I have an old graphics card and am thinking of upgrading but I cant tell which is best for working with VS9?
Is there any advantage one card has over the other for video editing with VS9 or does VS9 purely use the CPU and the graphics card doesnt matter at all?
best graphics card for Video Studio 9?
Moderator: Ken Berry
-
THoff
The graphics card has little impact on performance with UVS as long as it supports a hardware overlay, which practically every system does these days, and certainly all addon video cards. Any upgrade in this area won't be noticeable.
Even my Pentium 4M laptop with integrated graphics (a low-end solution where some of the main system RAM is used for the graphics) runs UVS 9 just fine.
If you have some money burning a hole in your pocket, add RAM if you have less than 512MB, get an external drive for backups and so you aren't depending on a single drive for all I/O, or consider a processor upgrade.
Even my Pentium 4M laptop with integrated graphics (a low-end solution where some of the main system RAM is used for the graphics) runs UVS 9 just fine.
If you have some money burning a hole in your pocket, add RAM if you have less than 512MB, get an external drive for backups and so you aren't depending on a single drive for all I/O, or consider a processor upgrade.
-
keenart
A Video Graphics card, compared to a human body, is like a heart, how important do you consider that?
Without going into a lot of detail about the differences in cards and what VS can run full out, it would be more of a concern to you about what your present system can tolerate. Meaning, what is compatible with your Operating System, especially since you are running an older system.
What is your present OS? What type of Video Card do you have at present, do you have a 4x or 8x APG, slot? Is your CPU AMD or Intel and what Ghz? How much memory do you have onboard, and what is the size of your hard drive? How much money are you willing to spend and is your only concern running VS?
If you know your motherboard Manufacturer go to their Web Site and find out what past and new Graphic Cards are recommended for your present Operating System, this will help to keep you out of “Device Driver HELL!” Some Graphic cards require you upgrade your motherboard Drivers to function properly. With some older Mobo’s the newest drivers can trash your system. Be careful about how you mix versions and drivers.
If you can tolerate it any card that is above model number 5500, preferably above 9600, has at least 128 Megs fast DDR onboard memory, preferably 256, is at least Shader Model 2 or 3 compliant, Direct X 9.c compliant. Also has a good cooling system, the rest is window dressing. Otherwise, settle for what you can afford.
Without going into a lot of detail about the differences in cards and what VS can run full out, it would be more of a concern to you about what your present system can tolerate. Meaning, what is compatible with your Operating System, especially since you are running an older system.
What is your present OS? What type of Video Card do you have at present, do you have a 4x or 8x APG, slot? Is your CPU AMD or Intel and what Ghz? How much memory do you have onboard, and what is the size of your hard drive? How much money are you willing to spend and is your only concern running VS?
If you know your motherboard Manufacturer go to their Web Site and find out what past and new Graphic Cards are recommended for your present Operating System, this will help to keep you out of “Device Driver HELL!” Some Graphic cards require you upgrade your motherboard Drivers to function properly. With some older Mobo’s the newest drivers can trash your system. Be careful about how you mix versions and drivers.
If you can tolerate it any card that is above model number 5500, preferably above 9600, has at least 128 Megs fast DDR onboard memory, preferably 256, is at least Shader Model 2 or 3 compliant, Direct X 9.c compliant. Also has a good cooling system, the rest is window dressing. Otherwise, settle for what you can afford.
-
JoeSquid
I guess you could say that I have some money to burn.
My setup is as follows:
Windows XP Pro
Intell P4 3Ghz
1gb RAM
250GB HD
Nvidia GeForce FX 5600 graphics card
All videos are choppy when played with any player (sound keeps playing but video freezes and then speeds up to match the sound). It doesnt seem to affect the final videos that I burn to DVD. I have looked into my setup and cant see what could be the problem software wise. The only other weak spot I can see is the graphics card.
I am not that much of a gamer and I seem to only use my PC for email, web browsing and Video Studio.
My setup is as follows:
Windows XP Pro
Intell P4 3Ghz
1gb RAM
250GB HD
Nvidia GeForce FX 5600 graphics card
All videos are choppy when played with any player (sound keeps playing but video freezes and then speeds up to match the sound). It doesnt seem to affect the final videos that I burn to DVD. I have looked into my setup and cant see what could be the problem software wise. The only other weak spot I can see is the graphics card.
