@Scenestealer

Hi Peter

. . . you are sure it was not ticked in the overwritten 2020 & VPX11 versions . . .

I cannot remember - if it was on I would have turned it off.

. . . . I am quite prepared to believe that this is a different approach by Magix with the Infusion Engine 2 and despite Rays findings I have not detected the changes I previously saw with this on or off . . . .

I would agree with that assessment, as I did mention that something had happened and my RTX was being utilized on occasions - so it could well be that it was that option being turned on.

John EB

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

I just remembered that you mentioned that the XAR folder was empty under VideoContent for MEP2021. Was there anything there for MEP2020? I checked MEP2019 and 2016 and they are also empty. I don't think that MEP ever had XAR files in that location. VPX has always had these files. In order to edit them, you need to have Xara Designer Pro X or Xara Photo & Graphics Designer installed. In VPX, try dragging a XAR file onto the timeline as I am curious to see what happens when one does not have Xara DPX or P&GD.

Now go into the Program Files with Windows Explorer: C:\Program Files\MAGIX\Movie Edit Pro Premium\2021

and do a search for XAR. You will have many. These are templates for creating jewel case inserts and CD/BR labels and work with a very old version of Magix Xtreme Print Studio (actually Xara Xtreme) that comes with MEP and VPX. To access this, go to the Burn screen and click on the printer button at the right, below the big Burn button.

Of course, if you have Xara DPX or P&GD, then you can open the templates and use all of the Xara tools for creating the label or jewel case.

John CB

@browj2

Hi John.

You are right. I don't think there ever was a XAR program within MEP or I probably would have tried playing with it before now. I only have the 3D Maker for I assume DVD production, Something I never normally touch.

Haven't burned a DVD for as long as I remember for Video. I have made Disks to give data files to my wife for her laptop.

Most files seem to be labelled X3D that I can find but also a lot of XAR objects as well.

I assume these are in VPX as well?

Ray.

@CubeAce

Hi Ray,

Try clicking on the printer on the Burn screen. You should see the image below after selecting one of the templates. I added in the about to show that the program is actually from Xara.

Yes, those template XAR files are also in VPX.

John CB

Greetings, thought I'd ask this here as my query pertains to MEP 2021; apologies if I'm wrong.

A couple of weeks ago my GeForce GTX 750ti graphics card decided it didn't like me and refused to do it's job so I bought a GeForce RTX 2060 as another program I use struggled with the 750.

As a consequence of this upgrade I thought I would pay my some more money to Magix and buy another 12 months service with the subsequent upgrade to MEP.

All is fine with the program - although some niggles that appeared a couple of generations ago (and have been documented) appear to still be there but Hey Ho.

However I still cannot get any H.264 hardware encoding no matter what I try or set with AVCHD's, MOVS, MP4s, MPGs etc.

I may be doing something wrong somewhere; I've read nearly every word on the subject in this forum, nearly all of it is now irrelevant because of the upgrade.

From what I can gather al the queries on this matter with MEP2021 relate to using Intel graphics chip. I don't have onboard Intel graphics anywhere on my system.

Could that be the problem? The rest of my setup, in my opinion, exceeds the minimum requirements.

AndyW

@me_again

Hi.

Yes, that is the problem.

You will only get hardware accelerated exports if you have an Integrated Intel GPU. Basically the nvidia card will speed up 3D graphics processing but the video rendering will still be done at software level using a CPU. Intel or AMD.

Ray.

@me_again

Hi Andy

If you read through the info for MEP 2021 you will find that nowhere does it say MEP will use a Nvidia for acceleration of exports - the only reference is to improved Preview playback performance using a Nvidia or AMD graphics card.

John EB

@johnebaker

Greetings John,

You are correct when you say "nowhere does it say MEP will use a Nvidia for acceleration of exports" but the same can be said of Intel being required for acceleration of exports. It doesn't say anywhere in the sales blurb - overview, features, specs etc. - that export acceleration is only on the Intel chip.

Only in the MEP manual does it state "MAGIX Movie Edit Pro supports hardware acceleration for AVCHD exports as well as AVCHD and Blu-ray discs This can noticeably speed up the encoding process" and also as a bullet point "Quick Sync Video: Intel processors starting with „Sandy Bridge" when using a standard MPEG-4 encoder".

The marketing info makes great play on hardware acceleration with the Infusion engine citing Intel, Nvidia and AMD but nowhere does it say export is only accelerated by Intel. All the rhetoric about the Infusion engine acceleration is onbiously what confused me.

I wasn't going to renew MEP this year but as my hand was forced to buy a new graphics card, I thought I'd give Magix another go. What a disappointment that Nvidia cannot be included in the export acceleration.

Still I've learned my lesson now.

AndyW

Now that I have updated Windows to 20H2, enabled GPU Hardware Scheduling, updated to the latest Nvidia Studio driver, and set Graphics Settings to "Let Windows Choose," I reran Ray's Benchmark. Am down to 17:30 now. That's with Nvidia set for the Display Monitor and Calculate FX on the GPU enabled. (My previous best was with MEP 2020, 18:15.)

