Using GPU and CPU together for encoding process?

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 4:58 AM

Hello,

I am using Movie Edit Pro Premium 2021 to create a Blu-Ray. I am putting a lot of video onto one disc. About 4 hours, and I am looking at about 18 hours of encoding. The program is using only the CPU for encoding. Is it possible to get the program to use the GPU as well to boost the encoding process? That would help a lot.

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790k
GPU: NVidia GeForce 1660 Super

Greetings,

Willem

Comments

johnebaker wrote on 1/8/2024, 8:53 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi

. . . . CPU: Intel Core i7-4790k, GPU: NVidia GeForce 1660 Super . . . . 18 hours of encoding . . .

This is quite possible given the spec of the CPU in your PC in combination with effects used on the project.

Depending on the effects that have been applied to the video/image objects on the timeline, Hardware Acceleration to speed up encoding may not be used.

For best performance try:

In the program settings, Device options tab, Import, Processing and Export options are set to the GTX 1660 Super.

Ensure the drivers for the GTX 1660 Super, available here, are up to date - the current version is 546.33 (31.0.15.4633) for Windows 10.

If on Windows 7/8 then the driver is version 474.66 (ends in .14.7466).

The intel HD4600 integrated GPU may not be usable if its driver has been updated to the last version - see this Intel article.

However reverting to an earlier driver may not give a significant increase in performance due to the program requiring DirectX 12 and, due to the HD4600 only supporting DirectX 11, only those sub features of DirectX 12 may, though not guaranteed, be used.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

 

 

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 10:04 AM
Depending on the effects that have been applied to the video/image objects on the timeline, Hardware Acceleration to speed up encoding may not be used.

For best performance try:

In the program settings, Device options tab, Import, Processing and Export options are set to the GTX 1660 Super.

Ensure the drivers for the GTX 1660 Super, available here, are up to date - the current version is 546.33 (31.0.15.4633) for Windows 10.

HTH

John EB
Forum Moderator

 

 

Thank you for your reply.

The driver for the GPU is up to date and it is set in the device menu were possible. However "Movie Edit Pro Premium 2021" is not using it at all. Also I can see during the encoding and exporting processes that it says in parentheses that Hardware Acceleration is not used - even though no effects are added at all. It's just the movie files with some blank spaces in the timeline, nothing else.

It seems I have basically two choices: Keep the PC running for 18/20 hours without being able to use it for other resource heavy programs during that time, or spend 200 euros on "Video Pro X15".
I am running the trial version of Video Pro X15 now and I noticed that the exporting process is a heck of a lot faster. I used a test project to export a video in both programs, by the time Movie Edit Pro is at around 20% or so, Video Pro X15 is already done. That pretty good.

However, if I decide to buy Video Pro X15 I run into an entirely different problem: The program flat-out refuses to make chapter menus when placing chapter markers for the Blu-Ray. No matter what I do. I can make my own buttons and set them to go to the chapter menu, but the chapter menu itself isn't there and I can't make it manually either.

Any ideas what causes that problem?

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 10:26 AM

I just noticed Video Pro X15 only makes chapter menus when placing chapter markers for videos that are exported using Magix programs. With all other videos it does nothing. - Needless to say I'm not paying 200 euros if the program doesn't do what it's designed to do.

johnebaker wrote on 1/8/2024, 10:51 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi

. . . . during the encoding and exporting processes that it says in parentheses that Hardware Acceleration is not used - even though no effects are added at all. It's just the movie files . . . .

This could the due to the format of the videos on the timeline.

What video format, codec and resolution are you using - to help with this download and install MediaInfo and analyse one of the clips causing the issue and post the results, see this tutorial on how to setup MediaInfo and analyse a video clip for all the data required.

. . . . create a Blu-Ray. I am putting a lot of video onto one disc. About 4 hours . . . .

Are you using Dual Layer BD discs?

If not, have you reduced the bitrate of the encoding to get this long a video onto a single layer BD disc? The maximum run time of a video using the 'standard' bitrate is ~2 hrs.

