faster cuda card?

[DarrellS]

Tried both exe files and nothing changed. Same crash at same spot.

[DarrellS]

If I was to run a Linux live CD distro would I have access to all of the hardware in my PC? I thought I could just run a virtual machine but it seems that it uses virtual hardware and although it has access to the host CPU and Memory, it has no access to the NVidia graphics card.

If so, which distro would have the best hardware support? PCLinuxOS, Mageia or Debian GNU?

[DarrellS]

I guess I have to install it since running from the CD is like running a virtual machine except I get much better resolution with VMware Player. The PCLinuxOS live CD crashed my DVD Drive about half way through the load process and left me with a blank screen so I guess I'll install the Debian CD since it's a 4.3GB ISO and the PCLinuxOS is only 1GB. Must have a lot more software and drivers. They both have the NVIDIA driver so hopefully I'll be able to figure something out. I'm not very familiar with Linux but I'll have to learn like I've learned everything else. A lot of trial and error and a lot of reading and asking for help.

[DarrellS]

I decided against loading Linux and did one more clean install of XP. This time, no peripherals and no other software or codecs or drivers. Just the Motherboard drivers and the graphics driver.

Tried running the install version and it crashed immediately so I uninstalled it and ran the zipped one. It crashed immediately too so I went to Microsoft and downloaded all the net framework versions and the Visual C++ packages, up to .net framework 4.5 and redist 2012.

Hybrid started with no problems so I proceeded to try and encode a file. This time it seemed like it was going to encode but after about five seconds it crashed with the exact same error so I'm afraid that it is just not going to work on this machine. I'm tempted to replace a few exe files in the Hybrid packages with older versions and see if it helps but your commands probably won't work with older versions. I've had major problems after upgrading ffmpeg, mkvmerge and avisynth in the past that took a while to figure out.

I would post on your site but I haven't received a confirmation email yet. Here is my last log. It's a lot longer than the first but still ends with the same error...

...Oh well, it's 50,000 characters too long to post here.

I guess I'll start reinstalling my printer, scanner, graphics tablet, Magic jack (gotta have a phone), All my software and all my codecs and then make a back-up of my boot drive so I don't have to do another clean install of XP again for a while. It's OK every once in a while so I don't forget how but installing a disc image is a whole lot easier..

[Selur]

...Oh well, it's 50,000 characters too long to post here.

you can attach files, so why not simply attach a zipped version of the log?

I would post on your site but I haven't received a confirmation email yet.

That's strange it should normally go out instantly,... (side note: don't try register with a @yahoo email, I banned those since 99% of all spammers on the board used those)

[DarrellS]

I have to install my copy of WinZip first (or will 7zip zip files?).

Not sure if I used my gmail account or my wildblue account. I checked them both. I'll re-register. I also posted a short post to the Hybrid thread here but it didn't really have anything to do with the Cuda problem. Just commented on the potential of your program and how much better my x264 encode looked using your default commandline than the default commandline for the Virtualdub external encoder. I really do need to learn how to create my own commandline arguments. I'd like to learn how to create VBS scripts also. There's a lot of good info on the internet but most of it is way over my head.

[Selur]

Don't like VBS (think it's 10 to 15 years since I last used it), but it that is your poison of choice: go for it

Not sure if I used my gmail account or my wildblue account.

according to the board software your status is: 'not verified' (you used the wildblue email) -> check your spam folder.

I have to install my copy of WinZip first (or will 7zip zip files?).

don't care if it's raw/7z/zip or if you simply attach the txt

[jagabo]

I have to install my copy of WinZip first (or will 7zip zip files?).

Windows comes with a ZIP utility. Right click on the file and select Send To -> Compressed (zipped) Folder.

[DarrellS]

I was looking on the media coder site trying to download the commandline version demo and the recommended Hardware Configurations says that I need a nVidia GeForce GTX480 or better for Cuda GPU encoding or Intel HD Graphics 3000 or better for Quik Sync GPU encoding.

None of the links for the commandline demo work anyway.

[DarrellS]

Here's my last Debug Output. It looked like it was working since the progress bar went to 100% which it hasn't done before but then it went to encode and crashed. My input file this time was a Lagarith AVI file.

[Selur]

Lagarinth can only be handled by Hybrid if a. the avisynth extension and b. a vfw lagarinth codec is installed, since libav (like in ffmpeg/vlc/mplayer/...) can't handle Lagarith. The only existing decoder for Lagarith is the vfw decoder.

[DarrellS]

I have the lagaryth codec installed and assumed it would use it. I created an uncompressed AVI and ran it. It defeats the purpose of using a fast encoder though if you have to encode all your videos to a certain format before running them through Cuda.

Here's the new Debugger file...

