Here are some rough numbers that we have seen when testing performance of transcoding from RED footage. This is not a comprehensive data set as there are many factors at play here:
- CPU, GPU, Red Rocket vs. Red Rocket-X
- Source file resolution (4K, 5K, 6K)
- Source file sensor (Mysterium, Dragon, etc)
- Debayering quality (Full, Half Good, Half Premium, etc)
In the tests below, we are always set to use the ‘Optimized’ decode quality, which finds the best match for debayering quality based on the target resolution of the decoding.
In current implementations with the GPU based RED SDK, we usually beat the old Red Rocket but in this configuration a faster CPU still makes a big difference.
The Red Rocket X is still much faster than the GPU SDK, but its also an additional cost, uses substantial power and generates a fair amount of heat and noise, so whether its worth it is up to you.