John EB

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 1:15 PM

@johnebaker,

The Hardware Acceleration issue occurs with pretty much all videos I have tested, including the following.
Also, it's a single layer BD, but I have lowered the bitrate a lot. To about 11000Kb/s. It is still higher than it needs to be. No issue there.

General
Format                                   : MPEG-4
Format profile                           : Base Media
Codec ID                                 : isom (isom/iso2/avc1/mp41)
File size                                : 2.45 GiB
Duration                                 : 58 min 24 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 6 004 kb/s
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Recorded date                            : 2013-05-11 10:00:00

Video
ID                                       : 1
Format                                   : AVC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Video Codec
Format profile                           : Main@L4
Format settings                          : CABAC / 3 Ref Frames
Format settings, CABAC                   : Yes
Format settings, Reference frames        : 3 frames
Codec ID                                 : avc1
Codec ID/Info                            : Advanced Video Coding
Duration                                 : 58 min 24 s
Source duration                          : 58 min 24 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 5 744 kb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate mode                          : Constant
Frame rate                               : 30.000 FPS
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.092
Stream size                              : 2.24 GiB (92%)
Source stream size                       : 2.34 GiB (96%)
Writing library                          : x264 core 148 r2665 a01e339
Encoding settings                        : cabac=1 / ref=3 / deblock=1:1:1 / analyse=0x1:0x111 / me=hex / subme=6 / psy=1 / psy_rd=0.50:0.00 / mixed_ref=0 / me_range=16 / chroma_me=1 / trellis=0 / 8x8dct=0 / cqm=0 / deadzone=21,11 / fast_pskip=0 / chroma_qp_offset=-2 / threads=34 / lookahead_threads=5 / sliced_threads=0 / nr=0 / decimate=0 / interlaced=0 / bluray_compat=0 / constrained_intra=0 / bframes=2 / b_pyramid=0 / b_adapt=1 / b_bias=0 / direct=3 / weightb=1 / open_gop=0 / weightp=1 / keyint=250 / keyint_min=25 / scenecut=0 / intra_refresh=0 / rc_lookahead=10 / rc=cbr / mbtree=1 / bitrate=5744 / ratetol=1.0 / qcomp=0.60 / qpmin=5 / qpmax=69 / qpstep=4 / vbv_maxrate=5744 / vbv_bufsize=12000 / nal_hrd=vbr / filler=0 / ip_ratio=1.40 / aq=1:1.00
mdhd_Duration                            : 3504134
Codec configuration box                  : avcC

Audio
ID                                       : 2
Format                                   : AAC LC
Format/Info                              : Advanced Audio Codec Low Complexity
Codec ID                                 : mp4a-40-2
Duration                                 : 58 min 24 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 258 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Channel layout                           : L R
Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz
Frame rate                               : 43.066 FPS (1024 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 107 MiB (4%)
Default                                  : Yes
Alternate group                          : 1

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 1:28 PM

Also no Hardware Acceleration with this one for example:

General
Format                                   : MPEG-PS
File size                                : 513 MiB
Duration                                 : 1 min 58 s
Overall bit rate mode                    : Variable
Overall bit rate                         : 36.2 Mb/s
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS

Video
ID                                       : 224 (0xE0)
Format                                   : MPEG Video
Format version                           : Version 2
Format profile                           : Main@High
Format settings                          : BVOP
Format settings, BVOP                    : Yes
Format settings, Matrix                  : Default
Format settings, GOP                     : M=3, N=15
Duration                                 : 1 min 58 s
Bit rate mode                            : Variable
Bit rate                                 : 35.1 Mb/s
Maximum bit rate                         : 80.0 Mb/s
Width                                    : 1 920 pixels
Height                                   : 1 080 pixels
Display aspect ratio                     : 16:9
Frame rate                               : 25.000 FPS
Standard                                 : PAL
Color space                              : YUV
Chroma subsampling                       : 4:2:0
Bit depth                                : 8 bits
Scan type                                : Progressive
Scan order                               : Bottom Field First
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Bits/(Pixel*Frame)                       : 0.677
Time code of first frame                 : 00:00:00:00
Time code source                         : Group of pictures header
GOP, Open/Closed                         : Closed
Stream size                              : 498 MiB (97%)
Color primaries                          : BT.709
Transfer characteristics                 : BT.709
Matrix coefficients                      : BT.709

