Video cards and Vegas
 

Just getting my system up to speed for some compositing and need a bit of info re video cards...

The card I have at the moment is an ATI Radeon HD 2400series video card which apparently has 256 mg of memory and drives my two monitors.

My question is:

Will getting Video card with more memory improve the performance of Vegas? Does Vegas use the video card's memory in things like compositing? Just bought Boris RED to aid me in this so how does that use memory?

Have also just boosted my RAM from 2 to 4 GB and that seems to help but haven't really tested that yet...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Don't know if that particular card is supported, but Sony says you need at least 512MB.

Vegas Pro 11 GPU acceleration

Mark

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

GPU acceleration may be worth considering...

But, I think there are some other concerns to address first:
CPU - the latest mid-range and hi-end i7 processors cut through video like nothing that came before.
RAM - gotta' have a 64-bit OS to address the 12+ GB of RAM you want.
OS - Windows 7 is a really good 64-bit OS.

What CPU and OS are you running? To my mind, these should be addressed first. I'm running several boxes - the difference between running Vegas 10-32 XP-32 on a Core2 Duo with 2GB RAM and Vegas 11-64 on W7-64 with yesterday's mid-range i7-920 with 12GB is night and day!

That's not (yet) including GPU acceleration. One of these days... But... I'll consider a new GPU when I do my next upgrade to whatever the mid-range i7 is at that point. Till then, I'll save my money.

If you are running on a 32-bit OS, the upgrade to 4GB will help, yes, allowing Vegas-32 to address the full 2GB of RAM that it natively can, and still have RAM left over for the OS and other apps without going to page file memory, in which RAM contents are (slowly) cached to the drive.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Thanks guys...

Seth: I'm not ready for a new machine...though it would be nice to have the 'difference between night and day'. I'm just trying to get the best out of what I have...

I'm running 32 bit Win Home, and Vegs 11 32 bit. I have an Intel Core 2 Duo CPU - E6850 3.00 GHz processor...and now 4gb RAM

It seems the only place I can get any more is in the video card...thought I would get one to be able to carry over to a new machine at some point...1 gb memory...

Trouble is there are zillions of cards to choose from...and I only have a 500watt power supply. I also need to be able to run two monitors. (Actually I don't even know what the monitor outlets I have are called...they are the older style connections.)

Any suggestions on a video card would be welcome.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Search for "the memory hack" for Vegas Pro, if you're comfortable backing up and modifying registry settings. I think this was addressed both on this site and on the Sony forums.

It allows Vegas-32 to access 3GB of RAM. I did it because I was getting the dreaded black frames with whatever codec I was editing then. It helped quite a bit with that problem.

The "old-style" you may be referring to is a d-sub HD15 (high density 15 pins with a d-shaped shell). This is used for analog VGA connection, and is usually just called "VGA", as opposed to DVI or Display Adaptor.

Many cards come with 1 VGA out, and 1 DVI, plus a DVI to VGA adaptor. Latest generation are more and more DVI, some with included VGA adaptors.

Aside from getting on to two monitors, it may not be worthwhile getting a higher-end card capable of GPU accel with Vegas. You might still be processor-bound. I'm not sure about this.

However... if you buy Cineform, for example, it will improve on many camera codecs' ability to hold up in compositing, decrease processor load and thus enable better previewing, and, be transferrable to some new PC you buy in the future. This may be a better use of cash today than going to a high-end GPU.

Do your renders overnight and over lunch...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

I've seen people mention CineForm but have no idea what it does or why...or how it fits with other programs like Vegas etc...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

The GTX 570 is the card to buy, IMO, but on an older machine how much will it help? Cineform files most definitely handle well on the timeline, much better than raw video, but the pre-processing can take forever on an older processor. It's a tough call.

While you're not ready for a new machine, that's the place I'd start also, but otherwise I'd don't know if I'd want to invest in a $300 card that might or might not help much. Good luck Renton.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Cineform is:

A (really) great Digital Intermediate codec. AKA, a DI or Editing codec (as opposed to a Camera or Distribution codec).

Depending on the product version, CF is also a batch processor for transcoding to the codec, perhaps deinterlacing along the way.

There are other DI codecs. Recent Vegas includes the excellent Sony MXF, for example.

Workflow is a little different with a DI codec; early in the process you transcode (takes time, as Jeff pointed out), then it's off to the races.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

The GTX 570 seems to be around $550>$600 here: What about a 560? Here's a LeadTek one which seems to be in the right ball park...

