improving premiere playback?

P

Pop

Active member
Hi,
premiere cs5.5 playback of canon 7d files is not so smooth on my system. :(

this is my configuration:
processor: intel core2duo 2.4 ghz
ram : 6 GB
system disk: WD raptor 150 GB
work disk: seagate barracuda 7200.11
video card: Nvidia GTX 570

do you think that my PC performances are really not enough for 7D FILES???
A GTX570 should be good for HDSRL??? Isn't it?
which component do you think I have to upgrade FIRST to have a better playback on the timeline?

any help is appreciated :)
 
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Your system is as fast as the weakest link.
Your processor is somewhat underpowered. An i7 9XX would be more appropriated.
For memory 12 gig is recommended.
Finally a 3rd disk would not hurt.
 
I agree with Ann. However, going from an Core 2 Duo to an i5/i7 is going to involve replacing the motherboard and by extension the RAM. While that's the best option, if you don't have the cash for all that, you should still be able to upgrade (if you can find one) to a Core 2 Quad. Don't know what the availability is in Italy, but they can still be had here in the States. You won't see nearly the speed improvement as you would going to an i5/i7, but it would still be an improvement over what you have right now. http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007671 600005851 600030236&IsNodeId=1&name=Quad-Core

But yeah, definitely upgrade your CPU.
 
Of course a I7 9xxx and 12 GB of Ram is better but my configuration for a single track of 7D files is not enought???
I'm perplexed !!!
On my MacbookPro of 2007 (core2duo 2.4 and 2GB of RAM) with FCP X canon files runs very smoothly !!!
 
Do you have Cuda enabled in Premiere for your video card? It should play OK with what you have. The video card is carrying the load for timeline playback and a GTX570 is certainly adequate.
 
Yes, it's enabled.
Playing back on the timeline sometimes is not perfect but is usable.
The BIG problem is when I try to scrub ....it's real a pain...
Do you have any idea?
 
Hi

I would start with a close look at what other applications and services are running. Anti virus stuff, anti malware stuff? How many porccesses and what services are enabled. Lots of stuff is "running" when "nothing is running". Start with Task Manager and Resource Monitor. Under Control Panel look at Administrative Tools. Sorry I can't document everthing you should look at in this reply but hopefully this may give you some positive ideas. Also Windows and Adobe stuff is all patched right... Best of Luck.
 
The video card is carrying the load for timeline playback
Click to expand...

Actually, it doesn't. The GPU will render certain effects, both during live playback and export, but the decoding and encoding of any media happens entirely on the CPU.
 
Pop said:
The BIG problem is when I try to scrub
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That media is very highly compressed. Even real time playback is taxing on the CPU, and yours is definitely underpowered for this media. Scrubbing is only going to exacerbate that lack of horsepower.
 
Underpowered?
On my Macbookpro (same processor of my PC) FCP X runs perfect when I scrub on the timeline.
The question is: is there a problem on my PC or Mercury Engine is not so good like Adobe says???

:undecided
 
The problem on your PC is that your CPU is underpowered for use with that media and Premiere Pro. How other software on another platform bahaves in not relevant.

You also have to keep in mind that there are some issues with this media and CS5.5. Have you upgraded to the newest 5.5.2 yet?
 
Jim Simon said:
The problem on your PC is that your CPU is underpowered for use with that media and Premiere Pro. How other software on another platform bahaves in not relevant.

You also have to keep in mind that there are some issues with this media and CS5.5. Have you upgraded to the newest 5.5.2 yet?
Click to expand...

I second this. Download the upgrade to 5.5.2. It's free, so that's the simplest solution. Next, what is the playback resolution set to? Premiere gives you the option to lower the resolution in the monitors specifically to help with playback (and scrubbing) without affecting the final product. And finally, if you're going to editing editing 7D files, I would seriously consider doing a CPU upgrade. You're editing a codec from a camera released two years ago using computer hardware released 5.5 years ago... and it wasn't even a top end CPU then. Regardless of how well FCPX on a Mac performed, it's simply not ideal to be using a Core 2 Duo 2.4 to be doing any sort of serious editing anymore.
 
First: thank to all of you for your answers :)
Second: I will try to update both the software (premiere) and the hardware (mainboard \ processor) but I am really disapointed with mercury engine.
I have to remark again that on my MacBook Pro (2007) where both Premiere (cs5.5) and FCP X are installed, there is no race: FCP X (which lacks of everything) is, with an old hardware, soooo much faster..... (scrubbing is PERFECT)
I my opinion a core 2 duo is very powerful processor to edit HD (without too many effects of course) the problem is software not well optimized... I am afraid...
:undecided:undecided:undecided
 
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Pop said:
First: thank to all of you for your answers :)
Second: I will try to update both the software (premiere) and the hardware (mainboard \ processor) but I am really disapointed with mercury engine.
I have to remark again that on my MacBook Pro (2007) where both Premiere (cs5.5) and FCP X are installed, there is no race: FCP X (which lacks of everything) is, with an old hardware, soooo much faster..... (scrubbing is PERFECT)
I my opinion a core 2 duo is very powerful processor to edit HD (without too many effects of course) the problem is software not well optimized... I am afraid...
:undecided:undecided:undecided
Click to expand...


Dont you to re-encode your files on Final Cut before using them?
 
Pop said:
Second: I will try to update both the software (premiere) and the hardware (mainboard \ processor) but I am really disapointed with mercury engine.
I have to remark again that on my MacBook Pro (2007) where both Premiere (cs5.5) and FCP X are installed, there is no race: FCP X (which lacks of everything) is, with an old hardware, soooo much faster..... (scrubbing is PERFECT)
I my opinion a core 2 duo is very powerful processor to edit HD (without too many effects of course) the problem is software not well optimized... I am afraid...
:undecided:undecided:undecided
Click to expand...

That isn't exactly fair, now. As a @ Mike Harvey and @ Todd Kopriva have indicated, you need to update your software because the have been performance improvements. The Mercury Playback Engine and GPU acceleration work great but keep in mind that AVCHD/H.264 compression is long group of pictures and not intraframe so it takes a lot of work to preview when scrubbing. Regardless, the bug fix should fix your bug.

Let us know how it goes.

I'd say to upgrade your RAM from 6 GB before your CPU but upgrading both will result in performance improvements. And try adding a 2nd HDD for your video editing and RAID it.
 
I'm not a FCP user, but you say scrubbing performance was great in FCP and sucks now in CS5. Are you sure you were previewing the same quality level you have set now in CS5? If not, your comparison of speed is flawed and you're comparing apples to oranges.
 
Snazzy Flapper said:
I'm not a FCP user, but you say scrubbing performance was great in FCP and sucks now in CS5. Are you sure you were previewing the same quality level you have set now in CS5? If not, your comparison of speed is flawed and you're comparing apples to oranges.
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Right. In FCPX the footage is converted to ProRes in the timeline by default, so that is why you got better performance with it. In Premiere Pro, no conversion is taking place, so you need a beefier system to edit with. If you wish to see how your system behaves with native footage in FCPX, see this article: http://blogs.creativecow.net/blog/5206/how-to-render-less-is-fcpx
 
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