Audio
ID                                       : 192 (0xC0)
Format                                   : MPEG Audio
Format version                           : Version 1
Format profile                           : Layer 2
Duration                                 : 1 min 58 s
Bit rate mode                            : Constant
Bit rate                                 : 384 kb/s
Channel(s)                               : 2 channels
Sampling rate                            : 48.0 kHz
Frame rate                               : 41.667 FPS (1152 SPF)
Compression mode                         : Lossy
Stream size                              : 5.45 MiB (1%)

 

johnebaker wrote on 1/8/2024, 3:24 PM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi

Thanks for the MediaInfo on the 2 video files.

If you are using both file formats in the same project and they are sequential, ie you have no picture in picture or collages where both formats are being encoded simultaneously, I cannot see any reason why the MP4 files, when encoding them, hardware acceleration is not taking place.

The MPEG-PS however cannot be hardware accelerated for decoding or encoding. Hardware acceleration is only available for h.264/AVC, h.265/HEVC and AV1, that is 'AV one' not AVI, encoded video formats.

There are some oddities though with both video file formats, from the MediaInfo data:

MP4

The video is standard h.264/AVC encoded for which hardware acceleration is supported by both the Intel HD4600 (with the appropriate driver as detailed in the Intel article I linked to, and the GTX 1660 Super.

The overall bitrate for h.264/AVC 1920 x 1080 30 fps is low at 6 004 kb/s. This would not affect hardware acceleration only the perceived quality of the video on playback of the export/render.

However there is another potential issue, which would not affect whether hardware acceleration takes place or not, with the audio encoding:

Sampling rate                            : 44.1 kHz

For h.264/AVC video, AAC encoded audio video format - the standard samplerate should be 48kHz. In theory this should be re-encoded to the correct samplerate on export/rendering with no issue.

MPEG-PS

This video file also looks to be standard MPEG-PS, however there is an oddity with this file, from the MediaInfo data:

Scan type                                : Progressive
Scan order                               : Bottom Field First

This is not possible. Progressive video does not have Top and Bottom fields, they are a feature of Interlaced video.

This could suggest that the video has been re-encoded, or recorded from, an Interlaced video stream to a progressive format, or the file header information has been incorrectly written.

John EB

Last changed by johnebaker on 1/8/2024, 3:25 PM, changed a total of 1 times.

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 5:05 PM

@johnebaker,

Haha yes the scan type and order of the MPEG-PS file looked weird to me as well. I can't remember how it happened since I didn't touch that video in a long time. Which brings me to the next point:

I didn't use that file in the project only MPEG-4. So no idea then why it doesn't work..

By the way, I have also some old videos with codec ID wmv3: Hardware Acceleration doesn't work for those either. Is that correct? But then again Hardware Acceleration doesn't work for anything. Not even for the MPEG-4 videos I have rendered using Movie Edit Pro Premium a minute before. If anything should be compatible it should be the videos that Magix programs rendered themselves, but no...

Edit: I remember Hardware Acceleration was sometimes used in the past on the same PC with older versions of Movie Edit Pro. Possibly also with an older graphics card, but I encountered problems with it frequently.

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 5:55 PM

Xilisoft Video Converter Ultimate uses the GPU for Hardware Acceleration no problem. Magix Video Pro X15 as well. So honestly I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the Movie Edit Pro Premium software.

AAProds wrote on 1/8/2024, 5:59 PM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

So honestly I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the Movie Edit Pro Premium software.

It's not a "problem". That was the design at the time. As you have found, the later versions of Magix do fully utilise the GPU and result in much faster encodes than the older versions.

All my forum comments are based on or refer to my System 1.

