Thinking about SSD...

[davephan]

I'm also curious to know what is faster in SageTV. Maybe comskip processing or editing could be sped up, although you still have the time to move the files to and from the SSD, since it's too expensive for long term video file storage on the SSD.

Dave

[ericscottf]

Originally Posted by davephan

I'm also curious to know what is faster in SageTV. Maybe comskip processing or editing could be sped up, although you still have the time to move the files to and from the SSD, since it's too expensive for long term video file storage on the SSD.

Dave

That's not really practical, nor will it save you time, considering that the SSD is still slower than RAM. Moving a file from SSD to a drive after comskipping it would eliminate any time savings you might see. What's more, i'm fairly certain that the bottleneck for comskip is processing power, as on my system, it takes about 1/10 the time to copy a file from one place to another as it does to comskip it. So unless comskip is being silly and bouncing back and forth on the file, while reading it from the drive and not stuffing already read data into ram, moving it to an SSD won't help

actually, i may as well test that! I'll compare the same file comskipped off an SSD and a spinning disc and report back...

All that aside, I have comskip start "live" 15 minutes after a program starts, and my logs indicate that comskip finishes, on average, about 20-30 seconds after the show is done recording.

All in all, Sage seems a bit snappier, but what can you expect from sage? It records and plays videos. It isn't like we want it to play them *faster*.
It is just nice to have the system move more quickly, and also nice that it has no negative impacts on sage.

Opening firefox on this comp used to take 10+ seconds from a fresh boot. it takes about 1 now. This upgrade is at least as nice as multi-core, if not nicer.

[ericscottf]

Okay, i only ran each file once, so this isn't very scientific. Also, my OS is one one drive, while files are being recorded to another, so really, not scientific, but here you go:

Comskipping the same exact 1/2hr file with the same comskip ini:

ssd with comskip at high priority:7:43
spinning disc with comskip at high priority:8:05

ssd with comskip at low priority:17:34
spinning disc with comskip at low priority:17:39

So i'd say that given the circumstances, that's pretty solid proof that comskipping off of an SSD will not get you any gains.

Start your comskips live before the show is done recording, they'll be processed a few seconds after the show has finished recording anyway. Comskip runs faster than real-time unless your processor is a real dog.

[davephan]

Have you tried editing video files that are copied to the SSD? I assume the interactive editing time could be reduced. The editing could be done on a different computer though. I was thinking of copying the files to be edited from the mechanical hard drives to the SSD. Edit the files with VideoReDo, creating a project file. The run a batch file to put the edited files back on the mechanical hard drive. This way the video files could move between the SSD and mechanical drives while you are away from the computer doing something else. The time in front of the computer setting up the edit points could then be reduced, if the SSD makes the editing operation much faster.

Dave

[ericscottf]

That'll only save you time if the bottleneck is the drive, and not the video processing itself.

From what i can see, most video processing tasks aren't slowed down by the disk, they're processor intensive.

What's more, copying gigs upon gigs to an SSD on a daily basis will wear it out at an unreasonable rate.

you'd be better off automating your tasks if possible.

[Naylia]

Another upside to SSD is that you can just dangle it somewhere in your case, and drop a 2TB drive where your OS drive used to be located.

[LexLS]

I'm running a OCZ Vertex 30GB for my Vista OS / SageTV server drive. Firmware was already up to date right out of the box and no additional config was necessary. I just hooked up and installed the OS on it no problem.

I went SSD because I wanted to shuffle around OS licenses in my house and needed to do a clean install anyway. Yes, its super fast and my comskip seems to be done instantly after a show finishes (haven't tested/timed anything though). Going SSD for a OS/program drive only is certainly the best upgrade you can do these days IMO.

Oh, and yeah you could certainly just dangle the drive in your case since they're so small, durable and lightweight. I bought brackets for mine, you can put two SSD's in the space of one standard drive.

[ericscottf]

two problems with dangling would be that over time, the connector might fall off, and if you don't put it in a good spot, it could short out some other component. Don't be lazy, bolt it to something.

Do what i did, get a 30" high case and you have plenty of room anyway. I've got 12 5" bays, 6 3.5" bays and 1 floppy bay. unfortunately, there's only 9 spinning discs, one dvd drive and my ssd, in there, so there's still way too much room.

[Naylia]

I think your server is bigger than my apartment....

[ericscottf]

I named it warpcore, because all the spinning discs sound like...
well, it is one of the dorkiest things I've done recently.

It is tucked away in the basement so i don't have to listen to it.

It will be very interesting when, someday, it is all SSD and possibly completely silent (depending on what kind of cooling processors require..)

[Oats]

I just installed an SSD a few days ago. So far I'm not impressed but it isn't the SSD's fault. I use one PC with Win7 connected to a TV for everything. Gaming, web, general PC use, Sage, encoding, Virtual server.

Boot time is faster, but I have a raid card that takes 35 seconds to boot so overall the boot time is still slow. I rarely reboot anyway.

Desktop is responsive instantly after boot which is nice, but again I rarely reboot.

Apps load instantly, but most of the apps I use have to login/connect over the internet so again overall not that much faster.

I don't really see any difference when using Sage.

For my application I don't really think it is worth it. I'll probably give it another week then go back to my HDD. I've read the difference is more noticeable when you switch back. If it is I might change my mind, but right now it is looking like the SSD is going to ebay.

[davephan]

Which SSD did you get? Some of the SSD's are quite a bit slower than others.

Dave

[Oats]

Originally Posted by davephan

Which SSD did you get? Some of the SSD's are quite a bit slower than others.

Dave

OCZ Agility

[ericscottf]

Agility is their slower model, but also keep in mind that SSD isn't for everyone, and your rig sounds like you won't necessarily benefit too much from it.

[Djc208]

Agility may be slower depending on which memory it uses. They can actually be faster than the standard Vertex series if you get the faster of the two memory types they use in that drive. Like I linked above at worst they're 4 to 14% slower than a Vertex drive depending on the application.

The big thing to watch for is the memory controller used. The Agility and the Vertex drives both use the Indillix controller which is one of the better ones on the market right now.

When I installed mine I wasn't sure how much was the new OS install and how much was the SSD. But after setting up my mother's laptop (with a 7200 rpm HDD) and the same OS, I was sold. Boot times were halved, program start was almost instant. I've already ordered an Agiligy drive for my new laptop.