I am wondering, what is the role of graphics card when it comes to video encoding tasks. I know video encoding depends heavily on CPU, but does a better graphics card help? Also what about more RAM? (helps in editing or encoding, or both?)

If a better graphics card does help, then which card/chip is suitable to be coupled with, say an entry level C2D E6420 with 2x1GB DDR2-667?

Thanks a lot...

EDIT: Sorry for not making this clear... Video is captured in digital format (MPEG) so no digitizing (capturing) process is needed. Encoding refers to the encoding process after video editing (cutting + sound end effects) into MPEG 1 and 2.

This post has been edited by marxmannn: Jun 20 2007, 05:17 PM

For encoding, it depends on the CPU MIPS rating, the higher your MIPS rating, the faster the encoding will be. If the encoding technique applied by the application is multhreaded, your duel-core CPU will sure increase the speed of the encoding process.

RAM latency should be as low as possible to convey data faster from CPU to RAM, back and forth. DDR2 RAM have higher latency but faster frequency. I do not have a DDR2 system, but I'd say the high latency on DDR2 system would compromise encoding in a very, very minor percentage. Big RAM amount helps (1GB or more).

For video encoding, get a dedicated hardware video encoder. This will reduce the use of your CPU and ensure high quality of your video. Even with modern duel-core CPU, encoding with CPU alone makes the video quality is kinda hush-hush, especially with HD movie.

Graphics card mainly does nothing in encoding process because it is dedicated to decoding only. If you are interested in HD video, to play them smoothly requires a HD GPU like the Nvidia Geforce 8 series or ATi HD 2xxx series. These cards helps reduce CPU usage during playback of HD video.

This post has been edited by dopodplaya: Jun 20 2007, 05:05 PM

IIANM, GPU hardware acceleration is for decoding only. Although, there was that ATI encoder which was supposed to be faster than anything out there. Pretty sure it was software based. Guru's please correct me.

By dedicated hardware video encoder do you mean those workstation level QuadroFX and FireGL cards? I understand those cards are perfect for 3D processing like CAD and rendering, but do they help in video encoding as well?

That said, do you mean a 7300GT is not much different than a 8800GTX when it comes to video encoding?

i think canopus will help you encode video

Not those professional workstation graphics cards. Iwas thinking of something like Hauppage or Pinnacle stuff, those hardware video encoders.

Yes... however, in video decoding/playback, you'll see the differences. If you are decoding and encoding a video, then you should slightly faster when both decoding/encoding process combined.

i think ati's avivo transcoder work pretty fast too according to some websites..

Aren't those for digitizing analogue media? Do they help the rendering process AFTER I have edited the video with sound and effects? (correct me if I'm wrong...)

So I presume a medium range card will do the job well, an ultra high end card is just overkill then...

---

Added on June 21, 2007, 10:10 amMind to cite origin (website)?

This post has been edited by marxmannn: Jun 21 2007, 10:10 AM

Yeah, graphic card has nothing to do with encoding, right?

ATI Delivers GPU-Accelerated Video Transcoding

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,1697,1880669,00.asp

TS never state what kind of encoding he is mentioning, either analog-digital encoding or digital-digital encoding (e.g. DVD-MPEG2). Anyways, if you have those kind encoders, the software they provide can also use the power of the hardware encoding even without doing analog-digital encoding.

Haha no, that's what some people thought at the time, but it is actually not hardware accelerated AFAIK. Don't know if the newer versions are.

I never heard about DX10 cards can achieve hardware encoding

perhaps a quad-core CPU will help much better

They don't but they help speed up if you are doing decoding-encoding HD video. Quad-core with a single threaded encoding technique won't do much either.