Terragen 2 Release Announcement Discussion

Started by Oshyan, December 12, 2007, 07:10:04 PM

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ZStar

Thanks, Oshyan.  I'll try a clean install.  One of the files I did try was the benchmark you suggested.  My results went from 3:46 (previous version) to 4:06 (new version).  Another file went from 7:54 to 10:56.

Oshyan

Very surprising. You might also try reducing min/max threads to 0 or 1 just as a test. With those settings it should perform very similar to the previous version. Make sure you're running the test under similar circumstances - ideally re-run the test with current configuration. A reboot before testing would also be advisable if possible.

- Oshyan

ZStar

I tried a clean reinstall of the new version and ran the benchmark three times with a reboot before each run with the following results:

Min Threads = 0 ........ 4:04
                 = 1 ........ 4:10
                 = 2 ........ 4:06

The thread count did not seem to have much effect.  The clean install did not appear to help either. 

I'll sleep on it.  I may try disabling the anti-virus software tomorrow but I don't expect that to make much difference.

When comparing my benchmark results for the previous version to entries in the benchmark results table, my system seemed to be comparable to similar systems.

Oshyan

If your result is now comparable to similar systems it sounds like it was previously above average? In any case it does seem as if the threading isn't working on your system, which is something we haven't seen yet, at least when min threads is set properly as you indicated you did. When rendering have you checked the task manager to make sure TG is using both cores? Is it the only process that is using significant CPU time?

If you can give more specific details of your system it may also be of use, specifically operating system and version (service pack), CPU speed and model if possible, any background tasks (antivirus, etc), and any other details you can provide.

- Oshyan

rcallicotte

What I'm wondering, ZStar is if you changed the number of threads being used under the Render tab.  If not, would it take advantage of more than one processor, Oshyan?
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

nikita

When I'm using my desktop pc, only one cpu is detected but that's fixable using min threads.
On my notebook, both cores are correctly detected and TG2 uses both of them (with min threads = 1)

ZStar

Oshyan, I apologize for not being clearer in my previous post.  The benchmark results I was getting with v1.9.04.1 were comparable to similar systems in the list.  The results with the new version are not.

I have a Dell XPS 410.  Here is my system info:

Intel Core 2 Duo E6600
2 cores @ 2400Mhz
2GB DDR2-667
(I could not find any motherboard chipset info in my computer paperwork)
Windows XP Pro SP2

Anti-virus type software (should be all the latest and greatest updates for all):

PC-cillin v14.60.1195 
Spybot - Search & Destroy v1.5.2.0
          - System settings protector 1.5.2.16
Windows Defender v1.1.1593.0

The task manager shows both cores being maxed.  TG is definitely getting better than 95-98% of the total CPU time on both cores.  When TG is "idle" (after preview rendering has completed) both CPUs are still showing +/-50% utilization.  When TG is not running task manager only shows the occasional blip on CPU usage.  This is the same behavior I saw with TG v1.9.04.1 even though TG was only using one core.  Do other users see this activity pattern with the the new version?  Is there something odd about my system that causes TG to behave this way? 

(See my comments in the Support forum thread here: http://forums.planetside.co.uk/index.php?topic=3884.0)

nikita, calico,

Thanks for the input.  I have tested with the Minimum threads on the More Settings tab of the Full Render screen set to 0, 1, and 2 as Oshyan asked me to try.  I have also tried rendering with all default settings with similar results.  TG does report detecting two cores at startup.

Any help or suggestions would be appreciated.  It appears I am to be the problem child.

nikita

Wait... both cores are maxed and there isn't any speed-up :o
So if CPU isn't the problem, the bottleneck might be elsewhere? Maybe it's memory speed or delay due to swapping?

cyphyr

Hi Gang
Thanks for the update. I'm really looking forward to testing it out but I'm waiting on my new email address being confirmed by planetside support. I have sent a copy of the key file as proof of id and given my old and new emails. Will this be enough and how long will I need to wait?
Thanks :)
Richard
www.richardfraservfx.com
https://www.facebook.com/RichardFraserVFX/
/|\

Ryzen 9 5950X OC@4Ghz, 64Gb (TG4 benchmark 4:13)

rcallicotte

I have noticed a speed-up when I use 4 as minimum.  Otherwise, when including transparency, it appears to be slower.
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?

nikita

Quote from: ZStar on April 29, 2008, 01:17:37 AM
I tried a clean reinstall of the new version and ran the benchmark three times with a reboot before each run with the following results:

Min Threads = 0 ........ 4:04
                 = 1 ........ 4:10
                 = 2 ........ 4:06

I just noticed that this doesn't mean anything. As long as max threads is 2 or more, TG2 will always use 2 threads. So it's no surprise that changing min threads doesn't affect render times.
What do you get with max threads=1?

I just ran the benchmark here and while it's considerably slower (5:09 vs 4:23 before) when single threaded, using of two threads improves the time to 3:10 and 3:10 vs 5:09 is a good speed-up.

ZStar

I have tried additional tests with my anti-virus apps turned off and saw no change.  Running TG with min/max threads set 1/1 and 2/2 also resulted in no performance change.  I even tested with min/max threads = 1/1 and CPU affinity set to one core.  The result was right in line with all the other tests, just over 4 minutes to render the benchmark.  The previous version of TG would run the benchmark in +/-3:45.

All my tests seem to indicate that regardless of settings, one core is just spinning it's little electronic wheels.  Either that or when both cores are being used they interact in such a way as to exactly cancel out the performance gain of parallel processing. 

Cyber-Angel

ZStar,

Your Motherboard is the Dell P965 BTX Motherboard using the P965 chipset. Hope that helps?

Regards to you.

Cyber-Angel   

ZStar

Cyber-Angel, 

Thanks for the motherboard info.  I don't know if it will help but you never know...

rcallicotte

@ZStar - My experience in troubleshooting is that 98% of it is something you've overlooked that is fairly obvious.  Please don't feel insulted, since it's hopefully something simple.  If not, then you'll probably need to work closely with Planetside to get your system straight with their troubleshooting procedures...but, I don't work for them, so I don't know.
So this is Disney World.  Can we live here?