Trying to decide whether to keep the Black Friday Bundle that I purchased earlier today, or request that it be converted to something else at essentially the same price. The dilemma is because of Video AI.
I stupidly didn’t compare the system requirements of TVAI to the new computer that has been already ordered but won’t be delivered until early January. I already know that my current computer wouldn’t be able to run TVAI (it’s an Intel i5-7500T, only 8MB RAM, Intel 630 graphics card) although it’s fine for photo editing and for basic local video creation. Stupidly did not think to compare the specs on the new, incoming computer to what TVAI needs, and where the new computer falls most short is in the VRAM.
New computer was ordered with an i7 14700, 32GB RAM as 2 x 16GB, a 2TB Class 40 SSD, and an AMD Radeon RX6500 graphics card. DDR5. But it will have only 4GB VRAM, and the specs for TVAI say it needs 8. Upgrading the graphics card is NOT an option, as I overextended my budget for the new computer. So my first question is, would TVAI even work at all locally on a computer that has only 4GB VRAM?
Then there’s the question of whether it can even do what’s wanted. My sole interest in TVAI was to hopefully take a bunch of old footage from the 1980s and 1990s that was originally shot with VHS and VHS-C camcorders, then was digitized during the early 2000s and burned to Memorex DVDs with a utility called Turtle Beach Video Advantage.
So they are all in VIDEO_TS and AUDIO_TS folders on a number of DVDs, as .VOB files. Most of them are 720 x 480 and so might have a chance at improvement, maybe? I see from other posts on this forum that TVAI can directly import .VOB files and work with them, but if being limited to the 4GB VRAM graphics card is going to be a process killer, it seems silly to keep the app.
I know there is the Cloud Credit option but after reading how many credits it would cost to use that, it makes zero sense. Most of these old videos are between 40 and 60 minutes long, if not more. So financially I would need to be able to render locally only. And TVAI doesn’t sound like it will have what is needed to do that.
You’re going to take a hit for sure on performance and you may not like it. I’m not sure if this is a cost issue for you. But in the long run I think you’ll be disappointed. While you certainly can’t future proof a computer that you buy today, there is a sweet spot (best hardware for the money). Unfortunately, programs like topaz AI are driving the hardware requirements higher and faster. If your time is worth more money, then start with a better computer.
Most likely it could still process the videos but you would need to lower the max memory % that the app can access to keep it from overwhelming the GPU and causing a crash. With a license to the app you can always use an older version of the app that required less memory resources to process your videos as well. The license gives you access to the version that you purchased it in and any previous version.
Once you get the laptop in and try running the app if you run into issues, reach out to the support team and we can see about options to help resolve any errors. We can also discuss options for a refund or swapping the license to other apps. help@topazlabs.com
I am pretty sure that having to throttle the app would be even more frustrating, especially if it resulted in preventing me from using the computer for hours on end when I would need to be using it for other things, or making those other apps problematic to run alongside it when in any other circumstances they would work fine.
Last night I decided that it will make more sense to concentrate on the two areas that I use most often (image editing, and videos made with newly-shot footage) rather than driving myself crazy about the older videos that typically aren’t watched more than maybe once a year, if that. So I messaged the support team (realizing that today is a holiday and so I don’t expect a reply for a day or two) explaining the bad app/hardware fit and asking if I can swap the Bundle license for the Starter Promos for Gigapixel and for Photo AI. Doing that would also give me far more cloud credits in case I ever need them for anything particularly resource-intensive like the generative features. The difference in cost is literally $1
Although I already have three other photo apps (not PS, because I refuse to get any subscription software) I find that each has its particular strengths and weaknesses. For example, Gigapixel absolutely blows the others away when it comes to upscaling. Absolutely no contest. And I have many more old/crappy photos than sub-par videos!
When TVAI is important to you and if you can stop/exchange you’re order then do it. i7 14700 cpu is lower limit but ok and works. This graphics card is a no-go! TVAI is very GPU intensive.
It doesn’t have to be the latest system. Save on SSD you can upgrade later by installing a second one, save on CPU by takeing AMD and not newest generation is cheaper. (Ryzen9 5950X would be the perfect one, maybe also to expensive in you’re case?! But there are others Ryzen7/9 AM4 out). Then Invest a big part into the graphic card.
The old machine is not suitable for Video AI, I am afraid. The integrated graphics are a nightmare to process videos with. The new GPU is a good mid-range gaming card but lacks sufficient video memory. I think even 8 GB of VRAM would be the bare minimum for Video AI. While I personally can’t say how your new machine will perform in your specific use case, I would like to offer my help with processing if your render times are way too long.
The computer has already been built and shipped. I had it sent to a relative who lives in a state that has no sales tax, but who is coming for a visit shortly after New Year’s. The difference between doing that and having it sent to my home is almost $250 because of the sales tax where I live. I wasn’t in a particular hurry for the new computer other than wanting to have it available after the holiday craziness, when I will have more time to settle in to using it.
When I ordered it, I wasn’t even aware of Topaz Video AI, to be honest. I was aware of Photo AI in a sense of it being talked about in comparison to Luminar Neo (which I currently have) but not of Video AI or Gigapixel, until literally last week.
And yes the graphics card is the one you cite. Please don’t tell me why you said “hopefully not”, LOL, because that would serve no purpose at this point. There’s no way that I’d be able to afford to change it, either now or in the foreseeable future. And I suspect that compared to the Intel graphics card in my current machine, it will probably be an improvement despite whatever shortcomings it might have for others. It’s not like the computer is or ever will be used for gaming.
Many thanks, that’s very kind of you. When I ordered the new machine (which was more than a month ago), video processing wasn’t top of mind by any means. I live on a fixed income, so it’s a matter of allocating money where it makes the most sense on a day to day basis (“needs” versus “wants”) according to how I use whatever it is. And I tend to keep stuff for a long time unless it turns out to be a lemon; for example, I kept my previous car (2003 Lexus ES) for 15 years and my previous iPhone SE for eight.
I know many people scoff at Dell but I’ve been buying their machines ever since I switched out of my first computer which was a brand-new IBM PS-2 (so now you know how ancient I am, lol) before Windows was even a gleam in Bill Gates’ eye. And I still say that Windows 7 was the best version they ever put out
One thing nobody has mentioned is that you can download and use any of the older versions. For instance, 2.64 may work just fine for your hardware…less demanding.
In a non-uograde static scenario with no software changes, everything works as it is. Of course you don’t get the advantages of a the latest and greatest.
I don’t think the older versions were any less demanding exactly, they just didn’t advertise more demanding situations like making 4K bigger.
Mostly I’m just basing this off of my GTX 1060 3GB running at the same speed with the same model in 2.6.4 and TVAI 4.
Also, I think Topaz has made it so you had to have bought the older version license at the time it was available. I seem to remember people praising VEAI 1.8 or some old version like that, but when I downloaded it, it said I didn’t have access to it.
It’s not like the computer is or ever will be used for gaming.
