@Tusk

Hi.

The USB ports on the motherboard should have colours on the inside of them. You want your USB drive in the fastest one. If you have a USB-C port use that. If not a USB-3 port would be your next best bet.

You may not have the latest USB connections on your motherboard.

To use Task manager just take screen shots of the program while it is running of the various bits but in this instance I'm really interested in the USB HDD.

Crystal Disk Mark can be downloaded here.

Just start it and use the default settings to run after choosing the drive.

You can just take the various screen shots of both. No need to make videos to post here.

Crystal disk takes time to load and run as you will see in the video above.

The videos above may also take time for them to be visible.

It could be as simple as where the external hard disc was plugged in or there could be another reason.

[Edit]

I know your system doesn't have a second GPU. Don't worry about that.

Crystal disk should give us an idea of the read and write speeds from the external drive.

Ray.

@CubeAce Thanks, I'll run the suggested programs from this thread. I've got a ton of USB ports, most of them Yellow and Blue, I never learned the colouring difference until now, thnx. None of my PC drives are USB, both are internal, C drive is 2TB SSD drive is 6TB HDD. I only use external Drives connected via USB for storage.

I tried @Reyfox scannow instructions but couldn't locate the 'run as administrator' in the CMD prompt, but for now, I think I've uncovered why I'm getting this issue, I'm running MEP and outputting the videos from/to the same folder on my 6gb Seagate HDD secondary drive.

Calling around, I got to trouble shoot my issue w/ a company that builds PC's based on meeting w/ you and learning workflow/specs to figure out the build PC you'll need. (they won't touch or diagnose any PC they didn't build, but the person on the phone was very helpful "Did I just lose a sale from helping you? ;) ) Turns out he deducted that it was because I'm running MEP from the HDD instead of my C drive SSD. He said that could be why there's a 'bottleneck' during rendering, which might cause the stuttering/freezing on playback and inability to render videos. SSD's are newer, faster tech than the older HDD. So basically he said, work/edit on your SSD C drive and use your HDD for storage.

So far I've tried two different projects on my C drive and they've run flawlessly, no stuttering, lagging and it outputs videos fast, so far no issues as I've experienced in the last days. The only thing I noticed it when I play the rendered video, there are digital artifacts/distortions that appear in the same part of the timeline, but when I upload it to Youtube, or load the rendered video into MEP, there are no distortions, so that might be the result of the media player/GPU interaction. I tried two different media players and those artifacts were in both, but again, once uploaded to Youtube, they aren't there.

I'm now considering installing another SSD drive so I can leave my C: Drive out having to use it to edit. I will get the 'old' AMD GPU tested in case it was misdiagnosed.

I hope this isn't a false resolution like i had earlier. (BTW I tested both projects on the C drive w/ both import/export acceleration boxes checked in MEP's program setting and it still ran smoothly)

Thanks all for your help..

Tusk

@CubeAce Here's a screenshot of my Task Manager while I render a third video on my C drive

@Tusk

Hi.

Sequential reading and writing to mechanical drives can slow down the whole process compared to using a dedicated SSD for project files and when reading and writing to. The larger the individual files handled and the more full the drive becomes, the worse the results become on HDDs. SSDs are much less effected. I don't personally think there is a difference if files are written and read from the same folder. Only that both functions are done to the same drive at the same time. Reading from one drive and writing the project to a different drive makes some difference but the program will both read and write some data to the same drive while a project is running as temp files regardless.

It could well be the reason for the playback stuttering. External HDDs are worse than a good internal one. If you could either add a small internal SSD just to place your project files onto and use for projects while making a video, that should help. At least that is what I do. See the difference in results between an internal SSD and HDD.

My system drive results that I've just run.

Internal SSD

An almost full Internal HDD.

Hardly used (Not much data stored yet) External HDD connected to a USB 3 port. As such it is beating the internal one slightly but not by much.

Results also start to vary / get worse, the closer to the drive filling up becomes.

I haven't got/use an external SSD to give you a result but connected to a good fast USB port should be better than using a good internal HDD.

Your video editing experience results are only as good as the slowest component in my experience.

The internal SSD is a cheap 256GB drive, not an M2 type drive.

Ray.

@Tusk

Hi.

Just caught your last post as I was making my post at the time.

Looking at what is and isn't running from the Task Manager results shows only one GPU in use.

Are you only running one monitor? Getting the other GPU to kick in may help. John or Tony may be able to help with getting that running.

I think that is why the CPU is doing so much work and why the HDD seems to be ticking over.

Neither GPU seems to be encoding the video. Do you have the hardware acceleration turned off in the program?

Sorry but I must turn in for some sleep now. Perhaps while I'm gone either John EB or Rayfox may offer further help.

[Edit] For the moment I don't think the HDD speed is part of the problem at this point but could be wrong.