My struggle is over! I built my (now) system 2 in 2011 when DV was king and MPEG 2 was just coming onto the scene and I needed a more powerful system to cope. Since then we've advanced to MP4 and to bigger and bigger resolutions. I was really suffering, not so much in editing (with proxies) but in encoding, which just took ages. A video, with Neat Video noise reduction applied, would encode at 12% of film speed. My new system 1 does the same job at 160% of film speed. Marvellous. I'm keeping my old system as a capture station for analogue video tapes and DV.

System 1

Windows 11 v23H2 severely modified by Openshell and ExplorerPatcher

Power supply: 850W Cooler Master (should have got modular)

CPU: Intel i7 13700K running at 3400mhz, cooled by a Kraken 2x140mm All In One liquid cooler.

RAM: 64gb (2x32gb sticks) G.Skill "Ripjaws" DDR4 3200Mhz

GPU 1: iGPU UHD 770

GPU 2: NVidia RTX 3060Ti Windforce 8gb

C drive: NVME 500gb

Various other SSD and HDDs.

Monitor: 27"/68cm Samsung, 2560 x 1440, 43 pixels/cm.

MEP 2021 version 20.0.1.80

Movie Studio 2023 version 22.0.3.172

Magix Video Easy version 7.0.1.145

System 2

(Still in use for TV and videotape capture)

Windows 10 v22H2

CPU: i5-750 at 2670mhz with 12gb RAM

Onboard IEEE1394 (Firewire) port

GPU: ATI Radeon HD 4770 (512mb) which is ignored by MEP

Hard drives: C Drive 256gb SSD, various other HDDs.

Monitor: Dell 22"/56cm, 1680x1050, 35 pixels/cm

MEP 2021 version 20.0.1.80

Movie Studio 2023 version 22.0.3.172

VPX 12

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/8/2024, 6:04 PM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

So honestly I'm pretty sure it's a problem with the Movie Edit Pro Premium software.

It's not a "problem". That was the design at the time. As you have found, the later versions of Magix do fully utilise the GPU and result in much faster encodes than the older versions.

Weren't it for the fact that I successfully used Hardware Acceleration with older Movie Edit Pro versions (2014) and I haven't been able to do the same thing with the 2021 version I would have agreed with you.
The preview window has become faster with newer versions of MEP, exporting in my experience not at all.

johnebaker wrote on 1/9/2024, 3:19 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi

. . . . old videos with codec ID wmv3 . . . .

WMV (Windows Media Video) cannot be hardware accelerated, only the 3 formats I mentioned in a previously are capable of being accelerated on the GPU.

. . . . Not even for the MPEG-4 videos I have rendered using Movie Edit Pro Premium a minute before . . . .

That does suggest the issue is in MEP.

May be worth trying a total reset of MEP - using Windows Explorer go to the folder

C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\MAGIX\Videodeluxe20_edition

and rename the videodeluxe.ini file, this will make MEP create a clean startup configuration file - if you have customised the program settings these will be reset too.

Start MEP2021 and test with the MP4 you created.

John EB

VPX 16, Movie Studio 2025, and earlier versions 2015 and 2016, Music Maker Premium 2024.

PC - running Windows 11 23H2 Professional on Intel i7-8700K 3.2 GHz, 16GB RAM, RTX 2060 6GB 192-bit GDDR6, 1 x 1Tb Sabrent NVME SSD (OS and programs), 2 x 4TB (Data) internal HDD + 1TB internal SSD (Work disc), + 6 ext backup HDDs.

Laptop - Lenovo Legion 5i Phantom - running Windows 11 23H2 on Intel Core i7-10750H, 16GB DDR4-SDRAM, 512GB SSD, 43.9 cm screen Full HD 1920 x 1080, Intel UHD 630 iGPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 (6GB GDDR6)

Sony FDR-AX53e Video camera, DJI Osmo Action 3 and Sony HDR-AS30V Sports cams.

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/9/2024, 8:10 AM

@johnebaker,

Thanks for your reply. I renamed the file and MEP was reset. Unfortunately however it didn't work. I used a MP4 file I created with Magix before but still no Hardware Acceleration.