I expect that to get much lower, I would need more CPU cores for the CPU intensive first half of the video.

@pmikep

Hi Mike

I expect that to get much lower, I would need more CPU cores for the CPU intensive first half of the video.

Yes and possibly just as important - more clock cycles. Your CPU is only 3.6Ghz and has no Turbo Boost facility unlike Ray's i9 that can boost up to 5.0GHz.

I presume you have tried the test again without Calculate FX on GPU enabled?

Peter

@Scenestealer @pmikep

Hi Mike.

I thought I had replied to this thread but for some reason it didn't take and I didn't check. Sorry.

I have done the same alterations to Windows and found it made little if any difference to my export times.

What it has done is reduce my CPU and ram load with the CPU now not using more than around 50 watts of power. The cores seem to have been more equalised in their use but lowered slightly except in the most heavily loaded conditions. Even then the power being drawn from the CPU seems much less. Playback of projects with a lot going on is a bit smoother and I can run more tracks in parallel before I have to reduce resolution in the editing screen. Beyond that I can find no sign of export times lowering on my rig.

Ray.

I presume you have tried the test again without Calculate FX on GPU enabled?

Yes. I didn't bother letting it run to completion after it ran past 18 minutes.

@pmikep, @CubeAce

Hi Mike, Ray

After running MEP nearly all day rendering multiple videos I have turned the GPU scheduling off - it makes no meaningful difference, at best a 1 - 2 fps improvement and marginally less RAM usage (in places) over an 8 minute long movie with 4K video, images, transitions, stabilisation, collages and other effects applied.

John EB

@johnebaker

Hi John.

Is your machine not running cooler with it on or using less power? While it makes little to no difference in MEP or VPX it makes a big difference in my copy of Cubase. No idea why except I seem to be able to run more instances of plug-ins.

Ray.

Greetings

Yesterday I ran a few unscientific tests to see if I could duplicate the results @pmikep managed and I can - yipee.

For consistency in the tests, I created a slideshow using photos at 2364x1836 with each photo utilising an effect, usually cropping, zooming, rotating - the usual stuff - but some used 3rd party effects. It looked terrible but it served it's purpose. The finished article was 9min 20 secs. I exported to MP4 at 1620x1080 (3:2). Bearing in mind I don't have an Intel chip, only my GTX 2060 card so no hardware acceleration. I have Graphics Settings at "Let Windows Choose". I got the following results:

1 UNCHECKED calculate video effects on GPU) - 28 minutes 28 seconds

2 CHECKED calculate video effects on GPU) - 10 minutes 30 seconds

I then tried exporting to AVI using Alwyn's recommended lossless Lagarith codec (which I now use for transferring VHS to file instead of using MXV - it's brilliant, thanks Alwyn). The results here were startling:

1 UNCHECKED calculate video effects on GPU) - 22 minutes 11 seconds

2 CHECKED calculate video effects on GPU) - 5 minutes 29 seconds

I then re-encoded to MP4 with Vidcoder (Handbrake engine) and NVEnc - 2 minutes 38 seconds.

So I can produce an equivalent MP4 around 20% quicker, admittedly with an extra operation. I can also convert to HEVC for FREE this way; I'm even starting to like MEP 2021 better. Happy days.

AndyW

Glad to hear you got similar results.

Veering off topic a bit, I've been using Handbrake to compress my TV Movies to HEVC. It looks like Vicoder does the same thing. Advantages over Handbrake?

As a side note (swerving back on topic), there is another encoder that will deliver HEVC (Voukoder) and it works with Vegas. But I asked the developer and he told me that, currently, Magix hasn't provided him with the hooks for his "connector."

Perhaps trading money for a license would be an easy (and quick) way for Magix to offer hardware encoding for MEP?

@pmikep

Hi Mike. Nice to hear from you.

That's odd as Magix own Vegas. Will look at the Voukoder thing.

Ray.

@pmikep

Greetings, Vidcoder uses the Handbrake engine but it has, in my opinion, a better interface - I think that's the word I want, basically I find it easier to use / setup.

It's been a year or two now since I last used Handbrake as Handbrake if you see what I mean. Vidcoder has recently introduced a Sharpening filter which I find very good; I don't know if Handbrake has that, it doesn't mention it in it's write up.

Try it and see. It has a small footprint (wow, another technical term) and is unobtrusive with no pop-ups or adverts etc. Above all it's free.

Hope that helps - AndyW

Okay, tnx. The interfaces of both look very similar to me. I expect that Handbrake has made some improvements in that department. (Their next iteration will require something called Net 5 (not to be confused with NETFramework).)

