Suggested Graphics Card for video conversion in media server

[Smeeghead]

Hi Guys,

Sorry but the title should read Video Transcoding, as I'm looking to build a media server amongst other things using freenas.

I've searched the forums and checked the hardware compatibility list on freebsd, but there is no mention anywhere of compatible graphics card hardware specs.

SO I was hoping that somebody can either point me in the right direction of the relevant documentation OR suggest a suitable graphics chipset based on the available drivers from freebsd

Sorry If this is a repeat question from anywhere but I'm a freenas noobie!!

Cheers
Smeeghead

 

[JimPhreak]

Video transcoding is done by the CPU not the video card so if you're going to be using your server for lots of transcoding be sure to get a more powerful CPU.

 

[underpickled]

Well there might be some OpenCL or CUDA equivalents to ffmpeg out there, but it really depends on how you're using it. Intel QuickSync can be helpful, but only if your transcoder utilizes the hardware transcoding in the Intel chips. For ffmpeg (which subsonic uses, for instance), I think you're stuck with straight CPU-based software transcoding for the time being.

Now if there was an XBMC plugin or add-on to FreeNAS that could use a low-end GPU for playback... I'd call that a game changer. Since XBMC supports hardware acceleration, your CPU won't be taxed much for playback and suddenly your NAS becomes your HTPC as well. No need for a separate box :-D

Someone get on that!

 

[cyberjock]

Considering that even some of the low end GPUs use 20-30w idle(others 70w+), I don't WANT some nVidia or ATI video card in my server for those times when I reencode. Run that stuff off the CPU like it has been for years.

FreeNAS includes no video drivers of any consequence, so you're talking about a huge undertaking for FreeNAS to add this kind of support. And when you look at the number of people demanding low power and usually the smallest board they can find, you get stuck with a choice. Do you put your M1015 or your video card in that one PCIe slot.

Quite frankly, I think that the idea, while sounding great on the surface, is actually not a a good idea at all. Few people will want to double their idle wattage just for a video card. Many more will have the dilemma of trying to figure out what to put in their one PCIe slot.

And let's not talk about how unreliable the server may become. It's no secret that Linux drivers for both ATI and nVidia could use some work. Imagine what FreeBSD drivers are like when Linux is FAR more popular.

No. Thank. You.

 

[underpickled]

I wasn't really serious, but those are good points anyway. I wasn't suggesting the FreeNAS group take on that task; I know it's one hell of an undertaking and I wouldn't want to add a GPU anyway for thermal reasons. In a perfect world where server boards had HDMI out for the Intel graphics (or integrated graphics could be accessed by way of a lightweight PCIe card) it might make sense to have video drivers just for Intel IGPs, but it's definitely secondary to filesystem/server reliability.