XPPro64bit vs. XPPro32bit -Render tests

[Marco Wagner]

I am currently conducting a RENDER performance tests between 64bit XP and 32bit XP and Premiere Pro 2.0 . The main reason is I am upgrading and rebuilding my editor so I figured why not have some fun! I will be adding results as I can get them in over the next week or so. *All my hardware has certified Windows XP Pro 64bit drivers (luckily)Here goes...

(I am an overclocker so for this test I have clocked my machine back down to all factory settings. I have also removed two other drives I use in my "normal editing setup" to simplify this test.)

HARDWARE:
-Pentium D 920 (65nm dual core @2.8GHz 800MHz BUS L2 cache 4MB) LGA775 CPU
-Intel i945PVS Motherboard
-2GB DDR2 667 Dual channel (2x1GB) Rating 4.4.4.12
-nVidia GeForce 6800GT 256MB PCI-E
-Creative Audigy 2 ZS
-80GB WD SATA 7200RPM 8MB Cache drive (OS)
-80GB WD SATA 7200RPM 8MB cache drive (Capture)
-250GB WD SATA 7200RPM 8MB cache drive (Preview files)
-NEC DVD DL +/-R 16X
****************
SOFTWARE:
Fresh install -Windows XP Pro 64bit SP1 2003 Edition (based off of Server 2003 code)

Fresh install -Windows XP Pro 32bit SP2 (slipstreamed and chopped down)

All updates and security patches loaded. Latest drivers available as well.
-
Premiere Pro 2.0
other running programs during test:
on 64bit - Avast 64bit Antivirus, Logitech Setpoint 64bit
on 32bit - McAfee 10.0 Antivirus, Logitech Setpoint 32bit
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Facts:
-Both installs are on the same drive, the 80GB (OS), in dual boot mode.
-Both Premiere installs render all preview files to the 250GB drive.
-Both Premiere project files reside in the default location (My Documents...).
-Both Premere installs pull the footage from the 80GB capture drive.
-XP64bit loads to desktop with 1.5 x the ram as the XP32bit load to desktop. (64bit has to load 32bit applets/apps too so 32bit programs can interact with hardware directly).
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Test night #1 -
30 seconds of DV 4:3 footage 48khz 16bit 720X480 29.97 Captured in PPro.

-I thought I'd start with just adding a normally intensive effect to an otherwise untouched block of footage. I chose Emboss for the first and Solarize for the second. I left the settings at default on the effects. Hit Enter to render and...

Emboss=XP64bit took 2:59 to render =XP32bit took 3:01
Solarize=XP64bit took 0:14 to render =XP32bit took 0:14

They both came out about the same. Keep in mind XP64bit is also running about 12 more services in taskmanager as well as using about 1.5x the ram!!! Almost zero performance hit. While we'd be fools to base any opinions after only two simple tests, my other experiences are nice with 64bit. It seems much snappier with switching between Premiere and other apps, as well as, seeming to handle the memory MUCH better. I noticed littled paging if any at all. It feels a lot more solid and boots quicker than 32bit XP.

More to come.

[Peter Ferling]

I think some of us would be very interested in seeing any performance improvements while scrubbing and editing native m2t's on the time line.

I also understand that for long form projects (over an hour with dozens of clips), PPro is prone to crashing, require lots of memory and for even an XP 32bit 4gig system with physical address extension (PAE), it's not enough. (Hence all the app hangs, memory errors and disappearing programs. I'm even getting this with cineform prospect projects).

Therefore, with a 64bit version of XP based on server 2003, I could load and use up to 8gigs or more of Ram? Would PPro acknowledge and use that much?

I'm seriously thinking that PPro's way of handling memory is either flawed, or is a few generations of PC ahead of the game. Is 64bit the answer? If not, then I need to upgrade my Video Toaster and go back to background rendering.

[Marco Wagner]

64bit will handle a LOT more than 8GIGs. Of course, you need a motherboard that will support huge amounts. Server board more than likely. More to come tonight and during the weekend.

[Marco Wagner]

After going back and forth with 64 and 32 XP for about an hour last night I have found that performance is essentially the same in every test I performed. I DID also find that 64bit was a lot more stable, in fact it didn't crash once! More to come.

