GPU Question - CUDA nVidia Quadro

Hey folks, thanks for checking in.

I have a few questions concerning my current build and how to make it Resolve compatible. My current GPU is obviously not certified to even run the software, let alone allow for acceleration with CS6. My workflow is entirely spear-headed by 6 CPUs, which is proving itself to be lacking the benefits of working with a CUDA card.

Unfortunately for me, I don't quite understand computers beyond their intermediate architecture and would like to make incremental upgrades towards a rig that will eventually be optimal for my needs.

I am contemplating for a mid-range card (around $500). Perhaps a Quadro?

My question is whether or not I'll be able to simply:

1. Swap my GPU out with a CUDA card without any compatibility problems
2. Have them run side-by-side (one handling GUI and the other for processing)
3. Something about headless GPUs?

My current build:

MB: ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 AM3 AMD 890GX HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Thuban 3.3GHz, 3.7GHz Turbo Socket AM3 125W Six-Core Desktop Processor HDE00ZFBGRBOX
RAM: CORSAIR Vengeance 4GB 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMZ4GX3M1A1600C9B
HD:OCZ Vertex 3 VTX3-25SAT3-120G 2.5" 120GB SATA III MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

Thanks for stopping by.
Hopefully I'll be able to start grading soon!

Which GPU do you have right now?

Quado's don't give the best price/performance. For $500 you should be able to get a GTX680, which is a monster GPU. You do need a hefty power supply though. Nvidia advises a minimum of 550W.

You can just add it next to your current card, keep the screen connected to the first card and Resolve will use your new card for GPU-processing.

It's just a matter of plugging in the card and installing the newest drivers. I just did it the cheap way, see my topic.

I see you have 4GB of RAM? It would be wise to upgrade that, you can get 16GB for pretty cheap.

My current GPU is AMD Radeon HD 6950. I'm worried that if I mix in the CUDA card, I might get some nasty driver problems. But I may just go ahead and try it for the moment when I get them both in my hand. It now boils down to the size of my case and power distribution...

I actually have 16GB of RAM (4 sticks)! Sorry that I didn't specify. Thank you for helping!

P.S
Have you heard much about nVidia's Quadro Plex?

AMD cards aren't of any use with resolve at the moment. Actually you have a GPU built into your motherboard, so you could use that for the GUI (connect the monitor to it), take the 6950 out of your system and put a Nvidia card there instead.

I'm doing the same, using the onboard graphics for the GUI and a Nvidia card for GPU-power. I don't know much about Quadro, except for the fact that it's expensive

The Plex 700 has 1024 processing units, a consumer card like the GTX680 actually has 1536. A GTX690 has double (it is a double GTX680 in a way). So it has more CUDA power. The Plex has lots more memory, but i'm not sure which is more important for speed. I'm sure there are people here who can tell you more about the Quadro system.

[Dwaine Maggart]

On a Windows system, only NVIDIA graphics can be used for the GUI and GPU functions. Julian, are you really using motherboard graphics on a Windows Resolve to drive the Resolve GUI display? I would not expect that to work at all. Unless you happened to have an NVIDIA graphics chipset on your motherboard.

Playwithcolor (real name?), you could remove the HD6950 card and replace it with a GTX580 or GTX680 card, and have a good performance Resolve system. If you get the GTX580, be sure to get the 3GB VRAM version, or if the GTX680, the 4GB VRAM version.

Also note you need to be running Windows 7 Pro 64 bit to run Resolve.

My real name is Ryan; Sorry, I didn't know that I was expected to make reference to my actual name while registering.

Having that said, do you know if the GTX680 is better (in the context of budget/power) than the Quadro series? I say Quadro because I have been recommended it from one person to another until coming here to the board.

Thanks!

On a Windows system, only NVIDIA graphics can be used for the GUI and GPU functions. Julian, are you really using motherboard graphics on a Windows Resolve to drive the Resolve GUI display? I would not expect that to work at all. Unless you happened to have an NVIDIA graphics chipset on your motherboard.

I'm running a Core i5 2400 on a Intel Desktop Board DH67BL, so actually it's the integrated GPU from the processor. I just added a GeForce GT640 into the PCIe-slot, and Resolve 9 Lite works fine!

[Dwaine Maggart]

Ryan, it depends on what Quadro card you are talking about. The GTX series will be cheaper than a Quadro card and performance likely better under Resolve. Certainly the GTX580 or 680 will perform better than a Quadro 4000. So considering Resolve only, the GTX series is good. If you have other apps that will also use the card, that might alter the decision.

Julian, are you sure you have your GUI display monitor connected to the motherboard display connector? I would expect you would have to connect it to the GT640 card to have Resolve work.

100% sure Dwain I just double checked. Actually I will try pluging the monitor into the GT640, see if that makes any difference. Right now when I'm in resolve and press playback the frame rate starts off a bit slow, the the GPU kicks in after a few secs and I get real time speed. But sometimes the GPU doesn't seem to kick in (maybe it goes idle?) and I don't see the GPU 'light' on top of the viewer turning green.

I have decided to opt for the GTX580 as it is certified for both Adobe Systems and Resolve. (The GTX680 doesn't bode well with Premiere Pro's MPE).

My only concern now is that the card does not have SDI monitoring on it. How would I go about making sure my rig is able to do so; what other alternatives are there to enable SDI monitoring with a configuration that involves the GTX580?

[Dwaine Maggart]

Resolve does not use the GPU card for SDI monitoring. You must use a BMD Video I/O device to get the Resolve color corrected output via SDI to an SDI grading display.