Subject: Re: [AE] (OT) An example of a PC version of a Mac Pro with today's tech for AE
References: <list-4745033@media-motion.tv>
From: Greg Balint <greg@delrazor.com>
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Date: Tue, 12 Jun 2012 22:04:36 -0400
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=46rom what I know, Windows handles the hyperthreading as if it's all cores.=
 It knows that there are physical cores and virtual cores, but it is the mot=
herboard that actually handles the hyperthreading.=20

AE will launch a process for each separate core or thread, so there's no sha=
ring across threads from what I can tell. And windows doesn't have to manage=
 things so much. Multiprocessing in AE is similar to having an 8 box render f=
arm with single processors in each node? But setup in one box on one CPU.=20=


The performance hit you take is more along all of the cores, when HT is turn=
ed on. I don't have actual figures here, but hypothetically, it's like this.=
 =20

4 core 3.0Ghz processor with HT off =3D 4x3.0GHz. =20

4 core 3.0Ghz processor with HT on =3D 8x2.5GHz

Each frame will render a little slower than if HT was off, but the extra pro=
cesses makes up for that and then some.=20

This is why having a 4 core 3.0GHz with HT off can be faster than with HT on=
 if the cores are overclocked to, say 4.3Ghz instead.=20

Problem comes with most people not wanting or knowing how to overclock. Whic=
h is why HT is a better solution for staying with stock speeds.=20

The time based mess-ups seems to happen only when multiprocessing in AE is t=
urned on.  This is probably because it sends out each frame to a different p=
rocess and that process doesn't have cache for the previous frame, the one t=
hat handled it does. =20

Normally for time-based effects, aside from stretching(think more like echo)=
 I turn off MP to make sure there are no flaws. =20

I think the AE people who mentioned HT were meaning that even if Multiproces=
sing is turned off in AE, the actual program will STILL use all cores, inclu=
ding the ones that show up due to HT being active, to help speed up renderin=
g a single frame, such as tapping the space-bar and watching it go frame by f=
rame.=20

I'm glad to hear MP hasn't changed from CS5 to CS6. Guess I should go downlo=
ad the trial and check out the great new stuff.=20

////Greg Balint
///Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer
delRAZOR.com/

On Jun 12, 2012, at 9:24 PM, "Stephen van Vuuren" <stephen@sv2studios.com> w=
rote:

> I do know AE does not always handle lots of threads well - but is Adobe
> saying it's HTT to blame or overall MP management. AE should not care - th=
e
> OS and CPU should try to handle it.
>=20
> I'm not a programmer but I know MP can't work with Raytracer, many
> time-based plugins. Is this related to HTT performance - AE is making call=
s
> somehow to the physical cores that can't be processed? Or asking for CPU
> resources that cannot be split across the virtual cores (which supposedly i=
t
> cannot identify)?
>=20
> Any suggestions on a test to properly figure this out? I see performance
> improvement on renders with HTT turned on - but not every time and with
> every project. And like Greg B. - the information out about HTT on AE is n=
ot
> in agreement with what Chris M. and Steve F. are posting now.
>=20
> stephen van vuuren
> 336.202.4777
>=20
> http://www.sv2dcp.com/
> http://www.sv2studios.com/
> http://www.outsideinthemovie.com/
>=20
> A film is - or should be - more like music than like fiction. It should be=
 a
> progression of moods and feelings. The theme, what's behind the emotion, t=
he
> meaning, all that comes later.
> -Stanley Kubrick
>=20
> -----Original Message-----
> From: After Effects Mail List [mailto:AE-List@media-motion.tv] On Behalf O=
f
> Greg Balint
> Sent: Tuesday, June 12, 2012 8:08 PM
> To: After Effects Mail List
> Subject: Re: [AE] (OT) An example of a PC version of a Mac Pro with today'=
s
> tech for AE
>=20
> This is just confusing the heck out of me, because I'm pretty sure I
> understood it all until today.=20
>=20
> I most certainly see a big difference rendering in AE with MP turned on an=
d
> Hyperthreading enabled. AE has no clue the difference between a 4 core
> system with HT on or an 8 core with no HT.=20
>=20
> As long as I have the ram to power the "virtual" cores, AE doesn't care if=

> they are virtual cores or not.=20
>=20
> They are two different things, but AE's Multiprocessing most certainly tak=
es
> advantage of all threads available to it.=20
>=20
> ////Greg Balint
> ///Art Director / Motion Graphics Designer delRAZOR.com/
>=20
> On Jun 12, 2012, at 7:30 PM, Chris Meyer <chris@crishdesign.com> wrote:
>=20
>> Aside from that, you can enable multiprocessing, which launches multiple
> copies of After Effects in the background, assigning one copy (process) to=

> one core. This particular trick needs physical cores to actually do any
> work.
>=20
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>=20
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>=20
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