[Cliff Etzel]

I am running the following with x64 XP Pro:
AMD 3800+ X2 AM2
Gigabyte GA-M55SLI-S4 (Handles up to 16GB Dual Channel Ram)
4x1GB Matched Corsair XMS Dual Channel RAM
Seagate 160GB 7200RPM Boot Drive (IDE)
Seagate 200GB 7200RPM Audio Drive (IDE)
Seagate 2x160 7200RPM Raid0 Video editing drives (IDE)
sil0680 PCI Raid Card
MSI 7200LE nVidia PCI-e 128MB vid card
NEC DVD read/write burner (IDE)

I run PPro 1.5, AE6.5, Audition 1.5, Photoshop7, Encore 1.5, GoLive 6, SONY Acid Pro 4 - needless to say, I haven't had a single error/BSOD since putting this machine together last fall - As long as there are no special drivers needed (mainly scanner/printer) then one should look at x64 XP Pro - it seems to handle resources better - I am looking to upgrade my CPU to one of the newer AMD dual cores (5200 or 5600 - 6000 was just released and is still to spendy FMPOV) for improved rendering times, but am kind of holding out to see what quad cores are coming and when from AMD.

You can get 64bit Windows Media encoder from Microsoft. Only minor glitch I have experienced is that embedded quicktime movie controls are blacked out - they still function, just have to click around to find each control.

HTH,

[Marco Wagner]

Nice! I'll have to try out that Media encoder.

[John Miller]

Originally Posted by Peter Ferling

Therefore, with a 64bit version of XP based on server 2003, I could load and use up to 8gigs or more of Ram? Would PPro acknowledge and use that much?

No. PPro is a 32-bit application. The theoretical maximum memory available to it is 4GB and, due to the way Windows allocates memory, it is 2GB in reality.

To make use of the wider memory addressing of 64-bit XP, the applications MUST be native 64-bit.

The fact that 32-bit apps perform just as well on x64 as XP SP2 isn't surprising. 32-bit code runs natively on a 64-bit processor (i.e., it isn't emulated).

32-bit apps can also benefit from running on a 64-bit OS, especially if there is a lot of reliance on things like video and audio. e.g., when a bitmap needs to be displayed, the request is made to the OS and the OS can use its 64-bit code to do it.

I've noticed with our apps that you can push the program harder (in terms of processing) without stuttering etc.

[Marco Wagner]

Yes 64bit seems to handle heavier loads much better. I am quite pleased with how it is running on my rig.

Wish list: 64bit Premiere Pro

[John Miller]

Agreed.

I've got the following on my main system:

XP Pro SP2
XP MCE 2005
XP Pro SP2 (Dutch)
XP Pro x64
Vista Ultimate 32-bit
Vista Ultimate 64-bit

XP Pro x64 is by far the best performer - seems to hit the "sweet spot".

[Khaled Chatila]

Hi,

As i was reading through this post, i wanted to type immediately (but forced myself to read to the end) that your tests will not really mean much in terms of speed comparison, since the version of premiere is the same - it is 32bit code - and hence you wont see as such any performance improvement on a 64bit system.

The last post is exactly what you need - 64bit PPro :)

[Marco Wagner]

Khaled,


Yes we realize that Premiere is 32bit. I was simply posting my own testing of rendering, stability, etc. on a 64bit OS. I fully expected the results of 32bitXP vs 64bitXP for Premiere to be the same. However, we, (those of us running 64bitXP)-seem to be seeing that x64 is performing better in terms of system stability, memory management, and overall robustness. Technically you could call that performance. You're right though.

I eagerly await a 64bit PPro, especially after seeing how quickly 64bit Windows Media Encoder shat out a 13GB AVI into a very small WMV that looked amazing!

Wish list item #2
64bit Quicktime Pro

[Cliff Etzel]

I was using x64 Windows Media Encoder yesterday on a project I am working on - to see both cores pegged between 85% and 95% was a sight to behold - Why none of the NLE packages has a 64 bit version is beyond me - if Billy Boy's Redmond crew would get their acts together, they would just do like Apple did - force users to go to 64 biit and the other software companies would have to follow suit - I have read someplace that OS X 10.5 will be native 64 bit and the next version of FCP is said to be native 64 bit as well (No sources - only rumors on FCP)

[Marco Wagner]

Got one issue so far - Premiere Media Encoder crashes when I go export a clip. Can any other x64 user duplicate this?

[Cliff Etzel]

what are you encoding to? I run it with no problems

I have encoded to AVI, WMV, QT and MPG2

[Marco Wagner]

I simply have an avi, captured with PPRO on the timeline, as soon as I choose the option for Premiere Media Encoder I get the "serious error..." message.