parallel computing

[indicracker]

I have 5 computers (P4 1.7, P3 800 x 2, Athlon 1.4, P2 300) at home. Can all be used to encode a single MPEG4 task faster ??

Yes, I am talking about parallel computing...

Someone interested in doing this?

I can handle inter-computer-communication part (simple TCP/UDP or some high level remote process protocol). But not good in this encoding part...

[khp]

Short answer: NO

Long answer:

No, the problem is that video encoding deals with very large amounts of data. For instance If we were using one computer for decoding and another for encoding, assuming that they are connected by an 100 Mbits network, the encoding speed will be limited to 12-15 fps, by the network bandwidth.

vidomi (http://www.vidomi.com/) comes with some multi computer support but it works by splitting the job into multiple parts, which I think is a bad idear.

[Batman]

I agree with KHP, not a good idea. On the other hand if you had a dual processor system, that could considerably accelerate the process. 5 computers under one roof---wow! :D

[khp]

Yes in dual processor systems, one processor can be used for decodeing while the other will be used for encodeing. This works quite well with GordianKnot, people getting more than 60 fps is not unheard of.

[Batman]

A processing rate of 60 fps is nothing short of amazing---really cuts back the time :)

[Apnoea]

Indicracker-

If you're still interested in distributed processing you may be interested in this link:

http://www.matern-parkett.de/dub/voraussetzungen.html

UncasMS posted it before, the only problem is that it is in German. You can always use Google to translate it though:cool:

It's an ammended version of nandub that seems to go by a master/slave config. I still haven't tried it yet 'cos my flatmate's been reinstalling XP. How inconsiderate. :D

Apnoea

[Cethan]

ok, I admit I am new to this whole encoding and decoding aspect of things, however I have used 3d Studio Max in the past. It has the ability to use a client/server architecture to pre/post process an animation into an *.avi or mpeg or whatever...granted you will need a lot of space and an additional program, but I believe the one I used to use was freeware...basically the server would have the job of assigning each client a frame to process in the movie. Then each frame is saved as a jpeg, to the server. After processing is done you use a program to put all the jpegs back together into an avi file.


granted we are doing something a little different here, but the process could be the same...if a person was really die hard about it....and had a big enough storage open to them to hold the jpegs...

and granted i was working on 5 to 10 minute animations...not full length movies...but still its the same principle the big houses use....