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  Aggregated  Project Forums  Boinc  Graphic card cr...
 Graphic card crunching!
 
 10/11/2008 5:29:22 AM
User is offlinepaul
1039 posts
1st




Graphic card crunching!
 (N/A) Modified By paul on 10/11/2008 7:30:10 AM)
 PS3Grid has been using the cell processors in Sony Playstation 3's for a BOINC project called PS3Grid for some time now. They have recently released a version that works with newer NVidia graphic cards, using the amazing amount of computational power these cards have. If you have an NVidia Geforce 9600 GT - 512/1024M - 64 shader units or better, you should be able to run this project. For a complete list, check here

 It is a novel distributed supercomputing infrastructure made of many PlayStation3 and NVIDIA graphics cards joined together to deliver high-performance all-atom biomolecular simulations.


Greeri has been using his PS3 for a while now on the project, was the first on the team to give a NVidia GTX 260 a go, and has sparked interest in Xaak, fesstess and nutcase to purchase a 260 for the sole purpose of running this project. I'd like to hear more from them, I'm on the verge of getting one myself.
Co-owner, the Group of 10 100 200 300
 10/11/2008 5:49:15 AM
User is offlinepaul
1039 posts
1st




Re: Graphic card crunching!
 (N/A) Modified By paul on 10/11/2008 7:58:44 AM)

on a side note, from the boinc_alpha mailing list-
 David Anderson: GPU performance: the next release may improve this.
 I finally have a CUDA system myself, so hopefully we'll fix CUDA problems faster.


From NVidia's site: http://www.nvidia.com/object/cuda_learn.html
 NVIDIA CUDA™ technology is the only C language environment that unlocks the processing power of GPUs to solve the most complex compute-intensive challenges.


This has changed since last week when ATI released their driver package for stream computing. More info here- http://ati.amd.com/technology/streamcomputing/index.html
Currently the only distributed computing project utilizing ATI gpu's is Folding at Home, which has shunned the BOINC platform so far.

 Stream computing harnesses the tremendous processing power of the graphics processor unit (GPU) for high-performance, data-intensive computations over a wide range of scientific, business and consumer applications.

In stream computing, operations are applied in parallel through a SIMD architecture to a given data set, or stream of data. To take advantage of the GPU’s SIMD architecture and the hundreds of parallel compute cores it provides, AMD Stream has developed a full software stack of development tools for both 32-bit and 64-bit Linux and Windows operating systems; the AMD Stream SDK. AMD Stream is also porting many common math library functions from the AMD ACML package to the GPU to support compute-intensive applications.

Along with leading 3rd party industry partners and academic institutions worldwide, AMD Stream is building a complete stream computing ecosystem, one that delivers the performance, applications, software and tools necessary to turn AMD's low-cost stream computing vision into reality.

Characteristics of stream computing:
  • Enable new applications on new architectures
  • Parallel problems other than graphics that map well on GPU architecture
  • Transition from fixed function to programmable pipelines
  • Various proof points in research and industry under the name GPGPU

Co-owner, the Group of 10 100 200 300
 10/11/2008 6:25:46 AM
User is offlinefesstess
653 posts
Website
2nd




Re: Graphic card crunching!
 (United States)

these 8800's work as well;

  • GeForce 8800 GS - 384M - 96 shader units
  • GeForce 8800 GT - 256/512/1024M - 112 shader units
  • GeForce 8800 GTS - 512/1024M - 128 shader units
    I may have to check my son's card to see if it's on the list. My BFG Tech GeForce GTX260 OC 896MB DDR3 alone will probably have a RAC of 6,000 over time.
  •  The cost here in Canada was over $300 but I convinced myself I needed a new card anyway. Also you can download software from nvidia to control the fan speed for better cooling.
    		•
     10/11/2008 11:05:55 AM
    User is offlineGreeri
    104 posts
    4th




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States)
    Keep in mind this is still very beta. You must run the boinc 6.3.14 in order to even use it. These guys did a very good job getting this project up and running stable on the ps3 and they are making improvements on the current gpu project every day.

    With the current unmodified software you will loose 1 cpu core to the gpu crunching. There is also currently a per cpu cache limit so it is not playing nicely with anything less than a quad for now.

    Depending on what projects you run, a GTX 260  will get aproximatly the same rac or better than the entire quad. So for a $200 to $300 investment you basicly double the rac of one machine. In my case I have oced the cards and get about 10K per day per card. There is also a better app pending for the 260/280 cards so this will probably increase.




    When I look at the smiles on all the children's faces, I just know they're about to jab me with something.
     10/12/2008 8:54:52 AM
    User is offlineJack Shaftoe
    288 posts
    3rd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States) Modified By Jack Shaftoe on 10/12/2008 10:56:49 AM)

    I have an 8600 GT - looks like it is the oldest card compatible.  Worth plugging in?  Will BOINC run and show both the GPU and my quad workunits at the same time?

