Solved GPU acceleration of video processing: Video card ''ON'' vs. ''OFF''

Hi Derek,

I had noticed in my new MS Platinum suite 13 that I had the option of using my video card as an accelerator in opening and rendering projects. You, Derek, also recommend using this option as a means of getting those projects out faster.

So this option is On with my NVIDIA card. I have a 45 minute project to render with at the beginning, an intro made using Titler Pro 3. It never took off after three tries. It crashed twice just after rendering the Intro. So I cancel the option and go with the OFF option. It rendered the whole project on one try.

So I decided to evaluate the rendering time using both approaches. I have a 7 minute project to render with just video clips. Nothing to diminish the rendering time. With the NVIDIA option ON , it took 15 minutes to render.

With the OFF option it took 6 minutes...a significant difference without the video card option of 9 minutes rendering time...bizarre!

Now my dynamic RAM preview is set at a 1000. I wanted it to be set at 200 as recommended by you Derek on a recent Tutorial, but for some weird reason I cannot correct it event after a soft boot!!

So if someone has an explanation on the significant difference between those two results I will be more than happy to read it...Thanks

Michel

Hi Michel

Sorry for the delay in answering your question.
I became completely overwhelmed with questions during the last couple of weeks and had to take a forced break to preserve my sanity, however I am pretty sure I already told you this.

Which exact model Graphics Card are you using ?
It is obviously an Nvidia card.
Can you please also tell me the Driver Build version you have installed for this graphics card.
You can right-click your Windows Desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel to get this information.

All the problems you are describing relate to your graphics card and driver version installed.
Movie Studio Platinum can work with the Graphics Card turned ON or OFF.
The New Blue Titler Pro 3.0 needs a dedicated graphics card to work properly.

Until I know which exact model graphics card you have installed, I can't really comment any further.
In my own system I have an older Nvidia GTX460. Because it is an older model, it actually works better in Vegas using a slightly older Driver version. I discovered last year that if I updated the driver to the newest build version, it was causing problems with Movie Studio Platinum and Vegas Pro.

Your problem with not being able to reset the Dynamic RAM Preview is strange - I have not seen or heard of this myself.
The best thing to do to fix this problem is to perform a full program reset. Doing this may also help to stabilize Title Pro.
Do this:
Turn Movie Studio Off.
Hold down CONTROL and SHIFT keys at the same time AND ALSO AT THE SAME TIME double click program icon on Desktop to Boot program.
Window will pop up.
Select Delete Cache and Yes.
This will restore program to Factory Default Settings.

Dynamic RAM should now = 200MB.

I will wait to hear back before saying any more.

Regards
Derek.

Hi Derek,

Some of the following elements needed to help identify my problem:

You wrote:

1) Which exact model Graphics Card are you using ?
It is obviously an Nvidia card.
Can you please also tell me the Driver Build version you have installed for this graphics card.
You can right-click your Windows Desktop and select Nvidia Control Panel to get this information.


I'm using a NVIDIA GeForce 6 GT-620 graphics card

Version 7.8 (done this morning) Build 760

Hope this info helps...!!!

You wrote:

2) Your problem with not being able to reset the Dynamic RAM Preview is strange - I have not seen or heard of this myself.
The best thing to do to fix this problem is to perform a full program reset. Doing this may also help to stabilize Title Pro

This question has been answered and the problem resolved...thanks Derek.

Have a nice day!

Michel

Hi Derek,

This is to add info provided earlier today on this subject.

After updating to the most recent drivers, I rendered a 36 seconds clip using the graphics card and it took 6 minutes!!? Using the same clip with the graphics card off, it took me 3 minutes to render? I joined the .vf file in case you would like to test it yourself.

Thanks again

Michel

The reason why your Graphics Card is not speeding up rendering is because it is not powerful enough.
An Nvidia GT620 is a low powered basic graphics card - it only has 96 CUDA Cores.
www.geforce.com/hardware/desktop-gpus/geforce-gt-620/specifications

In your situation it is better to use the CPU only for Video Rendering.
If you wanted to get a proper boost to video rendering, you would have to upgrade your GPU to a much more powerful card.
AMD Radeon Graphics Cards work best with Movie Studio and Vegas Pro software or an older model Nvidia GTX400 or GTX500 series card.
Examples: R9 270X, R9 280X, R9 290X.

Your Graphics Card is not useless. It is still doing work for the New Blue Titler Pro and many Sony Video Fx.

I do not recognise what Version 7.8 (done this morning) Build 760 is referring to.
This is not a Driver for any Nvidia Graphics Card.
That latest Nvidia Driver is 344.60
www.geforce.com/drivers

Hi Derek,

I thought that might be the case. I do like the fact that you are proposing some alternatives to this problem. I will look at those very soon and I thank you for that.

Have a nice day...this case is resolved

Michel.