[Selur]

No clue why created a uncompressed avi,... you could simply download and extract the avisynthExtension into the Hybrid folder and Hybrid should be able to open the file on your system.

[DarrellS]

Because I was told cuda only accepted raw input so I figured I'd make it as easy on Hybrid as I could. I already have the avisynthextension folder in the the Hybrid folder. I didn't know there were dll files that needed to be in the Hybrid folder.

I replaced the zip file above. Seems Hybrid doesn't get rid of the failed file in the queue so the error was for the file that had already failed before. Just an encode button would be nice instead of everything having to go into a queue (MOF, the file I was trying to encode didn't even go into the queue).

I'll try again but it won't make any difference what the input file is since it's the same error on every single file that I try to encode.

I wish I could find a copy of the Mediacoder commandline version demo since I at least know that my computer can encode with their cuda encoder but they took the demo down so I'm SOL unless I want to shell out big money that I don't have to test it out. Just a working copy of the command line argument would be nice so I could try it in Virtualdub.

[DarrellS]

Here is a copy of the windows crash file if you can make anything out of it...

[Selur]

Sorry, no clue why cuda.exe doesn't work on your system. According to NVIDIA it should work with your GPU&VP4 chipset.
What NVIDIA Driver version do you have installed?

[DarrellS]

I guess Mediacoder isn't working now. When I click on start, the Cuda tab jumps to x264 and it proceeds to encode with x264.

[DarrellS]

I installed the newest driver from the website when I reinstalled windows. A message told me a newer version was just released right after I installed it but when I tried to to get it, I couldn't connect to the site so I'm still using 6.14.13.1407 from 2-9-2013. I looked down in the system tray to check and my control panel is gone so I guess I need to restart my computer. Might as well download the newest version I guess or uninstall it and load the one that came with the card. Updates seem to do more harm than good anymore when you're running an OS like XP. Developers way of telling you to buy Windows 8 I guess. I probably shouldn't have gotten all the windows updates either. XP had been running fine without them since SP3.

[DarrellS]

Well, I bit the bullet again and reinstalled Windows XP one more time. This time, I did not install SP3 or any updates. Just the MB drivers and the graphics driver off of the EVGA installation disc, not an updated driver from NVIDIA.

Downloaded the Hybrid.7z package (newest version) and placed the avisynth plugins package and dlls in the folder. Double clicked the Hybrid.exe file and the program crashed instantly. I'm sure that was because I didn't install the VB 2010 redistributable package. Opened up Virtualdub from my unzipped folder and directed it to the cuda.exe file in the Hybrid package. I didn't expect anything different but when I clicked save, the cuda encoder proceeded to encode a .264 file in 38 seconds at 188 fps. About 40 fps faster than x264 at superfast preset. Not the major speed increase that I expected but every little bit helps.

I'll have to install MPC-HC to see what the file looks like along with all my other programs and codecs. I don't think it was SP3 that killed it but all the security updates from Microsoft so since I've lived without them since SP3, I can live without them now. I'll install a little at a time and see if it still works but I never had a problem with mediacoder before when I had all my normal programs installed so I think I'll be alright.

Thanks for all your help Selur!

[Selur]

newest version -> 2013.04.01 ?

[DarrellS]

That's what it said on the download link on your website. It's the same issue I had when I first tried your program. I downloaded the VB 2010 distributable from MS then and it worked. Haven't gotten that far yet.

Right now, I'm slowly installing updates to make sure everything is still OK. I had to install net framework 2,3 and 3.5 to get mymp4box to work. The cuda encoder is still working so far in virtualdub. The encode speed actually increased after the dotnet updates to 200fps. Maybe just coincidence. Tried full offload and it was slower so your command line works fine. Well, except the faces are blue in the finished video.

EDIT: Fixed it. IYUV

[DarrellS]

One problem. The input file is a 68MB mpg at 2000 kbps bitrate. The output file is 219MB with variable bitrate of max 10000 (no minimum or average).


EDIT: Changed command argument from argument in Hybrid (yes Hybrid is working now also) and now it's better. Encode speeds jumped to 224fps also.

--resolution %(width)x%(height) --input - --sar 1x1 --format IYUV --control_mode vbr_rest --bitrate 1999 --bitrate_peak 2001 --fps %(fps) --profile high --level auto --offload partial --measure FPS --showFrameStats 100 --deinterlace true --frame_typ frame --pframe_dist 1 --gop_max 250 --dynamicGOP true --pquant_min 20 --bquant_min 24 --iquant_min 20 --deblock true --cavlc false --nal_typ auto --sps_pps false --slices auto --output "%(tempvideofile)"

I think I'll lower it to 1500 (or lower) since it's a low quality mpg. I'll create different encoder sets in Virtualdub for different quality encodes. Thanks a lot for sticking with me through all of this. I didn't think I'd ever be able to use cuda with Virtualdub.

