Is Dual Core worth it?

[RiderFan]

I am about to buy a MB and processor, and I am wondering if dual core is the way to go. I know BTV isn't optimized for dual core, but will there be a benifit?

I have 3 Haugepaugge 250 cards, so recording is done with their hardware, no dual core advantage there.

Showsqueeze and smartskip jobs are done sequentially, one after another and never at the same time, so no dual core advantage there.

I have 2 BTV Link machines...maybe there would be an advantage when the server is feeding them? Not sure.

What do you guys think about this? Does anyone currently use a dual core setup in your DEDICATED htpc and see any big differences?

I may just move my P4 3 ghz hyperthreading prescott and MB from my other PC to my BTV machine and put the new MB and dual core CPU in my everyday gaming rig where I am often doing multiple tasks, like burning a DVD, listening to music, and using photoshop or something.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by RiderFan

I know BTV isn't optimized for dual core

Wrong, it is (at least for Intel Proc).

Showsqueeze and smartskip jobs are done sequentially, one after another and never at the same time, so no dual core advantage there.

Wrong, BTV will do as many jobs as you have cores.

I have 2 BTV Link machines...maybe there would be an advantage when the server is feeding them?

Don't know.

Does anyone currently use a dual core setup in your DEDICATED htpc and see any big differences?

I do and it's great, as far as I know Dual core are a must for video processing in general (whereas it is not as useful yet for a gaming machine).

Regards,
Stéphane.

[btvfreak]

That P4 is definitely good for a dedicated HTPC. I have a X2 3800+ in my HTPC server (see sig), and it flies. Do a search as there are many threads talking about dual core and BTV.

[Rich A]

Go with the dual core. You have nothing to loose and everything to gain. In one of my PC's that I use as a dedicated multimedia editor, I went from an AMD 64 3700+ to an AMD 64 x2 4400+

Prepare to be surprised. There was very little difference in benchmarking the two. At first I was disappointed, thinking going from a 3700 to 4400 alone should make a big difference. BUT the dual core speed rating system is not the same. That 4400, simply put, is the same as running two 3700s. Same speed. They get the 4400 "rating" from their own benchmarking using both processors (or something like that). The clocking and such are the same for both.

However where I saw a HUGE difference was with anything using the capability of the dual core OR any time I wanted to multitask. I can now run two copies of the same editor at the same time and it was as if I were only running one. In the past with a single core processor, trying to do that would bring the machine to it's knees.

The next mother board change for my own home theater SnapStream based PC is going to be an upgrade to the Athlon 64s along with a dual core for sure.

[RiderFan]

Wrong, BTV will do as many jobs as you have cores.

So if I have a dual core, then 2 shows can be showsqueezed at the same time? Cool!

[btvfreak]

No, the jobs are still processed sequentially one at a time, but the processing should be faster.

[Kilrsat]

When the BTV Task Manager starts it detects the number of physical cores on the machine. If X cores are detected it will dispatch X number of smartskip/showsqueeze job simultaneously.

4.2 will have better support for the core detection on AMD cpus.

Remember these are physical cores, not logical, so hyperthreading does not count.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by btvfreak

No, the jobs are still processed sequentially one at a time, but the processing should be faster.

Two jobs will be processed at the same time, if you have an Intel Dual core processor (with current BTV version).

[btvfreak]

Originally Posted by Kilrsat

When the BTV Task Manager starts it detects the number of physical cores on the machine. If X cores are detected it will dispatch X number of smartskip/showsqueeze job simultaneously.

4.2 will have better support for the core detection on AMD cpus.

Remember these are physical cores, not logical, so hyperthreading does not count.

Good to know. So, is this simultanous processing just not reflected in the Showsqueeze section of the web admin? I have a X2 dual core and the web admin only indicates that one job is running when several others are in queue.

[StephaneM]

Originally Posted by btvfreak

Good to know. So, is this simultanous processing just not reflected in the Showsqueeze section of the web admin? I have a X2 dual core and the web admin only indicates that one job is running when several others are in queue.

This only works reliably with INTEL DUAL CORE, and yes Web Admin show two jubs running simultanously (squeezing or chaptering).

[RiderFan]

Originally Posted by Kilrsat

4.2 will have better support for the core detection on AMD cpus.

I took a look at the 4.2 r1 beta notes and I did not read anything about better support for core detection on AMD CPU's.

I have always been an Intel guy, but I was kind of thinking about going the AMD route this time. Does anyone have an AMD dual core cpu detected correctly in BTV?

I live 2 hours away from the closest computer store and I want to make the right purchase as returning anything is not so easy.

[btvfreak]

Does anyone have an AMD dual core cpu detected correctly in BTV?

Not sure what you mean by this, but my X2 is detected correctly in Windows Device Manager. It shows 2 processors.

Glad to hear BTV will better support the AMD dual core processors.

[RiderFan]

Originally Posted by btvfreak

Not sure what you mean by this, but my X2 is detected correctly in Windows Device Manager. It shows 2 processors.

All I meant was that earlier in this thread, one post said it currently only works with dual core Intel chips, and another said that 4.2 will have better support for dual core AMD CPU's. This lead me to believe that AMD dual core chipsets may not be detected by BTV. Sure, your windows device manager may show 2 processors, but it looks like BTV may not see both, therefore will not utilize both cores. But it sounds like they will have that fixed in 4.2. I just didn't see it in the notes for 4.2r1.

[nanook105]

Originally Posted by RiderFan

I live 2 hours away from the closest computer store and I want to make the right purchase as returning anything is not so easy.

Might want to give newegg.com a look. Great prices and return policies

[RiderFan]

Originally Posted by nanook105

Might want to give newegg.com a look. Great prices and return policies

I live in Canada, and most US stores ship via UPS. If you live in Canada and have ever had anything shipped up here from the states, you know you get hit from UPS with very high duty charges. Sometime as high as $50.
In Canada we are pretty much stuck with Tigerdirect.ca and NCIX.ca. I have ordered from both before, but for core computer parts, I will onlt buy from a brick and mortar store. I want to see it, open it up, talk to the guy etc etc. I go to a fairly good shop that I trust, not a future shop (Cucuit City). And most of all, I want it now! lol.
I do often drool at the prices new egg and other American sites have.