Trouble with Qmaster, Compressor

Question

Hello all!
I am trying to compress a 48 Minute long HDV sequence to HD-DVD using the H.264 60 Min encode settings, and I am having problems.
I have read how to setup Qmaster to run multiple cores, so I have made a 4 core quick cluster on Qmaster with the following settings
"Quick Cluster with Services" - Checked
Under the services box, I have "Share" checked for Compressor
I have 4 instances selected (out of 16 possible)
"Include unmanaged services from other computers" - Checked.
All other options unchecked.
On Advanced menu, only "Log service activity to file" was checked.
What happens is that when I submit the job in compressor (I select the 4 cluster when I submit), I see all the instances in Activity monitor, but one of them is red and non-responding. I can't get all the instances to do work at the same time, as the cpu utilization is only indicating one instance doing work at a time. I thought they were all supposed to be utilized.
In the end, I waited 36 hours, and the encode still wasn't finished.
Any ideas what could be going on? Am I set up correctly? Let me know any thoughts!
Thanks,
Ken

Answer 1

Hi Ken here's some ideas. I use compressor/Qmaster all the time. I too have a brand new Nehalem MACPRO 2.93 @ 12GB.
Firstly for distribution, *compressor is your best friend*... see why...
Some diagnostics tips first:
• go check out /var/logs or the utilities/console.app (leave the late in the dock). Look under the various directories for QMASTER. There is usually a wealth of information in there.
• COMPRESSOR.app/prefs: not always but worth it to (a) MOUNT the shared cluster storage you used in /system prefs/qmaster/advanced: shared cluster storage
• COMPRESSOR.app/: look at HISTORY
• Batch MOnitor.app : check on the "i" status for each node running a segment in the multi pass segmented transcode (segment=TICKED in inspector video for compressor). Look at the "status" and "logs" in the pane.
• turn off ALL network devices (airport, EN & FW) until you get it working QMASTER seems to go looking everywhere for other nodes.. so dont let it.
• COMPRESSOR.app/prefs: set "NEVER COPY SOURCE TO CLUSTER" - we'll work about his when yu start to use other nodes outside your MACPRO.
• COMPRESSOR.app/reset background processes - to start
OK when you have all tjis done... let look at some ways to commence to fire up Compressor using Qmaster cluster.
• assume QUICKCLUSTER ste up: click "managed services=ticke" if you like
• *systems prefs/qmaster:* set SERVICES: for number of instances I am using 14! (*yes 14 instances*) on this MACPRO and it rides all the 16 cores and I can edit fine on FCP at the same time..PLenty of head room in these new MACPROS 2009 models (+doubters go buy a dell p.o.s+ ). *CAVEAT= YOU HAVE ENOUGH RAM* - not sure if 6GB will cut it so trial and error.. works great for me thou and I have 8GB not used from 12GB!. NOte in the non Nehalem MACPRO era the R.O.T. was one instance of compressor per core... however since I have bene usingthis baby on the last few days I have cranked it to 14 instances and it runs fine and all cpres are nearly 100% usage with a very responsive machine. THe transcodes are at least 3-4 times faster than my 8*core 2007 MACPRO!.
•  *systems prefs/qmaster:* / advanced: tick the port ranges =on.
OK .. now you're ready to rock!
1) *systems prefs/qmaster:*: setup: clock OPTION=CLICK over the start button to RESET any transcodes that were going.
2) Set up a job in compressor.app making sure "job segmenting" is ticked in the ENCODER inspector.
3) submit and select your cluster in the list box.
4) sit back while your new MCPRO 2009 earns its money! - watch all the cores light up GREEN in the activity monitor!
5) watch teh console.app "all messages for errors" form QMaster.
OK.. this is only a summary.
POst your results of PM me if you need help.
I love compressor and Qm especially on this NEW MAC PRO.. it just smokes anything else I've used for transcoding.
Oh: *and one other tip for your workflow* which you can take or leave regarding HDV. Yep its not on may favourite codec list but here's some good tips for getting your compsition ready for distribution as you are trying to do from when I owned a SONY-Z1P HDV some years back.
This will cut 10's of hours of what you are seeing. (well maybe not that magnitude).
With the edit prepared and not rendered:
• take ALL the footage fomr the HDV that you ingested form the tape in the CAPTURE folder and use COMPRESSOR.app and transcode it to PRORES422 only. (Same resolution etc etc).... Simply try this out please. USe "copy and BLOCK SELECT + paste all the codec+targets information in the COMPRESSOR window.. its simple... submit it to your QMASTER and come back in say 10 minutes .. it shoud all be done. (what you have done is to make a mezzanine instance of LGOP HDV footage into iFRAME PRORES422 - no quality has been lost nor gained.
• in your FCP project DISCONNECT all the media from your Sequences and then RECONNECT the media to the same file names that are the new PRORES 422 - (conforming) in FCP.
• now your edit sequqnces are pointing to the PRORES versions of your clips. edit at will here and watch the play head and edits slice through prores422 like the proverbial +hot knife through butter+ (assume you have a fast disk system underneath.. my MACBOOKPRO does this in its sleep).
*when your ready to make a distribution*, try this from within FCP timeline/sequence:
• export QUICKTIME MOVE" as a reference movie (untick "self contained") and call the movie client_ref.mov (etc) . *This step is very important*. And +DONT EXPORT TO COMPRESSOR+. this is nuts at the moment. wait for FCS V3 soon I hope.
• last step: make this distribution using COMPRESSOR by using the reference clip client_ref.mov as input to compressor.
And as they say .. thats it!
Ph one more cool thing.. while it is transcoding and all your cores are ringing out at 99% each, try setting up a COMPRESSOR DROPLET. Set this on your desktop and drag and drop client_ref.mov onto it.. and watch compressor and master do their work.
Yes.. compressor is your best mate when you set him up properly.
HTH
w
sorry for the typos, I'm in a hurry...