CPU for video encoding

[NZB]

I'm finding i rarely game these days and this PC seems to spend most of it's time encoding to x264 for XBMC so wondering if there's a cost effective way to get more performance out of it. I could sell my current CPU ([email protected]) and Mobo and pick up an FX 8350 for little outlay but would it be worthwhile or better just putting more money towards it for a 3770K?

Edit - just noticed my older mobo has support for ivy-bridge, z68ap-d3 board running the F8 bios atm. That would put the upgrade cost around the same for either CPU. Not sure how overclocking would go on it though as it isn't spectacular even for the 2500k.

 

[NZB]

Heh would like a little more input than that but thanks anyway GamerX.

Some of my files can take a good 5 to 10 hours on my current setup to encode and still have 2 x 2TB drives full of 10-50GB files to get through nevermind my DVD's, so some advice from those with 8350 and 3770k experience would be fantastic.

 

[NZB]

Could always buy a 3770k, see how you get on it with it (Overclocking etc) if you're unimpressed DSR and go for an FX83 set up.
Or change your encoding habits to software that can offload to the GPU, although I'm pretty sure hardware accelerated encoding isn't exactly in a great state of affairs.

I hadn't thought of that, seems like a sound plan.

I use MeGUI for the encoding. I've tried other apps such as Freemake that use DVXA and CUDA and while they are faster it's hard to tell what from as the quality they put out is poor in comparison due to them using much looser settings for the encodes, chances are most of the speed comes from that and i believe x264 is CPU bound anyway. Megui gives full control and the command line lets me add parameters that aren't in the options.

 

[NZB]

Think he means his current board supports Ivy.

Yep, bad wording on my behalf. When i wrote older I meant that my mobo is older and was surprised it supports IB.

Lols
op maybe a secondhand i7 2700k for your z68 board could be a cheap way forward.

They seem to be almost the same price as the 3770k both brand new and second hand unfortunately.

Decided to go for the 3770k. From what i've been reading it and the 8350 are almost on par for the second pass of encoding but the 3770k comes out further ahead as it's quicker on the first. Just have to see how it gets on with this mobo i guess.

 

[NZB]

Already pulled the trigger on the 3770k last night, it should arrive tomorrow. Did some encodes on the 2500k throughout the day for SD, 720p & 1080p then noted down the times so i can compare once it arrives.

I had thought the 2500k would last me another couple of years, then the random thought of upgrading for encoding crossed my mind yesterday and bang goes that plan

 

[NZB]

The chip arrived a couple of days ago, I haven't started overclocking it yet and i'm already impressed. I set the 2500k back to stock speeds earlier then did the same 2hr duration 1080p to 720p encode on it and the 3770k. The 3770k was around 20% faster which is ok for a single file but considering i have months worth of stuff to get through never mind anything i buy in the future that'll be a lotta time saved.

I just hope the chip will do at least 4.5 like the 2500k did on this board, 4.5 was the every day speed for it but it could do 4.8. Preferably i'd like to run the 3770k at 4.5 but have something similar in the tank so it might mean a new board too as the z68ap-d3 a budget one when it was bought nevermind nowadays, hopefully not though.

Still gotta find a way to tell the missus the 2500k needs a new home, the justification for the 3770k was i could sell it so it would hardly cost anything. Now i'm itching to build a new HTPC with it