Help for setting up encoding server

[KrisSP]

Hi all,

I'm sorry if this has been asked before. I've tried searching the forum, but I couldn't find anything, but as the search blocks common words like "encoding server", I don't know how to find it if it's there.

Anyways, I want to set up an encoding server for my cinema, and I have two questions in that regard:

Server itself
Does anyone have recommendations for a reasonable spec for an encoding server? Number of CPUs and CPU speed? Other considerations? I understand a powerful computer will simply be faster, but say I want to create a 2 hour DCP roughly overnight as a ballpark.

I'm planning to get a rack mountable server, and also have RAID disks on it, to copy films off of my IMS1000 for backup (or freeing up space), so if someone have suggestions for brand/model, that would also be very appreciated.

Limit resource use on master machine
Is there a way to put max load on the host machines, but limiting the load on the master machine? Or will limiting the number of threads do the trick? For practical reasons, it would be ideal to kick off the rendering on a computer I need to use for other things as well, so I'd rather keep the load on the master computer at a minimum, while letting the server do the heavy lifting.

Is this possible?


Best regards,
Kristian

[Carsten]

I repeat my standard recommendation: A second hand HP z600 (from 500-600US$) or z620 (from 800US$).

The more cores (+HT), the better. The z600 with a dual Xeon x5660 CPU will give you 12 cores/24 threads and will convert the typical full length Bluray feature within 4 hrs. The z600 is of exceptional build quality. It is NOT a rack mountable server per se, but it CAN be rack mounted (there are rack mount kits, maybe also on ebay). A cheap 19" rack adapter/rack tray will do, just slide the z600 in.
Usually, PCs are crappy hardware build to last a few years under a desk until they accumulated enough dust to be replaced. The z600 is fun to undress. In a standard configuration, it is also very quiet.

The z620 with dual 2670 is probably 30% faster, but slightly more expensive.

While the z600 is a windows PC, some components are not standard PC components and may sometimes be difficult to source. I managed to get everything I needed, but you need to learn about the specific components (CPU cooler, RAM type, etc.). So I suggest you buy the machine maxed out and do not try to expand them yourself in order to save a few bucks.
That will usually be a dual xeon x5660 (or faster) with a minimum of 12Gbytes of RAM (more than 12-16 is wasted). Mass storage, of course, can be added by using standard components (HD/SSD). You don't need a fast graphics card, any simple one will do. But you can add a low power GTX 1050/1060 (Ti). These machines can not take power hungry graphics cards. So, get a dual CPU machine, beginning with the x5660, 5670, 5675 etc.. A dual CPU machine is the best to begin with. If you start with a high clocked 4 core desktop i7 machine, the only way to increase encoding speed is to add a full second PC. This will always come out more expensive than buying a second hand dual CPU machine.

I haven't used classic rack mounted servers. One possible issue with them may be that it can be difficult to install a standard OS on them. Many of them will only have drivers for server OS, or need special management software etc. There is a potential risk you will end up with a brick, or need to spend much effort before you can start working. A second hand z600 usually will come with WIN7 or WIN10 preinstalled, and you can start working right away.


Search the forum for 'z600', and you will find I'm a huge fan of these...

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=776&p=2626&hilit=z600#p2626

I extended mine with dual SSDs, a Bluray drive, a CRU slot, a GTX 1060Ti, and some other stuff not strictly necessary for DCP encoding. Of course, networking it with your server is the easiest way if your machine stays at the cinema.

You can configure DCP-o-matic so that the local machine, the one running the GUI, or the batch processor, will not use the local CPU for encoding at all. That way, only the remote server will be maxed out.


- Carsten

[KrisSP]

Carsten, thank you for the thorough reply! This definitely looks like a good choice. I will check around if it's possible to get one for a decent price. Your point about durability is interesting, I hadn't considered that.

Also interesting point that the rack computers may only be able to run server OSes, I didn't know that. My idea was partly to save space (as our projection room is small, and I already have a rack with free slots), and also to kill two birds with one stone, as I'm anyways planning to set up a RAID storage unit to use for backup / storage of DCPs when I run out of space.

I was hoping to run that all in one box, and also possibly kick off the conversation from the computer I run the cinema from. I realise it may be a bit hazardous to overload that computer, but if it is not using the computer for rendering, only kicking off the process, maybe it could work.

Anyways – thanks again, I will try look for a z600!

[Carsten]

You can get some dual xeon servers slightly cheaper than a z600 - but typically, they come without OS, drivers and instructions, and it can take quite some time to find the necessary tools and methods to get them working (sometimes no internal DVD drive, etc.). On a Z600, you slot in any standard WIN7 or Linux setup DVD, and be up and running in short time. I know e.g. many HP Proliant servers are explicitly not supported for WIN7, so you may not find any drivers. It will probably be possible to install some linux on them. Also - the Z600 won't add to the noise budget in the booth - but rack mounted servers are usually screaming monsters.

- Carsten

[KrisSP]

Thanks a lot, Carsten! I will follow your recommendations, and report back how it works out. Thanks for sharing your experience!

[KrisSP]

I've checked out some z600, and I see that with dual x5660 they are in the £500–600 range, whereas with x5550s it's around half the price.

Do you have any experience with whether the x5550 is a far inferior CPU? From what I gather, it has fewer cores, so it would be 8 cores / 16 threads instead of 12/24. But are there other drawbacks outside that it'll be 30% or so slower?

Thanks again!

[Carsten]

I would say, wait some time. There is a price difference between 2*x5550 and 2*x5660, but it shouldn't be 100%. E.g. I just found an offer on ebay (from Belgium) of 470€ for a 2*x5660 (with more than enough of RAM). You may pick up a real cheap 2*x5550 and install 2*x5660 CPUs later. These can found on ebay rather cheap now as well. But in the end, you scrap the 2*5550, and it doesn't really make sense economically.
I upgraded my machine with a second x5660, and it wasn't worth the effort, I could have bought a 2*x5660 just as well.

So I'd say, just do some more browsing, and keep in mind, you can buy it stripped down, small/no HD, no graphics card etc. to save money. Just make sure it has max 12GB or 16GB RAM, and actually dual CPU. There are some early z600 with single CPUs that can't be upgraded with dual x5660 - so keep away from these.
Also, the cooler for a second CPU is very expensive to get, standard coolers don't fit.


- Carsten

[KrisSP]

Brilliant, thank you!

[cloud06]

Carsten, can you please tell me what do you think - what framerate should I get with two Mac Pros (Trashcan 2013, 6-core Xeon E5) connected in gigabit network?

[KrisSP]

I'm looking at a couple now with dual x5650 instead of x5660. From what I can gather, they are practically the same processor, just slightly lower clock speed. Do you have any experience with that? (Sorry for all these questions …)