I am not that much of a gamer and I seem to only use my PC for email, web browsing and Video Studio.
-
THoff
The processor and RAM are certainly adequate, no need to make changes there.
The FX 5600 -- while not a high-performance card by today's standards -- should also have no trouble playing videos, and it has the advantage of being quiet and cool, so you don't have a loud fan.
Bring up Task Manager and make sure that there isn't another process that's hogging the CPU.
Next, click on Start -> Run, and run DXDIAG.EXE, the Direct X diagnostics utility. Go to the Video tab, and run all the tests. Make sure that it indicates that hardware acceleration is turned on.
If there is no problem there, then I would check how to change the AGP aperture size in the BIOS. I would try setting the aperture to 128MB or 256MB, but another size may give you better results.
The FX 5600 -- while not a high-performance card by today's standards -- should also have no trouble playing videos, and it has the advantage of being quiet and cool, so you don't have a loud fan.
Bring up Task Manager and make sure that there isn't another process that's hogging the CPU.
Next, click on Start -> Run, and run DXDIAG.EXE, the Direct X diagnostics utility. Go to the Video tab, and run all the tests. Make sure that it indicates that hardware acceleration is turned on.
If there is no problem there, then I would check how to change the AGP aperture size in the BIOS. I would try setting the aperture to 128MB or 256MB, but another size may give you better results.
-
GeorgeBW
Hi All,
For JoeSquid,
The NVidia 5600 is an OK card... I have the Winfast 310 version which has ViVo ports for analog capture, and it works perfectly. Anyway, you can take the graphics card out of the equation, because this has no bearing on the process of capture, video editing and burning... only the way you can view it on the host PC. Joe has already said that the choppy playback is evident on any other player... presumably not fitted to his video editing PC.. So the problem must lie in methodology ...or hardware that is actually integrated into the process.. CPU and RAM seem adequate, so that leaves HDDs, Burner and recording Media.. I would certainly check everything in this group of devices.. HDDs full DMA enabled...? When capturing, if you are dropping frames all over the place, it won't make for smooth motion video at the end, and if you drop frames capturing DV, then you do have a serious drive speed problem. Make sure that the capture drive isn't being dragged down by a slower device hooked up to the same channel. There are also some good diagnostics programs that you can use to carry out non-destructive performance tests on all your hardware, so you can ensure that you are getting the design output from everything. Also DVD Burner and Media, give rise to all sorts of potential problems, particularly to do with compatibility issues.. and many of which might lead to unsatisfactory video playback from a disk. As a matter of routine, I go to the manufacturers website of any new burner I might purchase.. and download the latest software.. including any flash firmware update.. and install and apply it... Last but not least... methodology... There are numerous pitfalls there that can produce your problems... It is worth reading through jchunter's notes heading this web board.. but don't be afraid to try some different settings when those recommended don't work... eg jchunter recommends Upper Field first for PAL analog video capture... For me that always results in an annoying flicker whenever the ubiquitous over-saturated reds familiar to Hi8 users appear in the video. Lower field works better for me, and if I am converting to DVD in the burning Module, I can apply the anti-flicker filter to get a more pleasing result..
Hope this helps
Best Wishes
GeorgeBW
For JoeSquid,
The NVidia 5600 is an OK card... I have the Winfast 310 version which has ViVo ports for analog capture, and it works perfectly. Anyway, you can take the graphics card out of the equation, because this has no bearing on the process of capture, video editing and burning... only the way you can view it on the host PC. Joe has already said that the choppy playback is evident on any other player... presumably not fitted to his video editing PC.. So the problem must lie in methodology ...or hardware that is actually integrated into the process.. CPU and RAM seem adequate, so that leaves HDDs, Burner and recording Media.. I would certainly check everything in this group of devices.. HDDs full DMA enabled...? When capturing, if you are dropping frames all over the place, it won't make for smooth motion video at the end, and if you drop frames capturing DV, then you do have a serious drive speed problem. Make sure that the capture drive isn't being dragged down by a slower device hooked up to the same channel. There are also some good diagnostics programs that you can use to carry out non-destructive performance tests on all your hardware, so you can ensure that you are getting the design output from everything. Also DVD Burner and Media, give rise to all sorts of potential problems, particularly to do with compatibility issues.. and many of which might lead to unsatisfactory video playback from a disk. As a matter of routine, I go to the manufacturers website of any new burner I might purchase.. and download the latest software.. including any flash firmware update.. and install and apply it... Last but not least... methodology... There are numerous pitfalls there that can produce your problems... It is worth reading through jchunter's notes heading this web board.. but don't be afraid to try some different settings when those recommended don't work... eg jchunter recommends Upper Field first for PAL analog video capture... For me that always results in an annoying flicker whenever the ubiquitous over-saturated reds familiar to Hi8 users appear in the video. Lower field works better for me, and if I am converting to DVD in the burning Module, I can apply the anti-flicker filter to get a more pleasing result..
