Mercury Playback Engine now Software Only

[kdoc2]

Just did the Adobe updates, and Premier now will only use Mercury Playback Engine Software Only--it previously used Hardware Acceleration. For years, and until today,I have used a slightly changed "cuda_supported_cards.txt , adding my card to the list: "GeForce GTX 260".  That has always worked, and i haven't even looked for that txt file recently. Now i discover that there is no such file any more, and with this upgrade the Mercury Playback engine is only software related now.

This is a Windows machine, NVidia GeForce GTX 260. Under Display I tried to update, and got a message that it's up to date (didn't go into the site though). I can't find any settings to change, but am very unfamiliar with such cards.

How should i regain Hardware capability.

Thanks very much

kdoc

[kulpreet singh · Accepted solution]

Hi Kdoc,

Premiere Pro 2015.3 can work with video cards designed on latest architecture.

We have seem issues in which Premiere Pro is not able to detect the legacy cards.

I would suggest you to roll back the video driver but still cannot guarantee that it will work with Premiere Pro 2015.3

If you want you can roll back to the previous version of Premiere pro:

https://forums.adobe.com/thread/2170895

Thanks,

Kulpreet Singh

[kdoc2]

Thanks Kulpreet,

1. I doubt an earlier driver will work: the 260 has always been off your list, but worked fine before once I changed that cuda_supported_cards.txt file to include it's name. Is there any reason why an earlier driver would work, and if so, which one to choose?

2. If I render the sequence I"m working on periodically will things run pretty well: It ran through smoothly the first time, though the line stayed red above?

3. Is it highly likely by rolling back to 9.2 I should be back and OK? The disadvantage of this is that I won't be able to ever update!

4. Is Adobe going to fix this, so that cards that worked before will continue to work--I guess the alternative is a new card. I hate to go that root now--cost considerations--do you have a suggestion for someone, an amateur, generally working on 1 TL, some 2 TL's, very rarely 3.

5. Isn't it bad form for Adobe (I know you work for them) to create an update which excludes all but the latest architecture--Adobe forces people, even those with previously acceptable cards, to scurry around for a new card?

Thank you

kdoc

[PmPhotographic]

HI

I have noted this in the past, usually it clears on closing and reopening PPro.  My card is a NVidea FX3800 installed in a HP workstation and Ive had this occurring for a long time .  This combination was chosen as both were Adobe certified at the time

[kdoc2]

I apologize for the ignorant question, but can one of you explain to me the value of rendering the sequence (given there is currently no GPU Acceleration), versus the value of getting the Cuda Hardware to work. As mentioned, going back in versions will have the considerable disadvantage of preventing upgrades--indefinitely!  BTW: rebooting system didn't do anything.

kdoc

[Kevin-Monahan]

Hi kdoc2,

explain to me the value of rendering the sequence (given there is currently no GPU Acceleration), versus the value of getting the Cuda Hardware to work.

With a GPU enabled for hardware acceleration, encoding is much faster if you have GPU accelerated effects, scaling, etc. If you have none of the things that engage GPU processing, then a software rendering of the sequence will not be any faster, theoretically.

This blog post should clear up any other questions: CUDA, OpenCL, Mercury Playback Engine, and Adobe Premiere Pro | Creative Cloud blog by Adobe

BTW, your NVIDIA video card barely meets minimum requirements. I would recommend a more powerful GPU for HD video and beyond with the latest versions of our software and going forward.

My colleague warned about the latest NVIDIA drivers and he is very correct, these are meant for only the most recent GPUs and their updated architecture, so they are too new for your legacy GPU. They have caused massive issues for others trying to do the same thing. If you have installed drivers within the last few weeks, you should roll them back to those that you were running earlier.

Thanks,
Kevin

[kdoc2]

Thanks Kevin: nice reaching you again (after a couple of years or so--I've been on pure photography for that time, and am now returning). Can you or your colleague please tell me how to roll back this card, and how one decides to what date to do that? I should add that at this point I have not updated my Nvidia GeForce 260 (I believe it was dated 2015), and as far as I can tell from a search in Windows Explorer, could not find a "cuda_supported_cards.txt" file. So i doubt that change in the txt file I made several years ago still exists.

So acknowledging that I'll have to upgrade the card, I can't do so for at least 2-3 weeks, and will have to be working on Premier during that time. It seems to be working smoothly: Can i continue to work, roll back the card (how, and to when/), or roll back my Premier Upgrade to 9.2?

