Encoding Hardware, what's important for fast encodes?

[tominator]

Hi.
I'm using a 3,0Ghz P4 with 512MB RAM and an integrated graphics card. Unfortunatly this is all I know about my system. I don't know what kind of RAM (guessing DDR) and I have no clue what type of mobo I have and so on.

I encode WMV-streams from DVD-movies (m2v- and ac3-files) demuxed with DVDDecrypter. I use ProCoder 2.0 for this. I know encoding Xvid would be better but I can't change from WMV since the files are not for me.

I encode one file with two bitrates (1500Kbit with 128Kbit audio) and (800Kbit with 128Kbit audio). Both 2-pass. I encode 24/7 all year round.

The encoding takes forever (12 hours and more/movie).

I would like to know what I can do to speed up the process.

1, How much would it help if I got more RAM? Should I get 512 for a total of 1GB or should my total be even more?

2, Would a new graphics card help? In that case are there any cards you recommend?

3, I've been reading a bit about encoding cards. Should I get one of these? What do they do anyway? What exactly am I looking for? Is it an mpeg2-encoding card I want?

Thanks heaps.

[jagabo]

More RAM won't help much. New graphics card won't help. Get a dual core CPU if your motherboard will take one.

[tominator]

More RAM won't help much. New graphics card won't help. Get a dual core CPU if your motherboard will take one.

More RAM wont help much you said, but it would help right?

[jagabo]

More RAM won't help much. New graphics card won't help. Get a dual core CPU if your motherboard will take one.

More RAM wont help much you said, but it would help right?

It might cut a few seconds off your 12 hour encodes.

One circumstance where it will make a bigger difference is if you are currently using a single stick of memory (single channel). Then switching to two sticks (dual channel) will make a significant difference. I don't remember how much difference it makes for WMV encoding, maybe 5 or 10 percent.

[tominator]

More RAM won't help much. New graphics card won't help. Get a dual core CPU if your motherboard will take one.

More RAM wont help much you said, but it would help right?

It might cut a few seconds off your 12 hour encodes.

One circumstance where it will make a bigger difference is if you are currently using a single stick of memory (single channel). Then switching to two sticks (dual channel) will make a significant difference. I don't remember how much difference it makes for WMV encoding, maybe 5 or 10 percent.

Thanks again. Since Im not all into hardware I have to ask. Two memory sticks would make it dual channel regardless of my memory type? Or would I have to be using a specific type of memory?

[TBoneit]

Depends on the Motherboard, All Motherboards do not support Dual Channel mode. Read the Manual.

Answering your other question, No a MPEG2 encoding card will not help you encode WMVs as they are not MPEG2 format.

This might be a silly question but have you tried other programs as a test to see if anything else is faster? WMM outputs WMV free in Xp. TMPGEnc Xpress can be set to output WMV Trialware.

Also look through these .
https://www.videohelp.com/tools?s=106#106

Cheers