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How much for real-time transcoding?

S

sphinx99

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Dec 23, 2006
Messages
1,191
Still testing pieces out for my future "store stuff and stream it around" system. I currently have a pair of storage servers, plus an i7 920 desktop that's always on and sucking power in order to run tversity, air video server and a couple of other transcode-and-stream apps. This is too much and I want to combine it all into only one 24x7 box.

I mostly have a handle on the storage side of things, but I am less sure about how much compute power I need for real-time transcoding of fairly high bitrate video (say 1080p30 or 1080p60 at somewhere between 20 and 50 megabits) to lower resolution for streaming. I am pretty sure I don't need an overclocked i7 920. What however would be a reasonable minimum floor, assuming I wanted to stay Intel, that minimizes power draw while reliably transcoding real-time at "good" to "best" qualities? I want to pad it a bit since there will be some ESXi overhead, but if I can get away with a 60W-or-less processor, that sure would be nice.
 
it really depends on the quality of video you're transcoding to, but as vague reference point, my phenom 2 x4 820 server can take a 20mbit mpeg 2 transport stream (1440x1080i resolution, 30fps) and transcode it to 720p h264 in realtime at about 60% cpu usage. that's with VLC, i don't know how well the apps you use are optimised.

I'd say you could get away with the cheapest quad core you can get your hands on. looking around on model listings, it looks like both amd and intel have low power quad core chips that have 45w/65w TDPs, but you'd have to search around to find a store that sells them.
 
Transcode all your 1080 files to the lower resolution and store them separately then you just need a lower power storage server.
 
Zepher said:
Transcode all your 1080 files to the lower resolution and store them separately then you just need a lower power storage server.
Click to expand...

I'd go with this. Run a batch encode of what you think you might watch, run it at a higher compression efficiency for better quality, and maybe even run the encode on a 24/7 box anyways and forget about it for now.
 
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