Honestly I'm about ready to give up on MEP at this point. I would consider using Video Pro X15 weren't it for the fact that it doesn't work very well either. (chapter menus) I like Magix and I have always used it, but there is always something that doesn't work. I think I'm going to change to a different brand. Before that however I'm going to make a new thread for a question on Video Pro X15 in the hopes that somebody knows the solution to the problem.

browj2 wrote on 1/9/2024, 8:32 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi,

I just noticed Video Pro X15 only makes chapter menus when placing chapter markers for videos that are exported using Magix programs. With all other videos it does nothing. - Needless to say I'm not paying 200 euros if the program doesn't do what it's designed to do.

Could you please explain better what you mean by the above?

Chapter markers do not appear in MP4 files exported from anything, not just VPX. MP4 files do not accept chapter markers. You claim that "the program doesn't do what it's designed to do." Where you get that from? As far as I know, VPX15 does not claim to put chapter markers in exports like MP4, only for DVD/BR burning.

Actually, there is a way to do it, but it is somewhat difficult, requiring specialized software. Here is a link on the Vegas forum for a way to do it. Note that the chapter markers are not done in Vegas, but done by using Drax.

John CB

John C.B.

VideoPro X(16); Movie Studio 2024 Platinum; MM2025 Premium Edition; Samplitude Pro X8 Suite; see About me for more.

Desktop System - Windows 10 Pro 22H2; MB ROG STRIX B560-A Gaming WiFi; Graphics Card Zotac Gaming NVIDIA GeForce RTX-3060, PS; Power supply EVGA 750W; Intel Core i7-10700K @ 3.80GHz (UHD Graphics 630); RAM 32 GB; OS on Kingston SSD 1TB; secondary WD 2TB; others 1.5TB, 3TB, 500GB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB; three monitors - HP 25" main, LG 4K 27" second, HP 27" third; Casio WK-225 piano keyboard; M-Audio M-Track USB mixer.

Notebook - Microsoft Surface Pro 4, i5-6300U, 8 GB RAM, 256 SSD, W10 Pro 20H2.

YouTube Channel: @JCBrownVideos

Willem-vdfdeJong wrote on 1/9/2024, 8:46 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Hi,

I just noticed Video Pro X15 only makes chapter menus when placing chapter markers for videos that are exported using Magix programs. With all other videos it does nothing. - Needless to say I'm not paying 200 euros if the program doesn't do what it's designed to do.

Could you please explain better what you mean by the above?

Chapter markers do not appear in MP4 files exported from anything, not just VPX. MP4 files do not accept chapter markers. You claim that "the program doesn't do what it's designed to do." Where you get that from? As far as I know, VPX15 does not claim to put chapter markers in exports like MP4, only for DVD/BR burning.

Actually, there is a way to do it, but it is somewhat difficult, requiring specialized software. Here is a link on the Vegas forum for a way to do it. Note that the chapter markers are not done in Vegas, but done by using Drax.

John CB

Hi, I meant for BD/DVD's. But I just made a seperate thread for that on the forum.

emmrecs wrote on 1/9/2024, 10:28 AM

@Willem-vdfdeJong

Since the question of Hardware Acceleration has been fully explained to you earlier and since

 I just made a seperate thread for that on the forum.

I think this thread can be closed.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

Last changed by emmrecs on 1/9/2024, 10:31 AM, changed a total of 2 times.

Win 10 Pro 64 bit, Intel i7 Quad Core 6700K @ 4GHz, 32 GB RAM, NVidia GTX 1660TI and Intel HD530 Graphics, MOTU 8-Pre f/w audio interface, VPX, MEP, Music Maker, PhotoStory Deluxe, Photo Manager Deluxe, Xara 3D Maker 7, Samplitude Pro X7 Suite, Reaper, Adobe Audition 3, CS6 and CC, 2 x Canon HG10 cameras, 1 x Canon EOS 600D, Akaso EK7000 Pro Action Cam