU Clock Speed 2162.7 MHz
Clock multiplier x 13.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 166.4 MHz
Bus Speed 332.7 MHz
L1 Data Cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Instruction Cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Cache 512 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 2162.7 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 64 bits

Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer Shuttle Inc
Motherboard model AN35,
BIOS vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS revision 6.00 PG
BIOS release date 05/30/2003
Chipset nVidia nForce2 400 rev. C1
Southbridge nVidia nForce2 MCP rev. A4
Sensor chip FFFF
Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Status enabled, rev. 3.0
AGP Data Transfert Rate 8x
AGP Max Rate 8x
AGP Side Band Addressing supported, enabled
AGP Aperture Size 128 MBytes

Memory
DRAM Type DDR-SDRAM
DRAM Size 512 MBytes
DRAM Frequency 166.4 MHz
FSBRAM 1:1
CAS# Latency 2.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# 3 clocks
RAS# Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (TRAS) 7 clocks
# of memory modules 1
Module 0 Corsair DDR-SDRAM PC2700 - 512 MBytes

Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c

[Cobra]

My machine:

https://www.videohelp.com/~cobra/cpuz.htm

I am running the system and TMPGEnc off my primary hard drive (Maxtor 120GB, 7,200rpm, 8MB cache, ATA133) and saving to my secondary hard drive (IBM 80GB, 7,200rpm, 8MB cache, ATA133).

My machine performed the encode in 59 seconds.

Cobra

[thecoalman]

Encode Time:

1:09 (One Minute and nine seconds)

OK WTF am I doing wrong, I could see if there was a marginal difference but comsidering all my shit is faster than yours. Is that for both videos? Am I missing something here, I'm not too familiar with the numbers and exactly whjat they represent.

[rallynavvie]

Did you get 1:22 total for the new file with both videos joined? Did you check all the boxes under the CPU tab in the settings for TMPGEnc? Until more folks post their findings I won't know if yours is out of the ordinary.

[BJ_M]

Number of encode frame = 214
Length of GOP = Average 32.92 field(s), MAX 36 field(s)
Average bitrate of video = 6999.80 kbps
VBV buffer size = 304 KB

Finished encoding video

--> 57 seconds first time i tried it
--> 59 seconds second time i tried it (with log file displayed this time)
---> 55 seconds , third time (this time i shut down everything running)

-------------------------------------------------------------

tmpgenc 2.512.52.161 - file and settings from above

source and target different drives .

Nothing special system -

ASUS P4P800SE

512 memory

2.66 P4 (no overclock on this one)

[BJ_M]

I have found that the intel cpu to be better for encoding - nothing wrong with amd , i like them also ..

[Delerious]

I have no idea what the "Performance Mode" thing is under the memory tab of CPU-Z. There are some issues with CPU-Z reading memory sometimes so the most important part of that tab is the speed and the timings.

Also known as Performance Acceleration Technology (PAT) , Memory
Acceleration Mode (on ASUS). Here's what Intel says about it:
http://www.intel.com/design/chipsets/pat.htm

J

[thecoalman]

Did you get 1:22 total for the new file with both videos joined? Did you check all the boxes under the CPU tab in the settings for TMPGEnc? Until more folks post their findings I won't know if yours is out of the ordinary.

I got 1:24, I had a few things running though. HT is enabled. Now I compared the second screenshot of Cobra's to mine and I noticed two differences. His voltage is higher (Mine :1.52 His:1.6) and the multiplier id higher mine is 15x his is 20x. They are the same processor.Obviously some room for improvement, my system is running at 29 degrees idle and never got above 42 degrees while running the encode, fan never went higher than 2500.

[Cobra]

Errr... my vCore is 1.75 and my multiplier is 9.5 (x 255MHz to give 2423MHz).

You're looking at BJ_M's machine. I wouldn't be seen dead with an Intel machine. Actually - I take that back. I would be seen dead with one - my bank would kill me if I spent that much!

He's made an evil Cobra avatar - even I get confused when scanning for posts since I have had the same avatar for a long time now.

[rallynavvie]

Try it without HT enabled and see what difference that makes. I should enable HT and see what happens...

[thecoalman]

Try it without HT enabled and see what difference that makes. I should enable HT and see what happens...

I got 1:20 twice with HT disabled......I tried it with 2 drives and one, same result.

[thecoalman]

He's made an evil Cobra avatar -

Ohhhhh playing tricks on thecoalman is he...

[BJ_M]

wonder why mine is faster - and we have the same cpu .. my cpu does run pretty hot though -- stock cpu fan on this one -- but i mean i have real cheap memory in this machine .. stable system though -- stable like a rock ... rairly shut it down for any reason .. coolermaster powersupply ..

[thecoalman]

wonder why mine is faster - and we have the same cpu .. my cpu does run pretty hot though -- stock cpu fan on this one -- but i mean i have real cheap memory in this machine .. stable system though -- stable like a rock ... rairly shut it down for any reason .. coolermaster powersupply ..

Yes my thoughts exactly, everthing is stock on mine too... no overclocking and I have 1gig of some of the fastest ram they make, at least it was when I bought it a year ago.

[BJ_M]

mine runs about 38degree idle i seem to recall -- but that is when i boot it and leave it on bios to check -- so i really dont know how realistic that is .. maybe diff is in diff. version of tmpgenc ?

i also never use HT ..it just slows most things down ..

[Faustus]

OK WTF am I doing wrong, I could see if there was a marginal difference but comsidering all my shit is faster than yours. Is that for both videos? Am I missing something here, I'm not too familiar with the numbers and exactly whjat they represent.

It was one file. I didn't see two there. Just one file in two parts, after making the single file (one was an exe, the other a rar) I encoded it in 1:09. If there is a 2nd file I missed it. I might be able to shave a couple of seconds by disabling a few things like the itunes stuff, AV, and random crap but its not worth it.

My system is very tight right now though. Recently defraged, SP2 and everything. Very smooth. Now in 6 months... who knows?