Leadtek GeForce GTX 560 Video Card, 1024MB : Ascent Technology 402419

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

The 570 has about a 100 more bitstream processors than the 560 (480 vs 380) and it's the bitstream processors that make the difference in Vegas. The cost difference here in the states is $100 or at Newegg. so I would most definitely stick with the 570, but that's just me.

Newegg.com - EVGA 01G-P3-1561-AR GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Newegg.com - EVGA 012-P3-1570-AR GeForce GTX 570 (Fermi) 1280MB 320-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Thanks Jeff

Problem is I only have a 500w power supply and the 560 requirement is under that and the 570 is over it...

...and the price doubles here in NZ...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

My card is the 460, which has only 50 bitstream processors less than the 560, and while the GPU is something, it is not worth buying a video card for, to me. The improvement is just too minimal. You could always try it and see what happens.

If you have an older processor the improvement might be more dramatic than someone with a faster newer processor would get. You never know.

Try Ebay also: Gigabyte Nvidia Geforce GTX570 1GB DDR5 HDMI Video Card | eBay

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Hmmm...needs 600w PSU. Maybe I need a new PSU also...somewhat limits the options...:-(

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Sorry, forgot about your PSU, oops.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

No trouble. Thanks so much for your hel. It has narrowed down the options re what I need to do...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

I've now desided to go with a new computer so now the skies the limit. Any cautions, things to look for?

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Loaded question, so many things. But the main thing is getting the fastest processor you can afford. I like to know also that the power supply is beefy. Preview is affected by processor speed, not number of cores, which I learned the hard way. Rendering is affected by both speed and number of cores, I believe.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

So...INTEL Sandy Bridge line, 3.4GHz CORE I7-2600K?

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Great processor Renton. I don't know what all is out there right now so I don't know if it's the best thing for the money or not, but a lot of people like that chip. Pair it up if you can with a nice card like the GTX 570. Glad you can get a new machine. Are you building your own?

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Am I building my own? Yes. I have a couple of son in laws who are IT guys and I've been bouncing ideas with one them also. The latest edition of PCWorld NZ has a buying guide of budget and performance machines which has been helpful. They recommend the CPU I gave and the GTX 570 so I'll go with them I think. Every power supply I've bought in the past has got to its limits so I'm going for a 1000 or 1200w one this time!! One day, this project that got me into video about 7-8 years ago, and in which I've sunk quite a lot of gold, will bring some returns and cover all costs, including this new machine...I don't think it is only a dream...

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Renton,check out the OCZ 1000W Gold: OCZ ZX 1000W Review It's fully modular, which is a huge deal to me. It's really allowed me to clean up my case. At around $200 it's a very good value.

Good luck!

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Thanks Jeff. The OCX 1000 Gold is going for $326NZ and the 1200 for $369.

PCWorld recommend the Coolmaster Silent Pro.

The 1000 goes for $384 Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold, 1000W ATX P : Ascent Technology 390471

and the 1200 for $463 Cooler Master Silent Pro Gold, 1200W ATX P : Ascent Technology 390472

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

The next one up - 2700K 3.5 GHz - is about an extra $50...

Intel Core i7-2700K 3.5 GHz, Socket 1155, : Ascent Technology 399972

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Ive recently upgraded with,
3930k i7 (they have the 3820 out now to I believe)
P9X79 board (would go the Pro model if I had my time over)
32gb 1600 ram
Coolermaster silent pro 100w
This thing flies, the new chips are worth it.
If you were happy to buy from oz you can get the 3930k for not much more than your 2700k, just a thought.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

The 3930k is nearly double the price of the 2700k here in NZ. The 3820 is comparable...
Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2 GHz, Socket 2011, : Ascent Technology 9400738

Where in Aus?

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

hi Renton, this would prob be the best extra $95.00 you could spend on a new PC.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Only...they're not the same dollars. $619Aus converts to $778NZ (there would be shipping on top...) so that makes it $254 difference...and the Ascent CPU has a fan thrown in as well. And I believe the required Motherboard is double the price...

Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of the fastest machine possible, but realistically, cost does come into it. I'm already resigned to something like $2300, and that doesn't include memory...nor perhaps another HDD so I can set up a RAID...nor a DVD drive...

But then...if it is going to save me untold hours in post, and if the cost will eventually be recovered along with the many thousands I've spent thus far, then it can be justified.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

Sorry Renton, forgive my ignorance, I never would have guessed your dollar was so different.
Im sur the 2700k will be great as well.

Re: Video cards and Vegas
 

No problem Gerald...easy done...thanks for your suggestions...