OT: mp4 creation difference Q.

[RJK]

compressing video for handheld ...freeview tv / video player :-

....usign AVS Video Converter 6.2


XP Home ed. SP3+
Asus M3N78 / x6000 Windsor takes approx. THREE times as long to compress 2
hours of tv (from domestic DVD disk),

....and my ancient pride and joy Asrock Conroe 865PE / D935 2x3.2ghz converts
1.5 hrs in a FRACTION of the time ?

....any idea on how to speed up AMD based machine ?

....one possibly relevant observation - AMD machine shows a small picture
"preview" during compressing, updated two or three times a second, ((and
there seems to be no way to switch that off (in AVS software)), whilst the
Intel based machine does not show a preview, and beats the HELL out of my
new PC !

TIA

regards, Richard

 

[Paul]

compressing video for handheld ...freeview tv / video player :-

...usign AVS Video Converter 6.2


XP Home ed. SP3+
Asus M3N78 / x6000 Windsor takes approx. THREE times as long to compress 2
hours of tv (from domestic DVD disk),

...and my ancient pride and joy Asrock Conroe 865PE / D935 2x3.2ghz converts
1.5 hrs in a FRACTION of the time ?

...any idea on how to speed up AMD based machine ?

...one possibly relevant observation - AMD machine shows a small picture
"preview" during compressing, updated two or three times a second, ((and
there seems to be no way to switch that off (in AVS software)), whilst the
Intel based machine does not show a preview, and beats the HELL out of my
new PC !

TIA

regards, Richard

The CPU in each case, has things like the following to do computations with

1) Integer instructions 2+2 = 4
2) Floating point 2.001 + 2.001 = 4.002
3) SIMD (do a simply operation, like scale, four pixel values at the same time, in one clock tick)
SIMD = single instruction multiple data
SSE or 3DNow are names for this. Multimedia work is an example of something that benefits.
The AVS program has a config page, allowing manual or automatic selection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMD

If the program is not properly detecting the processor option (SSE on Intel,
3DNow on AMD), it may "fall back" to another slower method.

The "kernel" of a conversion program, may be coded in assembler, and
different kernels are used, as selected by the program or by the user.

In addition to that resource

4) Programmable shaders on the video card, to be used as a separate accelerator.
5) Video processor on the video card (may reduce effort to produce a video image
on the monitor).

I would start with Task Manager on both machines, and see whether both cores
go to 100% or not. There might be an even simpler explanation, for example,
if the program is only running on one core, the program is not able to "peg"
the CPU etc.

Use a copy of CPUZ (cpuid.com) on each machine, and verify at the instant
the computation is running, the processor core speed is correct. CPUZ updates
the screen every few seconds, so dynamically reports CPU speed.

HTH,
Paul

 

[RJK]

The CPU in each case, has things like the following to do computations
with

1) Integer instructions 2+2 = 4
2) Floating point 2.001 + 2.001 = 4.002
3) SIMD (do a simply operation, like scale, four pixel values at the same
time, in one clock tick)
SIMD = single instruction multiple data
SSE or 3DNow are names for this. Multimedia work is an example of
something that benefits.
The AVS program has a config page, allowing manual or automatic
selection.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SIMD

If the program is not properly detecting the processor option (SSE on
Intel,
3DNow on AMD), it may "fall back" to another slower method.

The "kernel" of a conversion program, may be coded in assembler, and
different kernels are used, as selected by the program or by the user.

In addition to that resource

4) Programmable shaders on the video card, to be used as a separate
accelerator.
5) Video processor on the video card (may reduce effort to produce a video
image
on the monitor).

I would start with Task Manager on both machines, and see whether both
cores
go to 100% or not. There might be an even simpler explanation, for
example,
if the program is only running on one core, the program is not able to
"peg"
the CPU etc.

Use a copy of CPUZ (cpuid.com) on each machine, and verify at the instant
the computation is running, the processor core speed is correct. CPUZ
updates
the screen every few seconds, so dynamically reports CPU speed.

HTH,
Paul

Many thanks,

I had noticed the SSD | 3Dnow / Intel|AMD settings screen in AVS - on both
PC's, and glanced through them, and on both PC's, the relevant options
appeared to have been correctly detected and selected by "tick boxes."
The "August" brand, model DTV350C little handheld 3.5 inch LCD thing
that I bought contains, in it's "manual," next to no information on the
video formats that it suports !
....other than on the box :-

"Play AVI video MPEG-1, 2 & 4 format"
"Play MP3 & WAV audio and JPEG photo"
"SD/MMC card reader support up to 8GB"

Whilst wading through the myriad video format settings, and sub-settings for
each! .., in AVS 6.2 ...I seem to have worked out that *.mp4 files will
not play on the thing, and I have to use the "AVI" mode in AVS 6.2 to end
up with an *.avi file that will play on DTV350C ...and I think
mepg4|DivX 5 ...is floating around in there somewhere !!!

A glaring inadequacy in the AVS 6.2 software is that it does display, (even
just a "best guess" output filesize would have been helpful !!), output
filesize.
....and after tweaking "Custom" output mpeg-4 / Dix5 geometry, there are
SOoooo many sub options - it's a very long winded affair trialling and
erroring the thing !

