Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

[aimer32]

Since of today i am trying to build a small renderfarm. I got some old pentium 4's and a core 2 dual and this i wanna use these computers for distributed rendering.

But i tried test rendering just now and used high resolution settings, but my notebook that i used as host started rendering but it took a whole while for only loading the images on the other computers. I went for some groceries and when i came back all images we're not loaded so only my two buckets of the notebook we're rendering.

Is there away to speed up the loading process of the images. for example copying the images to all computers or something. And what is an optimal setup for a distributed rendering farm.

I would like to know what all the others are using? so that i can check the possibilities?

[aufifillah alwi]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

im looking forward the answer of question.... i also considering into creating a small render farm......
i got 2 pc and a laptop......if only this distributed rendering could be used also on ps3....coz i have one hahahahha

[thomthom]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

You're not using a wireless connection by any chance? That isn't recommended as it's slow and prone to errors.

[aimer32]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

No i am using a linksys router and connected with cable. I tried it once wireless, but than some of the buckets gave weird renders. So that was why i started using the router.

[123carlsson]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

what are the reccomended settings in general for sketchup for vray?

Im experiencing crashes on heavy scenes running on the following specs on a pc for mac solution:

MacPro1,1
Processor: Dual-Core Intel Xeon
Processorspeed: 2.66 GHz
Processors: 2
Cores: 4
Memory. 4gb

[thomthom]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

For large scenes - render out to file instead of the VFB. That way you can work around memory limits.

[proseduction]

Re: Optimal hardware for distributed rendering

I also got interested by the idea of a renderfarm.

I have been this setup:
1x Zepto NOX A15 -> Intel Core 2 Duo 2,53 Ghz
1x Home build PC -> Intel Core 2 Duo 2,66 Ghz
1x Old PC -> Pentium 4 2,4 Ghz

Other hardware i used was a Lan network via a Linksys broadband router (WRT54GVS)

I was anxious to know what the difference would be if i connect these three together. I used a design that i need to use for a university assignment. A very simple render with materials on a resolution of 1280 x 960 on the default settings of Vray for Sketchup.

This is the result:
Only the laptop:


The laptop with the intel core 2 duo PC:


All three together: (first run)


Second Run:


Conclusion:
The third computer doesn't give me more boost than when with the two dual core computers. The second run is 6 seconds slower than with the two dual cores.

I also was thinking about adding more Pentium 4 pc's, but when i see this it creates questions. I must say that the Pentium 4 got 1 GB of memory so this can be the cause of the slower rendering, but this is a geuss.

Are there any people who have got more experience with these kind of cases.