Intel Quick Sync Transcoding

[ga_mueller]

I transcode my DVD's to h.264 for small file size and use with GBPVR, so after rebuilding my wife's PC with an Ivy Bridge i5-3450 CPU/mobo/RAM, I was curious as to how well the Ivy Bridge built-in Quick Sync transcoding worked. On my dual-core laptop, transcoding a DVD took ~3-4hrs for high profile, using Handbrake. The fps was typically 10-12. With a Quick Sync transcoding app (Badaboom 2.0, output file size and quality similar to the Handbrake transcode), my average fps was ~ 200... totally amazing. Overall CPU usage was around 40%, so the PC was usable for other tasks, while transcoding was underway. Not an apples-to-apples comparison (I guess I should run Handbrake on the i5 to see software fps), but transcoding was changed from a computer-busting, 3-4 hour task, to 20 or so minutes. I can't wait to rebuild our HTPC with an Ivy Bridge i3, when it comes out.

(Some add'l info: total cost < $250.... CPU= $150, mobo= $50, 4GB RAM= $18)