Encoding server basic questions

[MikeKlinger]

For whatever dumb reason, I JUST NOW, decided to explore the use of the Encoding Server component for DOM after using it numerous times, without it.

With very little thought or effort, I installed the encoding server to 4 macs already hanging on my network. I do see a modest bump in speed.

I know very little about the concept of thread or similar matters.
I can also see the 4 systems in the encoding servers -- tools view
Here are my curiosities...

1) I am not seeing any ways to adjust or monitor the participation of those servers, except to see that they are online. Do I, or should I care? Or just be grateful that I got a modest boost in encoding speed.

2) Two of the systems I put on are older Mac Pros from 2009, that I assumed were otherwise identical, but maybe I am mistaken.
One comes up with 16 threads, and one with 8. Do I care? Is this some kind of setting I am not educated about?

Mike

[Carsten]

You should see a larger increase in encoding speed. You may need to adjust DOMs thread setting to match the total number of cores (double for HT cores) running the encoding server on your network.

Normally, DCP-o-matic autodetects the number of cores available on your master machine. But if you add encoding servers, you may have to add their core# to this setting in your master/main machine prefs. E.g. the Macbook I am writing this on has a 4core HT CPU. When I start up DCP-o-matic, it will autodetect 8 cores and set the thread setting to 8. When I add another machine with 4HT cores as an encoding server, I need to change this number in prefs to 16.

The encoding servers have a monitor display to show you what they are doing. DCP-o-matic main project log will also show their activity when the encoding has finished.

[Kewl]

In my experience, network bandwidth is a big factor. So check if all your Macs are using gigabit bandwidth through the network switch/router. It's quite possible that you're choking the send bandwidth on the host computer and you won't get better performance until the host can send more data.

This is our setup https://dcpomatic.com/benchmarks/network.php?id=15 and it's performing well with 2K encodes, but we experience send choking with 4K encodes.

[MikeKlinger]

Thanks for the input so far.

All of my computers are old, so I do understand that it somewhat relative to what can be done with old hardware.

I am running on a 2009 era mac pro. On my network I now have (just for fun), four other older macs (2 more similar 2009 mac pros, a 2012 mac mini a 2017 Macbook air). So with all that hanging off the network, with the encoder server app installed everywhere, I'd say I am getting a slightly better than 2X bump? But on my 2K test subject, that puts me at 5 to 6 fps

The manual is pretty sparse in this topic, so let me see if I understand my world:

1) Those 4 servers -- show a total thread count of 36. It doesn't seem to make a difference of any kind, if I match that in preferences the server thread count. or for "fun" set it to 1 to see if it gets crushed. The performance settles into the same no matter what this is set to. Am I missing anything in all that?
2) In the tools/encoding servers window, I am seeing IP addresses and thread numbers. Is that everything and all I am supposed to see there?
3) On the encoding server systems, I see that it launches the app, but there is absolutely no info or window that comes up any kind on the server end. Is there supposed to be on the server side beside an active app icon in the dock?

Mike

[Carsten]

You should see something when you click on the encoding server icon 'Status' top right.

This window will also show you if the encoding server is actually doing something during an encode.

In my case, the server is idle. If you don't see numbers appearing there during an encode running on your main machine, the encode server does not receive any jobs. Maybe you also need to check the firewall settings.

Bildschirmfoto 2023-12-29 um 23.33.16.png

[Carsten]

I have done very many benchmark runs with older Macs, you did not write exactly what type of CPU you have (check 'About this Mac' in the apple menu), but from what you write you should get something at least in the 10-15fps range.

You should look up the benchmark page to check your results, and also download the sintel benchmark file for a better comparison.

https://dcpomatic.com/benchmarks/input.php?id=1

[Carsten]

Bildschirmfoto 2023-12-30 um 01.11.58.png

[MikeKlinger]

Thanks.

Yes, I did find the Encoder Server's activity view. Great. I have a better sense of how/what's going on with that.

I followed the link to the benchmark and can see various results logged.

I am not seeing a link to the actual benchmark's media for download. Maybe I misunderstood that part.

[Kewl]

https://dcpomatic.com/benchmarks/contributing