Finally, what am i risking? 1. Slower work?  2. A crash which can be easily rebooted/recovered?  or 3. A very serious irreversible crash?

Many thanks

Keith (kdoc)

[PmPhotographic]

Hi

I have now found my (at the time ) expensive Quadro FX3800 is not recognised by the latest PPRo Update, and have been told basically that that's it as far as Adobe are concerned

You can roll back drivers using Device Manager

I am going to carry on using the previous version of PPro, which works.  If you have uninstalled this version, it can be re accessed through the CC app. see FAQ: How to go back from Premiere Pro 2015.3 to Premiere Pro 2015.2

I may cancel my CC subscription now and go back to my last owned version if I cant use my hardware, I don't fancy buying a new card at this point

[larsn78597644]

I seem to have same problem with FX3800 not working with latest Premiere Pro 2015.3 this is just to bad! Expect a correction from Adobe ASAP! Do also need to roll back then to 2015.2 !??

[kulpreet singh]

Hi Larsn,

Please refer to this thread:

CC2015.3 - can't see my Quadro FX 3800 video card...

If you want to rollback to the previous version, please check the instructions here:

FAQ: How to go back from Premiere Pro 2015.3 to Premiere Pro 2015.2

Thanks,

Kulpreet Singh

[kdoc2]

Thanks for all the help we're getting on this Kulpreet and others. On choosing a new video card which will fulfill Premier's needs now and in the next few years, the GTX 970 (reasonably priced) and the nvidia quadro 4000 (quite expensive) have been suggested through this thread. Can you please give us ways to evaluate which cards meet PrP's requireents? Are you comfortable with the 970 choice, and/or do you have other suggestions in the under $350 range which might be superior?

Thank you

kdoc

[POOKIE SNOOKEM FOOTS]

why would a company designed to create ease for everyone would develop restricted software?

[RjL190365]

Sorry, but as I stated in the thread that kulpreet linked to, Premiere Pro CC 2015.3 requires not only CUDA Compute Capability version 2.0 or higher, but also driver version 353.xx or higher in order for MPE CUDA GPU acceleration to work at all. Unfortunately, your GTX 260 is now eight years old, and obsolete, because its CUDA Compute Capability version is only 1.3, and the driver support has already ended at version 341.xx.

[kdoc2]

Yes, thanks RjL: That's why I'm planning on a new card, as implied by my question. I don't understand Cuda Compute Capability, it's versions, etc--so that's why I was asking for suggestions in the "lower" pricerange--whether the 970 is the best choice or whether there are others i should consider. I'd like to know that and also if you have a reference about CUDA Compute Capability and its versions. Thanks to you, Kulpreet and others.

kdoc

[PmPhotographic]

HI,

I am now considering a replacement card, and have been given some bad information today by technical support.  I tried to check if a Quadro M2000 is supported by PPro latest version.  I was confused because adobe list the suitable cards here

Premiere Pro System Requirements for Mac OS and Windows but the M2000 is not listed.

NVidea show it as a good performance card here Adobe Premiere Pro CC - Faster Video Editing | NVIDIA

Unfortunately, from Tech support I was pointed here http://www.adobe.com/content/dam/Adobe/en/products/creativesuite/production/cs6/pdfs/adobe-hardware-... , but this is from early 2014 and lists my FX2800 and so is no longer valid information.  This could have lead me to a very expensive mistake!

[kdoc2]

Those suitable card Requirements may now be out of date.

By the way, I'm on a Windows 10 system,, re the question of the GTX 970 above.

kdoc

[PmPhotographic]

So, where does one turn to get up to date information, anyone have any suggestions?

I'm also using win 10, on a HP Z400 workstation

[kdoc2]

It seems that many of us require more help in choosing a new video card,: My questions:

     1. Unless you have other suggestions, I'll get the nvidia GTX 970. Is that clearly acceptable? Also, going into B and H (link below), they have several versions. Not understanding video card specs,can you please help with choosing one (in the $270-$315 range)?

B&H Photo Video  Is one better for Premier than another?

     2. Is there an actual up to date list of the acceptable video cards which meet the new CC requirements.for Premier?

Thanks

kdoc

[PmPhotographic]

HI, sorry, but I can't advise you.  It may well be worth looking in the Hardware forum, or even trying technical support

[danielp69473249]

Hi, gtx 970 is legacy for this version ?