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2011 17" (Handbrake, Turbo.264 HD, iMovie encoding results)

I

iPadThai

macrumors 6502a
Original poster
Apr 25, 2010
547
0
2011 17" i7 2.2GHz booted in 32bit mode, 4GB RAM, WD Scorpio Black 750GB 7200rpm HDD.

Problems:

* I am using an ESATA (apiotek branded) express card 34 connected to a port multiplier with one external 7200rpm 3.5" HDD drive.

When using Handbrake or iMovie to encode the file, it resulted into a complete LOCKUP - NO RESPONSE from keyboard, mouse, etc. Just a complete LOCKUP having to hard shutdown the laptop. I traced this to the issue with the expresscard! Upon copying the file back to the internal HDD, I did not have any lockup issues at all.

Video File Source:
* 767MB AVC 1080i 60fps (.MTS file taken from Sony TX9 camera). Original file bitrate is: 17Mb/s, Movie length is 5Minutes 48 seconds)


Results (using an iPhone stopwatch):
iMovie:
* iMovie takes the .MTS and converts it internally so you can edit it. I don't think it's the same source after conversion so here are the results (all using a single pass encode):

* using QUICKTIME EXPORT - saving as MP4 file converting to H.264 @1080p 30fps @17,000kbps bitrate resulted in an encoding time of:
====>13 minutes, 59 seconds

* using Elgato Turbo.264 HD dongle inside iMovie export saving as MP4 file converting to H.264 @1080p 30fps @17,000kbps bitrate:
====>6 minutes, 8 seconds



Handbrake Version 0.9.5 64bit:
* Raw .MTS file to be converted with Main Profile, 1080p 29.97fps, 17,000kbps bitrate:
====>10 minutes 18 seconds
screenshot20110227at125.png



Elgato Turbo.264 HD NATIVE APPLICATION WITH DONGLE INSTALLED:
* Raw .MTS file to be converted with auto everything except for custom bitrate set at: 17,000kbps, 1080p (60p):
====>11 minutes 29 seconds
photonk.jpg

screenshot20110227at201.png
 
Last edited:
hoxley said:
:confused:



I didn't think the 17 inch had express card ?

what exactly does that usb dongle so?
Click to expand...

photozgz.jpg

photomj.jpg



The elgato Turbo.264 HD dongle is hardware encoder for MP4 encoding. Using it will cut your encoding time down drastically. I'm using 1.1.4 software but elgato products especially this dongle has its fair share of audio sync problems - I haven't tested the 1.1.4 extensively but I used the old 1.03 version and was all good.

It can encode up to 30Mb/s bitrate.
 
Last edited:
for some reason, i thought i had read they had got rid of the express card slot
 
So I've tried again putting the source file on my external ESATA port-multiplier enclosure and it seems to lock up again - so yes, confirmed there is a problem with the SIL3132 chipset using the 2011 17". I don't know what it could be but with my 2009 C2D 17, I have zero issues but then again, my C2D did not even encode 1080p content this quickly!
 
hoxley said:
for some reason, i thought i had read they had got rid of the express card slot
Click to expand...

There is no Express Card 34 slot in the 15" which they DID have I believe mid 2009 - it wasn't until later they removed it and gave ya'll 15" folks a stupid SD card reader :rolleyes:
 
I know this is a bit off topic but what program are you using to show cpu usage in these pictures?
 
superericla said:
I know this is a bit off topic but what program are you using to show cpu usage in these pictures?
Click to expand...

It's the built in Activity monitor. Simply load the WINDOW -> FLOATING CPU WINDOW - double click on the cpu monitor after it's displayed and then set the FLOATING CPU WINDOW TO "NONE".
 
I'd love to see the numbers for a standard def DVD encode in Handbrake.

Even one chapter if you could include the runtime of that chapter.

Please please ;)



I still have a lot of those to do and I am debating the high end 15" MBP VS next gen IMac i7.

Adding
AppleTv 2 preset if possible.
 
Last edited:
spacepower7 said:
I'd love to see the numbers for a standard def DVD encode in Handbrake.

Even one chapter if you could include the runtime of that chapter.

Please please ;)



I still have a lot of those to do and I am debating the high end 15" MBP VS next gen IMac i7.
Click to expand...

That would be MPEG2 encoding - which is a piece of cake!! I'll try to get a DVD burned to disk then encode it. For some reason, ripIt 1.5.4 can't rip any dvd I stick in the superdrive on this 2011 17"!