Hope this helps
Best Wishes
GeorgeBW
-
JoeSquid
Thanks to everyone for your great responses. I sorta figured that VS9 didnt take advantage of the video card (but there was hope). It sounds like the only way I can speed up VS9 is to get a faster computer.
When I mentioned the videos were choppy, I meant they are choppy when played on my PC. When I burn a DVD with VS9 they play fine on a DVD player (*whew*).
No matter what video player I use on my PC, when I play the Mpegs (or nearly any other video for that matter) I get that choppy effect. Quite annoying.
I did search through all of the processes and discovered that even though I shut down the Tivo desktop from the system tray, the process is still running (which takes a lot of memory). Shutting that down manually helps but doesnt completley cure the choppy effect.
When I mentioned the videos were choppy, I meant they are choppy when played on my PC. When I burn a DVD with VS9 they play fine on a DVD player (*whew*).
No matter what video player I use on my PC, when I play the Mpegs (or nearly any other video for that matter) I get that choppy effect. Quite annoying.
I did search through all of the processes and discovered that even though I shut down the Tivo desktop from the system tray, the process is still running (which takes a lot of memory). Shutting that down manually helps but doesnt completley cure the choppy effect.
-
keenart
Joe
You may have a problem with the Sound Card as apposed to the Video Card. From what you mentioned in your post if the video is lagging behind the sound, there is a possibility the Sound Card is hogging all of your resources and your video just can’t catch-up. This is a common problem with some computer setups, especially if you have a sound card that does not have its own memory, but instead uses the computers memory.
A 3 Ghz processor and 1 Gig memory is more than adequate. You might consider swapping out a few old components for a few new but keeping the Computer. If you do get a New video card, go with an Nvidia, this should support your system. If you consider a new Sound Card consider one with Memory on the Card, instead of using your computers memory, and your problems should diminish considerably.
You may have a problem with the Sound Card as apposed to the Video Card. From what you mentioned in your post if the video is lagging behind the sound, there is a possibility the Sound Card is hogging all of your resources and your video just can’t catch-up. This is a common problem with some computer setups, especially if you have a sound card that does not have its own memory, but instead uses the computers memory.
A 3 Ghz processor and 1 Gig memory is more than adequate. You might consider swapping out a few old components for a few new but keeping the Computer. If you do get a New video card, go with an Nvidia, this should support your system. If you consider a new Sound Card consider one with Memory on the Card, instead of using your computers memory, and your problems should diminish considerably.
-
JoeSquid
-
keenart
I am still a few years behind, I have one of the last onboard memory sounds cards.
For the most part the majority of new cards do not have the onboard memory, instead they use an onboard CPU on the sound card that does the processing and takes the load off the Motherboard CPU.
Some would shudder at the word Creative, but I have been using them since day one. The better the card the better the performance, and of course Microsoft supports them wholeheartedly. It should be EAX compliant, have 6 or 7 dolby, you can even get sound cards with FireWire, DV\AV processing and all sorts of new features.
Check out www.creative.com the Audigy 2 or 4 series of cards, there is a wide selection.
Video cards are very much the same, all sorts of new features, built-in Firewire, a lot of new fast stuff out there.
For the most part the majority of new cards do not have the onboard memory, instead they use an onboard CPU on the sound card that does the processing and takes the load off the Motherboard CPU.
Some would shudder at the word Creative, but I have been using them since day one. The better the card the better the performance, and of course Microsoft supports them wholeheartedly. It should be EAX compliant, have 6 or 7 dolby, you can even get sound cards with FireWire, DV\AV processing and all sorts of new features.
Check out www.creative.com the Audigy 2 or 4 series of cards, there is a wide selection.
Video cards are very much the same, all sorts of new features, built-in Firewire, a lot of new fast stuff out there.