Render Times for avi and m2t to mpeg2

[Brian Vilevac]

I've tried to find a "normal" (non-technical) answer for render times. I am using a Pentium D 940 Processor (3.2GHz Dual-Core), 4GB of 1066MHz RAM, and 1 Tb of storage. Here is what I'm finding with render times: Took 1 minute and 21 seconds of video in m2t format and placed into timeline. Rendered as an mpeg2 file and the process took 9 minutes, 52 seconds. Took the same 1 minute 21 seconds of video in avi format (from Cineform conversion with HDLink) and placed into timeline. Rendered as an mpeg2 with the same template as before and the process took 11 minutes, 4 seconds.

I thought from reading on the forums that when converting from Cineforms avi, the render process should be faster? However with my experience, it is the opposite? Am I missing something or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for your input..

[Chris Barcellos]

I believe the claim for use of Cineform intermediate codec is that you get close to real time, or at least a fairly quick preview capability. Since you have to actually convert every frame back to .m2t after editing, you are left with extremely long rendering times.

This is one benefit of trying to edit native HDV in programs like Liquid, Pinnacle Studio 10 plus, and even in Premiere Pro 2.0, it seems like render times are much shorter. What you lose according to the experts here is color quality control, and other editing benefits that come with the editing in full frame editing provided by the .avi format.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Originally Posted by Brian Vilevac

I thought from reading on the forums that when converting from Cineforms avi, the render process should be faster? However with my experience, it is the opposite? Am I missing something or am I doing something wrong?
..

Project times are indeed increased when working with the CineForm-codec avi files, because you're going to deep compression from a lesser compressed format. however, it isn't any slower or faster overall on the render time if you're working with native HDV.

[Brian Vilevac]

Thanks Douglas for your response! What advantage(s) are there with using the Cineform product then? From reading, is it the edit process with in the timeline that is quicker? From the minute and half video I used, it seemed to function the same with in the timeline when using the avi as well as the m2t?

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

The advantages are numerous. The most important one is real-time playback on any reasonably fast machine.
The next benefit is you're dealing with a codec that can manage more processing without quality loss. You can also use this format as an archive master, or export to HDCAM.
It's a more stable, less processor-intensive means of working, which adds up to less frustration.
Working with an HDI or proxy is always the best way to edit HDV, IMO

[John Rofrano]

Originally Posted by Brian Vilevac

I am using a Pentium D 940 Processor (3.2GHz Dual-Core), 4GB of 1066MHz RAM, and 1 Tb of storage. Here is what I'm finding with render times: Took 1 minute and 21 seconds of video in m2t format and placed into timeline. Rendered as an mpeg2 file and the process took 9 minutes, 52 seconds. Took the same 1 minute 21 seconds of video in avi format (from Cineform conversion with HDLink) and placed into timeline. Rendered as an mpeg2 with the same template as before and the process took 11 minutes, 4 seconds.

I just placed an HDV 1080-60i m2t file on my timeline and rendered 1 minute 21 seconds to MPEG2 and it only took 2:26 on my AMD X2 4600+ dual core. I rendered the same file from a CineForm intermediary to MPEG2 and it took 2:42. That’s only a 16 second difference. I use the DVD Architect NTSC Widescreen video stream template. CineForm took longer but not by much. I’ll bet the larger file size increased the file i/o. (I was rendering to the same RAID I was reading from)

Did you add FX to your file or was it just a straight M2T file on the timeline? 10 minutes (9:52) sounds a bit long. I know the AMD dual cores are a lot faster than the Pentium dual cores but that’s 4x faster! WOW!

~jr

[Mark Duckworth]

I can't speak for render times of m2t files because I always capture to Cineform codec (V2.5) but a 1 minute Cineform HDV 1080 clip renders to the default DVDA Widescreen Mpeg2 in a shade under 3 minutes on Good and just under 4 minutes on Best. I don't have a raid setup anymore so these times are just reading and writing to the same hard disk. I only have a Pentium D830 3.0 Ghz so you should be getting much faster render times than me with the 840. If I have time later I will try to capture just a straight m2t.

Take care.

*Edit* Just did a test. A 1min 21sec m2t HDV 1080 60i file renders on my machine using the DVDA Widescreen Mpeg2 Template in 3min 8sec on Good and 4min 28sec on Best. That is reading and writing to the same hard disk. Hope this gives you an idea.

[Brian Vilevac]

Thought I would Post an update to my render times! I want to thank those who replied to give me some insight...

I forgot to mention one minor detail in the render process! I had used the dvd template BUT had changed the video settings to use a variable bit rate with two-pass - 9300, 8000, 6200! After changing the settings back to default (variable, no two-pass, best) I used the same video and performed the render process again - dramatic difference! The m2t file took 1:48, and the cineform file took 2:06!!

Again, thank you for your input to help me understand the differences in rendering projects!

[Jon Omiatek]

What are your render times for a 2 min clip rendered to Windows Media HD 8mb?

I just rendered an 1hr 20min project to WMV HD 8mb and it took 13hrs. I am using a P4 Dual Core 3.2 with 4gb of ram.

Jon