Ray.

@CubeAce OK thnx goodnight

I'm running two monitors one by HDMI, and a long horizontal monitor by Display port. I only have one GPU, they removed the AMD. I'll take it to someone else to test it to make sure it wasn't misdiagnosed.

Sorry for the deletion, I have an extra External 4TB Seagate external and though the type of input jack that goes into the external drive might provide better transfer speed, but I looked the drive up and it's HDD which defeats the purpose as I think I'd better stick to editing on SSD drives from here on out. SSD drives don't look too expensive yet

Where do I look whether I have the hardware acceleration on or off?

Tusk

@Tusk

Hi.

I then don't understand why your Task manager is registering a second GPU along with a temperature reading.

I need to ask @johnebaker or @Reyfox as they more knowledge about these things than I do as I have no experience with AMD CPUs.

Hi guys, thoughts?

Additional. In the programs settings you need both the processing / and export sections set to the GPU in use. You could also try changing the rendering if you have that available.

That makes no difference on my machine (No better, no worse) but may make a difference on your system. At this point I don't know if that last bit will make a difference or not.

Ray.

@CubeAce residual AMD left overs, you can see them in the list in the processes tab. I asked the tech at that PC build store if those might be left over drivers or whatever from the old GPU & if they might interfere with the functioning of the new GPU & its drivers, he said yes, that’s possible.

all these cards have some kind of control panel to monitor & change settings. There are several AMD processes registering even if the GPU is removed

@Tusk

There are several AMD processes registering even if the GPU is removed

Which is why when removing a GPU, or any other computer hardware, it is always vital to also remove its associated software, in your case the drivers etc.

Jeff
Forum Moderator

@Tusk @emmrecs

Hi Tusk, Jeff.

This is where one must be careful as your CPU also has a built in GPU and is what Task Manager has picked up on, not because of redundant GPU drivers.

From the AMD and the TechPowerUp websites.

Not saying Jeff is wrong, he isn't, but which drivers would you uninstall?

For whatever reason Windows is picking up on the CPU's GPU but the program isn't. Possibly because you would need one monitor plugged into the motherboards monitor output rather than have both monitors powered by the main graphics card.

That GPU not in use may be a reason for the poorer than expected system performance. At this point I have no idea which would be why I have copied Rayfox and John Baker for their additional wisdom and experience.

Ray.

It has always been suggested that if you have a dedicated GPU, that you disable AMD's iGPU. This can only be done in the BIOS (the same with Intel's iGPU), so you have to have some skill and confidence in working in the BIOS.

The question for our friend @Tusk is that if he is comfortable with going to the BIOS and disabling the iGPU. Not sure that he is. Many aren't and don't want to go to the BIOS.

But if he knows of a competent with building computers, it is something easy to do.

Where in the BIOS to change it? Here is a 38 second video for the Gigabyte motherboard that @Tusk has. But again, you have to enter the BIOS at startup.

@Reyfox

Hi Tony.

Where does it say that for Magix software? Or does that only apply to AMD graphics?

If so it appears the CPU's GPU is already not being detected or used by the software. Or do you mean Windows should also not be seeing it?

I have both my Intel HD 630 GPU and nvidia GPU working and MMS / runs better when both are detected by the software.

Ray.

@CubeAce most have reported better performance in gaming and other software when the AMD iGPU is disabled and only the dedicated GPU is used.

Magix has said nothing concerning it, or its application in the software. The iGPU for Intel has been around "forever". The AMD one, although starting with APU's, still isn't as "popular" yet. The only way to know is to test. I don't have an iGPU with my Ryzen 9 CPU. But if you only have the current AMD CPU's and no GPU, it works.

@Reyfox

Hi.

Hmm. The Magix website is very vague about it's use with AMD graphics.

INFUSION Engine 3 supports video acceleration and export for AVC and HEVC on Intel, NVIDIA or AMD GPUs with 1 GB VRAM or higher Example: Intel Graphics HD 520, NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1050, AMD Radeon RX470

No real mention of integrated AMD graphics.

So are you are saying it would be better if Windows didn't detect that GPU at all?

Ray.

 

It has always been suggested that if you have a dedicated GPU, that you disable AMD's iGPU. This can only be done in the BIOS (the same with Intel's iGPU), so you have to have some skill and confidence in working in the BIOS.

The question for our friend @Tusk is that if he is comfortable with going to the BIOS and disabling the iGPU. Not sure that he is. Many aren't and don't want to go to the BIOS.

 

Yup, I know enough to know I don't know enough. My first thought when I saw AMD processes running in the Task Manager after the AMD was replaced is, are you sure this isn't required from something else? ....and why I request explicit, step by step instructions whenever I'm suggested to do something I'm not confident I know what I'm doing...