But for sure, you'd probably get so many fps encoding time it's crazy. On my friends 27" iMac late 2010 top of the line i7 Quad with 8GB ram, he gets about +/- 200fps on mpeg2 encoding using handbrake! this is with 2-pass encoding too!

I'm going to do a quickie sample now
 
2contagious said:
How do these tests compare to the same tests done on other MacBook Pros and Mac Pros? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

what's with the :rolleyes:? Are you legitimately asking? You can go and encode some on the pre-2011 gen macbooks and you will see for yourself. I'm doing all this so I can share with people who want to use their macbook pro's to encode like I do all the time. I'm so happy for the new laptops I can finally get rid of my desktop!
 
iPadThai said:
It's the built in Activity monitor. Simply load the WINDOW -> FLOATING CPU WINDOW - double click on the cpu monitor after it's displayed and then set the FLOATING CPU WINDOW TO "NONE".
Click to expand...

Okay. That didn't work for me but I did find it under window -> cpu usage. Thanks!
 
Thanks for the Handbrake update :)

Any chance of trying the DVD with AppleTV 2 preset with default @ constant quality?

It's what a lot of the people (especially beginners) in the AppleTV/Home Theater are using. I use it as my set and forget default setting for AppleTV and iPad.

Thanks
 
The following is for DVD straight to H.264 MP4 format using Handbrake 0.9.5 64bit (see screen shot for settings): audio is aac 6.1 discrete 448kbps, main profile.

Results:

(Pirates of the carribean: 2 hours, 23 minute DVD):
1400MB file size (2CD), 916kbps bitrate

1st pass: 11 minutes 8 seconds
2nd pass: 17 minutes 16 seconds
Total time to encode: 28 minutes 10 seconds

1st pass avg fps: 304fps
2nd pass avg fps: ~200fps

1stpass:
screenshot20110227at421.png


2ndpass (note CPU is maxxed out throughout 90% of video, just when I took snapshot it wasn't maxxed out):
screenshot20110227at438.png
 
Last edited:
Here are your result you requested:

DVD to MP4 Apple TV 2 DEFAULT settings:

Single pass: (see screenshot for fps)
You are looking at about 1/2 hour to encode a 2 hour 23 minute movie using Apple TV2 encoding settings (from the 10 minute lapsed stopwatch I have clocked)

screenshot20110227at457.png
 
Could you try these (very) high profile settings by pasting this into the advanced option string of the apple tv 2 preset and report back?
Code: 
ref=6:bframes=8:b-adapt=2:direct=auto:me=umh:merange=24:subq=10:rc-lookahead=60:analyse=all:trellis=2
:deblock=-1,-1:psy-rd=1.0,0.15
 
spacepower7 said:
Thank you very much iPadThai, you rock :) :)
Click to expand...

No problem, I don't know too much about tweaking the parameters inside handbrake for ATV2 settings (Superericla's request) but here is the result:

It goes down to 14fps, averaging 24fps throughout one chapter - man, I can only imagine how slow it would be for a C2D cpu!


screenshot20110227at715.png


screenshot20110227at715.png
 
Wow. That's excellent news!
I use those settings on my 1st generation MacBook and get around 1-2fps average. I'll be upgrading to a 15" MacBook Pro and your test gives me a great idea of how my encodes will go.
Thanks!
 
superericla said:
Wow. That's excellent news!
I use those settings on my 1st generation MacBook and get around 1-2fps average. I'll be upgrading to a 15" MacBook Pro and your test gives me a great idea of how my encodes will go.
Thanks!
Click to expand...

the encoding is at about 17% now and it's averaging 24fps. Wow, these settings really push the CPU!

1-2fps? Wow, this would be a total must buy if that's the case for you! :)
 
iPadThai said:
the encoding is at about 17% now and it's averaging 24fps. Wow, these settings really push the CPU!

1-2fps? Wow, this would be a total must buy if that's the case for you! :)
Click to expand...

Haha. Yeah. I use these settings to get the best filesize and quality for playing on my iPad or on the 2nd generation Apple TV. They're the best settings I could come up with that would work.
Now when I convert movies it won't take over 24 hours to convert. Hahaha :)
 
superericla said:
Haha. Yeah. I use these settings to get the best filesize and quality for playing on my iPad or on the 2nd generation Apple TV. They're the best settings I could come up with that would work.
Now when I convert movies it won't take over 24 hours to convert. Hahaha :)
Click to expand...

How much are you expecting the file size to be? I normally just encode 700MB (1CD or larger) allowing for streaming to my ps3, xbox360, and from my ipad using airvideo so file size to me isn't of great importance..I am after more bitrate for video
 
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