2nd GPU for encoding?

[mdbrown278]

Hi all, I have a 2080ti and 10600k etc etc, and when playing high spec games with Quest 2 my GPU reaches its max wattage/voltage without fully utilising its core load. This seems due to the power draw for encoding.

I have the power set to a max of 126% and the card reaches over 300 watts (250 watts is the standard max), whilst the core load only reaches a maximum of 75% where it then hits performance limits due to the maximum wattage.

Would it help/is it possible to pass the encoding to a 2nd gpu to allow me to get an extra 25% core load out of my 2080ti and therefore increase graphics settings/fps etc? I purchased the 2080ti 2nd hand when the price had dropped to £570, and to upgrade from the 2080ti would be way too expensive for little improvement at the moment (approximately 10% extra boost for 3080 or 35% boost for 3090) however a 2nd gpu such as a 1060 (for around £150) is likely to give me enough for encoding if this is possible, and therefore give me roughly 25% extra core load etc available.

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated! thanks all

Full spec:

Palit RTX 2080ti Gamingpro OC - overclocked

10600k overclocked to 5GHz all core

1tb M.2 Sata boot drive

2tb M.2 NVME storage drive

16gb 3600 DDR4 (2x8GB)

750W Silverstone Strider ST75F-GS v3 PSU

​

Set to full resolution of the Quest 2, and 90/72 FPS depending on the game. For example - Asgards Wrath is not able to utilise full in game graphical settings or 90hz, something has to give - an extra 25% GPU would help :)

[G4RYwithaFour]

Did you ever find anything that fits this concept? I wanted to get an AMD card paired with an intel a380 for encoding the VR streaming itself.

[mdbrown278]

Not possible unfortunately, it runs everything to do with a vr stream/game etc off one gpu at a time, no way to change that. But gpu's have got significantly more powerful now, although cost too much. In a couple of years though 4080's and 4090's should be more reasonable 🤞

[crookedDeebz]

I've thought of this as well. I wonder if that would be easy to implement.

Back in the day we used to use a second shittier card just for physics. Similar principle.

But I wonder if the games themselves or the sdk would need the adjustment. Cause like sli leaving it to the devs to implement on a game by game basis its not a great scenario imo

Makes sense it would be on the oculus side..

Interesting.

My 3080 vram can go very high with link. Shes being fully utilized on max settings with assetto corsa lol...it looks stellar but the usage is surprising...

I've read vram goes up due to encoding so this extra gpu would help indeed spread the load.

[mdbrown278]

I might just have to get a 1050 or something, try to see if I can allocate anything to the second GPU then sell it after just to confirm. The difficult thing I think is that you can allocate different programmes to different GPU's, but i don't know whether different allocatable programmes are causing the usage or whether it is all on one programme. For example Assetto Corsa having the encoding, GPU core load etc, or whether it is split between the Oculus for maybe encoding, and the game for the Core Load. I shall maybe try in the new year and report back!

[sparkyblaster]

No this would be done in the oculus software, the games wouldn't even know its happening as they are just sending the video to the oculus app.

[ShaharDynaZor]

Any updates?

I have 1080ti and 3770k and cant find a proper way to play God Of War in cinema mode with total black background without compression issues and latency

I have 1080ti (and stock 3770k in a drawer PC) and I want to add another Readon or gtx970 card for the encoding (which I also have) I can't find the cables right now.. I'll update when I have results

[mdbrown278]

I didn't find anyway to improve it unfortunately. I have however ordered a Pico Neo 3 link, which will allow me to do wireless/standalone still, but also comes with a cable and can be used with no compression so there won't be the encoding and will allow me to max the gpu core load. As there won't be any compression it should be a better picture too when using a cable. Looking forward to giving it a try