In any event, I am seeing faster encode times with Vidcoder. (350 fps vs 280.) But I suspect that that is because I cannot make Vidcoder use exactly the same preset that I use in Handbrake. (There's a known "bug" in Handbrake, where the Fast > Quality > Default slider doesn't work right. I have it set to Default in Handbrake, which uses more of the Nvidia than the other settings. But there is no "Default" in Vidcoder.)

I'm currently using Fast, and I tweaked the CQ value to give me the same file size/BW in Vidcoder as Handbrake. We'll see.

I, too, have been wrestling with the new 2021 version of MEP, and find that it has been a step backwards. I still cannot use my Nvidia GeForce 1060 GPU as it causes glitches on rendered H.264 output, (although, with limited testing, it does seem to work OK for H.265 (HEVC) output). And there are several new bugs and annoying small but unnecessary changes to behaviour. If I have time, I might detail these in separate posts.

But I may be able to shed some light on render times that were being discussed earlier. I am still editing down a lot of PAL H.264 videos to Blu-Ray, and all the source material is 1920x1080 interlaced 25fps. The nearest HDTV movie preset is now ‘Full HDTV 1080p’ (1920x 1080 progressive 25fps), and all my old projects are now automatically converted by MEP to that format when loaded. There is no longer the option of the 1920x1080i movie settings that I had before!

In addition, the only standard PAL Blu-Ray encoder setting for export is 1920x1080i PAL (Default). (Although there are 1920x1080p24, NTSC, and lower resolution options available too). So, the project is forced into a progressive scan format, but the only viable output format to Blu-Ray is back to interlaced scan.

I did several runs to test the render speed with various settings using a test project with all 1920x1080i PAL 25fps H.264 (.m2ts) source material and with all clips cross-faded into each other.  As I mentioned above, MEP forced the movie settings to be 1920x1080p. The complete movie runs for 76mins 28sec. All tests use HWA on the Intel HD630 integrated GPU and my CPU is an Intel i7-7700 running at 3.60 GHz.  The output was rendered to disk using the “Encode to Directory” feature in the “burn to Blu-Ray” function.

Using the standard 1920x1080i PAL export preset the render time was 71min 13 sec (a huge increase on the previous release).

Using the 1920x1080p24 preset the render time was 40min 52sec. That’s over 40% less.

The big increase in speed when using a progressive scan export preset made me wonder if the issue with using the standard PAL preset is the conversion from the project’s (now) progressive scan setting to interlaced scan. But I could find no way to create a 1920x1080p 25fps export format in the current version (the option is not available even in advanced export settings).

I dug around on my hard disk and found a “user preset” to export in 1920x1080p 25fps, which I created under a previous version of MEP. This, when copied to the correct directory, was then available in the new version. Using this preset for export gave a render time of 42 mins 30sec, still a big improvement on the default preset.

So there you have it, my suspicion is that in removing the option for a PAL 1920x1080 25fps movie project to be defined as interlaced, but only providing a PAL interlaced standard export preset, MAGIX have shot themselves in the foot.

Sev.

@SevCardy

Hi

. . . . I still cannot use my Nvidia GeForce 1060 GPU as it causes glitches on rendered H.264 output, (although, with limited testing, it does seem to work OK for H.265 (HEVC) output). . . . .

Did you read the specifications for MEP 2021?

No where does it claim that the Nvidia GPUs can be used for Hardware acceleration of H.264, AVCHD or HEVC exports.

The Nvidia and AMD GPU's can only be used for hardware acceleration of playback in the Preview monitor.

. . . . There is no longer the option of the 1920x1080i movie settings that I had before! . . . .

The Interlaced/Progressive project settings were to a large extent irrelevant as MEP does not care whether the source video is Interlaced or Progressive or a mix of both. Interlaced source video is de-interlaced for playback in the Preview monitor (computer monitors are progressive devices), it is what you export to MP4 AVCHD or other formats where you choose to use interlaced or progressive that matters.

. . . . the only standard PAL Blu-Ray encoder setting for export is 1920x1080i PAL . . . .

That is correct - the Blu-Ray specification is very restrictive in that the h.264 (AVC ) or MPEG-2 encoded video must be Interlaced and 25fps for PAL.

Do note encoding as MPEG-2 gives bigger file sizes ~ 30% bigger than h.264 (AVC) for the same bitrates and fps with no real perceivable difference in quality, and shorter maximum runtime on disk.

John EB

@SevCardy

Did you read the specifications for MEP 2021?

No where does it claim that the Nvidia GPUs can be used for Hardware acceleration of H.264, AVCHD or HEVC exports.

John EB

Be that as it may, using the Nvidia in my tests shaved 25% off the rendering time! But, as I say, there were glitches in the rendered file on playback, and multiple errors shown in the log - as far as I can tell, for every clip that was trimmed at the start or finish. No such errors reported when using the HD630. Very odd.

And if the GPUs are not used for rendering to H.264, why is there the option when rendering to use hardware acceleration? And why, when that option is switched off, does it take significantly longer to render? I'm confused.

Sev.