We just recently purchased a new Mac Pro with 2 gigs of ram and 2 x 2.8GHz quad core processors - and have FCP Studio 6 installed.
We are capturing HD features uncompressed and then using Compressor to apply the bitjazz codec (http://www.bitjazz.com/en/products/sheervideo/) to them to shrink the file size down to a manageable size.
The problem is that Compressor seems to take approx. 6-8 hours to grind through each feature (approx 90 min TRT)
Does anyone have ANY advice about the best course of action to speed up Compressor? More Ram? More Processors?
when checking the activity monitor it shows the machine has around 1/2 gig of free memory and another 1/2 gig is "inactive"
The processor does't look like its overworked either?
Is there a setting inside Compressor to enable multiprocessor functioning?
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Patrick Sheffield on Aug 27, 2008 at 1:23:11 am
You don't need multiple computers to speed up compressor, just use QMaster and set up a virtual cluster in your own computer.
It's in System Preferences/Apple Qmaster. Select Share this computer as Quick Cluster with services. Share Compressor. Options should be 1 instance for each of 2 processors, so if you have an Octo, set it to 4 instances. Click Share...
Then when you submit from compressor, change it from This Computer to whatever you named your cluster. Works like gang busters...
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Michael Sacci on Aug 27, 2008 at 1:32:07 am
[Travis Roop]"Is there a setting inside Compressor to enable multiprocessor functioning?" Yes, look up info on setting up a Virtual Cluster in QMaster but you need more RAM (at least 1 GB/processor that you turned on).
Could you not capture to this codec? Seems like the workflow doesn't trust the selling points of the codec if you can capture, the real savings is if you don't waste the space capturing HD uncompressed.
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Travis Roop on Aug 27, 2008 at 1:36:48 am
Thanks guys! I have set up a virtual cluster inside my computer and instead of 8 hours to encode its now taking around 2 amazing!
We had originally thought we could capture directly to the bitjazz sheer codec but apparently there is a bug in the codec or something that prevents you from capturing large frame sizes... so we're capturing uncompressed and applying the codec afterward.
thanks again!
Travis Roop
Editor
bitMAX Hollywood
troop@bitmax.net
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Travis Roop on Aug 27, 2008 at 3:56:19 am
well unfortunately the cluster I set up was saving the temporary files to the main hard drive instead of the other media hard drive, even though I had selected the media drive as the destination...
the main drive filled up and stopped my batch. I couldn't figure out how to empty the hard drive as the temp cluster files aren't viewable via finder! luckily our tech guy was able to delete most of the temp files so the main hard drive is back to normal size but the cluster settings have been removed and Im back to square one :(
I'm not sure what capture card we're using..uh..where would I find that info?
I know we have an HD graphics card and use Black magic deck link.
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Jeremy Garchow on Aug 27, 2008 at 4:12:49 am
Blackmagic, that's your card.
Sorry can't hekp you there. A Kona can do this (capture to Sheer) but not sure about Decklink. Have you contacted Sheer? I hear the support there is good.
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Rafael Amador on Aug 27, 2008 at 4:25:06 am
As Jeremy suggests you can capture directly to Sheer with the BM. You should have the Sheer's Easy setups in FC.
However if you want to convert your HD Unc to Sheer, there is no point to do it in Compressor.
You don't go to change field order,size, pixel aspect..only the codec.
FC will do it as good as Compressor and much faster. Don't waist your time.
rafael
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Rafael Amador on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:05:48 am
Hi Patrick,
This a very little CPU intensive process. There is no much load to share between processors. We are just writing the same information, pixel by pixel, in a lightly different way. i don't think this is the kind of process that will benefit much from multi-processor distribution.
In my MBP this process takes 2xRT to be done in FC or in QT. I know that with an Octo-Core would be done in less than RT and without need to set any virtual cluster.
rafael
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Patrick Sheffield on Aug 27, 2008 at 4:36:40 am
The cluster storage is defined under the Advanced tab... it defaults to /var/spool/qmaster - type ⌘-shift-G in a Finder window and put that in to get to that folder to remove old temporary files... redefine it to your media drive if you like...
Re: Any way to Speed up Compressor? by Travis Roop on Aug 27, 2008 at 11:49:04 pm
awesome thats what I was wondering about! I will try changing the location from var/spool/qmaster on my main hard drive (200gigs) to something on my media drive (2 TB)
thanks again guys!
Travis Roop
Editor
bitMAX Hollywood
troop@bitmax.net