Now. I'll work on trying to get audio and muxing it together. So far, I haven't been able too but I'll get it figured out. Well, I'm able to get video and audio, I just haven't been able to mux them together. I have to do it manualy with mkvmerge.

[Selur]

Sorry, can't really do much about 1pass not hitting the desired file since the encoder library from NVIDIA doesn't offer 2pass encoding.

It only offers:

• variable bitrate minq (1-pass), which is an one pass encoding mode which allows you to set:
  1. an average bitrate you are aim for (this only is a roughly indicator for the encoder)
  2. a maximal bitrate that should not be exceeded
  3. minimal quantizers which allow you to specify some sort of minimal quality level
• variable bitrate (1pass), which is a one pass encoding mode for people who just want to get an average bitrate as fast as possible, the bitrate can fluctuate a lot an the average bitrate provided is only a roughly indicator for the encoder.
• constant bitrate (1pass), which is a one pass encoding mode which will always produce an output with the specified constant bitrate. I don't really see a scenario where his is useful other than to visualize how bitrate hungry some scenes are.
• constant quantization (1pass), which is a one pass encoding process which encodes each frame at a specific constant quantizer. Using constant quantization is mainly ment for fast encodings or testing specific features.

no clue which of these is the lesser evil for you

Cu Selur

[jagabo]

With a Q6600 I'm not sure why you would want to use CUDA for encoding. On a Q6600 with x264 at the veryfast preset you'll probably encode just as fast and still get better quality than CUDA can deliver. On my i5 2500K I get around 265 fps encoding a 720x480 DVD MPG source with the veryfast preset (CRF mode). At superfast I get around 390 fps.

[DarrellS]

With a Q6600 I'm not sure why you would want to use CUDA for encoding. On a Q6600 with x264 at the veryfast preset you'll probably encode just as fast and still get better quality than CUDA can deliver. On my i5 2500K I get around 265 fps encoding a 720x480 DVD MPG source with the veryfast preset (CRF mode). At superfast I get around 390 fps.

I think I get around 148fps at superfast preset. I just made another encode from this 640x360 mpg (testing after installing a few programs and restarting to make sure it still works) and averaged 347fps with cuda. I'm not sure if I'll use it for quality encodes but for my lower quality stuff that I want to encode fast, I think I'll use cuda.

I won't be able to really start testing it (which is why I wanted to get it working in Virtualdub) for a day or two after I get all my programs installed. Quality encodes from my CPU at stock speeds could use anywhere from 18 to 78 fps depending on the resolution and the preset. I like to make videos out of pictures with resolutions up to 2048x1152 and my fps can drop below 10 on some of these using the CPU. Luckily there aren't a whole lot of frames so it doesn't take too long.

EDIT: I just did a 1280x720 mpeg-ps and I had to add a lot more bitrate than the original to get it to look almost as good but there are still artifacts that aren't in the original. X264 does a whole lot better compression for sure. The same file with x264 at superfast was about 10 fps slower (around 87fps) but the quality is better and the finished file was only 133MB. 100MB smaller than the original mpeg and 220MB smaller than the cuda file. Maybe with some tweaking of the command line I could get better results but I don't know what tweaks to make. I guess it's back to googling to see what kind of presets I can find but it's very hard since hardly anyone encodes with cuda.

[Selur]

I don't know what tweaks to make.

in example:
- change P-frame distance, otherwise the encoder won't use b-frames
- enable CABAC and Deblock

[jagabo]

I think I get around 148fps at superfast preset.

I happen to have a Q6600 too. I just ran the same encoding test I ran earlier on the i5 2500K (DVD MPEG 2). I got 172 fps at superfast. 127 fps at veryfast. That was a simple AviSynth script:

 Mpeg2Source("VTS_01_1.d2v")

with the following x264 command line:

 x264.exe --preset=veryfast --crf=18 --keyint=100 --sar=10:11 --output %1.mkv %1

[poisondeathray]

Are some other operations offloaded from the CPU e.g. scaling, deinterlacing, effects , decoding ? Ignoring quality concerns, that's where GPU can assist greatly with speed, sometimes 10-20x faster than CPU processing only.

[Selur]

Are some other operations offloaded from the CPU e.g. scaling, deinterlacing, effects , decoding ?

Cuda.exe is able to do deinterlacing, not decoding, effect&co

[poisondeathray]

I noticed in his command line --deinterlace true => so this is done by cuda.exe in this case ?


Sorry for the offtopic, but is their development kit closed for those other operations like scaling etc, ? How do other programs leverage cuda cores for those other operations ?