Transcoder performance

[stefano540]

I have been trying to get my MVP to play transcoded live HDTV and can't seem to get rid of stuttering. Regular video works fine.

System:
Running Sage V5.0.4 on Windows MCE
Network is GbE, working well with a SageClient in hi def mode.
CPU is an Athlon X2 4200 + 1GB
NTSC video source is Nvidia DualTV
ATSC source is 2X VBOX 950

As soon as I tune in a digital channel through the MVP, a transcoder process starts up and eats 50% of the available CPU time (1 full CPU !!!!) but the video output is jerky, as if it was missing 1/2 of the frames. Audio is hopelessly out of sync.

I was following this thread: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18517 about sage transcoder properties, so I tried to edit the DVD transcoder entry, reducing the kb/s from 4000 to 2000 in the command line, to no avail. After running Sage with the new property file, then closing Sage, I find that my edit was restored to 4000 !?!?

I also created another entry, called it MVP:

media_server/transcode_quality/MVP=-f dvd -b 1000 -s 360x240 -acodec mp2 -ab 128

and referred to it:

miniclient/transcode_mode=MVP

Interestingly enough, these properties survived through a sage boot, but to no avail. When running procexp and looking at the command line for the transcoder, it seems to always have -b 4000 in it, whatever I do.

So, I have a bunch of questions:
- Am I missing something stupid ? most probably....
- Why does transcoding use up 1/2 of my Athlon X2 ? I am perfectly willing to live with lower quality video than 4000kb/s, so I hope that by reducing it I can get it to work....
- How do I pass command line arguments to the transcoder process ?
- Can I run it on a different computer, like a network transcoder ? I have a P4 3.2GHz on the same network that I could press into part-time service....

Thanks a lot !!!
Stefano

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by stefano540

- Can I run it on a different computer, like a network transcoder ? I have a P4 3.2GHz on the same network that I could press into part-time service....

While I can't help with the other questions, I've asked this same question several times and never gotten a response. I'd love to basically have a 2nd machine running Sage server, basically as a MVP server. Keep the transcoding & all the other MVP activity seperate from my main server.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by stefano540

- Can I run it on a different computer, like a network transcoder ? I have a P4 3.2GHz on the same network that I could press into part-time service....

Originally Posted by heffe2001

I've asked this same question several times and never gotten a response.

I thought this was answered somewhere recently... anyway: only the server can act as a Placseshifter/Extender server; clients do not have that capability.

- Andy

[stefano540]

I actually solved my problem by "scrounging" here and there:
- managed to figure out what was wrong with the properties file and settled on "-b 1500 -s 640x480" instead of "-b 4000 -s 720x480". Not perfect, but I am watching the MVP on a 13" tv, so it looks fine, with slightly pixelated transitions from scene to scene.
- slightly overclocked the CPU by 5%, to get some headroom.
Now the transcode process eats 38-45% of total CPU time on movie material.

I am still astonished at the amount of processing time required on a pretty fast CPU, Athlon 64 X2 4200.....
Stefano

[Deadbolt]

Originally Posted by stefano540

I actually solved my problem by "scrounging" here and there:
- managed to figure out what was wrong with the properties file and settled on "-b 1500 -s 640x480" instead of "-b 4000 -s 720x480". Not perfect, but I am watching the MVP on a 13" tv, so it looks fine, with slightly pixelated transitions from scene to scene.
- slightly overclocked the CPU by 5%, to get some headroom.
Now the transcode process eats 38-45% of total CPU time on movie material.

I am still astonished at the amount of processing time required on a pretty fast CPU, Athlon 64 X2 4200.....
Stefano

...all that means is that you now have an excuse to UPGRADE! "But honey...see all that stutterding? I need a new system!"