    "I think we're on the verge of a major climate shift. The government has to start making long term preparations now."
    "Jack, all you have is a theory."
    "Well then give me the mainframe and let me prove it!!!"
     10/12/2008 10:46:43 AM
    User is offlineGreeri
    104 posts
    4th




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States)
    Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.

    And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.

    When I look at the smiles on all the children's faces, I just know they're about to jab me with something.
     10/12/2008 12:10:08 PM
    User is offlineJack Shaftoe
    288 posts
    3rd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States) Modified By Jack Shaftoe on 10/12/2008 3:32:46 PM)

    Well, it's not doing major processing as it is - I don't play games on the PC and picked it up for dual DVI.  Might plug it in and see what there is to see.  Thanks for the reply Greeri,

       The cost here in Canada was over $300 but I convinced myself I needed a new card anyway.

    CAD or USD?  Newegg shows some of the GTX 260's to be right around $200 USD after rebate.

    "I think we're on the verge of a major climate shift. The government has to start making long term preparations now."
    "Jack, all you have is a theory."
    "Well then give me the mainframe and let me prove it!!!"
     10/12/2008 3:24:22 PM
    User is offlinefesstess
    653 posts
    Website
    2nd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States)
    Price was acually $336.00 CAD + TXS of 12%, then a $40 mail-in rebate. We're taxed to death 'round here. 
     10/12/2008 6:45:21 PM
    User is offlineJack Shaftoe
    288 posts
    3rd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States) Modified By Jack Shaftoe on 10/12/2008 8:50:38 PM)

     fesstess wrote
    Price was acually $336.00 CAD + TXS of 12%, then a $40 mail-in rebate. We're taxed to death 'round here. 

     

    Is it worthwhile for someone else to pick it up for you and mail it?  $199 USD  (after rebate) = $234 CAD right now - so $336 CAD is a huge markup as far as I can see.  The $40 rebate only covers tax.

    Not sure if this is generally acceptable or not, but want to ask...

    EDIT: Nevermind, seeing that the BFG card you are talking about is $280 USD on newegg making it not worthwhile.

    "I think we're on the verge of a major climate shift. The government has to start making long term preparations now."
    "Jack, all you have is a theory."
    "Well then give me the mainframe and let me prove it!!!"
     10/14/2008 7:43:58 PM
    User is offlinekemp
    166 posts
    4th




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (Uruguay)
     Greeri wrote
    Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.

    And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.



    I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.
    Brazil, not Uruguay!!!
     10/15/2008 6:23:17 PM
    User is offlineJack Shaftoe
    288 posts
    3rd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States)
     kemp wrote
     Greeri wrote
    Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.

    And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.



    I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.

     

    Thanks Kemp, will hold off then.

    "I think we're on the verge of a major climate shift. The government has to start making long term preparations now."
    "Jack, all you have is a theory."
    "Well then give me the mainframe and let me prove it!!!"
     10/15/2008 7:11:00 PM
    User is offlineXaak
    1056 posts
    1st




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (N/A)
     kemp wrote
     Greeri wrote
    Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.

    And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.



    I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.

     

    The GTX 260's I bought are all running under 60c, and they're overclocked with the fan at around 60%, so it might just be your card.

    Gary
    You can't fix dead.
     10/15/2008 8:26:46 PM
    User is offlinekemp
    166 posts
    4th




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (Uruguay) Modified By kemp on 10/15/2008 10:54:05 PM)
     Xaak wrote
     kemp wrote
     Greeri wrote
    Probably not worth it unless you just want to feel out the project for a better card. Shader units, processing cores or Stream Processors are all the same thing and are the processing power of the card. Yours is listed as 32. the ones we are currently playing with are 192-216.

    And yes boinc will show the gpu wu as one of the pc cores.



    I've tried to run it on a 8600 GT 512Mb. I tell you, don't do it. The gpu core temp goes from 56 to hit 78ºC.

     

    The GTX 260's I bought are all running under 60c, and they're overclocked with the fan at around 60%, so it might just be your card.


    For sure! While it was running, and only boinc manager window was opened, bar scrolling it was a pain in the ass.
    And, a GTX 260 is better than 8600.

    Brazil, not Uruguay!!!
     10/16/2008 9:49:05 AM
    User is offlinenutcase
    247 posts
    3rd




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (United States)

    260 gtx installed and crunching

     10/17/2008 5:04:48 PM
    User is offlinepaul
    1039 posts
    1st




    Re: Graphic card crunching!
     (N/A)
     nutcase wrote

    260 gtx installed and crunching

    Co-owner, the Group of 10 100 200 300
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