Media server Quadro RTX and capture card

[alfaleader]

Hello Guys

We are thinking of building a new high end media server for driving a lot of different shows (LED walls >4K with PiP, edge blending projectors, corporate shows with camera inputs). The reason why we want this and not a Barco S3 for example is a bit more flexibility (above 4K resolutions things get a lot harder and you have to work around the limitations of the S3).

We are thinking about something like:
- Intel Core I7 8700K (6 cores 4Ghz)
- 16GB RAM
- Samsung 970 EVO M.2 SSD
- Quadro RTX 5000 (synced outputs, with 3x Datapath FX4 we can drive 12 Full HD screens and a screen for the interface).

The thing we don't know yet is what capture card we would like to use for getting the lowest latency. Now Resolume has only native support for AJA, Blackmagic and Datapath. Does this mean these cards use the nVidia GPUdirect for faster capture card --> gpu memory transfer?

I can't find that much about capture card latency, so what capture card should we get with this combination? AJA Kona 4 looks nice but can't find much information about that one.

Thanks!

[Oaktown]

- Intel Core I7 8700K (6 cores 4Ghz)

Terrible choice as it only supports 16 PCIe lanes. My recommendation would be an Intel i9-7900X paired with a ASUS PRIME X299-DELUXE

- 16GB RAM:

With a system like this, I would get at least 32GB in 4x8GB modules or even 64GB in 4x16GB modules.

- Samsung 970 EVO M.2 SSD:

I would go with 512GB 970 Pro for OS and if you end up with a motherboard that supports more than one M.2 drive (like the PRIME X299) , you can get a 2TB 970 EVO for media

- Quadro RTX 5000 (synced outputs, with 3x Datapath FX4 we can drive 12 Full HD screens and a screen for the interface).

Save on the GPU so that you can buy a better processor (i9-7900X). I haven't tested yet but I would think the new Nvidia RTX 2080ti paired with (3) FX4 will be amazing!

The thing we don't know yet is what capture card we would like to use for getting the lowest latency. Now Resolume has only native support for AJA, Blackmagic and Datapath. Does this mean these cards use the nVidia GPUdirect for faster capture card --> gpu memory transfer?

If you can afford it, go with Datapath VisionSC Range capture cards.

[alfaleader]

Thanks for the good input!

I didn't think about the CPU lanes, thought all the current i7 processors had enough PCI express lanes.

The reason we want a Quadro is that a gForce doesn't have the synchronised outputs so the outputs on the different datapaths might not be in sync (even if they are genlocked). The GPUDirect also sounds nice, if the latency is acceptable enough we might even use this for some basic video mixing.

[Oaktown]

The reason we want a Quadro is that a gForce doesn't have the synchronised outputs so the outputs on the different datapaths might not be in sync (even if they are genlocked).

That really matters when you're linking multiple GPUs and have content spread over more than one GPU but when you only have one GPU, you will more than likely be OK.

[massta]

Is it possible to mix the GPUs? Since only one is doing the heavy work of running Resolume, why not get a P4000 Quadro and the NVS 810 which has 8-outputs?

[Oaktown]

Is it possible to mix the GPUs? Since only one is doing the heavy work of running Resolume, why not get a P4000 Quadro and the NVS 810 which has 8-outputs?

That'd be worth a try for sure but you would need to stay with Quadro/NVS combo since they run on the same driver/software so I wouldn't recommend an RTX/ NVS combo

If you're going to use an NVS810 as your secondary card, my recommendation would be to do a P5000 as your primary to do the heavy lifting since it has 16 GB of GDDR5X versus 8GB for the P4000. That would give you 1 UI, 3 output on the main and 8 on the secondary.

[massta]

If you're going to use an NVS810 as your secondary card, my recommendation would be to do a P5000 as your primary to do the heavy lifting since it has 16 GB of GDDR5X versus 8GB for the P4000. That would give you 1 UI, 3 output on the main and 8 on the secondary.

Good advice but x3 the price. I should of told you more about my playback:

x3 Layers, each with x20 30 second loops
Layer 1 & 2: same 4K content but with different masks
Layer 3: different 4K content