Grid Processing
DVD2one2 has the unique possibility to spread the compression workload over multiple computers. One computer is the master and all file IO is done on it. The other computers are slaves and get commands and data to process from the master by network connection.
The main problem is that an application like DVD2one2 processes a lot of data in a short time, so it must also exchange a lot of data between the master and slave computers. The reason that this is a problem is the fact that most network adapters do most processing in the driver and hence on the computer CPU. So to have advantage of the grid processing, the CPU usage of the communication between master and slave must be less than the CPU usage of the compression engine.
This means that when you have a fast computer (for instance Mac G5 or PC with P4 2.4Ghz and higher) the CPU overhead for communication is equal to the CPU usage of the compression engine and there will be no advantage using the grid processing. But when you have a bit slower computer like a Mini-Mac, iBook or PC with P3 1Ghz, you will definitely see increase in processing speed!
Requirements: at least 100Mbit switched network (preferable Gbit), with 'active' network adaptors that do most of the processing in the chipset and not in the driver on the CPU. Unfortunately builtin network adaptors and cheap chipsets like RealTek and WinBond do not fall in this category.
The main problem is that an application like DVD2one2 processes a lot of data in a short time, so it must also exchange a lot of data between the master and slave computers. The reason that this is a problem is the fact that most network adapters do most processing in the driver and hence on the computer CPU. So to have advantage of the grid processing, the CPU usage of the communication between master and slave must be less than the CPU usage of the compression engine.
This means that when you have a fast computer (for instance Mac G5 or PC with P4 2.4Ghz and higher) the CPU overhead for communication is equal to the CPU usage of the compression engine and there will be no advantage using the grid processing. But when you have a bit slower computer like a Mini-Mac, iBook or PC with P3 1Ghz, you will definitely see increase in processing speed!
Requirements: at least 100Mbit switched network (preferable Gbit), with 'active' network adaptors that do most of the processing in the chipset and not in the driver on the CPU. Unfortunately builtin network adaptors and cheap chipsets like RealTek and WinBond do not fall in this category.