Cuda newbie - can ripbot use cuda?

[yoda313]

Ok as some of you know I just got a used computer that is a core2quad q6600. I bought this video card because I needed one but I wanted cuda too - how exactly do I go about using it for encoding bluray rips for example?

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Galaxy+-+GeForce+GT+610+2GB+DDR3+PCI+Express+2.0+Graphics+...&skuId=5606876

Its the geforce gt 610.

I prefer to use ripbot for my h264 encoding jobs. Can I route it through the cuda card?

I haven't started looking at exactly how to setup a cuda encoding job yet. I will take a look in the guides of course.

Is this a waste of time though? Am I better off using just the cpu and not bother with cuda?

By the way as I mentioned I needed a new card anyway so it wasn't like I bought it JUST because it has cuda.

I did read a december 2012 post by deadrats declaring cuda pointless, or overhyped at least. Which surprised me as I remember that deadrats was such a vocal proponent for cuda.

Thanks.

Edit - ok I'll have to read through this before I go any further:

http://www.behardware.com/articles/828-1/h-264-encoding-cpu-vs-gpu-nvidia-cuda-amd-str...-and-x264.html

[aedipuss]

cuda was a potentially good idea. the execution failed though. a gtx610 just doesn't have the horsepower to even make it faster than cpu encoding and cuda quality sucks all round. there aren't any options to make it better.

try mediacoder if you want to check cuda out.

[yoda313]

cuda was a potentially good idea. the execution failed though. a gtx610 just doesn't have the horsepower to even make it faster than cpu encoding and cuda quality sucks all round. there aren't any options to make it better.

try mediacoder if you want to check cuda out.

Ok. Thanks.

Once I get my computer exactly the way I want it I'll check mediacoder out.

[jman98]

Most people say cuda sucks, but as I respect you I will spare you my usual "If you can't wait for your encodes to finish..." speech. deadrats is all over the freakin' map on encoding stuff with mostly an endless series of bitches about X.264 followed by a recent post where he basically said it was OK for some people under some circumstances. That's not at all what he was ranting about not that long ago with regards to X.264. So the best advice I can give you when it comes to X.264 is you need for deadrats to not be your guide here. Cuda is basically for the impatient under-25 crowd who piss and moan when anything takes longer than 1 minute to do on a computer who just need it quick and don't care about quality at all.

[yoda313]

but as I respect you I will spare you my usual "If you can't wait for your encodes to finish..."

Thank you. That means a lot coming from a fellow videohelp veteran.

Cuda is basically for the impatient under-25 crowd who piss and moan when anything takes longer than 1 minute to do on a computer who just need it quick and don't care about quality at all.

Interesting assessment.

I just got my pc mostly situated so I'll be able to start doing projects in earnest.

I will test mediacoder and give cuda a chance.

However it sounds as if I will be sticking with ripbot.

Thank you everyone.

[jagabo]

Your Q6600 running x264 at the veryfast preset is probably faster than CUDA and will still deliver better quality. The only advantage to using CUDA would be lower power consumption.

[DarrellS]

The file size is also bigger than the original file. X264 at superfast preset is as fast or faster and delivers a better quality file at a much smaller size. If you push the bit rate much higher you can get a file with the same quality as the superfast x264 file but the file will be huge.

You can also use the external encoder in Virtualdub to create CUDA h264 files. Here is a CUDA vdprof file if you want to try it. Just download the text file, rename CUDA.vdprof and import the file into the external encoder. Do your normal editing in Virtualdub and choose > File > Export > Using External Encoder > and select one of the CUDA encoders

[deadrats]

@yoda:

first things first, gt 610 doesn't have the execution units to really be the primary encoding device. furthermore, consumer cuda powered h264 encoder for the most part relied on the nvidia reference encoder, which was never meant to be a full featured stand alone encoder, just a starting point for developers. there are 2 or 3 encoders that did show the potential of a cuda powered encoder but they were targeted at the pro market and most people never got to see what they could do.

as you noted, because of the above, i no longer think that we'll ever see a consumer grade cuda powered encoder that will make the masses take notice.

having said that, i can think of 2 very good reasons why you should invest in a good modern card that supports cuda, filtering and hevc.

there are a number of video filters that take advantage of cuda, such as neat video and a good card would be worth it's weight in gold when using such a filter. as for hevc, one has to believe that with all the interest in the new encoding technology, the slow encode times on modern high end cpu's and the fact that the hevc spec was designed from the get go for massive parallelism, one would have to think that we will see a cuda powered hevc encoder sooner rather than later and a modest $200-$250 investment today in a decent midrange card with the latest gpu should pay off dividends well into the future.

[jagabo]

That $200 card today will be a $100 card next near. Wait until then before upgrading. Unless you really need Neat Video (or some other CUDA app) now.

[yoda313]

there are a number of video filters that take advantage of cuda, such as neat video and a good card would be worth it's weight in gold when using such a filter. as for hevc, one has to believe that with all the interest in the new encoding technology,

Thanks for all the info. However all I do is go from source to h264. Nothing in between, no tweaking or nothing. Basically just so I can watch the disc (be it dvd or bluray) on my tablet or to offload it to a usb drive for my bluray player.

So any of these "advanced" features are kind of wasted to me. I was just looking to see if it could be speed boost.

And as I mentioned I needed an hdmi card now and looked for nvidia for cuda as a side bonus without it being a primary purchase decision.

I do appreciate all the info.

Unless you really need Neat Video (or some other CUDA app) now.

Nope this will do for now. This was my upgrade. It beats onboard video that the dell came with. And as mentioned I'm a console gamer so even though I got the 2gb version of this video card I mainly got it for bluray/h264 viewing and general pc use on my hdtv.

Thanks darrells.

I've got a bluray rip I need to reencode so I'll do some testing now.

Thanks everyone.

[yoda313]

Your Q6600 running x264 at the veryfast preset is probably faster than CUDA and will still deliver better quality. The only advantage to using CUDA would be lower power consumption.

Sorry for the bump but I can't believe I'm actually getting nearly 30fps with ripbot using the veryfast preset. I'm using the 4.0 profile and converting a bluray to 720p at cq22 (anime bluray intended for viewing on a tablet). I'm not adding any filters or anything.

it just jumped to 31.5 fps!

This is incredible on an older processor - but still obviously faster than my old dual core. I think I was getting 10-15fps but that was on the default preset.

also I've never used anything but the default settings in ripbot - should I use the animation preset for anime conversions? Or is it inconsequential? Some of them I'll end up viewing on a regular tv so they won't always be viewed on a tablet.

Thanks everyone

Fyi I tried mediacoder but on the one rip I have on my harddrive (bluray) it just errored out on me. I'll try it again on a different rip before settling back down with ripbot.

I hope these veryfast conversions look like the other ones I've made with ripbot. If they do this will be great. I'll be doing a lot more conversions now that I am moving this fast.

Just peaked at 32.4 fps! Hell ya!

[jagabo]

I hope these veryfast conversions look like the other ones I've made with ripbot.

They will look a little worse. There will be a little more posterization, especially in dark areas, moving edges will be a little rougher. But you may not notice on a small display.

[yoda313]

I hope these veryfast conversions look like the other ones I've made with ripbot.

They will look a little worse. There will be a little more posterization, especially in dark areas, moving edges will be a little rougher. But you may not notice on a small display.

Ok.

I'll check them out on the tablet.

If they are ok to me I'll use that in the future.

Otherwise if the artifacts are too pronounced even on a tablet I'll move up a tick to the next one above veryfast and give that a try. (read - the next one thats slower than veryfast)

Thanks.