BTW for gits and shiggles, since I'd always run Magix w/ the AMD on my D drive, the HDD one, both playback and rendering, I wondered if I could do the same running on the SSD drive? Do both playback and rendering a video, and it froze almost immediately when I tried...then I tried the way I 'know' it works, run Magix on the SSD C drive output to the HDD....and it FROZE AGAIN :(.

I'd imported closing credits from a file in D drive to the project, without first copying them to C drive first, so I think what happened even that tiny 'infecting' of a file running off D drive is what caused the freeze even though most of the files are on C drive.

I went ahead and deleted the 'infected' project folder, and copied the entire file over to C drive this time. Ran a smaller project and it seems to work again. By then I'd reached exhaustion to try the bigger file again, unattached to the files on the HDD drive...hopefully I didn't mess anything up :(

@CubeAce surprisingly, with AMD CPU's outselling Intel, you would think that Magix would be at least testing them. Intel iGPU's are mature, while the AMD iGPU's are in their infancy so to speak.

@Tusk as for "remnant" possible GPU drivers left over, that might be possible. But remember, you have an AMD motherboard with an AMD chipset which does have software. I'm glad that sfc found no issues. I personally have my footage and render location on the same SSD drive. Never an issue. I'm almost sure that I could use my 7200rpm mechanical drive too.

@Reyfox @Tusk

After a long think I reread the entire topic.

I have made most of my comments on my own experiences based on using 4K mp4 video files that have a maximum bit rate of 120Mb/s which is my mistake, so part of your problems could still be revolving around your video file types.

Historically Apple encoded video files have always been difficult to work with on Windows based machines without first converting the files to a more Windows friendly format such as mp4. You also talk about using HEVC which is another processor hungry format requiring large amounts of processing power. It is probably also why the nvidia card is not coping with the hardware acceleration side of things.

So at this point it may be wise to supply us with a video clip sample that you are using. If you could upload it to Google drive or Drop box or One Drive and make the file publicly accessible for download for us to test then maybe we will get similar results to your own. The files needs to reside somewhere where it will not get re-encoded so one of the three mentioned above would work.

I should add that personally I have a lot on over the next four days so may not be here much.

Ray.

@Tusk

Hi

There is some confusion with which graphics cards you have installed and the latest Task Manager charts posted..

The Task Manager charts posted above show the integrated AMD Radeon and a Nvidia RTX 5070 Ti, however according to your signature you have an AMD RX 6800XT installed and has been mentioned this many times, is this the AMD GPU that was 'removed'.

Can you confirm the version of MEP you are using. The charts are showing that the RTX GPU is being utilised which conflicts with the the minimum system spec for MEP 2017, 16.0.1.22, which requires an Intel integrated GPU and/or AMD FX series processor, Nvidia GPUs which use NVENC for hardware encdoing/decoding are not supported, and my testing shows my RTX is not utilised at all despite being selected in the Device Options, Video mode setting.

The first version of MEP to support NVENC was, IIRC, MEP 2020.

John EB

@johnebaker thanks for the additional product information. @Tusk is using the Nvidia card. I suggested he try the trial version to VDL and see if that performs better. No word yet...

@johnebaker My version of MEP is currently Magix version is Movie Edit Pro Plus version 20.0.1.80 (UDP3)

@Reyfox is correct, my GPU is the Nvidia I just bought....

At this point I wonder if it was a mistake getting an independent PC guy to build this for me, you ask for a 'frankenstein' build, you get a frankenstein PC. As I said upstream, in trying to figure out the possible issues, I came across 'Alex' from a company that builds PC and has good support for their builds rather than "we don't build PC's' :P.

I'm reducing the number of shows I'm traveling to see/video Haley as I turn 60 this year and need to not be too crazy w/ my travel spending to save for possible retirement. So I requested to meet w/ Haley to understand the nature of our relationship. If she's happy w/ my support over the last dozen years, I'd like to request a couple things including permission to ask for sound board audio, as well as someone to teach me how to plug into the board. I should have at least 8 more sound board audios, I give them my zoom mic to record it on, but too many of them record blasting clipped and unusable audios, which is a HUGE disappointment.

IF she can confirm that she'd like me to continue doing this, with all the issues I've run into w/ a PC I've had for less than 3 years, it might be worth it to see what Alex can offer and at what price. He had guessed a range of between $2500-$3200 depending on my needs and workflow. He said I could save on the cost because they could install the new Nvidia that I installed in this computer (if the AMD is still good, I can reinstall that, or maybe get another GPU for for my current PC. Have them build a PC specifically to edit large file videos. I probably should have done this in the first place but live and learn.

Currently there are a few glitches in the produced videos that so far don't appear when I upload to Youtube, but at this point, if I have a firm commitment from Haley, it's worth it to get a good build going into the future so I don't have to waste so much time w/ this one.