....then I discover that my newer AMD PC has no problem with a 4gb SD card
(Fat 32) BUT, older Intel D935 PC complains with an XP I/O error !
Both PC's have XP Home SP3+ ...all up to date, and both normally behave in a
robust fashion, other than D935 based machine unable to cope with 4 gb Sd
card, ...it's okay with a 1gb SD card but, chokes on a 4gb SD card,
.....looks like I'll have to spend time on trying to fix that !!! (different
3.5" bay flash card reader brand/models in both PC's ?).

re: your reference to CPU-Z and cpu speed etc. ...I use it often
...also "AMD Power Monitor" shows that cpu is running at 1000mhz almost all
the time whilst compressing ! i.e. not stepping up to 3ghz,
(Cool'N'Quiet+XP's "Minimal Power Management" etc.)

....have had to call a halt to spending countless hours problem solving, in
order to get some *.avi filea / video onto SD cards for DTV350C, for Aunty
in hospital !

It is SOOOOOOooooooo annoying that, (on PC's that seem to be robust, well
behaved, and well configured), when on actually attempts to do lot of
"unfamiliar" work, problems occur that take AGEEEEEEEEEES to resolve.

regards, Richard

 

[RJK]

Many thanks,

I had noticed the SSD | 3Dnow / Intel|AMD settings screen in AVS - on
both PC's, and glanced through them, and on both PC's, the relevant
options appeared to have been correctly detected and selected by "tick
boxes."
The "August" brand, model DTV350C little handheld 3.5 inch LCD thing
that I bought contains, in it's "manual," next to no information on the
video formats that it suports !
...other than on the box :-

"Play AVI video MPEG-1, 2 & 4 format"
"Play MP3 & WAV audio and JPEG photo"
"SD/MMC card reader support up to 8GB"

Whilst wading through the myriad video format settings, and sub-settings
for each! .., in AVS 6.2 ...I seem to have worked out that *.mp4 files
will not play on the thing, and I have to use the "AVI" mode in AVS 6.2 to
end up with an *.avi file that will play on DTV350C ...and I think
mepg4|DivX 5 ...is floating around in there somewhere !!!

A glaring inadequacy in the AVS 6.2 software is that it does display,
(even just a "best guess" output filesize would have been helpful !!),
output filesize.
...and after tweaking "Custom" output mpeg-4 / Dix5 geometry, there are
SOoooo many sub options - it's a very long winded affair trialling and
erroring the thing !

...then I discover that my newer AMD PC has no problem with a 4gb SD card
(Fat 32) BUT, older Intel D935 PC complains with an XP I/O error !
Both PC's have XP Home SP3+ ...all up to date, and both normally behave in
a robust fashion, other than D935 based machine unable to cope with 4 gb
Sd card, ...it's okay with a 1gb SD card but, chokes on a 4gb SD card,
....looks like I'll have to spend time on trying to fix that !!!
(different 3.5" bay flash card reader brand/models in both PC's ?).

re: your reference to CPU-Z and cpu speed etc. ...I use it often
..also "AMD Power Monitor" shows that cpu is running at 1000mhz almost all
the time whilst compressing ! i.e. not stepping up to 3ghz,
(Cool'N'Quiet+XP's "Minimal Power Management" etc.)

...have had to call a halt to spending countless hours problem solving, in
order to get some *.avi filea / video onto SD cards for DTV350C, for
Aunty in hospital !

It is SOOOOOOooooooo annoying that, (on PC's that seem to be robust, well
behaved, and well configured), when on actually attempts to do lot of
"unfamiliar" work, problems occur that take AGEEEEEEEEEES to resolve.

regards, Richard

After further digging into AVS settings - I discovered that unlicensed DivX5
was being "used" during "compression/conversion"
i.e. as soon as I switched out that setting for "DivX compatible," cpu
hovers around 2200|2400|2600|3000mhz ...and all is whistling along quite
nicely

....thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

regards, Richard

 

[Paul]

After further digging into AVS settings - I discovered that unlicensed DivX5
was being "used" during "compression/conversion"
i.e. as soon as I switched out that setting for "DivX compatible," cpu
hovers around 2200|2400|2600|3000mhz ...and all is whistling along quite
nicely

...thanks for pointing me in the right direction.

regards, Richard

For your SD question, there is "SD" and "SDHC". Try swapping the
card readers, as it is possible one reads SDHC and the other does
not. Find a device that mentions SDHC, and then 4GB and above should
work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secure_Digital_card#SDHC

With regard to your results on compression, I checked the
Tomshardware results, and with the "MainConcept" benchmark,
the AMD seemed to have an advantage over the Intel (Toms has
several charts, and you have to go back a few years to find
a Pressler processor). Now that your clock frequency is closer
to nominal, your results make more sense.

You can experiment with the WinXP Power Options control panel, for
example "Always On", then check CPUZ and see if the frequency
stays put. This should not have an effect on performance, except
in some real-time scenarios. Anandtech for example, noted that
video playback was smoother if CNQ was disabled. It is possible
a setting of "Always On" might temporarily achieve the same
result. You can set it back to "Home/Office Desk" or whatever
it is at now, when you're done. Treat that as more of an
experiment, than as a permanent setting. The computer will use
less power on average, with the "Home/Office Desk" type setting.

A good site to visit, for tool selection, would be videohelp.com .
It has lists of tools, hardware and software, and sometimes has
useful comments on how well they work. There are differences in
video compressors, as to how fast they run, and what quality they
output. I expect you selected AVS for all the file types it supports,
but there may be better tools for specialized cases.

http://www.videohelp.com/tools

Also note, that there are a few freebies, and it is possible that
the "commercial" tools are based at their core, on a freebie. One
of the selling points of some of these tools, is their ability
to identify the right settings, out of a myriad of settings.
There are some freebie tools that do that kind of thing for you.

It can take a significant amount of research, to find the right
tools for the job. (I read the odd posting in rec.video.desktop ,
and see mention of some of them.)

Paul