Need help to buy a new CPU for Avenue

[djdiego71]

Hi, friends.
In the next days I need to buy a new cpu to upgrade my video system in a discotheque.
May be a i5 or i7 core based, but which GPU?
Is for a multi screen composition, up to 4 (and in a future 6) different screens and content (vary on short clips, a lot of flash loops and ads, and live cam).
The actual cpu have a core an old i5, 4 GB of RAM, two GPU (9500gt & 9600gt) for 3 outputs, all at 800x600:
layer 1: lcd at bars (only flash ads) (out 1)
layer 2: main screen (flash based text) (out 2)
layer 3: main screen (live cam) (out 2)
layer 4: main screen (backgrounds based on shorts clips and loops) (out 2)
layer 5: plasmas on different places (only backgrounds) (out 3)
The fps are a little slow now (17-25 fps) depending of the content (live cam is crappy), and I want to increase this performance much more.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[HerrNieDa]

i5 is not really old and should be enough.
is your processor really fully loaded?
i see you have less dxv footage than other (especially flash needs much cpu power)
i would suggest a better graphic card at first, should give you much more performance! a 9600 geforce is not the fastest today
if your cpu is really fully loaded, a quad core would be the best solution.
maybe you can also overclock the i5 and ram a bit to get better performance (but be carefull so that the computer runs stable)

[djdiego71]

Thanks. But, I need suggestions about GPU's.
Nvidia or AMD? Best perfomance model?

[HerrNieDa]

i prefer ati (don't like the nvidias driver behaviour), but generally its up to you which card fits best in your setup (outputs). I would check benchmark tests to see which graphic card is the best solution for you (you won't need the most expensive one).

for example:
Radeon 5770 or 6670 are not that expensive and are about 100 watts power consumption which is not that much for a good graphic card.
as long as you don't want to use multiscreen/hd with very much layers etc... these cards or similar ones should fit perfect in your computer and your money pocket.

[djdiego71]

The setup are similar described in the first post.
3 or 4 outputs, one with a minimun of 3 layers, the rest only one. Not more than 800x600.

[HerrNieDa]

the main thing is you loose performance if you use a second or more cards for extra outputs.
if you don't use video signal (only vga/hdmi/dvi) i would buy an ati with 5 outputs... all these models should be fast enough.

if you need classic tv outs (which is maybe on your graphic card now) you might have a better solution with a nvidia geforce model, they have not that much outputs than ati but may fit better in your system!

you also can mix ati and nvidia, but i just found one driver combo which is working (but working means not that it runs perfect in this case )

so in your case, i would suggest following models:
ati 6970 with 2x dvi and 4x display port
ati 5870 with 6x display port or
5770 with 5x display port.

other models with hdmi are not ideal, cause the hdmi output works like a tv out and won't give you an extra display if all other outputs are used! (don't know but i think nvidia handles the same)

if you need video/svideo outs from your existing graphic cards and you got enough pci-e slots, you may be more happy with a geforce.
gtx 460 upwards i would suggest should be fast enough for sure (they have maximum 3 outputs to use)

also there is the possibility to use a matrox triple head.. but i think a ati solution with many outputs is the best case and the performance should be great so far!

[djdiego71]

Thanks!!!!

I don't need s-video or tv out, all infrastructure are over VGA cable.
Then, you suggest only one card with many outputs?
Ati 5770 or 6850 or 6870?
Thanks.

[Stickygreen]

I've got an ATI HD5870, works great, 6 minidisplay port output, you'll need to get miniDP > VGA dongles, but thats pretty common.

[rpacker]

I am experiencing confusing frame rates with Resolume, which I just purchased.

I have a Dual Quad Mac Pro with two graphics cards: ATI 5770 (Slot 1) and an ATI x1900 XT (Slot 2)

I also have an AJA KonaLhe in the other slot, which I'm not using with this project.

I have been using the ATI 5770 for the projection and the ATI x1900XT for dual monitors, so I can run Resolume on one and Ableton on the other.

Strangely, if I use the 5770 for the projection the frame rate goes down to around 20 fps. But if I use one of the 1900XT outputs for projection, the frame rate averages about 50 fps. This is with two layers of the same clip, 720p, DXV codec, and just crossfading between the two with minimal effects.

Any idea? Am I losing fps on the 5770 because I have two graphics cards? Is it not a good idea to run two graphics cards?

With so many variables its hard to figure this out without taking cards in and out.

Thanks!