Very Good CPUs

[Mikele]

I have running some tests with VideoStudio 10, a 53'30" DV file, and a pair of Core 2 Duo.
I have converted this DV file to MPEG-2 VBR6500 AC3-224.

First of all, I have to say that's amazing seeing de render like a video going FFW.
Second: good job Ulead. Dual core rendering works. Two cpus rendering, at 70% to 90% all the time. I'm bored to see apps with ONLY ONE CORE working.

This are my numbers:
Core 2 Duo 6400 (Real Speed 2128)
Overclocked to 2400 Time to Render: 34'30"
Overclocked to 2560 Time to Render: 32'00"
Overclocked to 2930 Time to Render: 29'04"
Overclocked to 3200 Time to Render: Failed at 3'. Reboot CPU. (well, this forces 667 RAM to 800).

Core 2 Duo 4400 (Real Spedd 2000)
Overclocked to 3000 Time to Render: 30'22"
Overclocked to 3250 Time to Render: 27'12" yeahhh!!!!!
Overclocked to 3333 Time to Render: Failed at 2' Reboot CPU. (it hurts because memory was at 667, without any overclock; the CPU can't go more far).

I can calculate a 36' or 37' of render in the 6400 without overclock. More or less, the 4400 at 3250 is 9 minutes faster !!!! And the CPU cost me 105 Euros !!!!! Is the best thing since Celeron 300 overclocked to 450.

I haven't touch any voltage. Auto mode in a Asus P5B-E, Kingston DDR-2 667 (a pair of 1 Giga), and FSB to 350x10=3250 and RAM timmings to 4-4-4-12.

As you can image I will get the 4400 and my friend's (I mount the computer) goes to 6400.
He doens't like overclock. Worse for him.

At last, very very good CPUs.

[Hulk]

Thanks for the info. Yes, the Core 2 Duo's are definitely great cpu's.

If you want to get that E6400 to 3.2GHz you might want to try and relax those memory timings a bit. Perhaps 5-5-5-18.

If you don't have good RAM the 4400 is a good choice because of the higher multiplier.

But at this point in time with the recent price cuts I would get an E6420. This is basically an E6400 with 4MB L2 cache. It's currently $193 on NewEgg. Don't know how much your vendors are charging though.

My last overclocking venture was actually the Celeron 300a>450. Since then I haven't felt overclocking was worth the effort. That is until the E6400 and I could get another effortless 50% overclock like the good old 300a. I can't believe that was 10 years ago.

I also remember rendering MPEG-2 on my old PIII 850 and I would see each GOP of frame shuffle by like cards, then pause for a few seconds, then shuffle, then pause...

Rendering has gone from a start if before you go to bed and hope it done in the morning to fire it up and it'll be done in less time than the length of the video.