DVD-RB: Using all cores with DVD-RB/CCE?

[pio011]

Hi,

I have recently upgraded to an i7-920 system. Before I was using a single-core (old) AMD and was suffering from very long encoding times using DVD-RB.
Yesterday I was able to test DVD-RB (latest Pro v 1.28) with CCE 2.70 Trial and encode a dvd. I was a bit dissapointed: with 3 passes it still took me 60 minutes for a reencode - before it took over 180 minutes. This is a good speed improve, but I was a bit shocked: CCE only used two cores with about 30% of cpu usage (about 6 frames/sec were encoded). I was wondering why only two cores with an overall usage of 30% were used and only one instance of cce popoped up? I was somehow hoping for maybe 3 or 4 instances of cce (one for each core) and more cpu usage to give me even better speed results. I am sure, that my system could give better results.
Under "settings" DVD-RB shows Multiple Encoder Processes (8). Therefore it seems to recognize the cores. But why is it not using it? I have read about a tool "DualDVDRB" to support more cores, but it is only for the free version of DVD-RB? Also, I have read about using a different encoder instead of cce to support more cores. Is cce the problem?

I am a bit confused. What do I have to do to speed thing up? :thanks:

Regards,
pio011

[Groucho2004]

Is cce the problem?

Yes. CCE only allows one instance of itself running and apparently cannot use more than 2 cores efficiently.

What do I have to do to speed thing up?

Use a different encoder, like HC or Procoder.

[pio011]

Yes. CCE only allows one instance of itself running and apparently cannot use more than 2 cores efficiently.
Is a newer version of cce capable of using hyperthreading/multiple cores?
Use a different encoder, like HC or Procoder.
Two things:
1. I thought using cce would give me the highest quality for dvd/mpeg2? Or is that an outdated assumption?
2. Are HC or procoder cabable of using more cores or using more than one instance?

Thanks,
pio011

[Groucho2004]

Is a newer version of cce capable of using hyperthreading/multiple cores?

Not sure, check their website.

Two things:
1. I thought using cce would give me the highest quality for dvd/mpeg2? Or is that an outdated assumption?
2. Are HC or procoder cabable of using more cores or using more than one instance?

1. This has been discussed to death here. There is no "best" encoder. The (perceived) quality of the encoded material depends on various factors, for example the source and your personal preference.

2. Both of them use multiple threads (Procoder really just 2) but you can run multiple instances with both in DVD-RB.

[six13]

I have a work PC that is a AMD Athalon X2 2.4 GHZ 4600. It has Procoder 3 and CCE SP 2.7 on it. I can only speak for 2 cores, not 4. I find that CCE runs at 100% for both cores or close to it. Procoder 3 on the other hand is slower, it seems to run about 60-80% and it shows the progress speed in relation to normal speed of 29.97 fps, so if it says .50X a 1 hr video will take 2 hrs to encode. I find CCE SP way faster, what I like about Procoder 3 is the filters and controll over the encoder settings. Often I will take a video I got off my sat dish and media center and author DVD files with Procoder3then use CCE to shrink it with DVD-RB. My videos with Procoder are a softer smoother image, CCE seems to sharpen the image slightly and is incredibly fast with the 25/16 setting.

[jdobbs]

On a system with 8 cores you'll probably find HC to be significantly faster than CCE, and its quality is just as good.

[pio011]

Thanks for all your replies and tipps. Of course, I did not want to start a discussion about "what's the best encoder". I know it wouldn't make much sense.
I am just a complete newbie on a hyperthreading and multicore system.
On a system with 8 cores you'll probably find HC to be significantly faster than CCE, and its quality is just as good.
Oh, thats good to know! But why is HC not developed anymore?
@jdobbs:
1. Does DVD-RB support the new version(s) of cce? my 2.70 seems to be very outdated. A newer version of cce might just support muliticore/mulit instances/hyperthreading.
2. Is DVD-RB actually supporting opening multi instances of an encoder? I mean: Does it "know" to do that? Or do I have to change the .ini somehow? Or is it better to open just one encoder instance and encode with "full power" of the cpu?

Thanks again,
pio011

[jdobbs]

Thanks for all your replies and tipps. Of course, I did not want to start a discussion about "what's the best encoder". I know it wouldn't make much sense.
I am just a complete newbie on a hyperthreading and multicore system.

Oh, thats good to know! But why is HC not developed anymore?
@jdobbs:
1. Does DVD-RB support the new version(s) of cce? my 2.70 seems to be very outdated. A newer version of cce might just support muliticore/mulit instances/hyperthreading.
2. Is DVD-RB actually supporting opening multi instances of an encoder? I mean: Does it "know" to do that? Or do I have to change the .ini somehow? Or is it better to open just one encoder instance and encode with "full power" of the cpu?

Thanks again,
pio011 DVD-RB Pro supports the newer versions of CCE -- but unfortunately they don't support multicore any more than 2.70. In fact the underlying engine has hardly changed at all.

Yes DVD-RB Pro will open multiple instances of the encoder -- that's why HC would be faster on 8 cores, but it can't do it with CCE because it doesn't allow it. It knows how to do it by getting the processor count from the operating system. The newer HC versions support hyperthreading, but when you get over 2-3 cores or so you're better off using multiple instances.

Just a note to avoid confusion for other readers: The freeware version of DVD-RB doesn't support multiple instances.

[ercofra]

There's a new version of CCE, CCE-SP3, optimized for multicore CPU (maximum 8-core), but requires Windows Vista/7 and SSE2 CPUs (old Athlon XP and all socket A CPUs don't have SSE2).

[jdobbs]

There's a new version of CCE, CCE-SP3, optimized for multicore CPU (maximum 8-core), but requires Windows Vista/7 and SSE2 CPUs (old Athlon XP and all socket A CPUs don't have SSE2). Hmmm... I didn't know that. Thanks.

[pio011]

Is this new cce sp3 supported in dvd-rb? :)

[jdobbs]

Is this new cce sp3 supported in dvd-rb? :) I haven't tested it. It would depend whether the ECL file format has changed.

[joker76]

CCE SP3 doesnt use an .ECL file anymore, the encoderlist format is .XML and/or .DAT

[jdobbs]

CCE SP3 doesnt use an .ECL file anymore, the encoderlist format is .XML and/or .DAT Which sucks and makes it a lot harder. Consistency isn't something Custom Technology is known for.

[HWK]

CCE SP3 doesnt use an .ECL file anymore, the encoderlist format is .XML and/or .DAT

That is not true at all.

I have CCE Sp3 1.0.3.1 and it supports ecl as well.
Here is screenshot and ecl is first one on the list.

XML is used to save setting and it will only work if you have imported the file in to encoder.

[jdobbs]

That is not true at all.

I have CCE Sp3 1.0.3.1 and it supports ecl as well.
Here is screenshot and ecl is first one on the list.

XML is used to save setting and it will only work if you have imported the file in to encoder. Interesting. The manual talks about ECLs, but says they are either .XML or .DAT format. A little weird, I think. If they're still considered ECLs, why wouldn't they use .ECL extension like all the previous versions. Those Custom Technology people seem to go out of their way to make it hard to use scripts etc. that are backward compatible.

Oh, well...